How to Use a Wise Card Abroad 2024 2024
With a Wise account you can hold and exchange 40+ currencies, send money to 160+ countries, and switch between currencies using the mid-market exchange rate every time. Plus, if you order a linked Wise card you can spend and withdraw cash in 150+ countries, making it easy to travel or shop online with international retailers.
Ready to get started? In this guide, we’ll look at how to use a Wise card overseas, the fees, limits and some tips to save money.
How to use a Wise card overseas
You can use your Wise card to spend and withdraw money overseas in exactly the same way you use your regular card here in the UK. Wise cards are contactless and can be added to mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, for fast and convenient payments wherever you are. Plus, there’s no fee to spend any currency you hold in your account, and the card can automatically switch your balance to the currency you need with low fees from 0.43%.
Here’s a look at how you can use your Wise card overseas:
Hold 40+ currencies and spend any balance you hold for free
Make purchases in store and online internationally in 150+ countries
Withdraw up to 200 GBP a month fee free, with low fees after that
Allow the card to convert to the currency you need for the lowest available fee
Get instant transaction notifications and manage your card in the Wise app
Choose from a selection of free, fast and low cost methods to top-up your Wise account and card
Your Wise card is designed with international use in mind, so there’s no need to notify Wise you intend to travel. Just activate your Wise card by making a chip and PIN payment, or using your card at an ATM, and you can start using it for contactless in-store purchases as well as withdrawals and online shopping in 150+ countries.
About the Wise card
The Wise card is an international debit card linked to a digital multi-currency Wise account. It’s free to open a personal Wise account and you can get set up from your phone or laptop easily. Once you’ve registered for a Wise account, simply order your Wise card for delivery to your home address within a week or so.
Once you’ve got your Wise card up and running you’ll be able to access the following handy travel features:
Spend and withdraw in 150+ countries and hold 40+ currencies
No fees to spend any currency you hold in your account
Currency conversion from 0.43% when you spend or withdraw with your Wise card
Top up your account in pounds and convert to the currency you need using the mid-market rate
Read also: Wise card review
How does the Wise card work?
The Wise card is a debit card linked to a multi-currency Wise account. You can top up your Wise account in pounds or the currency of your choice, and convert to the currency you need for international spending - or just let the card do the conversion for you, with the mid-market rate and low fees.
You can spend and make withdrawals with your Wise card in 150+ countries, and shop online with international retailers easily. We’ll look at how spending and withdrawals with your Wise card work in more detail a little later, including the fees and limits that apply to your Wise account and card.
Fees for using a Wise card abroad
To get your Wise card you’ll pay a one time order fee of 7 GBP, with no monthly or annual fees after that.
Top up your Wise account with pounds or any of the other supported currencies, and convert to the currency you need for spending. There’s no fee to spend any currency you hold in your Wise account - and if you don’t have a balance in the right currency your Wise card can automatically convert for you, with a small conversion fee and the mid-market exchange rate.
Here’s a rundown of the key Wise fees to know about. We’ll cover ATM cash withdrawals, fees and limits in more detail a little later on.
| Service | Wise card fee |
|---|---|
| Order a Wise card | 7 GBP |
| Spend a currency you hold | Free |
| Spend in a currency you don’t hold | Currency conversion fees from 0.43% |
| ATM withdrawals | 2 withdrawals, to the value of 200 GBP a month fee free After that a fee of 0.5 GBP + 1.75% of the withdrawal value applies |
| Order a replacement card | No fee to replace an expiring card 2.5 GBP for a replacement at any other time |
Does the Wise card have foreign transaction fees?
There are no foreign transaction fees when you spend with a Wise card. You can spend any currency you hold in your account for free.
If you don’t have a balance in the currency you need - or if your balance isn’t enough - the Wise card uses smart conversion technology to convert your balance from the currency which charges the lowest possible fee, using the mid-market exchange rate. Wise currency conversion fees vary but can be as low as 0.43%.
How does my Wise card know which currency to use?
You can spend with your Wise card even if you don’t have money in the currency you need. Your Wise card will simply convert the amount needed from the currency balance you hold which offers the lowest available fee. This applies if you don’t hold a balance in the currency needed, or if you don’t hold enough for the transaction in the required currency.
