You order a Revolut card in the app from the card icon on Home, and whether it's free depends on your plan: Standard customers get their first card free but pay for delivery, while paid plans get their first cards and delivery included. Every Revolut card is a debit card, and you can't choose Visa or Mastercard for a physical card.
Here's the detail that surprises people. Physical card brands are assigned automatically based on availability, whatever plan you're on. You can only pick the brand on a virtual card, and even then not always, and never on a single-use card. Revolut doesn't support American Express, UnionPay, PayPal, Cirrus or Discover, and Maestro cards have been discontinued.
How to order a Revolut card
- Go to Home on the bottom menu.
- Tap the card icon in the top right corner.
- Choose the account you want the card for.
- Swipe between cards to choose the card type and design.
- Follow the prompts to finish your order. Revolut shows every fee before you confirm.
On some designs you can remove the numbers from the card itself, so the card number, expiry date and CVV only appear in the app. That's useful protection if the card goes missing. Each card type has a fixed brand that can't be changed later, and paid plan customers can choose to order a card from a lower-tier plan.
Card and delivery fees by plan
These are the figures Revolut's UK help centre lists in pounds, as of October 2026. Card fees are a one-time charge for each extra card, there's no monthly charge for holding a physical card, and virtual cards are free.
| Plan | Included cards | Extra card | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | First card free | £4.99 | Paid: £4.99 local untracked, £5.99 international untracked, £16.99 express tracked |
| Plus | First 2 cards | £4.99 | Standard delivery free, express paid |
| Premium | First 2 cards | £39.99 | Express tracked free |
| Metal | 2 cards: 1 Metal design and 1 Premium, Plus or Standard | £39.99 | Express tracked free |
| Ultra | 2 cards: 1 Ultra and 1 Premium, Plus or Standard | Shown in app | Express tracked free |
On paid plans, the free card allowance refreshes every 12-month billing cycle and includes one replacement non-Metal card. Special edition cards always cost extra, upgrading your plan doesn't lower their fee, and they carry no extra benefits beyond your plan. Replacement cards may also carry a fee depending on the circumstances. Customising a card is free on Plus, Premium, Metal and Ultra where it's offered, and Standard customers see any cost in the app.
Activating a new physical card
- Tap the card icon in the top right corner of the Revolut app.
- Choose the card you want to activate.
- Select the option confirming you have the card.
You can also activate it in person by inserting the card in a terminal and entering your PIN. Until you do one or the other, contactless and online payments stay switched off, which is Revolut's check that the card reached you.
Finding your PIN
Tap the cards icon in the top right, select the card and tap Settings to view the PIN. Virtual cards have no PIN, and you can't add one.
Virtual cards and how many you can hold
| Card type | Maximum active at once, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Physical | 6 per account type, so a joint account can hold another 6 |
| Virtual | 20 |
| Virtual single-use | 1 |
There's a creation limit too. You can make 4 new virtual cards a month, single-use ones included. Go past that and you'll wait 30 days before you can create another, even if you're under the active limit.
Old cards, limits and security settings
When you order a new physical card, your current one stays active until the last business day of its expiry month. To retire it, choose it in your cards list, scroll down and select Terminate card, then cut through the magnetic strip and the chip before you throw it away.
You can set a monthly spending limit in the Cards section, and any payment above it gets declined. Revolut also applies its own weekly limits based on the merchant's registered business type. If your card is lost or used fraudulently, tap it and select Freeze before you order a new one.
When the card stops working
Start with the failed payment in your transactions list, which shows the decline reason and tips. For contactless, check the Contactless payments toggle is on in the card's settings, then try another terminal to rule out the merchant. Chip and PIN failures can come from location-based security or a spending limit being reached. If an ATM won't pay out, it may be the machine, so use the in-app ATM locator to find another.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
If the card is peeling or won't work at all, select it, tap Settings, scroll down and tap Replace card. While you wait, you can add the new card to Apple Pay or Google Pay and pay with your phone.
My verdict on the Revolut card
I'd stay on the free virtual card for online spending and only pay for a physical card if you need one in shops or at ATMs, because on Standard the card's free but delivery isn't. If you want a particular network, don't count on it for a physical card, since Revolut assigns the brand. For the bigger picture, here's my Wise vs Revolut comparison and my answer to whether Revolut is legit.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Revolut card free?
The first Standard card has no card fee, but delivery fees apply. Paid plans include their first cards and some delivery free, and virtual cards cost nothing.
Can I choose Visa or Mastercard on Revolut?
Not for physical cards, which are assigned automatically. You can choose the brand when you order a virtual card, though the option isn't always available and doesn't apply to single-use cards.
Does a Revolut virtual card have a PIN?
No. Virtual cards have no PIN and there's no possibility to add one.
How many virtual cards can I create on Revolut?
You can have 20 active virtual cards, but only create 4 new ones a month. After that you wait 30 days.
Can I get a Revolut card without the numbers printed on it?
Yes, on select designs. Your card number, expiry date and CVV then only show in the app, which helps if the card is lost.
Why won't my new Revolut card work contactless?
Contactless and online payments are disabled until you activate the card, either in the app or with a chip and PIN payment.
