UK banking · August 2026
Travel money cards compared — what matters and the latest options
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Important: This guide provides general information, not personalised financial advice. Financial products, rates and eligibility rules can change, so check the provider’s current terms before applying. Some links are referral links — we may earn a commission. You can check a firm’s details on the FCA Register.
Quick comparison
Which card should you take abroad? In our dated checks, Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK added £0 issuer extra on both £1,000 of card spending and £1,000 of ATM withdrawals (as of 30 August 2026). A good debit card you already have can do the job without a specialist travel card.
Wise and Revolut work differently: they’re e-money wallets with their own ATM allowances, fair-usage and weekend rules. Daily ATM caps can matter more than the fee.
As of 12 September 2026 (issuer extras checked 30 August 2026). ATM-operator surcharges excluded.
Need a card for spending abroad? Check the current offers →
Abroad spend and ATM extras compared
Abroad spend and ATM extras side by side. This is FX and ATM pricing.
| Card | Fees abroad (£1,000 spend and ATM) | How you pay | App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starling | £0 issuer extra on dated £1,000 card-spend and ATM (EEA) — caps may force extra days | Bank debit / ATM (Mastercard scheme) | Yes — Starling app |
| Monzo Banking hub | £0 issuer extra on dated £1,000 card-spend and ATM (main bank, EEA) | Bank debit / ATM (Mastercard scheme) | Yes — Monzo app |
| Chase UK | £0 issuer extra on dated £1,000 card-spend and ATM — daily/monthly ATM caps apply | Bank debit / ATM | Yes — Chase UK app |
| Wise Banking hub | Hold FX £0 POS; convert GBP from about 0.24% + ATM rules from 1 May 2026 (£250 then 2.69% excess) | Wise card / balance; ATM where published | Yes — Wise app |
| Revolut Standard Banking hub | £0 vs Revolut rate within fair usage; weekend FX 1%; over-cap extras apply | Revolut card / balance; ATM where published | Yes — Revolut app |
Some links in this table are referral links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our review methodology, not commission.
Good for
Who each option suits
- Starling may suit you if you want £0 issuer extra abroad on a bank debit card and don’t need big daily cash withdrawals.
- Monzo may suit you if it’s your main bank and you mostly travel in the EEA.
- Chase UK may suit you if you want £0 issuer extra and can work within its ATM caps.
- Wise may suit you if you want to hold and spend several currencies.
- Revolut may suit you if you already use it and convert on weekdays within fair usage.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs large cash withdrawals in one day — ATM caps apply
- People who would convert at weekends on Revolut (1% weekend FX)
- Anyone choosing “pay in pounds” at the till — dynamic currency conversion costs more
- People who need FSCS protection on balances held in e-money wallets
Result of our checks
Tie — Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK at £0 issuer extra on both £1,000 card-spend and £1,000 ATM tables in our published checks.
Wise and Revolut are different product types (e-money / plan fair-usage) and sit outside that bank-debit tie.
Caps, weekends and non-EEA pricing still matter — re-check before you fly.
Options by need
Full explanation
Travel money is not one product. A bank debit used abroad, a multi-currency e-money card, and a travel credit card behave differently on fees, ATM caps and protection.
This page looks at published issuer extras on a simple £1,000 card-spend and £1,000 ATM scenario. ATM-operator surcharges are excluded because they are not under the issuer’s control. Budgeting apps such as Emma and Snoop are covered separately.
Visual summary
Bank debit cards and e-money wallets: strengths and limitations in plain English.
Starling
- Strengths: often £0 issuer extra on card + ATM in checks
- Limitations: daily ATM caps can force extra days
Monzo
- Strengths: £0 issuer extra on main bank / EEA in checks
- Limitations: rules differ outside main bank / EEA
Chase UK
- Strengths: £0 issuer extra in published checks
- Limitations: hard daily and monthly ATM caps
Wise
- Strengths: hold FX for £0 POS spend
- Limitations: converting GBP has a disclosed fee; e-money is safeguarded, not FSCS-protected
Revolut
- Strengths: multi-currency app spend
- Limitations: fair usage and weekend FX on Standard
Three product types (not one ranked list)
1. Bank current-account debit used abroad. Starling, Monzo, Chase UK, first direct, and several packaged high-street accounts.
