Top debit cards in Australia for travel overseas

Planning a trip overseas? Whether for work or fun, you’ve no doubt spent time planning what to pack, where to stay and what to see. However, when it comes to how to access your money while abroad, things can be a little more challenging to navigate.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the top Australian-issued debit cards that can be used overseas. We’ll cover how they work, key benefits, fees for using them abroad and more so you can decide on the right option for your travel needs.

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What is a debit card?

A debit card is a bank payment card that deducts funds directly from a linked savings or everyday account. It can be used to withdraw cash from an ATM, make payments online or pay for goods/services via an EFTPOS machine.

Unlike credit cards, debit cards do not provide you with a line of credit and your spending is mostly limited to the available balance of the linked account.

Benefits of using a debit card for travel

While not always considered for use while abroad, using a debit card while travelling can provide some benefits such as:

• Convenience, no need to seek out an additional card for travel
• Easy access to cash via ATMs
• No interest on spending and purchases (unlike a credit card)
• Minimise risk of debt, as you can only spend what you have available
• Enhanced, bank-level security and fraud protection
• Easier spend tracking via real-time bank alerts and mobile account access
• Cashback offers or rewards programs for eligible spend

Each debit card provider will offer a list of specific benefits linked to the card, so shopping around to find the right fit for your needs is recommended.

Cons of using a debit card for travel

Of course, alongside these benefits, some potential downsides of using debit cards for travel also need to be considered such as:

• Foreign transaction and currency conversion fees
• ATM withdrawal fees
• Daily withdrawal and spending limits
• Less competitive exchange rates and exchange rate markups
• Higher risk to one’s bank account balance if card falls into wrong hands

Not all of these may apply to your chosen debit card. We encourage you to read all terms and conditions carefully to understand the specifics of your card.

Top debit cards for travel that you can get in Australia

Everyone's travel itinerary and needs are different, so ensuring you have the right debit card can make all the difference during your trip. We’ll cover the following debit cards available in Australia that can be used while travelling:

1. Bankwest – Easy Transaction debit card
2. Up bank Zap debit card
3. Ubank Spend account debit card
4. ING (ING) Orange Everyday account debit card
5. Macquarie transaction account debit card

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1. Bankwest Easy Transaction Debit Card

Part of the Commonwealth Bank Group, Bankwest’s Easy Transaction debit card was voted Canstar’s Outstanding Value Travel Debit Card in 2023 and offers¹:

• No monthly account-keeping fees or minimum monthly deposit terms
• Free ATM withdrawals
• Multi-currency view options via the app allow you to see your balance in a foreign currency of your choice
• 24/7 Zero Liability Protection
• Boosted savings via an introductory variable interest offer for a linked savings account

Card	Easy Transaction debit card¹
Card order fee	Free
Card type	Platinum Debit Mastercard
ATM withdrawal fees abroad	Free NB: ATM providers may charge their own fees on transactions
Currency conversion fee	Free NB: Some merchants may charge a fee
Exchange rate used	Rate determined by Mastercard² For AUD$100 you’ll get GBP£51.39 based on AUD$1 = GBP£0.5139³
Daily withdrawal/spending limits	Varies. Users will be advised of this limit when their card is issued.

As seen on 23 September 2024

Pros	Cons
No fees charged by Bankwest for ATM withdrawals or foreign transactions Option to switch your account view into a foreign currency of your choosing	Varied withdrawal and spending limits based on your circumstances and account approvals No branch access, purely online/phone banking

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2. Up Bank Zap Debit Card

Associated with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Up is a solely digital banking option offering innovative, low-fee banking solutions. With their Zap debit card linked to either an Up or 2Up account, you can expect the following features⁴:

• Zero monthly service fees
• Contactless payments
• Digital-only card option for those who prefer to go plastic-free
• Easy configuration of permitted card use via the app for enhanced security and safety

Card	Zap debit card⁵
Card order fee	AUD$10
Card type	Debit Mastercard
ATM withdrawal fees abroad	Free at most major Bank ATMs NB: ATM providers may charge own fees on transactions
Currency conversion fee	Free NB: Some merchants may charge a fee
Exchange rate used	Rate determined by Mastercard⁶ For AUD$100 you’ll get GBP£51.39 based on AUD$1 = GBP£0.5139³
Daily withdrawal/spending limits⁶	AUD$1000 for cash withdrawals at ATMs and EFTPOS terminals Daily purchase limit via EFTPOS is the maximum available balance in your account.

