Revolut vs Zen — which neobank to choose in 2026?
Verified comparison of Revolut and ZEN.COM: real 2026 plans and fees, exchange rates, cards, cashback and investing. Which fintech fits your lifestyle?
8 min czytaniaFact-checked against primary sources on · figures re-verified on regulator, issuer or SEC filings — not copied from other sites
Revolut vs Zen — which neobank to choose in 2026?
Quick Answer
Revolut is the fuller product for most Polish users: a real bank (Lithuanian licence since December 2018, €100,000 deposit guarantee), a native Polish IBAN via its PL branch, and a super-app that bundles investing, crypto, savings and insurance. ZEN.COM is a leaner Mastercard-first e-money app (Bank of Lithuania EMI — safeguarding, not a deposit guarantee) whose draws are cheap paid tiers (Gold €0.90, Platinum/Pro €6.90 per month), one-time virtual cards, extended warranty on electronics, and rotating Instant Cashback offers. Neither supports BLIK. A common setup: Revolut as the main account and investing hub, Zen as a shopping/second card.
Plans and Pricing (verified September 2026)
| Revolut | ZEN.COM | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Standard — 0 PLN | Free — €0 |
| Paid tiers | Plus 19,99 zł / Premium 33,99 zł / Metal 55,99 zł / Ultra 260 zł per month | Gold €0.90 / Platinum €6.90 / Pro €6.90 per month |
| Licence | Revolut Bank UAB — full Lithuanian banking licence, €100k DGS | UAB ZEN.COM — e-money institution (Bank of Lithuania), safeguarding only |
| Polish IBAN | ✅ (PL branch) — works for ZUS/tax transfers | ❌ (Lithuanian details) |
| BLIK | ❌ | ❌ |
Currency Exchange
- Revolut: interbank rate on weekdays within your plan's allowance (€1,000/month on Standard, €3,000 on Plus, unlimited from Premium), then a 1% fair-usage fee (0.5% on Plus). Weekend markup: 1% Standard / 0.5% Plus / 0% from Premium up.
- ZEN: ZEN Rate plus a plan-based markup — +0.5% on Free, +0.2% on Gold, 0% on Platinum and Pro — and an additional +0.40% outside FX market hours (Pro is exempt).
For heavy weekday conversions, Revolut Premium (unlimited 0%) wins. For occasional small conversions, Zen Platinum/Pro at €6.90/month is a cheap way to get 0% markup — as long as you convert during market hours.
ATM Withdrawals
- Revolut (PL): 800 zł or 5 withdrawals/month free on Standard and Plus, 1,600 zł on Premium, 3,000 zł on Metal, 7,500 zł on Ultra — then 2% (min 5 zł).
- ZEN: 1.5% fee from the first withdrawal on Free; 200 EUR/month free on Gold and 800 EUR/month on Platinum/Pro, then 1.5%.
Made your pick? See how it fits the rest of your money — accounts, cards and investments in one view.
See your Freedom Runway — freeCashback and Shopping Perks
- Revolut: RevPoints-based cashback — roughly 0.4% (Standard/Plus), 0.6% (Premium), 0.8% (Metal), 1% (Ultra), redeemable for travel and perks.
- ZEN: no flat cashback — instead rotating Instant Cashback merchant offers (500+ partners) plus the Reward Zone program on the Pro card, and extended warranty on electronics (up to €1,500 on Gold, €5,000 on Platinum/Pro). One-time virtual card numbers are a genuine security edge for online shopping.
Which is better depends on your basket: Revolut's RevPoints are predictable; Zen's offers can beat them when a merchant you actually use is in rotation.
Investing and Extras
- Revolut: stocks and ETFs (1-10 free trades/month by tier, then 0.25% min €1), crypto, commodities, EEA bonds, savings accounts, travel insurance on Premium+, and a web trading terminal.
- ZEN: no investment products — it is deliberately a payments-and-shopping app.
If you want investing in the same app, Revolut is the only option of the two. (For serious investing, a dedicated broker still beats both.)
Safety
Revolut is a licensed bank — deposits up to €100,000 are covered by the Lithuanian deposit guarantee scheme. ZEN.COM is an e-money institution: your money is safeguarded at credit institutions (segregated from company funds) but not covered by a deposit guarantee. Both are supervised by the Bank of Lithuania and passported across the EEA.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Revolut if:
- You want one app for payments, savings and investing
- You need a Polish IBAN for ZUS/tax transfers without a traditional bank
- You convert larger amounts monthly (Premium's unlimited 0% weekday FX)
Choose ZEN if:
- You mainly want a cheap second card for online shopping (one-time virtual cards, extended warranty)
- The current Instant Cashback offers match where you actually shop
- You want 0% FX markup for pocket money at just €6.90/month (Platinum/Pro)
Or run both — Zen's paid tiers are cheap enough (€0.90-6.90) that many users hold Zen for shopping perks alongside a Revolut main account.
FAQ
Is Zen a bank?
No. ZEN.COM is a Lithuanian e-money institution supervised by the Bank of Lithuania. Your funds are safeguarded (held segregated at credit institutions) but not covered by the €100,000 deposit guarantee that applies to Revolut Bank UAB deposits.
Does either support BLIK?
No — neither Revolut nor Zen supports BLIK. For BLIK you still need an account at a Polish bank.
Which has better exchange rates?
On weekdays within your allowance, Revolut gives the interbank rate (unlimited from Premium up). Zen's Platinum/Pro tiers give 0% markup over the ZEN Rate, but add +0.40% outside FX market hours (Pro exempt). For most users the practical difference is small; heavy converters should pick Revolut Premium.
Can I receive my salary on these accounts?
On Revolut yes — the Polish IBAN works like any domestic account. On Zen you get Lithuanian details, which some Polish employers and institutions handle poorly; keep a Polish account for salary if your employer requires a PL IBAN.
What happened to Zen's 2% cashback?
Zen's old flat cashback program (and the Essential/Plus plan lineup) was replaced — the current fee schedule (effective May 2026) has Free/Gold/Platinum/Pro tiers with rotating Instant Cashback offers instead of flat rates.
Track both accounts (and everything else) in one place with Freenance — a personal-finance app that aggregates your neobanks, banks and brokers and shows your full financial picture.