Eligible current-account credit balances are deposits, covered by FSCS up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, from 1 December 2025. See FSCS protection limits.
2. E-money prepaid and multi-currency wallets. Wise, Caxton, FairFX/Equals, Travelex, Post Office, and Revolut Ltd until a balance is migrated.
E-money balances are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected. Load FX versus mid-market is often unpublished, so a £0 POS fee is not the same as £0 versus mid-market.
3. Credit cards used abroad. Some credit cards don’t charge a fee for spending abroad. A credit card is borrowing, not money you hold: interest can apply, and Section 75 protection may cover some purchases. We don’t compare credit cards on this page.
Cash advances usually accrue interest from day one. Credit cards are not included in the debit or e-money tables.
Cash once withdrawn is not FSCS. Bureau and airport cash rates are not shown here.
The Current Account Switch Service moves an eligible current account. It does not move a prepaid travel card, a Wise balance, or a Revolut Ltd e-money wallet. See current account switch bonuses.
Table A: card-spend £1,000
Published issuer extra on £1,000 weekday euro card-spend, local currency, as of 30 August 2026. Where several bank debit cards show £0 at the card scheme rate, we show them as a tie.
| Product | Type | Extra | Benchmark | Weekend extra on this £1,000 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starling / Monzo / Chase UK / first direct | Bank debit | £0 | Mastercard scheme | £0 | Tie |
| Santander Edge (after 3 days) | Bank debit | £0 | Mastercard | £0 | First 3 days 2.95% |
| Nationwide FlexPlus / Student / Grad / FlexOne | Bank debit | £0 | Visa | £0 | The account’s monthly fee isn’t included in the extra |
| NatWest Reward range | Bank debit | £0 purchases | Scheme | £0 | ATM still 2.75% |
| Halifax Reward | Bank debit | £0 | Visa | £0 | Brand migrating to Lloyds |
| Club Lloyds | Bank debit | £0 | Visa | £0 | Not confirmed on the provider’s own site on 30 August 2026 |
| Revolut Standard within cap | EMI/bank (check entity) | £0 vs Revolut rate | Revolut-set, not mid | £10 (1%), from Revolut’s help pages | Allowance of £1,000 a month, including crypto |
| Revolut Standard over cap | same | £10 | same | £20 if the 1% weekend and 1% over-allowance charges both apply, from Revolut’s help pages | |
| Wise hold EUR | EMI | £0 | Wise mid | £0 | |
| Wise convert GBP | EMI | from £2.40 (0.24%) | Wise mid | £0 | The exact fee is shown in the Wise app before you convert |
| Curve Pay free | Overlay | £22.43 | MC wholesale | £37.43 | Free up to £250, then 2.99%; 1.5% at weekends, with times set in UTC |
| Curve Pay X | Overlay | £0 within £3,333 | MC wholesale | £0 | Paid tier |
| HSBC UK standard | Bank debit | £27.50 | Scheme + 2.75% | £0 | |
| Santander Everyday | Bank debit | £29.50 | + 2.95% | £0 | |
| Barclays / Nationwide FlexAccount | Bank debit | £29.90 | + 2.99% | £0 | |
| Caxton / FairFX / Travelex / Post Office from EUR wallet | EMI prepaid | £0 POS | Own load rate | £0 | The loading rate isn’t published against mid-market, so these can’t be ranked against it |
Credit cards are not included in this table. Some credit cards don’t charge a fee for spending abroad, but they are borrowing. Check the provider’s current terms and representative APR before applying.
Table B: ATM £200 and £1,000
Published issuer extra on weekday euro ATM withdrawals. Operator surcharge is excluded.
