Sending and Managing Money While Traveling: Wise, Revolut, or Your Bank Card?

Picture this: you're in Europe, a friend covered the hotel and you need to send your share, or you suddenly need cash sent from home. A regular bank wire (SWIFT) often takes 1-3 days and can cost $20-40 in fees. The alternative has been around for years — apps like Wise and Revolut that move money in minutes for a fraction of the cost.

🏦 Why a regular bank transfer is expensive

• A SWIFT transfer often passes through several intermediary banks, each taking its own cut
• The exchange rate is usually the bank's 'own' rate, not the real market rate — the gap can hide 2-5%
• Processing takes 1-3 business days — not much help in an emergency

📲 How Wise and Revolut work

Both offer a multi-currency account — one app holds GEL, EUR, USD and more at once, with local bank details in several countries. Transfers use the real mid-market rate plus a small, clearly shown fee — usually 0.5-2%.

• Wise — strong for international transfers, often settling within hours
• Revolut — strong for everyday spending and splitting costs with friends (its Split Bill feature)
• Both cards also work well for paying abroad — see the travel cards guide

💶 Splitting costs on the road

If you're splitting a hotel, a rental car or a group trip with friends based in different countries, Revolut or Wise gets your share to them in minutes, any day of the week, without waiting on bank hours.

🚨 If your card or cash goes missing

💡 Tips

• Double-check the recipient's details before sending — reversing a misdirected transfer is hard
• Compare fees before you send — the app shows the exact total upfront, no surprises
• Add your card to Apple Pay or Google Pay — if the physical card is lost, you can still pay with your phone
• Check your daily transfer limit before you leave and raise it in advance if you might need it

For exchanging cash, see the currency exchange guide; for budgeting a trip, see budget travel from Georgia.