Software Comparison
Revolut Business vs Pleo - Irish fintech Software Compared
Choosing between Revolut Business and Pleo is one of the most common decisions Irish businesses face when evaluating fintech software. This comparison breaks down everything an Irish SME needs to know, from Revenue integration and GDPR data residency to pricing and ease of use.
Last checked: 25 May 2026 data estimated for at least one vendor - confirm with the vendor Methodology
Quick Verdict
Revolut Business and Pleo are not like-for-like alternatives - Revolut is a licensed EU bank providing an Irish current account, while Pleo is a spend management platform built around company cards and automated expense capture.
Revolut Business vs Pleo - Feature Comparison
| Feature | Revolut Business | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Licensed EU bank (Revolut Bank UAB) with Irish branch. Current account, SEPA, debit cards, multi-currency, and basic expense tools. | Expense management platform. Company cards, receipt capture, spend controls, and accounting sync. Requires a separate bank account underneath. |
| Irish IBAN and SEPA | Irish (IE) IBAN issued via the Irish branch of Revolut Bank UAB. SEPA Credit Transfer and SEPA Instant supported. SEPA Direct Debit supported. | EU IBAN issued (Danish prefix) under the Pleo Financial Services A/S e-money licence. SEPA Credit Transfer and Direct Debit supported. Pleo is not a bank. |
| Irish expense management | Basic card spend visible in the Revolut Business app and Xero feed. No dedicated receipt OCR, approval workflows, or per-employee spend controls. | Core product: receipt OCR captures Irish multi-rate VAT (23%, 13.5%, 9%), per-user budget limits, merchant category restrictions, and approval workflows. |
| Open banking and bank feeds | Direct bank feeds to Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage, and other accounting platforms via API and open banking. | Open banking integration via Tink connects to AIB and Bank of Ireland, reconciling card spend against the main bank statement automatically. |
| Multi-currency and FX | 25-plus currency accounts with competitive inter-bank FX rates. Stronger for businesses paying overseas suppliers or holding USD, GBP, or other currency balances. | Multi-currency wallets available. Not positioned as an FX platform - margins less competitive than Revolut or Wise for regular non-EUR supplier payments. |
| Receipt retention and Revenue compliance | No dedicated receipt capture. Transactions visible in bank feed and Xero. Receipt management requires a separate tool (Dext, AutoEntry, or the accounting platform's own OCR). | Receipt images stored in Pleo satisfy Revenue's 6-year retention requirement under Section 886 TCA 1997 and Revenue eBrief 09/15, which permits digital originals. |
| Deposit protection | Deposits protected up to EUR 100,000 under the Lithuanian Deposit Insurance scheme (Revolut Bank UAB is licensed by the Bank of Lithuania). | Not a bank. Customer funds safeguarded in segregated accounts at credit institutions under EU e-money regulation, but not covered by any deposit guarantee scheme. |
| GDPR data residency | EU data centres. | EU data centres. |
| Irish support | Irish support flag set in vendor data. In-app and email support; no dedicated Irish phone line. | Dublin EMEA presence with Irish market support. |
Irish Compliance and Pricing Matrix
A side-by-side data comparison of pricing and Irish regulatory compliance for Revolut Business and Pleo. Values are derived from each vendor's published data and verified weekly.
| Requirement | Revolut Business | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Pricing model | Monthly flat rate | Monthly flat rate |
| EUR pricing guaranteed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free trial | ✓ | ✓ |
| Irish Compliance | ||
| Revenue (ROS) integration | ✗ | ✗ |
| PAYE Modernisation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Irish bank feeds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bank compatibility | SEPA Credit Transfer, SEPA Instant | None listed |
| SEPA direct debit | ✓ | ✓ |
| Irish IBAN support | ✓ | ✓ |
| VAT handling | ✗ | ✓ |
| EU data residency (GDPR) | EU only | EU only |
| Irish support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revenue-approved | ✗ | ✗ |
| CBI regulated | ✓ | ✗ |
Irish Compliance Comparison
For Irish businesses, compliance with Revenue, GDPR, and local banking standards is non-negotiable. Here is how Revolut Business and Pleo compare on the requirements that matter most to Irish SMEs.