Daily caps that mean extra withdrawal days are shown as notes, not as fees. Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK tie at £0 on B2.
| Product | B1 £200 | B2 £1,000 | Cap note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starling | £0 | £0 | £300 a day, so £1,000 takes 4 days |
| Monzo main, EEA | £0 | £0 | Outside the EEA, £24 on a £1,000 withdrawal in US dollars |
| Monzo not-main, EEA | £0 | £18 | £400 every 30 days, then 3% |
| Chase UK official | £0 | £0 | £500 a day and £1,500 a month, after which withdrawals stop |
| Wise EUR held | £0 | £20.18 | Free up to £250, then 2.69% on the excess, from 1 May 2026 |
| Wise converting | from about £0.48 | £20.18 + conversion | Wise shows the exact pound-to-euro percentage in its app |
| Revolut Standard | £0 ATM fee, though Revolut doesn’t publish its rate against mid-market | £16 ATM | Free up to £200 or 5 withdrawals, then 2%; the monthly exchange allowance also applies |
| FairFX | £1 | £1 per withdrawal | |
| Post Office TMC | €2 ≈ £1.71 | €6 ≈ £5.14 | €450 a day |
| Caxton EUR / Travelex EUR | £0 ATM | £0 ATM | Daily limits of £300 / £500. The rate when you load euros is a separate cost |
| NatWest Select | £5.50 | £27.50 | NatWest Reward debit cards: no non-sterling fee on purchases; the ATM fee still applies |
| Barclays / Nationwide Flex | £5.98 | £29.90 | |
| HSBC standard | £9.50 | £32.50 | 2.75% plus a 2% cash fee, minimum £1.75 and maximum £5 |
| Lloyds Classic | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed on the provider’s own site on 30 August 2026 |
At weekends, Revolut’s help pages on Sunday 30 August 2026 showed an extra 1% on currency conversion: £2 more on a £200 withdrawal and £10 more on £1,000. For the other products, the published weekend extra was £0. We haven’t included first direct, Halifax Reward or Nationwide FlexPlus in the overall £0 ATM tie, because their ATM charges weren’t confirmed on 30 August 2026.
A single overall lowest option is named only if one product is strictly lowest on both Table A and Table B2. On this date Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK all sit at £0 on both.
That is a comparison tie.
- Starling personal debit — £0 POS; £0 ATM (4 × £300 days). Bank debit. FSCS deposits £120,000.
- Monzo personal debit — £0 POS; £0 ATM if main bank, EEA. Bank debit. FSCS deposits £120,000.
- Chase UK debit — £0 POS; £0 ATM (2 × £500 days; month cap £1,500). Bank debit. FSCS deposits £120,000.
Not part of this overall comparison: Wise (ATM £20.18 on £1,000, and card spending isn’t £0 if you convert pounds); Revolut Standard (ATM £16, plus weekend and fair-usage charges); prepaid cards, because their loading rates aren’t published and so can’t tie against mid-market; credit cards; high-street debit cards at 2.75–2.99%; Curve Pay free (£22.43 on card spending); and budgeting apps.
Fair-usage and weekend FX
- Revolut Standard FX: £1,000/month then 1%, includes crypto/commodities.
- Revolut ATM: £200 or 5 withdrawals, whichever first, then 2% min £1.
- Wise ATM from 1 May 2026: free only to £250, then 2.69% on the excess.
- Monzo: EEA vs rest-of-world; 30-day window rolls from first withdrawal; joint accounts share.
- NatWest Reward (debit card): no non-sterling fee on purchases, but the 2.75% fee still applies to ATM withdrawals.
- Chase/Starling: hard daily caps, not a fee.
Only Revolut Standard publishes a named weekend extra (Help: 1%, Fri 17:00–Sun 18:00 ET, about Fri 22:00–Mon 00:00 BST on 30 August 2026). Plus 0.5%; Premium/Metal/Ultra none.
Check the fee shown in the Revolut app before you convert at the weekend. Curve Pay (free): 1.5% weekend Fri 23:59–Sun 23:59 UTC. Banks, Wise and prepaid: no published Saturday/Sunday add-on.
Dynamic currency conversion (pay local currency)
Always pay in local currency. Dynamic currency conversion is paying in pounds at a foreign till or ATM. The merchant or ATM sets the sterling rate.
