Last Updated on October, 2024
Imagine you’re in a foreign country.
You come across multiple payments, not in one foreign currency but many, and your debit/credit card is draining you.
Not only that, you have to visit your bank every now and then to sign documents for cash withdrawals, and more.
In a nutshell, it’s not the best experience.
This is why prepaid travel cards exist. You’re already ahead of the curve while looking for the best one.
Read through, and you’ll find EVERYTHING you need to know before deciding on one.
But, wait, why trust me?
Contents
Why Trust Me?
I chose around 20 prepaid debit cards shortlisted to 7 best solutions, and used all of them. That’s why what I’ve written is exclusive to this reading.
On top of that, I have been using the top 3 prepaid currency cards for a long time (especially the first for almost ten years).
I also reached out to these companies for the latest details, and research on customer reviews on Reddit, Quora, and even YouTube.
That’s why this review is all you need.
Without further ado, let’s start.
7 Best Picks for Prepaid Travel Cards
1. Wise
Launched in 2011 to make international transactions cheaper, Wise is the ultimate travel companion for anyone.
Let’s see why it’s the best.
Wise allows you to store 40+ currencies in one card (or account) including Canadian Dollar, Australian Dollar, New Zealand Dollar, and much more.
That way, spending money overseas makes it easier.
The interconnected travel-friendly feature is that you can convert currencies within Wise. This usually happens from USD to other currencies. The best thing is that Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate that frees you from sneaky hidden fees or markups.
That’s unlike many other prepaid debit cards.
Travel friendliness goes further up as Wise works in 160 countries while allowing ATM withdrawals. The cherry on top is that you can have two fee-free ATM withdrawals every month.
Don’t worry, Wise is known to charge the lowest fees for both currency conversion and withdrawals. In fact, Wise also has automatic conversion with the remaining balance.
The cherry on top is that you need no monthly fees, no minimum account balance, and no inactivity fees to use Wise; just pay as you use.
Security MUST be a top priority with a service like this and Wise understands it. That’s why Wise is SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 2 Type 2, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant.
There’s also a real-life fraud investigating unit. In other words, your transactions and money are safe, and that’s how better prepaid travel cards work.
In case you ever lose it, you can freeze your card instantly with the Wise app. The app is filled with features that make traveling stress-free.
You can very easily order your card online, too.
Wise card limits depend on the country for the monthly spending and ATM withdrawing cash limit, which doesn’t apply to US cardholders.
For US cardholders, there are single payment, daily, and monthly limits; default and max. The lowest limit is $250 (single payment) and the highest is $15,000 (monthly).
This is just the tip of the iceberg, there’s a lot more that you can do with Wise if you’re traveling. So with all things considered, if you want the best travel card, this is it.
For more details, read our Wise review.
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2. Revolut
Launched only 4 years after Wise, in 2015, Revolut also offers travel-friendly multi-currency management. Meaning you can hold AND convert currencies inside Revolut similar to Wise, allowing more than 150 currencies.
That’s not all, Revolut works in more than 35 countries, ensuring more travel friendliness.
The operational process of Revolut is easy; top up the account like Wise, then convert, spend, or hold it. ATM withdrawals are also entertained in Revolut, just as much as contactless payments.
Revolut boasts interbank exchange rates for most transactions, meaning you get the best possible rate with minimal fees. This translates to significant savings compared to traditional travel cards or Bureau de Change markups.
Tracking expenses overseas helps you refrain from overspending. So, the Revolut app allows you to track your spending in real time, categorize transactions, and set spending limitations.
I would say the Revolut app is as good as the Wise app in terms of the user interface and security.
If you have a child, Revolut also allows you to have up to 5 under-18 accounts to the main personal account. However, Revolut functions based on monthly subscriptions.
Don’t worry, it has a free plan, although you might need to opt for a paid plan for some features Wise provides in default. I’d say it’s better than most online banks.
Although Revolut doesn’t have spending limits with cards, it has transfer limits. These depend on the destination and the currency. Most currencies lack limits.
Revolut is the best alternative to Wise being one of the best prepaid travel cards, and these reasons back up the claim.
For more details, read our Revolut review.
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3. N26
Up next is the N26 card.
N26 is not explicitly a travel card, but it fits the requirement just fine. Being a partner of Wise, you can expect near-identical quality as Wise.
N26 is actually a debit Mastercard that functions like a regular debit card (which also makes it an excellent everyday prepaid card).
