Revolut Alternatives for Freelancers in Turkey and Egypt

Revolut has over 65 million customers across the world. It handles currency exchange, international transfers, and even has a dedicated Revolut Pro account for freelancers that lets them accept card payments, send invoices, and track expenses.

None of that is available to freelancers in Turkey or Egypt.

Revolut supports personal accounts in the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, Japan, and the European Economic Area. Turkey and Egypt are not on the list. You can use a Revolut card for payments while traveling in either country, and Revolut users can send money to Turkish or Egyptian bank accounts, but residents of those countries cannot sign up for a Revolut account.

That means freelancers in Istanbul, Ankara, Cairo, or Alexandria who earn in USD from platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Amazon need a different solution entirely.

What Revolut offers where it operates

For freelancers in supported countries, Revolut provides a Standard plan with no monthly fee. It includes up to $1,000 per month in currency exchange at the interbank rate. Exchanges beyond that limit incur a 0.5% markup. All exchanges made on weekends carry a 1% fee on the Standard plan.

The Premium plan costs $9.99 per month and the Metal plan costs $16.99 per month. Both come with higher FX limits and additional perks.

Revolut Pro gives freelancers a separate IBAN, a debit card, and the ability to accept payments via payment links, QR codes, and invoices. Processing fees start at 1.5% per transaction for in-person payments and go up to 2.8% plus a fixed fee for international and commercial cards. Revolut Pro is currently available in EEA countries and the UK.

Why Revolut does not work for Turkey and Egypt

The core issue is access. Revolut has not launched in either country. There is no timeline for Turkey or Egypt on Revolut's public roadmap. The company launched banking operations in Mexico in January 2026 as its first market outside Europe, with India and Ecuador listed as upcoming.

Even if Revolut were available, the product is designed for people who already hold funds in supported currencies and want to exchange or spend them abroad. Freelancers in Turkey and Egypt have a different problem. They earn in USD on global platforms and need to receive those funds cheaply and convert them to Turkish Lira or Egyptian Pounds without losing a large share to fees and unfavorable FX rates.

Revolut can send money to Turkey and Egypt, but only from an existing Revolut account in a supported country. That does not help a freelancer in Turkey who receives a payment from an American client on Upwork.

What freelancers in Turkey and Egypt actually need

The specific requirements are straightforward.

A way to receive USD from global platforms. Upwork, Fiverr, Amazon, Etsy, and Shopify all pay via ACH bank transfers. Freelancers need a US bank account that accepts these transfers.

Low fees on the full chain. The total cost includes the receiving fee, the FX conversion fee, and the withdrawal fee to a local bank account. Platforms that advertise zero receiving fees but charge 3-5% on currency conversion are not cheap. The total matters.

Fast access to local currency. Freelancers in Turkey deal with high inflation and volatile exchange rates. Waiting days for a transfer to clear means the rate can move against them. In Egypt, limited access to foreign currency makes fast withdrawals even more important.

No monthly fees. Most freelancers in these markets earn between $500 and $3,000 per month. A $10 or $17 monthly subscription fee on a Revolut-like plan takes a meaningful share of smaller earnings.

How Cenoa compares

Cenoa was built for freelancers and e-exporting businesses in markets like Turkey and Egypt.

The total fee is 1% on a $1,000 payment. That breaks down to a 0.5% receiving fee and a 0.49% FX conversion fee. Withdrawals to a local bank account in Turkey or Egypt are free. On $1,000 in earnings, you keep $990.

Compare that to the most common alternatives. Payoneer charges around 8.5% in total fees on the same $1,000, leaving you with $915. Wise costs around 4.5%, leaving $955. Cenoa's 1% means $75 more per $1,000 compared to Payoneer and $35 more compared to Wise.

For a freelancer earning $2,000 per month, that is $150 per month saved compared to Payoneer, or $1,800 per year.

Cenoa provides a US bank account that you can open in minutes. You need a valid ID or passport, proof of address, and proof of payment to verify your identity and activate the US bank account. The account is powered by Stripe and Lead Bank infrastructure and accepts ACH transfers from Upwork, Fiverr, Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, and direct clients.

Withdrawals to your local bank account arrive within minutes. There are no opening fees, no monthly fees, and no maintenance fees.

Side-by-side overview

Revolut Standard in supported countries: free plan, $1,000/month FX at interbank rate, 0.5% above that, 1% weekend markup, Revolut Pro at 1.5-2.8% per payment. Not available in Turkey or Egypt.

Cenoa: 1% total fee, $0 monthly, instant local withdrawal, available in Turkey and Egypt, US bank account included, ACH receiving from all major platforms.

Payoneer: up to 8.5% total cost on $1,000, available in Turkey and Egypt, widely used but expensive for regular freelance income.

Wise: around 4.5% total cost on $1,000, available in both countries, transparent pricing but higher than Cenoa.

The gap is clear. Even if Revolut were available in Turkey and Egypt, its Standard plan limits free FX exchanges to $1,000 per month. A freelancer earning $2,000 per month would pay 0.5% on the second $1,000 in FX alone, plus any transfer fees, plus the weekend markup if they exchange on a Friday evening or Saturday. That still makes it competitive globally, but it is not designed for the specific workflow of receiving USD from freelance platforms and converting to TRY or EGP.

Getting started

If you are a freelancer in Turkey or Egypt looking for a Revolut alternative that actually works in your country, Cenoa is the closest match in terms of low fees and fast transfers.

You can download the Cenoa app and open a US bank account in minutes. Connect it to your freelance platform, receive your next payment in USD, and withdraw to your local bank whenever you are ready. The entire process costs less than 1%.