- At the till or ATM, choose the local currency.
- Do not accept the amount shown in pounds if that is DCC.
- Paying in pounds is usually more expensive. A 2.99% issuer fee that is “avoided” if you pay in sterling is the trap dressed as a fee-save.
Inactivity fees
A typical pattern: you use the card on holiday, then leave it unused for 12 months.
- Caxton Black: £2/month after 12 months unused (zero balance = no fee).
- FairFX: £2/month on expired leftover.
- Post Office: £2/month from 12 months after expiry.
- Travelex T&Cs: £2/month after 12 months unused.
- Wise / Revolut / bank current accounts: none published on this pattern.
- Wise physical card £7 (not in spend extra).
Closed / not live
WeSwap closed on 8 October 2024. It is not listed as live.
The catch
- Starling: daily ATM caps can force extra withdrawals.
- Monzo: the £0 result applies to main-bank use in the EEA in our checks.
- Chase UK: daily and monthly ATM caps.
- Wise: 2.69% on ATM withdrawals above £250 a month; balances are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected.
- Revolut: 1% weekend FX and extra charges over fair usage.
Important things to know
- Two tables, not one mix. Table A is card-spend. Table B is ATM.
- Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK sit at £0 on both. That is a comparison tie.
- Revolut operates through two companies. Not every Revolut balance is FSCS-protected.
- Eligible bank deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, from 1 December 2025. E-money is safeguarded, not FSCS-protected.
- Wise ATM from 1 May 2026: £250 then 2.69% on the excess.
- WeSwap closed on 8 October 2024.
- CASS does not move a prepaid travel card, a Wise balance, or a Revolut Ltd wallet.
- Pay in local currency. ATM-operator surcharge is excluded from these tables.
Check providers’ current offers
Monzo
Good for: Monzo may suit you if it’s your main bank and you mostly travel in the EEA.
£0 issuer extra on card spend and ATM in our checks (main bank, EEA).
Check Monzo’s current offer →Wise
Good for: Wise may suit you if you want to hold and spend several currencies.
Hold and spend currencies; ATM rules from 1 May 2026.
Check Wise’s current offer →Revolut
Good for: Revolut may suit you if you already use it and convert on weekdays within fair usage.
£0 vs Revolut rate within fair usage; weekend FX 1%.
Check Revolut’s current offer →Some links in this table are referral links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our review methodology, not commission.
What we looked at for issuer extras (30 August 2026)
Sources: each provider’s published fee page and terms, checked 30 August 2026.
These tables show published issuer extra to use a UK card abroad, weekday, euro, local currency (no DCC). The extra is the issuer’s exchange percentage, plus any issuer ATM fee and any charge for going over a fair-usage limit. ATM-operator surcharges are not known in advance, so they are excluded.
There’s no published percentage for the gap between the Visa/Mastercard rate and the true mid-market rate, so we haven’t included an estimate. Inactivity is listed separately.
Table A shows the cost of spending £1,000 on the card. Table B shows cash withdrawals of £200 (B1) and £1,000 (B2), because some free withdrawal limits are used up by £1,000. A single overall lowest option is named only if one product is strictly lowest on both Table A and Table B2.
On this date Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK sit at £0 on both. That is a comparison tie. We have not ranked them using cashback, app ratings or an editorial pick.
WeSwap closed on 8 October 2024. It is not listed as live.
Revolut’s two companies
As of 30 August 2026, Revolut operates through two companies. Eligible deposits with Revolut Bank UK Ltd (FRN 981170) are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, once a balance has moved to the bank. Revolut Bank UK launched in March 2026 and is moving customers across in stages. Balances still with Revolut Ltd (FRN 900562), an e-money institution, are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected.
Not every Revolut balance is FSCS-protected. Check in-app Details which entity holds the balance before assuming FSCS or CASS.
FSCS vs e-money safeguarding
Eligible bank current-account debit balances are deposits, covered up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, from 1 December 2025. E-money is safeguarded, not FSCS-protected.