As a 100% mobile bank, N26 prepaid card needs you to have a current or savings account in a bank. This makes it a bit similar to Wise and Revolut where you get cards with an account (although they’re not banks).
Even if that’s a debit card, withdrawing cash with N26 is very travel-friendly.
For starters, you can view and take out cash with the N26 without any extra charges levied by the N26 prepaid card. The only fees applicable are the Mastercard exchange rate, which is generally favorable.
Zero foreign transaction fees are favored by free ATM withdrawals abroad, which frees you from hefty ATM fees or the inconveniences at bureaus.
The only condition is that you need to have a premium account with monthly fees.
The monthly fee is €4.90 to €16.90, across three premium plans. Here, the physical card is priced at €10, although all customers get a free virtual card.
The next question you’d ask is how mobile these prepaid debit cards are. You can use the N26 prepaid card pretty much everywhere where Mastercard is accepted.
The cherry on top is the travel insurance offered by the premium account that includes coverage for flight delays, lost luggage, and more.
However, remember that N26 doesn’t offer multi-currency accounts or in-platform currency conversion.
As long as you’re fine with N26’s shortcomings, it is one of the best prepaid debit cards.
For more details, read our N26 review.
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4. Paypal Prepaid Mastercard
Who doesn’t know PayPal? But, did you know PayPal had a prepaid card?
PayPal debit card is essentially a Mastercard similar to an N26 card. This automatically makes the PayPal debit card compatible withany country that allows Mastercard payments.
Unlike N26 and similar to Wise, PayPal prepaid debit card allows you a no-cost direct deposit service, and you can have access to your funds up to 2 days faster than what traditional banks offer.
Conversely, Wise and Revolut enable almost instant top-ups.
This isn’t the card for you if you’re looking to hold multi-currencies in one account or convert currencies within the platform.
Additionally, while N26 allows any customer to withdraw cash and offers no foreign exchange fees, PayPal may have some fees.
Don’t get discouraged! PayPal’s global acceptance is very high just as much as its high security measures to protect your money and transactions.
The secret is the PayPal Debit card’s mobile app which updates you on everything in real-time.
However, you must have a PayPal account for all of this to work. If you have one, you can simply order a card, and activate it conveniently via the website itself.
Conclusion: PayPal’s prepaid debit card can be recommended to travelers, but not for those who expect Wise-like features.
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5. Bluebird By American Express
BlueBird prepaid card is offered by American Express (AMEX), and that brand reputation is backed with several features.
This is a prepaid debit card you don’t need a bank account, which makes it similar to Wise in that way. In contrast, you can’t hold several currencies or convert currencies within the platform.
From a positive angle, you can get the BlueBird prepaid card for free.
Similar to the rest of the cards on this list, the BlueBird debit card is also interlinked to a free mobile app. The app’s interface is quite user-friendly and straightforward. You can easily pay bills, transfer money, and make purchases wherever you are.
As a prepaid card, you can easily top it up. The only condition is that it’s all in one currency.
Since BlueBird is a subsidiary of AMEX, this debit card works in any country where AMEX is accepted, which is over 200 countries.
That’s one of the biggest reasons why BlueBird is a recommendable prepaid travel card.
BlueBird card also offers two unique features: ‘ Money in Days’ and ‘Money in Minutes’. These refer to how fast you can deposit money from checks.
All these features come with free ATM withdrawals with 300,000 ATMs worldwide in the MoneyPass network. The cherry on top is the zero foreign transaction fees when you spend USD.
All things considered, BlueBird by AMEX is one of the best prepaid travel cards.
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6. Famzoo Prepaid Card
Do you have a family of maybe one or two kids or even more? And are you a frequent traveler? If so, Famzoo travel cards fits your requirements pretty amazingly.
The market position of this service provider is unique as a prepaid travel card.
Famzoo mainly aims to:
This is why Famzoo has several parental controls over child roles. Sending money between the cards is also easier thanks to their highly user-friendly mobile app. Parents can also impose limits for spending on their children, and you can also approve money requests by your children via the app.
Features like these come in handy when you’re overseas and want to manage cash better.
There are occasions when this app is simpler than Wise, but that’s mainly because it doesn’t have features like currency conversion and multi-currency holding. Yet, the system is highly secure with encryption.
It gets better since Famzoo has real-time activity alerts similar to Wise, and you can also instantly lock and unlock your card similar to Revolut.
Famzoo pricing remains unchanged whether there are three or a hundred family members, which is great.
