Quick Answer
Amex prices above are for Germany, and so are Revolut’s: Premium and Metal are priced by your country of residence, so a reader elsewhere (France, Spain, the UK, the US) may see a different number. See the Revolut euro pricing guide for the full country-by-country table.
Stop trying to pick a winner
Most “Amex vs Revolut” articles try to crown one. That’s the wrong question, and chasing it costs you money. These two cards solve different problems, and the travelers who save the most carry both. Here’s why, and then you can decide whether you even need the paid side at all. All the numbers below were verified on americanexpress.com and revolut.com on August 18, 2026.
What each one is for
American Express is a rewards-and-perks machine. The Platinum (€60/month, €720/year) brings access to over 1,550 lounges, Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, and €650 in annual credits; the Gold (€20/month, €240/year) earns the same Membership Rewards, 1 point per euro, and brings up to around €430 in mobility and shopping credits, but no lounges. The American Express Card (formerly Green) costs €60 a year and nothing from year two at €9,000 spend. The trade-off: a card fee (except the free PAYBACK card, which earns PAYBACK points), a 2% foreign transaction fee on anything outside the eurozone, 4% (minimum €5) at ATMs, and acceptance gaps: small shops and stalls abroad often take only Visa or Mastercard. If you’re still deciding which Amex to open in the first place, my honest Amex travel card recommendation walks through all four.
Revolut is a friction-remover. You spend in 150+ currencies at the interbank rate, up to €1,000 a month with no markup on the free Standard plan (a 1% fair-usage fee above that, 1% weekend markup), hold multiple currency balances, withdraw €200 or 5 times a month fee-free at ATMs (then 2%, minimum €1), and lock down fraud with disposable virtual cards. Premium (€8.99/month) and Metal (€15.99/month) convert unlimited amounts with no weekend markup, raise the cash allowance to €400 and €800, and add travel insurance, 1 GB or 3 GB of global eSIM data and discounted lounge passes; only Ultra (€65/month) has unlimited lounge access. The trade-off: Revolut only earns RevPoints (Standard 1 point per €10, Metal 1 per €2), far less than Membership Rewards, and as a debit product it can’t always stand in for a credit card.
Amex vs Revolut: the direct comparison
| American Express | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|
| Core strength | Points, lounges, hotel status | Foreign spending at the interbank rate |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2% on every non-euro payment, all cards | None up to €1,000/month (Standard), unlimited from Premium; 1% weekend markup on Standard |
| ATM cash | 4%, minimum €5 | €200 or 5 withdrawals/month free (Standard), €400 (Premium), €800 (Metal), then 2% |
| Rewards | Strong: 1 Membership Rewards point per € | RevPoints: 1 per €10 (Standard), 1 per €4 (Premium), 1 per €2 (Metal) |
| Annual cost | PAYBACK €0, American Express Card €60 (€0 from year 2 at €9,000 spend), Gold €240, Platinum €720 | Standard €0, Plus €2.99/month, Premium €8.99/month, Metal €15.99/month, Ultra €65/month |
| Acceptance abroad | Gaps at small merchants | Visa/Mastercard, near-universal |
| Lounge/hotel perks | ✅ Platinum: over 1,550 lounges, Hilton/Marriott status | Discounted lounge passes (Premium/Metal), unlimited only on Ultra |
| Travel insurance | ✅ Gold (family) and Platinum (full package) | ✅ from Premium (Metal includes rental-car excess, winter sports) |
| Credit card? | ✅ Yes (charge card) | ❌ Debit |
As of August 2026, sourced from americanexpress.com/de-de and revolut.com/de-DE.
Where the Amex wins
On big, planned spending in euros (flights, hotels, eligible Amex Travel bookings), the points and perks add up fast. A welcome bonus of up to 85,000 points (Platinum, via referral) or 50,000 points (Gold) can cover a flight; hotel status and points can turn four nights into five; at around ten or more flights a year, the lounges alone can pay for the fee. Plus you get real credit-card protections and the €650 (Platinum) or up to around €430 (Gold) in annual credits. Revolut simply doesn’t play this game.
