The best debit cards to use on your travels

by lovemoney staff on 09 February 2013  |  21 comments
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When it comes to spending abroad, all debit cards are not created equal! Find out which ones you should be using.

What happens if you want to use your current account debit card when you're on holiday? Many people assume they won’t be charged... but unfortunately, they’re mistaken.

In fact, overseas charges on debit cards can really mount up. However, there are a couple of providers that charge you nothing, although they won't be suitable for everyone.

A host of sneaky fees

There are several fees to watch out for if you use your debit card abroad. Use the wrong one, and you could be hit with four separate fees. Eeek!

Cash transaction fee

If you use most debit cards to withdraw money from a foreign ATM, you’re likely to incur a cash transaction fee (also known as an exchange rate transaction fee). This is typically around 2.75% of the amount withdrawn.

Essentially, the higher the percentage fee, the worse the rate of exchange you’re getting.

Cash fee

Confusingly, many debit card providers also hit you with another ATM fee – a cash fee (also known as a cash withdrawal fee).

This is also a percentage fee (typically 1.5%-2%) but beware: there is usually a minimum charge of around £1.50-£2.

This means that customers withdrawing lots of small amounts will be the hardest hit: they could be paying an extra £2 for every £10 they withdraw – ouch!

So, it’s worth planning ahead so you know how much money you’re likely to need, and withdraw larger amounts all in one go.

Putting these first two charges together, you could easily end up paying an extra £4 (or even more) on every £100 you withdraw from a foreign cash machine.

Retail transaction fee

You might think you can avoid fees by paying by debit card directly for your purchases, rather than using it to withdraw cash. Unfortunately, most debit cards will charge you to do this as well.

The first fee you’re likely to face in this instance is a retail transaction fee (also known as a retail exchange rate transaction fee). As with the cash conversion charge, this is typically around 2.75% of the sterling amount spent on the card.

Retail cash fee

And you may also be hit with a retail cash fee. This is sometimes a flat fee (typically around £1.25), but can also be a percentage of the overall spend (typically around 2.75%).

All this means that if you use the wrong debit card to pay for something in a foreign shop, you could, again, be charged £4 or more for every £100 you spend – no better than withdrawing cash.

In summary

Are you wondering what your current debit card will charge you? Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from some of the big names.

The free to use cards

As you can see, both Norwich & Peterborough and Metro Bank offer accounts with debit cards that don't charge any fees if you use them abroad. However, there are some things to be aware of.

Norwich & Peterborough's Gold Classic current account requires you to pay in at least £500 each month or you have to pay a £5 'underfunding charge'. Alternatively, with the Gold Light account you have to have a balance of at least £5,000 or make five transactions in and out of your account each month. If you don't, you'll pay a 'low usage' fee of £5 a month.

If you don't want to use the account as your main one, you'll probably be better off with the Gold Classic – just make sure you transfer the £500 over a month by setting up a direct debit from your main account.

For an account with no strings, Metro Bank's current account is perfect. There's just one catch – you need to visit a branch (or store, as they prefer to call them) to open one. At the moment, all of its branches are in the south-east of England, with the majority in London. But if you're planning a trip to the capital anyway, you could spend half an hour opening an account and then manage it online.

Compare current accounts

The alternatives

Of course, there are certain circumstances when a debit card won’t do the trick.

For example, some hotels and car hire companies insist you pay by credit card. And using a credit card mean you’ll have extra spending protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. For the best credit cards to pack, take a look at The best credit cards to use abroad.

Or if you want to leave your normal plastic at home and take a prepaid card instead, read The best prepaid cards for spending abroad.

This is a classic lovemoney article that is regularly updated

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