Revolut and N26 payment cards

Outside the eurozone, most traditional banks impose more or less high exchange fees for each cash withdrawal or payment in a shop or restaurant. With a traditional bank, if you pay directly with your VISA or Mastercard type bank card, you will pay a fixed fee of approximately + 2.5% of the amount paid to the merchant.

The Revolut and N26 companies offer their customers an alternative means of payment when traveling internationally. These new generation banks created in 2014 and 2015 are complete, and only, online and operate from a smartphone application. The economy of not having physical offices allows them to have particularly attractive offers.

As a replacement for your usual credit card and to pay merchants directly in the local currency, in Japan in yen, the offers from Revolut and N26 are attractive because there are hardly any fees or none at all. 

These two online banks do not charge any fees for any direct payment to a merchant. There is no commission on payments worldwide, or almost, and it is the current exchange rate that is applied. On the other hand, when withdrawing from the ATM in a foreign currency, there is a +1.7% fee that will be imposed for N26. With a Revolut card, it will be free up to 200 euros, then a rate of + 2% will apply.

For those who often travel abroad, N26 and Revolut are two excellent options. Although different in some aspects, they are relatively similar and it is only your personal preferences that will allow you to make a choice.

• For more information about Revolut
• For more information on N26

It is possible to use its cards without any problem in Japan, in particular at 7 Bank and Japan Post distributors, as well as at most merchants.

For further :

• Withdraw money in Japan

• Cash in Japan

• The cost of living in Japan

• What is the budget for a trip to Japan?