What is the best card to use abroad from the UK?

For most people, a debit card from Chase UK, Starling or Monzo, which charge no fees of their own on spending abroad and use the Mastercard exchange rate. Wise and Revolut are better if you want to hold several currencies, and a fee-free credit card such as Halifax Clarity adds Section 75 protection for bigger purchases.

Should I pay in pounds or the local currency abroad?

Always choose the local currency. If a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in pounds, it is using dynamic currency conversion, which usually comes with a poor exchange rate set by the merchant or ATM operator. It can easily add 3% to 8% to the cost.

Is a prepaid travel card better than a debit card?

Usually not any more. Traditional prepaid travel money cards lock in a rate with a markup and may charge for cash or top-ups. A free app-based debit card with no foreign fees is normally cheaper and simpler, though a prepaid card can be useful for budgeting or as a backup.

How much cash should I take abroad?

It depends on the country. Much of Europe and North America is mostly card-based, so a small amount for tips and small purchases is enough. In more cash-heavy destinations, withdraw from a bank ATM with a fee-free card rather than changing lots of cash before you travel.

Can I use my Monzo or Starling card abroad?

Yes. Both work anywhere Mastercard is accepted, with no fees from Monzo or Starling on card payments. Monzo limits free cash withdrawals outside the EEA to £200 every 30 days, then 3%; Starling has no fee on cash but caps withdrawals abroad at £300 a day (checked November 2026).

Do I need to tell my bank I'm going abroad?

Most app-based banks do not need you to, but some cards have a setting to allow payments abroad, which must be switched on (Chase, for example). Check your app's card controls before you fly.

Best Travel Money Card UK (2026): Wise, Revolut, Chase & More

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The best travel money card for most UK travellers is a free debit card with no foreign transaction fees: Chase UK, Starling or Monzo, which all use the Mastercard exchange rate with nothing added. Wise and Revolut are better if you want to hold and manage several currencies, and a fee-free credit card such as Halifax Clarity is useful for bigger purchases thanks to Section 75 protection. Whatever you use, always pay in the local currency, never in pounds.

Travel money cards compared

Card	Fee on card spending	Exchange rate	Free cash abroad	Watch out for
Chase UK (debit)	None	Mastercard	Up to £500 a day, £1,500 a month, no Chase fee	Turn on payments abroad in card controls
Starling (debit)	None	Mastercard	Up to £300 a day, no Starling fee	Daily cash cap
Monzo (debit)	None	Mastercard	£200 every 30 days outside EEA, then 3%	Low cash allowance on free plan
Revolut Standard	None within allowance	Revolut rate	5 withdrawals or £200 a month, then 2% (min £1)	Weekend markup, £1,000 monthly exchange cap
Wise (debit)	Small conversion fee	Mid-market	A monthly free allowance, then a fee	Conversion fee varies by currency
Halifax Clarity (credit)	None	Mastercard	No cash fee, but interest from day one	Pay in full monthly; cash costs interest
Typical high-street debit card	Often around 2.75–2.99%	Visa or Mastercard	Often a fee per withdrawal plus a percentage	Fees add up fast

All checked November 2026. Local ATM operators may add their own charge regardless of card.

What a high-street card really costs you

Spend £1,000 in euros on a holiday:

Typical high-street debit card at 2.99%: about £29.90 in non-sterling transaction fees, plus any cash withdrawal fees.
Chase, Starling or Monzo: £0 in bank fees, at the Mastercard rate.
Revolut Standard on weekdays within the £1,000 allowance: £0 in Revolut fees. Spending the same at weekends would add about 1% (roughly £10).

On a family holiday where you spend £2,000 to £3,000, a fee-free card can save you £60 to £90.

Our picks

Best overall: Chase UK

Chase UK charges no fees on card spending or ATM withdrawals abroad, uses the Mastercard rate, and allows up to £1,500 a month in cash withdrawals abroad (£500 a day). That is one of the most generous free cash allowances of any UK debit card (checked November 2026).

Good for: travellers who use cash as well as card.
Watch out: you need to switch on payments abroad in the app’s card controls before you go. Chase’s cashback does not apply to spending abroad.

Best free all-round bank card: Starling

Starling charges nothing on spending or cash abroad, passes on Mastercard’s rate without adding anything, and has no subscription tiers or weekend markups. Cash withdrawals are capped at £300 a day.

Good for: a main account that you can also use on holiday without thinking.
Watch out: the daily cash limit if you need a lot of cash at once.

Best for budgeting on holiday: Monzo

Monzo charges no fees on card payments abroad and shows you the cost in pounds instantly, which makes holiday budgeting easy. Free cash withdrawals outside the EEA are £200 every 30 days, then 3%; in the UK and EEA they are unlimited if Monzo is your main bank (checked November 2026).

Good for: card-heavy trips and splitting costs with friends.
Watch out: the cash allowance outside Europe is lower than Chase’s or Starling’s.

Best for multiple currencies: Revolut

Revolut lets you hold and exchange dozens of currencies in the app, and on weekdays its rate is close to the interbank rate. It is ideal if you travel often or split your life between countries.

