Updated October 2026. Revolut and N26 are both regulated EU banks with a free Standard plan, and both give new French customers a French (FR) IBAN: N26 since 29 June 2023, Revolut since 2024. N26 feels like a normal bank account, which makes it the smoother pick for salary and daily life. Revolut wins on multi-currency and FX and is the one you can open before you arrive. Deposits sit under the German and Lithuanian schemes, up to €100,000.
Key takeaways
- Both give new French customers a French (FR) IBAN: N26 since 29 June 2023, Revolut since 2024.
- Older stories of employers rejecting N26's German IBAN predate June 2023; legacy N26 IBANs move only by invitation, and Revolut is still migrating Lithuanian ones.
- For cash, N26 is cheaper for a few large withdrawals and Revolut for many small ones.
- Revolut is best for travel and multi-currency; N26 is best for an everyday account.
- Deposit protection is €100,000 under the German (N26) and Lithuanian (Revolut) schemes, not the FGDR.
Revolut or N26 for France?
For an everyday account in France, N26 is the better pick: its clean app and French (FR) IBAN behave like a normal bank. For travel, currency exchange, and opening an account before you land, pick Revolut. Many residents simply keep both.
Both apps open in minutes from a phone, both ship a contactless card and Apple Pay or Google Pay, and both work fully in English. The real difference is philosophy: N26 is a bank that wants to be your main account, while Revolut is a money super-app built around FX and features. Revolut also accepts a foreign address at sign-up, while N26 asks for EU residence and proof of it, which makes Revolut the only one of the two you can reliably open from abroad.
User sentiment splits along the same lines. N26 rates marginally higher overall, praised for a polished app, virtual cards, budgeting, and a bank-account feel. Revolut rates strongly for competitive FX and multi-currency accounts. Both draw the same complaint: accounts frozen during compliance reviews, which is why forum regulars keep a second account at a French bank such as BoursoBank.
Do Revolut and N26 give you a French IBAN?
Yes, for new customers. N26 has issued a French (FR) IBAN to every new French customer since 29 June 2023. Revolut has given new French sign-ups an FR IBAN since 2024 and is still moving older accounts off Lithuanian IBANs.
The forum threads about French employers and landlords rejecting N26's German IBAN date from before June 2023 and no longer describe new accounts. Legacy N26 customers keep their DE IBAN until N26 invites them to migrate; there is no button to switch yourself. Revolut is migrating older Lithuanian IBANs to FR during 2025 and 2026, and its French customers are also moving from Revolut Bank UAB to a French entity, after which the FGDR covers them instead of the Lithuanian scheme. Expect an IBAN-change notice and some admin when that happens.
Refusing a euro IBAN from another SEPA country is illegal under EU Regulation 260/2012 (article 9), and you can report it to the DGCCRF, but payroll software still bounces some foreign IBANs. If you still hold a DE or LT IBAN, check the account details in-app and give your employer a French IBAN from a French online bank until the migration reaches you.
The tax side of a foreign entity
Which is cheaper, Revolut or N26?
Both Standard plans cost €0. The real costs are the card and cash: N26 charges €10 for a physical card and €2 per euro-area withdrawal after 3 free ones, while Revolut gives €200 or 5 withdrawals free, then charges 2%.
N26 sells three paid plans, Smart at €4.90, Go at €9.90 and Metal at €16.90 a month, checked in August 2026. Revolut sells Plus, Premium, Metal and Ultra; we could not verify their French prices in October 2026, so check revolut.com before you upgrade. On card payments in foreign currencies, N26 uses the Mastercard rate with no fee, while Revolut is free on weekdays within plan limits and adds about 1% at weekends. The table shows how the withdrawal rules play out in a typical month.
| Withdrawals in a month | Total | N26 Standard | Revolut Standard | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × €100 | €200 | €0 | €0 | Tie |
| 4 × €100 | €400 | €2 (1 paid withdrawal) | €4 (2% on €200) | N26 |
| 8 × €50 | €400 | €10 (5 paid withdrawals) | €4 (2% on €200) | Revolut |
The crossover is the number of withdrawals, not the amount: above 3 withdrawals a month, each extra one costs a flat €2 at N26, while Revolut's 2% only bites on money above €200. In the first year, add N26's €10 card if you want a physical card.
Which is better for travel and FX?
Revolut wins for travel and currency exchange thanks to multi-currency holding and interbank-rate exchange. N26 is fine abroad but is euro-first.
If you frequently hold, exchange, or send multiple currencies, Revolut is the stronger tool: you can hold dozens of currencies, exchange at the interbank rate on weekdays within your plan limits, and use virtual and disposable cards for online safety. Plan big conversions for a weekday, because Revolut adds about 1% on Saturdays and Sundays. N26 keeps things euro-centric: card payments abroad use the Mastercard rate with no foreign fee, but non-euro cash withdrawals cost 1.7% and it does not hold other currencies.
Revolut vs N26 side by side
A quick comparison of how the two apps stack up for people in France, as of October 2026, from each provider's terms and fee grid.
Account & IBAN country
Revolut
French (FR) IBAN for new French sign-ups since 2024; older Lithuanian (LT) IBANs being migrated during 2025-2026.
N26
French (FR) IBAN for every new French customer since 29 June 2023; legacy German (DE) IBANs migrate by invitation only.
Opening
Revolut
In-app with a passport and selfie; a foreign address is accepted, so you can open before arriving.
N26
Video or photo ident in-app; requires EU residence and proof of residence.
Cards
Revolut
Virtual card free; physical card delivery fee on Standard; disposable cards; metal card on top plans.