Cash withdrawn is not FSCS. Wise Assets £85,000 is investment compensation, not the deposit limit.
| Entity | FRN | Protection of the balance |
|---|---|---|
| Starling Bank Ltd | 730166 | FSCS deposits £120,000 |
| Monzo Bank Ltd | 730427 | FSCS £120,000 |
| Chase = J.P. Morgan Europe Ltd | 124579 | FSCS £120,000 |
| Revolut Bank UK Ltd | 981170 | FSCS £120,000 once on this entity |
| Revolut Ltd | 900562 | E-money: safeguarded, not FSCS-protected |
| Wise Payments Ltd | 900507 | E-money: safeguarded, not FSCS-protected |
| Caxton Payments Ltd | 900663 | E-money: safeguarded, not FSCS-protected |
| FairFX / Equals Money International | 900493 | E-money: safeguarded, not FSCS-protected |
| Post Office TMC / First Rate | 900412 | E-money: safeguarded, not FSCS-protected (T&Cs §18.1) |
| Travelex / PrePay Technologies | 900010 | E-money: safeguarded, not FSCS-protected |
Full explainer: FSCS protection limits.
Want a bank card with £0 issuer extra abroad?
Some links in this table are referral links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our review methodology, not commission.
Key takeaways
- Card spend abroad and ATM withdrawals are different costs — check both before you travel.
- A £0 issuer extra on spending can still leave you with ATM fees or a poor weekend rate.
- Bank debit, prepaid/multi-currency wallets and travel credit cards behave differently for FSCS and credit impact.
- Rates and fee waivers change; confirm the live issuer page for your travel dates.
Travel money from a UK card: FAQs
What is a travel money card in the UK?
Travel money is not one product. A bank debit used abroad, an e-money prepaid or multi-currency wallet, and a travel credit card are three different things. This page shows published issuer extras on £1,000 of weekday euro spending and ATM withdrawals, as of 30 August 2026.
Wise vs Revolut: what is the difference?
Wise Payments Ltd is an e-money institution, so balances are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected. Revolut operates through two companies: eligible deposits with Revolut Bank UK Ltd are FSCS-protected once a balance has moved to the bank; balances still with Revolut Ltd are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected. This article does not pick a winner. Wise ATM from 1 May 2026 is £250 then 2.69% on the excess.
What does fee-free abroad debit mean?
Several bank debit cards show £0 issuer extra on weekday euro card spending at the Visa or Mastercard scheme rate (as of 30 August 2026). That is not the same as £0 against the mid-market rate. ATM-operator surcharges are excluded.
Do UK cards charge an ATM fee abroad?
It depends on the product. On 30 August 2026, Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK show £0 issuer extra on £1,000 ATM. That is a comparison tie. Caps can mean extra days, not extra pounds. Operator surcharge is unknown and excluded.
What is a prepaid travel card?
You load currency, often at a bureau rate, and spend or withdraw from a wallet. The fee when you pay by card in a shop can be £0, but the rate used when you load currency isn’t published against the mid-market rate. E-money balances are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected. The Current Account Switch Service does not move a prepaid travel card.
Is a travel money card covered by FSCS?
See FSCS vs e-money safeguarding above.
What is DCC, and why pay in local currency?
See Dynamic currency conversion (pay local currency) above.
Is WeSwap still available?
No. WeSwap closed on 8 October 2024.
Is Revolut protected by FSCS?
As of 30 August 2026, Revolut operates through two companies. Eligible deposits with Revolut Bank UK Ltd (FRN 981170) are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm, once the balance has moved to the bank. Balances still with Revolut Ltd (FRN 900562) are safeguarded, not FSCS-protected. Check in-app which entity holds the balance.
Do Starling, Monzo and Chase charge overseas fees?
In our checks on 30 August 2026, Starling, Monzo (main bank, EEA) and Chase UK added £0 issuer extra on both £1,000 of card spending and £1,000 of ATM withdrawals. That is a comparison tie. Starling has a £300 daily ATM limit. Chase UK has £500 daily and £1,500 monthly ATM limits.