The good news is that this means you’ll always pay the lowest available fee, and you don’t need to convert funds in advance if you’re travelling or spending overseas.
What if I spend money in a currency that I don’t have in my account?
You’ll be able to top up your Wise account in pounds or a selection of other currencies, and then convert to any of the supported 40+ holding currencies in the Wise app. But what if you don’t hold a balance in the currency you need when you spend with your Wise card? In this case, the Wise card will do the hard work for you and switch what’s needed from the currency balance which has the lowest available fee.
Here are some examples of how the Wise auto convert technology can work:
You hold 200 euros in your account and want to make a purchase that costs 100 euros - in this case, the 100 euros will be deducted from your euro balance, with no fee to pay
You want to make a purchase that costs 100 euros but you don’t have a euro balance in your Wise account - in this case, the Wise card will convert from your available funds, with a conversion fee from 0.43%. Conversion fees do vary, but the card will pick the balance which offers the lowest available fee at the time of the transaction
You hold 50 euros in your account and want to make a purchase that costs 100 euros - in this case, the 50 euros will be deducted from your euro balance, with no fee to pay, and the remaining amount will be converted from your available funds, with a variable conversion fee from 0.43%.
How to withdraw money abroad with a Wise card
You can make convenient ATM withdrawals all over the world using your Wise card. Here’s how to withdraw money abroad with a Wise card:
Find a convenient ATM which supports the network your Wise card is issued on (Visa or MasterCard)
Insert your card and select the option to make a withdrawal
Enter the amount you want to withdraw
Enter your PIN for security
Your money will be dispensed and your card will be returned
| 💡 Key points: |
|---|
|
Wise ATM withdrawal limits
There are Wise card withdrawal limits which apply whenever you use your Wise card to take cash from an ATM. Wise limits are set to a default amount, but you can then change this within the app if you need to. You can also check how much of your daily or monthly limit you’ve already used, so there’s no need to keep a track manually - just have a quick look on the Wise app and you’re done.
Here’s how to view and change your Wise card ATM withdrawal limits in the Wise app:
Log in on the Wise app and select the Cards tab
Tap Account limits and the type of transaction - ATM withdrawals
Select the button to change the limit within the Wise maximum available limit range
The Wise ATM withdrawal limits are 4,000 GBP a month. Your daily limit is also automatically set to 4,000 GBP, but you can adjust this down in the app if you’d prefer to. Wise monthly limits reset at the end of each calendar month.
* Details correct at time of writing - 19th September 2023
Wise card ATM withdrawal fees
You may find when you’re making an ATM withdrawal that a message is displayed on the ATM asking you if you’d rather pay in your home currency - so in this case, pounds, rather than the currency of the country you’re in.
This is described as dynamic currency conversion (DCC), and can happen when you spend or withdraw with a card overseas. It’s positioned as a service which makes it easier to see how much your transaction costs you more easily - but in reality, it also usually means paying higher fees.
Avoid this unnecessary cost by choosing to pay in the local currency wherever you are every time. You can also learn more in this Wise article about ATM fees and DCC.
Wise offers all card holders some free ATM withdrawals every month, with low fees after that. Here’s how Wise card ATM fees breakdown:
| ATM withdrawal | Wise fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 withdrawals per month, to the value of 200 GBP | No Wise fee |
| Additional withdrawals once your monthly allowance is exhausted | 0.5 GBP + 1.75% of withdrawal value |
* Details correct at time of writing - 19th September 2023
How do I put money on my Wise card?
The Wise card is linked to your multi-currency Wise account. To use your Wise card for spending or withdrawals you’ll first need to add money to your Wise account - you can choose from a variety of different ways to top up Wise, including some low-cost and fast methods, and ways to add different currencies if you’d like.
Wise top up options include bank transfer, debit card and credit card. Using a bank transfer or debit card are often the cheapest options, and credit card is usually the most expensive way to add money to Wise.
Adding money to Wise so you can spend with your Wise card is easy - and can all be done online or in the Wise app. To give an example, here’s how to add money to a Wise card in GBP, by bank transfer, using just your phone:
Log into your Wise account on the Wise app
Tap your GBP currency balance
Select Add and enter the amount you want to top up
Pick bank transfer as the payment method
Follow the prompts to deposit funds and you’re good to go
Is it safe to use the Wise card abroad?
