Revolut for investing in stocks — honest review 2026

Published June 4, 2026 — Revolut is the favorite finance app of European Gen Z. But when you look closely at the investing service, the limitations for French residents are significant. Here's what the ads don't tell you.

Revolut Trading in a nutshell

Revolut launched its trading service in 2019. Since then, it lets you buy stocks and ETFs directly from the Revolut app. The interface is beautiful, intuitive, and built into the banking app you use every day. On paper, it's appealing.

In practice, it's a good entry point to test the stock market, but a poor place to build real long-term wealth if you live in France. Here's why.

What Revolut does well

The interface is genuinely good

Revolut is ahead on user experience. Buying a stock on Revolut takes 30 seconds. The charts are clear, searches are fast, and everything is in one app you already use for transfers. For someone who has never invested, it's an excellent first experience.

Fractional shares

You can buy fractions of shares — so invest €10 in an Amazon share worth €3,000. This is useful for beginners with small budgets who want exposure to expensive US stocks.

Instant access

No endless forms, no waiting. If you already have a Revolut account, you can buy your first stock in minutes. This zero-friction is a real asset for triggering action in procrastinators.

What Revolut doesn't do well — the real problems

No PEA: problem #1 for French residents

This is the dealbreaker. Revolut does not offer a PEA (Plan d'Épargne en Actions). In France, the PEA is the prime tax wrapper for stock investing: after 5 years, your gains are exempt from income tax (only the 18.6% social contributions remain due).

Without a PEA, your gains are taxed at 31.4% (flat tax = 12.8% income tax + 18.6% social contributions) from the first euro of gain. Over 20 years of investing, the difference is enormous.

The fees are more complicated than they look

Revolut advertised "free trading", but the pricing changed in 2026:

• Standard plan (€0/month): no free orders since July 28, 2026. €1 per order from the first one.
• Plus plan (€3.99/month): free quota also removed since July 28, 2026. €1 per order.
• Premium plan (€10.99/month): 5 free orders/month, then €1 per order
• Metal plan (€18.99/month): 10 free orders/month
• Ultra plan (€60/month): 10 free orders/month

Since May 27, 2026, orders beyond the quota are charged a flat €1 (instead of the previous 0.25% of the amount). The upshot: on the free plan, Revolut now costs €1 per order, same as Trade Republic, but still without a PEA. And paying for a Premium or Metal subscription just for a few free orders quickly costs more than a traditional broker.

Custody: your shares aren't really yours

Revolut uses a "fractional custody" model — in practice, you hold positions in fractions of shares, but not necessarily the shares themselves directly. If something goes wrong with Revolut, recovering your assets is more complex than with a traditional broker holding your securities directly.

The selection remains limited

Revolut offers around 2,000 stocks and ETFs. That's less than Trade Republic (1,500 ETFs + global stocks) or a traditional broker. Some popular European ETFs (notably Amundi or BNPP ETFs in the PEA wrapper) aren't available.

Revolut vs Trade Republic vs Boursorama

My verdict

Revolut is an excellent app for discovering the stock market. If you've never invested and want to get your feet wet with €100-200, it's a good psychological starting point.

But if your goal is to build long-term wealth — which should be every investor's goal — the lack of a PEA is too big a handicap for French residents. Over 10-20 years, the tax difference easily exceeds several thousand euros.

My recommendation: Use Revolut to get started if you're afraid to begin. But open a PEA with Trade Republic or Bourse Direct as soon as you want to invest seriously. Both can coexist — Revolut for daily banking, a real PEA broker for investing.

Frequently asked questions

Are shares bought on Revolut recoverable if I leave Revolut?

Technically yes — Revolut uses a third-party custodian (DriveWealth for US shares). In practice, transferring to another broker can be complex and costly. That's another argument for preferring a traditional broker for your long-term portfolio.

Is Revolut regulated for investments?

Revolut Securities Europe UAB is authorized by the Bank of Lithuania. Investment accounts are covered by the Lithuanian Investor Guarantee Fund up to €20,000 — less than the €100,000 guarantee of French brokers under AMF.