Where Revolut wins
On foreign-currency spending, Revolut is untouchable: the interbank rate, no foreign transaction fee, no mental overhead. On €2,000 of foreign spend, any Amex costs you €40 (2%), while Revolut Standard costs nothing up to the €1,000 limit and 1% above it (so €10 for the second €1,000). Add cash-heavy destinations (€200 a month free at the ATM instead of Amex’s 4% fee) and fraud control via disposable cards, and the free plan does the expensive part for nothing. The Amex can’t match this, and in plenty of small shops abroad it won’t even be accepted.
What changed in 2026?
Older comparisons run numbers that no longer hold. The Amex Gold now costs €240 instead of €144 a year since its relaunch as a metal card (no more free year one), the Green Card was replaced by the American Express Card (€60/year or free), and Revolut cut its prices: Premium €8.99 instead of €9.99, Metal €15.99 instead of €16.99 a month, Plus €2.99. The old cashback program is gone, replaced by RevPoints, and Metal no longer includes free lounge visits, only discounted passes.
Why many travelers carry both
Here’s the setup, plainly: Amex for the big, perk-earning bookings in euros; Revolut for everyday spend, foreign currency and ATMs. The Amex earns points and protection where it’s accepted and worth it; Revolut covers the real rate everywhere else and steps in the moment a merchant waves only Visa or Mastercard. Two cards, zero overlap, maximum value.
If you only want one to start: take the free Revolut Standard plan today (it costs nothing and immediately kills foreign fees up to €1,000 a month), then add the Amex tier that matches your travel (Platinum vs Gold helps you choose).
Frequently Asked Questions
Amex vs Revolut: which is better for travel?
They solve different problems, so the honest answer is ‘both’. American Express earns points and travel perks (lounges, hotel status, credits) but charges a card fee (Gold €240, Platinum €720 a year), a 2% foreign transaction fee on non-euro spend, and isn’t accepted everywhere. Revolut spends in 150+ currencies at the interbank rate, up to €1,000 a month with no markup on the free Standard plan, but only earns RevPoints (1 point per €10). Put big, perk-earning bookings in euros on the Amex; use Revolut for foreign currency, everyday spending abroad and ATM withdrawals.
Is Revolut cheaper than an Amex abroad?
For foreign-currency spending, yes. Revolut’s Standard plan converts up to €1,000 a month at the interbank rate with no markup Monday through Friday (a 1% fair-usage fee above that, 1% on weekends), and Premium and Metal are unlimited, while every German Amex adds a 2% foreign transaction fee and 4% (minimum €5) for ATM cash. On €2,000 of foreign spend that’s a €40 difference. But the Amex’s points and perks can outweigh that on big bookings. The cheapest setup overall is to use each for what it’s best at: Revolut for FX and cash, Amex for points and protection on large euro purchases.
Can Revolut replace a credit card?
Not entirely. Revolut is a debit product, so some hotels and car-rental desks still want a real credit card for the security hold, and it builds no credit history. Keep a credit card (an Amex, for example) for deposits and big purchases, and use Revolut as your everyday-spend and ATM workhorse.
Do I have to pay for either card?
No. Revolut’s Standard plan is free and removes foreign transaction fees immediately (up to €1,000 in foreign currency a month, €200 or 5 withdrawals free). On the Amex side, the PAYBACK American Express Card has a permanent €0 fee (earns PAYBACK points, not Membership Rewards), and the American Express Card costs €60 a year, free from year two at €9,000 spend. So you can run a free Revolut plus a free or paid Amex depending on whether you want travel points and perks.
Verdict
Don’t pick a winner. Pick a team. Start with the free Revolut plan to kill foreign fees, then layer on the Amex that fits how you actually travel: PAYBACK free, American Express Card at €60 or free, Gold at €240, Platinum at €720. Sign up through the links below and you support the travel guides on this site.