Revenue Integration
Neither Revolut Business nor Pleo offers native Revenue Online Service integration. Irish businesses in fintech may not need this feature directly, but should ensure their accounting software handles Revenue compliance separately.
Irish Bank Feeds
Revolut Business supports SEPA Credit Transfer, SEPA Instant. Pleo supports no Irish banks directly. Revolut Business has broader Irish bank compatibility, which matters if you bank with SEPA Credit Transfer or SEPA Instant - you will get automatic bank feeds or SEPA payment file support that Pleo cannot offer.
GDPR Data Residency
Both Revolut Business and Pleo store data in EU data centres, providing strong GDPR compliance out of the box. Irish businesses can use either platform without worrying about cross-border data transfers to the US or other non-EU jurisdictions.
SEPA and IBAN Support
Both Revolut Business and Pleo support SEPA Direct Debit and Irish IBAN format. This means you can process euro payments, set up direct debits, and handle bank transfers in the standard European format without any manual workarounds.
VAT Handling
Pleo includes Irish VAT handling for return preparation and submission. Revolut Business does not handle VAT natively - Irish businesses using Revolut Business will need their accounting software to manage VAT obligations separately.
Pricing Comparison
All prices below are in euro. Pricing can change - we verify vendor pricing weekly, but always confirm on the vendor's website before purchasing.
Revolut Business
Free tier
- Pricing model: Flat rate
- Free trial: Yes
- EUR pricing guaranteed: Yes
Pleo
Free tier
- Pricing model: Flat rate
- Free trial: Yes
- EUR pricing guaranteed: No - may fluctuate with exchange rates
Revolut Business does not publish entry-level pricing - request a quote directly. Total cost of ownership depends on users, plan tier, add-ons and features, so always calculate the full annual cost for your team size before committing.
Who Should Choose Revolut Business
Revolut Business is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:
- ✓ Businesses banking with SEPA Credit Transfer, SEPA Instant who want reliable bank feed or payment file support
- ✓ Those who prioritise user satisfaction - Revolut Business has a higher editorial rating (4.3/5)
- ✓ Those who value: fast online onboarding, typically days not weeks
Who Should Choose Pleo
Pleo is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:
- ✓ Those who value: free starter tier for up to 3 users
- ✓ Those who value: eu iban issued - sepa settlement supported
- ✓ Those who value: open banking reconciliation with aib and bank of ireland via tink (not a native bank feed)
Our Verdict
Revolut Business and Pleo are not like-for-like alternatives - Revolut is a licensed EU bank providing an Irish current account, while Pleo is a spend management platform built around company cards and automated expense capture. Most Irish SMEs above five employees end up using both together. Where the choice is real is for micro-businesses on tight budgets: Revolut Business on its free Basic tier provides virtual and physical debit cards, multi-currency wallets, SEPA payments, and Xero integration without a monthly fee, covering the basics of both banking and card spend in one tool. Pleo's Starter tier is also free for up to three users and adds expense categorisation, receipt OCR, and approval workflows on top - but it requires a separate bank account underneath it. The deciding question is your reporting depth: if you need per-employee spend controls, Irish multi-rate VAT auto-detection on receipt capture, and approval workflows before expense reimbursement, Pleo is the dedicated tool.
If you want a single account that handles payments, FX, cards, and Xero feeds without separate subscription fees, Revolut covers the core. For Irish exporters needing regular multi-currency payments at near-mid-market FX rates, Revolut has the edge. For Irish finance leads who need automated receipt-to-accounting workflows across a team of five or more, Pleo is the sharper tool. See /fintech-software-ireland for the full fintech category and /compare/pleo-vs-soldo-ireland for how Pleo compares to the other main CBI-adjacent spend platform.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific business needs, team size, and priorities. We recommend taking advantage of free trials from both vendors before making your final decision. If you are working with an Irish accountant or payroll bureau, ask which platform they prefer - their familiarity with the software can save you significant time and hassle during setup and ongoing support.
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