To open a Wise account you’ll need to complete a verification step which helps keep your account secure, and to use your card you’ll need to set up security including your own PIN. Once your card is up and running you’ll get instant transaction notifications, and can easily freeze or cancel your Wise card if you’re concerned it’s been lost or stolen.
How do I activate my Wise card?
Once you’ve received your Wise card you’ll need to activate it before you can start making contactless payments with it. To activate your Wise card for contactless payments all you need to do is make a chip and PIN payment, or use your card at an ATM for a withdrawal or to make a balance enquiry.
Use Google Pay or Apple Pay and spend with your phone
You can use your UK issued Wise card conveniently with an e-wallet like Apple Pay for mobile spending. That means you don’t need to carry the physical card to make contactless payments in person, or when shopping online.
You can add your Wise card to your preferred wallet by going to the wallet’s app and following the instructions there - or right from the Wise app instead.
As an example, here’s how to add your Wise card to Apple Pay:
Open the Wise app
Tap on the Card tab, where you can see all your available cards
Select the card you'd like to add then tap on Add to Apple Wallet
Which countries can I use my Wise card in?
Wise customers in a broad range of countries, including the UK, Australia, most of the EEA, the US, New Zealand, Canada and Brazil can order a Wise card.
Wise cards can be used almost anywhere in the world where Visa or Mastercard debit cards are accepted - a total of 150+ countries. The Wise card can be used for online payments, and for in person payments when you travel.
Are there any countries where the Wise card doesn’t work?
There are a few countries where the Wise card cannot be used - usually because of global sanctions or practical constraints. These include Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo and The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Exactly where Wise services can be offered may vary from time to time, so do double check if you’re unsure about whether or not your Wise card can be used in your destination.
Tips for saving money when spending abroad
Nobody wants to spend more than necessary when travelling. The Wise card and account can be a good way to cut your costs - here are a few other things to look out for:
Always pay in the local currency - an ATM or merchant may ask if you’d prefer to pay in pounds, but this is always more expensive
Keep a couple of payment methods handy, like cards on different networks and a small amount of cash, so you’re never stuck
If you ever need to convert cash, avoid airport and hotel currency exchange kiosks, as these usually mean higher fees
Conclusion: Is Wise a good travel card?
The Wise card can be a very helpful card for travel and overseas purchases. You can order a Wise card conveniently online, and link it to your Wise account which can be used to hold 40+ currencies.
Wise currency conversion always uses the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.43%. It’s free to spend currencies you hold in your Wise account, and if you don’t have the currency you need, the Wise card auto convert technology can convert for you, using the mid-market rate and Wise’s low fees. That can mean you save compared to using a regular bank card, whenever you spend or withdraw in a foreign currency.
Read more about the best prepaid travel cards in the UK.
FAQs on using Wise card for travel
Which ATM can I use with a Wise card?
You can use your Wise card to make ATM withdrawals at ATMs which support your card’s payment network. Check the network your card is issued on - Visa or MasterCard - and look out for ATMs displaying that logo. There are a small number of countries where Wise cards issued in the UK can’t be used, usually because of global sanctions - full details are available on the Wise website.
Is a Wise card a debit or credit card?
The Wise card is an international debit card that’s linked to a digital multi-currency Wise account.
Does a Wise card automatically use the right currency?
When you spend using your Wise card the money will be deducted from the balance you hold in that currency, if you have enough in your account. If not, the Wise card will automatically convert money from another currency balance you hold, choosing the balance with the lowest available fees so you get the best possible deal.
How do I use my Wise debit card in Europe?
You’ll be able to use your Wise card in Europe just like a regular payment card. To activate your card for contactless payments you’ll need to make a chip and PIN payment, or use an ATM first.
Is Wise an international debit card?
Wise offers multi-currency accounts with linked international debit cards for personal and business customers in the UK. You can hold funds in your account, exchange between 40+ currencies with the mid-market rate, send and receive payments, and use your Wise international debit card for easy spending and withdrawals.
How do I pay with Wise without a card?
If you don’t have a Wise card you can still use your Wise account to send and receive payments. Wise transfers can be sent to 160+ countries, and use the mid-market rate and low fees from 0.43%.