Good for: frequent travellers and people managing money in more than one currency.
Watch out: on the free Standard plan, exchange is fee-free only up to £1,000 a month (then 1%), there is a weekend markup of about 1% on major currencies, and free ATM withdrawals are limited to 5 or £200 a month, then 2% (min £1) (checked November 2026). Exchange money on a weekday before you go to avoid the weekend markup. Our Revolut review covers the plans in detail.

Best for transparency: Wise

The Wise card spends from a multi-currency account. You can convert pounds into the currency you need at the mid-market rate plus a small, clearly shown conversion fee, or let the card convert automatically when you pay. It includes a monthly allowance of free ATM withdrawals, then a fee; Wise updated its UK ATM fee structure in May 2026, so check the current figures in the app.

Good for: trips where you also need to send or receive money internationally, and anyone who wants to see exactly what they pay.
Watch out: Wise is an e-money provider, not a bank, so balances are safeguarded rather than FSCS protected. There is a one-off fee to order the card. If you send money home or abroad regularly, see our Wise vs Revolut comparison.

Best credit card: Halifax Clarity (and other fee-free credit cards)

A credit card with no foreign transaction fees, such as the Halifax Clarity Mastercard, is worth considering alongside a debit card:

No fees on purchases abroad and no cash withdrawal fee.
Section 75 protection: for single purchases between £100 and £30,000, the card provider is jointly liable if something goes wrong, for example if a hotel or tour operator goes bust. Debit cards do not have this.
Car hire and hotel deposits are often easier on a credit card.

The catch: you must pay the balance in full every month, or interest wipes out the savings. And cash withdrawals on a credit card are charged interest from the day you take them out, even if you clear the balance at the end of the month. Use a debit card for cash.

Other UK credit cards with no foreign transaction fees exist from several providers; compare them with a soft-search eligibility checker such as ClearScore before applying, so you know you are likely to be accepted. Our guide to improving your credit score helps if you are not.

The dynamic currency conversion trap

This is the single most common way UK travellers lose money abroad, and it is easy to avoid.

When you pay by card or use an ATM abroad, you may see a screen asking whether you want to pay in GBP or the local currency (EUR, USD, TRY and so on). Choosing pounds sounds safer, but it triggers dynamic currency conversion (DCC): the shop’s or ATM’s payment provider converts the amount for you, using its own exchange rate.

That rate is usually much worse than your card’s rate, often 3% to 8% worse, and sometimes more at ATMs.

Worked example: you withdraw €200 at an airport ATM. With your fee-free card, you pay about £172 at the Mastercard rate. Accept the ATM’s “guaranteed rate in GBP” with a 7% markup, and the same €200 costs about £184. You have lost £12 on one withdrawal, before any ATM fee.

How to avoid it:

Always choose the local currency on card machines and ATMs.
If a waiter or shop assistant asks “Pounds or euros?”, say euros (or whatever the local currency is).
If you see a receipt showing a conversion to GBP with an exchange rate printed on it, DCC was applied. Ask for the transaction to be redone in local currency.
Some ATMs ask the question twice, or word “without conversion” confusingly. Read the screen carefully and pick the option without conversion.

ATM fees: how to keep cash costs down

Use bank-owned ATMs inside or attached to a local bank branch. Standalone machines in tourist areas and airports (often run by independent operators) are more likely to charge their own fee and push DCC.
Check the fee screen. Many machines show an operator fee before you confirm. Cancel and find another machine if it is high.
Withdraw fewer, larger amounts if your card charges per withdrawal or limits the number of free withdrawals (Revolut’s Standard plan counts five a month).
Do not use a credit card for cash unless it is an emergency, because of the immediate interest.
Keep a backup card in a separate place, ideally on a different network (one Mastercard, one Visa), in case one is lost, blocked or not accepted.

What about the Post Office, bureaux and prepaid cards?

Bureaux de change at the airport are almost always the most expensive way to buy currency. If you want cash before you travel, order online in advance and compare rates.
Prepaid travel money cards (such as those from the Post Office or other currency providers) lock in a rate when you load them, which includes a markup. They can also charge for cash withdrawals or inactivity. They can be useful for strict budgeting, or for teenagers travelling, but a fee-free app debit card is usually cheaper.
Your normal high-street bank card is fine for an emergency, but check its non-sterling transaction fee before relying on it.

If you are comparing banks for everyday use too, see our best banking apps in the UK guide.

Before you travel: a quick checklist

Get a fee-free debit card and order it at least a week before you go.
Turn on payments abroad in your app’s card controls, if needed.
Note the free cash allowance on each card you are taking.
Pack a backup card, kept separately.
If using Revolut, exchange money before the weekend.
Remember: always pay in the local currency.

Our pick: Take Chase UK or Starling as your main travel card for no fees on spending or cash, plus Revolut or Wise as a backup if you want to hold other currencies. Add a no-foreign-fee credit card for bookings and big purchases, and pay it off in full.