A closer look at the Wise card for travelling from Canada

If you’re travelling outside Canada, you may need to spend in foreign currency or convert your money for international payments.

Use Wise to do all this and more! But how does the Wise card work for travel? In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know, including a full Wise travel card review.

Wise has a 4.8 rating on the Play Store®, based on 1.08 million reviews.¹ It also has a 4.8 rating on the App Store®, with 24.6 thousand reviews.² Let’s take a closer look.

Is Wise a good travel option for Canadians?

Is Wise a good option for traveling? You can use your Wise card to convert money to over 40 foreign currencies before you leave or on the go.

If you’re heading out of Canada, spending in local currency can help you save money on expensive currency conversion charges abroad.

Wise uses the standard mid-market exchange rate for currency conversions and international transfers, offering low fees for both in-store and online payments.

Use your Wise travel money card to:

• take out cash abroad
• spend with a physical or virtual card
• access support in 14 languages

Your Wise card also helps you track expenses with instant spending notifications for every payment.

Whether you’re buying tickets in France or getting groceries in the US, use your Wise prepaid travel card to save money on currency conversion fees.

Let’s compare the conversion costs of a few popular Canadian bank cards and the Wise card.

Some banks use the standard interbank exchange rate. However, others may set their own conversion rates, leading to additional charges.

This can add a hefty charge to international payments in foreign currencies – and it can make an even bigger difference to how much you spend.

Are there any fees to pay for using Wise while travelling?

In Canada, you can get a Wise travel card for free, with no ongoing subscription fees for your card or account. You won’t pay any ongoing subscription fees for your card or account – and you can activate your free virtual card immediately.

It’s also free to spend money in the same currency using your Wise card – and you can open account details in over 10 different currencies.

If you’re in a rush, express delivery for your Wise card is available for a one-time fee starting at 15.41 CAD. You’ll also pay 5 CAD to replace your card. Alternatively, you could get the Wise virtual card in seconds and use it via Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.

You can access 2 free cash withdrawals abroad of up to 350 CAD per month, but some foreign ATMs may charge an independent operator fee.

To make the most of your holiday spending, plan your cash withdrawals ahead of time. Making digital payments in local currency is usually cheaper than withdrawing large sums of cash abroad.

How do I add money to my Wise card?

The money you spend using your Wise card will come out of your digital Wise account. If you spend in a foreign currency, Wise will automatically use any money available in local currency first.

However, if you don’t have enough money in local currency, Wise will use smart conversion to convert your money – always at the mid-market exchange rate.

Let’s take a look at how to add money to your Wise card.

Step 1. Click “Add money” and select a balance
Step 2. Click “Add” and enter the amount you want to add, including the currency.
Step 3. Choose your payment method and click “Continue.”
Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the payment

How does the Wise virtual card work?

You can add your Wise card to Apple Pay, Google Pay or another virtual wallet of your choice.

Keep your physical card safe at home and use up to three virtual Wise cards while traveling.

You won’t have to wait for your physical card to be delivered before you can start spending – and you can access your instant virtual card for free.

Are there any limits on spending with the Wise card?

Here are the spending and ATM withdrawal limits for the Wise card.

What happens if I lose my Wise card?

If you lose your card abroad, you can freeze it to keep your funds safe. Let’s take a look at how to freeze and unfreeze your Wise card.

Step 1. Go to the “Card” tab.
Step 2. Choose your Wise card.
Step 3. Select “Freeze card” or “Unfreeze card.”

If you spot an unauthorized transaction on your Wise account, you can also file a claim. Wise’s support team will resolve the problem for you ASAP.

Use your Wise card for travel both within Canada and internationally, with stress-free currency conversions and ATM withdrawals. You can get your physical or virtual Wise card for free – and it’s easy to spend online and in person.

Start spending globally in over 150 countries with the mid-market exchange rate— check out Wise today.

Sources:

1. Google Play
2. App Store
3. Wise
4. CIBC
5. TD Bank
6. RBC