ChainATM vs Revolut
How does ChainATM compare to centralized crypto exchanges? Here's an honest side-by-side.
What Revolut is
Revolut is a neobank that offers crypto buying and selling inside its banking app, alongside current accounts, cards and currency exchange.
The structural difference is custody. Revolut holds your crypto until you withdraw it, which is what makes its trading features possible and also what puts your balance on someone else's books. ChainATM delivers to a wallet you hold the keys to, so there is no withdrawal step, and no one to ask if you want your funds moved.
Common questions
Is Revolut or ChainATM better for buying and sending crypto?
It depends on which part you do most. Pick Revolut if what your use case turns on is what it is strongest at: Crypto sits inside an account people already use daily; Instant buying from a fiat balance. ChainATM is the better choice if you want to buy, swap and send from one conversation instead of three separate flows, and it charges 0% ChainATM fees on USDC and EURC. ChainATM is non-custodial throughout: it never holds your funds, and purchases are executed by Coinbase straight into a wallet you control.
What does Revolut cost compared to ChainATM?
Revolut: A percentage fee that varies by plan tier and monthly volume. ChainATM: 1 credit per transaction, from EUR 0.099 per credit, and 0% ChainATM fees on purchases of USDC and EURC. Other tokens use standard Coinbase on-ramp pricing. Network gas fees apply on both sides and go to the blockchain, not to the provider.
Can I use Revolut and ChainATM together?
Yes. ChainATM is self-custody and does not require you to move away from Revolut. Many people keep Revolut and use ChainATM for the parts that are awkward elsewhere: cross-chain swaps in a single command, or fee-free USDC and EURC purchases.
Does ChainATM hold my crypto like Revolut does?
No. Revolut holds your crypto on its own books until you withdraw it. ChainATM is non-custodial: the coins land in your own wallet, we never hold your funds, and we never have access to your keys in usable form. There is no withdrawal step, because nobody else held the funds in the first place.
Is ChainATM available in my country?
Availability depends on our on-ramp partners' supported regions. ChainATM is built by Noctra Labs UG (haftungsbeschränkt) in Trier, Germany, registered at Amtsgericht Wittlich under HRB 48033. The fiat on-ramp runs through Coinbase, with EUR purchases by SEPA, card and Apple Pay.
Feature Comparison
| ChainATM | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | AI-powered text and voice commands | Banking app with crypto as one tab among many |
| Fees | 1 credit per transaction (from €0.099/credit). 0% on USDC and EURC. | A percentage fee that varies by plan tier and monthly volume |
| AI Assistant | Yes. Natural language understanding. | No |
| Voice Commands | Yes, iOS app with voice control | No |
| Custody | Self-custody. Your keys, always. Biometric security. | Custodial (Revolut holds the assets) |
| Swap & Send | Yes, buy, swap, and send in one chat interface | Yes (separate interfaces) |
| Cross-Chain | Yes, automatic routing via LI.FI across 9 chains | Within exchange only |
| Fiat Onramp | Yes, credit card, Apple Pay, bank transfer (via Coinbase) | Yes |
| Account Required | Email or social login, 30 seconds | Full KYC verification |
What Revolut Does Well
Revolut Strengths
- Crypto sits inside an account people already use daily
- Instant buying from a fiat balance
- Very low friction for a first purchase
- Multi-currency banking in the same app
Revolut Limitations
- Custodial, so not your keys
- The rate you pay depends on which plan you are on
- No AI or voice
- No swaps, no cross-chain, no DeFi access
- Withdrawal to an external wallet is restricted on some assets
When Revolut is the better choice
Revolut is genuinely the better choice for some people, and it is worth being straight about where. If any of these are what your use case turns on, pick Revolut. A comparison page that cannot name the other product's advantages is not worth reading.
- Crypto sits inside an account people already use daily
- Instant buying from a fiat balance
- Very low friction for a first purchase
- Multi-currency banking in the same app
When ChainATM is the better choice
ChainATM is the better fit if you want the crypto in your own wallet from the moment you buy it, and if a chat is a more natural interface for you than an order book. It is not a trading terminal and does not try to be.
Why Choose ChainATM Over Revolut?
Self-custody by default
Revolut's exchange is custodial: you deposit funds, they hold them, you withdraw later. ChainATM is self-custody. Crypto goes directly to a wallet you control.
No order books, no jargon
Revolut's consumer interface is still a trading product with charts, pairs, and forms. ChainATM is a chat: "Buy $100 of ETH" and that's the whole interaction.
One app for buy, swap, send
Revolut splits buying, trading, and sending across multiple flows. ChainATM is one conversation.
Voice on iOS
Revolut has no voice interface. ChainATM lets you buy, swap, and send by speaking on iOS.