As seen on 23 September 2024

Pros	Cons
Option for both a physical and digital card No fees levied by Up for transactions at home or abroad Easy card and account management via the app	Approved daily withdrawal or spending limits may vary at the time of account approval⁶ No physical branches as a digital bank

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3. Ubank Spend Account Debit Card

One of Australia’s first digital banking providers, Ubank’s award-winning Spend Account and linked debit card comes with several useful features such as⁷:

• No monthly account fees
• Instant spending options via Google Pay or Apple Pay
• Fast cash transfers via Osko and PayID
• Same-day bill payments via BPAY if sent before 6 pm Sydney time
• Recurring bill payment alerts for easier budgeting and money management

Card	Easy Transaction debit card⁷
Card order fee	Free
Card type	Visa debit card
ATM withdrawal fees abroad	Free NB: ATM providers may charge their own fees on transactions
Currency conversion fee	Free NB: Some merchants may charge a fee
Exchange rate used	Rate determined by Visa⁸ For AUD$100 you’ll get GBP£51.45 based on AUD$1 = GBP£0.5145⁹
Daily withdrawal/spending limits¹⁰	AUD$2000 for cash withdrawals at ATMs and EFTPOS terminals All other transactions - up to your available Spend account balance.

As seen on 23 September 2024

Pros	Cons
No fees charged by UBank for transactions or withdrawals at home or abroad Australian-based support team Easy-to-use mobile banking app	Wholly digital bank so no physical branches Customer care not open 24/7, some users report difficulties accessing support while travelling

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4. ING Orange Everyday Account Debit Card

A multinational banking and financial services provider, Dutch-owned ING’s Everyday Account offers a mixture of benefits and features for local and overseas spending including:

• No monthly account-keeping fees
• Rebates on up to 5 eligible domestic ATM fees each month
• Rebates on international transaction fees where monthly eligibility criteria are met
• Cashback offers on utility bill payments
• Up to 5.50% p.a. interest for a linked savings maximiser account

Card Name	Orange Everyday Account debit card¹¹
Card order fee	Free
Card type	Visa debit card
ATM withdrawal fees abroad	AUD$5.00 per transaction plus the currency conversion fee NB: ATM providers may charge their own fees on transactions
Currency conversion fee	3% of the transaction amount
Exchange rate used	Rate determined by Visa¹² For AUD$100 you’ll get GBP£51.45 based on AUD$1 = GBP£0.5145⁹
Daily withdrawal/spending limits¹³	AUD$2200 for cash withdrawals at ATMs and EFTPOS terminals AUD$50,000 for all other transaction types made using your PIN

As seen on 23 September 2024

Pros	Cons
High daily transaction limit for purchases Rebates on international transaction fees may apply where eligibility criteria is met Cashback offers	Complicated fee structure for overseas spend, fees may or may not apply depending on specific criteria Where fees do apply, these are cumulative and relatively high compared with alternatives

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5. Macquarie Transaction Account Debit Card

Often more associated with investment banking, Macquarie Group's award-winning everyday transaction account is marketed as being flexible with minimal fees. It features¹⁴:

• A competitive 4.75% p.a. Interest rate on balances up to AUD$1 million
• No monthly account-keeping fees or minimum balance/deposit conditions
• Shopping discounts with over 50 selected retailers
• Refunds on any fees charged for domestic ATM withdrawals
• Enhanced account security with a paired authenticator app

Card Name	Macquarie Transaction Account debit card ¹⁴
Card order fee	Free
Card type	Platinum debit Mastercard
ATM withdrawal fees abroad	Free NB: ATM providers may charge their own fees on transactions
Currency conversion fee	Free NB: Some merchants may charge a fee
Exchange rate used	Rate determined by Mastercard¹⁴ For AUD$100 you’ll get GBP£51.39 based on AUD$1 = GBP£0.5139³
Daily withdrawal/spending limits	AUD$2000 for cash withdrawals at ATMs and EFTPOS terminals AUD$30,000 for all other transaction types made using your PIN

