Some will charge interest from the day the money leaves your account – even if they may boast of fee-free withdrawals. You can expect even bigger charges when withdrawing cash from a machine using a credit card and that is before interest is applied. Unless you opt for a bank that offers fee-free current accounts that do not charge for using a debit card in Europe, which include Chase Bank and Starling Bank*, you need to be wary when using an ATM with a debit card. Read more: Best premium bank accounts Watch out for credit cards and ATMs However, if using your bank account looks like it would be quite expensive and you don’t fancy switching, it may be easier to apply for a specialist travel credit card than to open another account. No fees for spending or withdrawing cash abroad.If your current account comes with a great debit card for use abroad, then you may want to use that. A credit card, £14.95 (before interest is applied).ATM usage on £250 withdrawal using a typical card:.Purchases on a £50 spend on a typical card:.The costs when using a typical debit or credit card abroad, and not a specialist travel card, can add up. So if you have a poorer credit history, it could be worth opting for a debit card. Lots of current accounts, including Chase’s, only carry out a ‘soft’ check which does not affect your credit score. However, you’ll need to go through a ‘hard’ credit check when you apply for any credit card, which could affect your credit worthiness. It’s worth bearing in mind that using a credit card abroad does give you Section 75 protection, which can get you your money back when things go wrong. Go to provider site Is it better to use a credit card or debit card abroad?Īs long as you find the best – and cheapest – credit card or debit card to use abroad, it’s often a matter of personal preference. ![]() It effectively works like a debit card that doesn’t have an overdraft.īelow we list a provider that offers a prepaid travel card that might be worth considering if you’re heading abroad. You can’t spend more than you have loaded onto the card. You can then use this card to spend or withdraw cash while abroad. Best prepaid travel cardsĪ prepaid travel card lets you load money and exchange for different currencies before you go away. The main downside is the £3 flat fee for cash withdrawals home or abroad. The card scores three stars in our ratings. There is a range of potential APRs, from an above-average 24.9% to a high 34.9%. It has no specific fees for spending abroad, plus a nifty tool allowing you to put aside an emergency savings pot, should you need it on your travels.ĭepending on your credit rating, you could initially be offered a credit limit of between £200 and £2,000. Why we rate it: More famous for being the UK’s first peer-to-peer lender, Zopa also offers a rather good credit card to use abroad. Here we list two banks which offer debit cards that might be worth considering if you’re travelling abroad. In this article, we we outline the best credit, debit and prepaid travel cards to use abroad. So you need to be careful to ensure you understand the true cost if you use a card like this.Īll the cards in this guide use the Visa or Mastercard exchange rate. However, there are a small number of cards that set their own exchange rate – like Revolut*. This is very close to the market rate – so you should not be caught out inadvertently paying extra because you have been given a poor exchange rate. When you pay on most debit and credit cards, the Visa or Mastercard exchange rate is used. Read more: Best balance transfer credit cards What exchange rates are used? If a bank card doesn’t meet these criteria, its star rating is calculated based on how far away it is from the high bar set for a top rating. ![]()
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