Wise debit card

[neils2004]

Hi,
Has anyone had experience using a Wise debit card internationally ?
Thinking of obtaining one for use in Europe and the UK.

 

[albatross710]

I was responding to another general question about getting a Wise account. For someone who just wants to get cash from an ATM OS, there are easy / better options IMHO.

The cash limit is a big drawback. It depends on where you are travelling. Modern countries Japan, Singapore where everything is paywave the cash doesn't mater. Philippines, Vietnam it is more critical.

But I am a fanboy for Wise just for clarity and immediateness of transaction amounts. Spend JPY400 on a coffee and it's immediately visible as a JPY400 drawdown on the JPY balance. I also spin up a virtual card for each trip for in country Grab app, train trips etc etc. Upon completion of the journey I cancel that virtual card and any registrations I made with it are useless.

Another favourite I have is for those "free" subscriptions which require a card to activate them with the idea that you will forget the auto-renewal. I use a virtual card for the registration and then freeze the virtual card. I can then choose to pay again when they prompt me instead of navigating the tortuous path to cancelling a subscription.

 

[VPS]

The cash limit is a big drawback. It depends on where you are travelling. Modern countries Japan, Singapore where everything is paywave the cash doesn't mater. Philippines, Vietnam it is more critical.

But I am a fanboy for Wise just for clarity and immediateness of transaction amounts. Spend JPY400 on a coffee and it's immediately visible as a JPY400 drawdown on the JPY balance. I also spin up a virtual card for each trip for in country Grab app, train trips etc etc. Upon completion of the journey I cancel that virtual card and any registrations I made with it are useless.

Another favourite I have is for those "free" subscriptions which require a card to activate them with the idea that you will forget the auto-renewal. I use a virtual card for the registration and then freeze the virtual card. I can then choose to pay again when they prompt me instead of navigating the tortuous path to cancelling a subscription.

Yes - that is one reason I love Wise

The virtual cards for travelling are great

Subscriptions where they won't let you cancel online and you have to call - nope just cancel the virtual card

I too have alternatives for taking cash out but transferring money around is so easy

 

[WeeGraeme]

I found the Wise card to be useful for buying fuel sometimes in UK. Many petrol stations are unattended after hours. Normal Australian cards didn't work with chip and pin. They'd require chip and signature. Tap and go was hard limited to £50 per transaction. At many petrol stations, their system requests pre-authorization of £90, meaning that wouldn't work either. I think that UK's limit for tap and pay is being increases, plus, if you use your phone instead of a card, the limit now doesn't apply either. But that's only useful as long as your phone is working.

 

[Flyinfish]

I get paid in USD and travel a fair bit so Wise has proven pretty handy.