As seen on 23 September 2024

Pros	Cons
Interest offered on transaction account balance, not only on savings accounts No fees levied by Macquarie for international withdrawals or transactions Supercharged account security via a separate authenticator app	Limited customer care hours, some users report difficulties accessing support when needed No physical branch locations, all banking must be done online or by phone

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Using a debit card vs a dedicated travel money card

Ideally, when you’re travelling, you want to look for a card that provides you with the following:

• Low or no foreign transaction fees
• No hidden fees
• Adequate transaction limits to suit your travel needs
• Free or low-fee ATM withdrawals at home and abroad
• Added insurance or security features
• Easy card management via a mobile app or online platform
• Both physical and digital access to your account
• Global assistance options

While some debit card options may be able to provide these features, a dedicated travel money card can often give you these same benefits plus some added extras.

These may include:

• The option to pre-load the required currency or multiple currencies for your travel destinations
• The ability to lock in favourable exchange rates
• Competitive exchange rates with no hidden margins

Ultimately, it pays to spend some time comparing your options for both debit cards and travel money cards. This will help to ensure you’re not losing money unnecessarily in fees or being limited in how you can spend or access your funds while abroad.

What to keep in mind

Before deciding if any of the above debit cards or alternate debit card products in the market are suited to your needs we recommend considering the following:

• While many of these debit card products state no fees, ATM providers or merchants may still charge a fee. Additionally, both Visa and Mastercard typically add a commission percentage or margin as an extra fee to their exchange rates
• When using your debit card overseas you may be given the choice to pay in AUD or the local currency, this is known as dynamic currency conversion. It’s advised to always pay in the local currency or your transaction may be subject to extra fees dictated by the merchant or the card issuer
• Debit cards and other bank-issued cards are frequently subject to suspensions due to suspected fraud. While a helpful security measure, this can take time to resolve and see you with no alternative way to pay or withdraw cash while travelling
• Further to the above, you should check your card issuer’s process for advising of overseas travel, this can help to limit account suspensions while abroad
• Not all destinations or merchants will accept foreign debit cards as a form of payment. As such, travelling with a mixture of cash, travel money cards and your debit card is advisable

Travel with Wise

With a Wise Account you can hold money in 40+ currencies and spend it in 160+ countries. You can also order local account details in popular world currencies like AUD, NZD, USD, EUR, GBP to receive local and/or international payments like a local.

Whenever you exchange currencies it’s done using the mid-market rate with a conversion fee shown upfront.

To make everyday spending easier you can order a Wise Debit card for your Wise Account and generate virtual cards as needed. If you have the local currency in your Wise Account the Wise card will use it and charge no fees. If you don’t, it uses smart technology to auto-convert your money at the mid-market rate, for a conversion fee.

The Wise card may suit you better if you’re to spend money that you’ve stored in different currencies within an existing Wise Account, and benefit from 2 or less free cash withdrawals under $350 AU, or foreign equivalent, per month (keep in mind that ATM providers may charge their own fees). You can see our full fee breakdown for ATM withdrawals here.

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Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

Note! Wise is not a bank and features available with traditional bank accounts, such as interest rates, loans or protection under the Financial Claims Scheme (for deposits up to $250,000AUD), will not be available with the Wise Account. See how Wise safeguards your money.

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Sources:

1. Bankwest - Easy Transaction Account
2. Bankwest - Terms & Conditions pg. 20, 23
3. Mastercard - Currency Conversion
4. Up- Zap Debit Card features
5. Up - Zap Debit Card fees
6. Up - Product Terms & Conditions
7. UBank - Spend Account
8. UBank - Terms & Conditions pg. 33
9. Visa - Currency Conversion
10. UBank - Fees & Limits pg. 3
11. ING - Orange Everyday Account
12. ING - Terms & Conditions pg. 29
13. ING - Fees & Limits pgs. 2, 3
14. Macquarie - Transaction Account

Sources checked on: 23 September 2024