Wherever Wise and Revolut are absent, Famzoo is a great debit card for big families who travel.
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7. Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard
“The all-in-one money and safety app for families.”
This is how Greenlight positions its brand, and it’s a bit similar to Famzoo. Top up process is similar to Wise or Revolut where you can do it with a bank account or debit card.
One main difference is that Greenlight isn’t free; you must have one of the 3 subscription plans:
Used by over 6 million parents and kids, Greenlight focuses more on teaching smart spending and money management to kids.
Every swipe and tap can earn up to 1% cash back to savings too.
Kids can’t do that alone; that’s why Greenlight cards also focus on parental control features. You can set spending limits, track transactions in real-time, and the best thing? You can freeze the card instantly like Wise, providing higher security for your funds.
Wherever you’re traveling to, you can do all these easily via the mobile app. Greenlight mobile app is very kid-friendly which means it’s very easy to use.
In how many countries can you use the Greenlight card? You can use this card in any country where Mastercard is accepted, which is 200+ countries.
That’s how Greenlight becomes an international travel-friendly prepaid card.
You may be charged although Greenlight allows ATM withdrawals whether it was local or international.
All these features make Greenlight one of the best prepaid debit cards for families traveling internationally (or even locally), where Wise and Revolut are absent.
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What is a Prepaid Travel Card?
A prepaid travel card is a card that you can reload or top up designed specifically for overseas spending. You load your card with funds typically with local currency before your trip and then use it for payments and ATM cash withdrawals as you travel.
Typically, you cannot spend more money than what you have on the card.
Difference Between Prepaid & Regular Debit Cards
So, what’s the difference between prepaid debit cards and regular debit cards (visa cards)? Is there a difference?
Yes, there is and it makes a huge difference.
Prepaid debit cards typically offer a better currency exchange rate, and a lower foreign currency exchange rate compared to traditional debit cards. You can only spend the loaded amount on the card, which makes it a bit similar to debit cards in that aspect.
However, most travel debit cards like Wise focus on travel-friendliness and allow dynamic currency conversion within the platform. Debit cards don’t have that.
Not only that, while debit cards only let you hold one currency, travel debit cards let you hold multiple.
Most importantly, the overall fee structure for travel debit cards is much smaller and optimized for international traveling.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best-Prepaid Travel Card
What made me rank Wise as the best prepaid card for travelling, and rank the rest accordingly? In this section, you get that selection and ranking formula.
Factor #1: Currency Holding Ability
It’s always better to have a prepaid travel card that can hold several currencies simultaneously, preferably with no currency-holding fee. The more the better.
Factor #2: Currency Conversion Ability
Wise allows you to convert currencies within the platform, and it’s a safe haven for travelers. Being able to top up the card with USD (or any other currency), and convert it to the preferred currency is a massive plus point for prepaid travel cards.
Factor #3: Overall Mobility
You shouldn’t have to get a new card for every new country you visit. However, that’ll happen if you don’t choose a card like Wise that works in so many countries that favors frequent travelers.
Factor #4: Withdrawals
You’ll thank me if your prepaid travel card is ATM-compatible, trust me. Wise and Revolut can do that, and it makes traveling much easier.
Factor #5: Overall Fee Structure
How much to get the card? Is there a monthly or annual charge? What’s the markup for currency conversion? You need to ask all these fee-related questions and compare with a credit check.
Factor #6: Exchange Rate Structure
Mid-market rate is the industry standard for the exchange rates in prepaid travel cards. The point of interest is the markup margin; how much do they charge? Wise is known to provide the best exchange rates with little or no markup.
Factor #7: Security Level
Security is an integral feature wherever money is involved, and must be a top priority. SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 2 Type 2, PCI DSS, and ISO 27001 are my benchmarks whereas GDPR can be optional. Remember that your account information is sensitive details.
Factor #8: Overall Convenience
You shouldn’t have to learn the platform WHILE you’re trying to enjoy your vacation (it’s not pleasant, at all). You also should choose a card that has enough ATMs overseas. These ATMs overseas can belong to the parent brand or an affiliate.
Relevant guides:
In Conclusion
Prepaid travel cards exist to make traveling easier. If not, things usually get complicated with traditional debit and credit cards. They let you hold multiple currencies, convert them within the platform, and so much more.
Wise wins this contest with a massive lead simply because of its impressive features. It makes sense it’s the most established brand in the segment.
I hope this review was helpful. Feel free to share this article with your community to help them make better travel decisions.
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