Best Travel Money
No monthly account fee
24/7 priority customer support
Travel benefits and protection features
Unlimited currency exchange
(fair usage limits may apply)
Includes additional premium features
What Is a Travel Money Card?
A travel money card is a type of payment card that is specifically designed for use while traveling. It can be used to make purchases and withdraw cash at locations around the world, and often offers additional benefits such as rewards programs, currency exchange, and travel insurance. Overall, a travel money card can be a convenient and secure way to manage your finances while traveling, but it’s important to compare different options and carefully consider the fees and benefits before choosing a card.
Travel Money Card Features
Exchange rate
Some use the ‘interbank rate’ and others use Mastercard or Visa’s exchange rates. Sometimes, a provider may pick one of the rates and then apply a percentage on top, usually between 1% and 3%.
ATM withdrawal abroad
The ATM withdrawal will likely incur a cash advance fee if you use a card with no foreign transaction fees. There are, however, no withdrawal fees between £200 and £500 applied by most companies.
Foreign transactions
Foreign transaction fees are charges that appear on your card bill when you make a purchase that either crosses a foreign country or is done in a foreign currency. There are some companies that charge no fees for foreign transactions. A typical fee ranges between 1% and 3%.
Multi-currency account
If you want to visit multiple destinations, you can load several currencies onto a single card. You could have different amounts of money stored on the same card. You can lock in rates by converting when you load the cash or store some money in pounds.
Security
When you swipe your card at the ATM or store you’ll get the same level of protection as if you used your bank’s card.
Global use
Usually, MasterCard and Visa cards can be used in millions of places around the world and online. You can use your card at most ATMs in other countries, as well as with most retailers that accept card payments.