N26
Virtual Mastercard free; physical card €10 on Standard; metal card on N26 Metal.
Cash withdrawals (free plan)
Revolut
€200 or 5 withdrawals a month free, then 2%.
N26
3 free euro-area withdrawals a month, then €2 each; 1.7% on non-euro withdrawals.
Multi-currency & FX
Revolut
Strong: hold and exchange many currencies; 0% on weekdays within plan limits, about 1% at weekends.
N26
Euro-first; card payments abroad at the Mastercard rate with no foreign fee.
Plans
Revolut
Standard free, plus Plus, Premium, Metal and Ultra; French prices not verified in October 2026.
N26
Standard free, Smart €4.90, Go €9.90, Metal €16.90 a month (October 2026).
Customer support
Revolut
In-app chat in English, broad hours; full English contracts. No branches.
N26
In-app chat and email in English and French. No branches.
Regulation & deposit protection
Revolut
Revolut Bank UAB (Lithuania), €100,000 Lithuanian scheme; FGDR once its French entity takes over.
N26
N26 Bank AG, German licence, BaFin supervised, €100,000 German scheme.
Which should you pick?
The right pick depends on your use case. Still abroad or on a 90-day placement, open Revolut. Settled in France with a salary and bills, open N26. Either way, neither offers an overdraft, cheques, or a Livret A, so pair it with a French bank once you have an address.
Revolut
A money super-app with strong multi-currency, interbank-rate FX on weekdays, virtual cards, and budgeting tools. The Standard plan is free, opens with a foreign address, and gives new French sign-ups a French (FR) SEPA IBAN since 2024.
Why we recommend it: Best for multi-currency and FX, and the only one of the two you can open before you arrive, with a French (FR) IBAN for new sign-ups.
Best for: Newcomers still abroad, travellers, frequent currency exchange
Pros
- +Opens before arrival with a foreign address
- +Strong multi-currency and FX
- +Cheaper for many small withdrawals
- +French (FR) IBAN for new sign-ups
Cons
- −About 1% FX markup at weekends on the free plan
- −Lithuanian deposit scheme until its French entity takes over
- −Older accounts may still carry a Lithuanian IBAN
- Hold and exchange dozens of currencies
- Virtual and disposable cards for online safety
- €200 or 5 free withdrawals a month, then 2%
- Full English app, support and contracts
N26
A licensed German bank in an app, with a French (FR) SEPA IBAN for every new French customer since 29 June 2023, clean budgeting Spaces, and a familiar bank-account feel that suits salary and daily life in France. The Standard plan is free; a physical card costs €10.
Why we recommend it: Best as a main account: a licensed German bank with a French (FR) IBAN since June 2023, English and French support, and no fee on foreign-currency card payments.
Best for: An everyday main account, salary, and simple, predictable banking
Pros
- +Bank-account feel for salary
- +French (FR) IBAN since June 2023
- +No fee on foreign-currency card payments
- +English and French support
Cons
- −Deposit protection sits under Germany's scheme, not the FGDR
- −Only 3 free euro-area withdrawals a month
- −Euro-first, weaker multi-currency
- Licensed German bank, BaFin supervised
- €100,000 deposit guarantee
- Smart €4.90, Go €9.90, Metal €16.90 a month
- Mastercard rate abroad with no foreign fee
Our verdict for France
Pick N26 if you want a single, predictable everyday account for salary and bills. Pick Revolut if you are still abroad, travel, exchange currencies, or want the most features. Both give new customers a French (FR) IBAN; if you hold a legacy German or Lithuanian one, pair it with a French online bank until your migration arrives.
Sources: n26.com (French IBAN page and fee grid), revolut.com, ACPR, and Banque de France, October 2026. Plans and fees change; verify current pricing and IBAN country with Revolut and N26 before you sign up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Revolut or N26 better for living in France?
It depends on your priority. N26 feels closer to a normal bank account, while Revolut wins on multi-currency, FX, and opening before you arrive. Both give new French customers a French (FR) IBAN, so the old IBAN-country gap has closed for new accounts.
Does Revolut or N26 give you a French IBAN?
Yes, for new customers. N26 has issued a French (FR) IBAN to every new French customer since 29 June 2023, and older German IBANs move to FR only by invitation. Revolut has given new French sign-ups an FR IBAN since 2024 and is still migrating older Lithuanian IBANs during 2025 and 2026.
Which is cheaper, Revolut or N26?
Both Standard plans are free. N26 charges €10 for a physical card and €2 per euro-area withdrawal after 3 free ones a month; Revolut gives €200 or 5 free withdrawals a month, then charges 2%, plus about 1% FX markup at weekends. N26's paid plans cost €4.90, €9.90 and €16.90 a month (October 2026).
Are Revolut and N26 safe and regulated?
Yes. N26 is a licensed German bank supervised by BaFin, with deposits protected up to €100,000 by the German scheme. Revolut is a licensed EU bank whose French customers sit with Revolut Bank UAB in Lithuania, protected up to €100,000 by the Lithuanian scheme until its French entity takes over, after which the FGDR applies.
Can I use Revolut or N26 to receive my French salary?
Yes. Both give new French customers a French (FR) IBAN, which behaves like a domestic account for salary, CAF, and direct debits. Refusing any euro IBAN is illegal under EU Regulation 260/2012, but a current French IBAN avoids friction with older payroll systems.
Do I have to declare Revolut or N26 to the French tax office?
Interest from a Revolut or N26 savings pocket is taxed at the 31.4% flat tax and is not withheld at source, so you declare it yourself. A Revolut account still held by the Lithuanian entity is an account abroad and goes on form 3916 each year.
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