Are you looking for payment cards to travel abroad without high fees? Unfortunately, more and more banks and foreign exchange agencies are charging crazy and sometimes hidden costs, making it a living hell to withdraw or exchange money while traveling.
Using cards to travel abroad with little or no fees is one of the best ways to save money during your travels, especially if you are in those countries whose official currency is not the euro.
In this article, we’ve compiled a ranking of the best payment cards for travelers, providing all the essential information to choose which suits your needs best.
The four best credit cards for those traveling abroad
Here are the best cards for traveling abroad safely and economically. You won’t need to go to any bank office; just confirm your identity with a photo of your ID in seconds.
- N26
N26 is the first mobile bank with a banking license to operate in Europe. It is a worldwide accepted debit card that applies the Mastercard exchange rate. It has no fees or spending limits, so it has become one of the best cards for paying abroad (shopping in stores, restaurants, paying the hotel, etc.).
However, there is a slight difference for withdrawals: any MasterCard withdrawal from ATMs in the euro area is free. In contrast, a 1.7 percent fee is charged on the total amount withdrawn for MasterCard withdrawals from ATMs in foreign currencies.
The advantage of the N26 card is that it allows you to manage your account from its mobile application fully; it is connected to a single device. So, even on the go, you will continue receiving notifications of every movement made with your card. This is very useful, as it allows you to completely control the activities you make with the card, making the use of N26 secure.
The N26 card has no maintenance fees; you can have it at no cost until a few days before your trip. Of course, if you want the physical card, you must pay €10. Otherwise, you can make payments through your cell phone.
- Wise
Wise is another very convenient card for traveling abroad. It is a debit card that charges really low fees for payment in other currencies, from 0.2 to 1 percent depending on the currency.
Wise allows you to have current accounts in different currencies and bank details of other countries. You can also use Wise for cash withdrawals, but only up to the limit of 200 euros per month; a fee will be charged after that amount. In addition, you can manage your card directly from the app, and withdraw money in ATMs abroad.
- Revolut
Revolut is a smart prepaid card. With the “Standard” subscription, you can withdraw up to €200 free of charge at ATMs, even in non-euro areas. It also allows free wire transfers, so that money left over after a trip can go back into the usual bank account.
The card has no maintenance costs, although you need to pay postage (about 6€) to get the card in a physical version.
- Vivid
With Vivid, you can pay in stores and withdraw money abroad without fees. The Vivid Standard card allows you to withdraw up to €200 per month free of charge at foreign ATMs, as long as you withdraw more than €50 at a time; above €200 per month, a 3% fee applies with a minimum set at €1.
There is, however, a Prime version for €9.90 per month. The debit card associated with the accounts relies on the Visa circuit. You will also have access to a cashback rewards program by purchasing from major brands such as Lidl, Ikea, Sephora, Reebok, or H&M, among many others.
In addition, other advantages of using Visa include that you can also get many bonuses and benefits in online casinos.
Most casino sites accept Visa for deposits, and you can get the same convenience and security as physical casinos. Today, several platforms allow you to find the best Visa casinos for 2022; you only have to choose which one you prefer.
Conclusion
As we have seen, travelers can choose between many credit and prepaid cards; selecting the best one will depend on your needs.
Regardless of your choice, when you are abroad, it is always advisable to carry cash with you. Before you go on a trip, check whether card payments are widespread wherever you go. In many countries, money still wins out over card payments overwhelmingly.
