Prepaid Travel Cards guide

Lisa_191

I'am currently travelling for three months and I went with Revolut. After less than a few days by iPhone got wet and stopped working! (Don't ask) I did not know my PIN number as I had written it down on my phone and the really handy app that goes with this card had it stored on there.

I tried to upload the app with my card details on my mates iPad. But they wanted to text me a code to verify the use of the iPad. The app has a live chat option where I explained my situation. After a few security checks I was able to access my account!

Revolut were very helpful and professional and I have not had a problem using this and anywhere in Thailand. I would highly recommend this company!

eDicky

Joshuapattinson1990 wrote: »

Global travel card advice required

Hello all, in a nut shell: 14 month trip, West & East Africa, South Asia and South America

Wishing to take 2 pre paid travel cards, 1 MasterCard, 1 visa, both loaded from a UK debit or savings account

Reason being that from advice certain areas I am going to a MasterCard will be completely useless, visa being the most reliable option, also gives back up for if cards are cancelled, not accepted or rejected for whatever reason

MasterCard; think I'm going to go for Fair fx global, though there looks to be little in it between it and the Travelex cash passport .

I'm hesitant in regard to the revolut, due to it likely changing t&c's before my trip is over, I will have the technology to support an app, but not completely confident it will always be charged or in wifi when I may need it.

Visa; HELP the Travelex supercard looks to have been the perfect solution, however now it is over

I had pencilled in the seasons card, however that seems to have dropped in fashion, Kalixia? App related concerns again, any other ideas???

many thanks

Kalixa and Revolut don't require a 'live' phone app at the moment you use the card, you can check it later. The N&P BS account debit card is a Visa, no overseas usage costs. Only two sources of funds for such a trip is insufficient.

Joshuapattinson1990

eDicky wrote: »

Kalixa and Revolut don't require a 'live' phone app at the moment you use the card, you can check it later. The N&P BS account debit card is a Visa, no overseas usage costs. Only two sources of funds for such a trip is insufficient.

I see I had overlooked this one, must have got confused it with another where it requires the customer to live in said region, with a direct debit set up to keep it free, could be a winner.

In regard to the revolut, pleased to hear you had a great customer service exp in a time of need. For me it's more the concern its charges will increase after its first 12 months of existence, I know it's the nature of this entire site but I prefer to chop and change accounts as little as possible. Many thanks

kaydee

Initially impressed with Revolut all seemed to work quite well.
Using it in The Netherlands was able to get Euros out of ATMs no problem.One problem however was the russian roulette of trying to use it in shops. In some it would work fine but then in others it was declined - no rhyme or reason. So you are always on edge at payment time because you never know (unless you've been there before!) if it will work or not, despite its Mastercard Logo.
Then after contacting support I tried to add a second payment card so I could use a french bank account to top up euros directly - it would not accept the debit card! I checked with HSBC France who confirmed that it was definitely a debit card, when I tried to enter the details I kept getting a 'No Credit Cards' message! Very frustrating. After contacting netbanx who handle the processing for Revolut I was told that their system recognises the numbers from my debit card as a credit card - tough luck! No amount of - But it is a debit card - did anything!!

My son, who lives in The Netherlands has a Revolut card and is not able to use his ABN Amro Dutch debit card on the card for similar reasons - as he enters the debit card details, the message 'No Credit Cards allowed' comes up and that's that!!
Close but no gold star yet!

NiftyDigits

kaydee wrote: »

Initially impressed with Revolut all seemed to work quite well.
Using it in The Netherlands was able to get Euros out of ATMs no problem.One problem however was the russian roulette of trying to use it in shops. In some it would work fine but then in others it was declined - no rhyme or reason. So you are always on edge at payment time because you never know (unless you've been there before!) if it will work or not, despite its Mastercard Logo.
Then after contacting support I tried to add a second payment card so I could use a french bank account to top up euros directly - it would not accept the debit card! I checked with HSBC France who confirmed that it was definitely a debit card, when I tried to enter the details I kept getting a 'No Credit Cards' message! Very frustrating. After contacting netbanx who handle the processing for Revolut I was told that their system recognises the numbers from my debit card as a credit card - tough luck! No amount of - But it is a debit card - did anything!!

My son, who lives in The Netherlands has a Revolut card and is not able to use his ABN Amro Dutch debit card on the card for similar reasons - as he enters the debit card details, the message 'No Credit Cards allowed' comes up and that's that!!
Close but no gold star yet!

Why not top up directly from the bank account? I don't have any cards linked to my account.
Some places accept Maestro in the Netherlands, but not MasterCard. There is no Maestro logo on the Revolut card. Better to take Euros out via ATM when in the Netherlands and to pay in cash.

eDicky

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Why not top up directly from the bank account?

Are you able to do this free of charge from a French or Dutch euro bank account? Is it treated as a SEPA transfer?

Brin_Kins

I've just returned from a trip to the USA and used only the Revolut pre-loaded Mastercard for all my spending. It's the only card of this type I've tried but would recommend it, particularly if travelling across many different currencies.

What I liked:
1) it's free, for at least 12 months
2) you don't have to lock in to a currency conversion when you preload as this happens when you spend, (but you can move between the three currencies in your wallet, GBP, USD, EUR, to lock in if the rates look particularly good.)
3) conversions are done as you spend at bank spot rates e.g. as I type Revolut would change £1 into $1.54, while Travelex pre-order is offering $1.50
4) worked in every ATM I used
5) Top ups are dead easy to do, and immediate.
6) when you come home you can transfer any balance back into you bank account with no charge

What I didn't like so much
1) the identity check process (needed if you load more than £1K p.a.) was clumsy
2) didn't work in all shop tills and in no pay-at-pump, but that's par for the course for UK cards
3) when checking into a hotel they want a card to cover your stay plus incidentals and this comes off your balance immediately. When you come to check out the actual cost of your stay is charged, but sometimes that initial pre-charge remains on the account also and can take 10 working days to be refunded. I suspect this is not unique to Revolut but is much more visible as you can see every transaction in the mobile App.
4) ditto if you return an item to a shop and get a refund. It doesn't hit your balance for a couple of weeks.

The obvious downside is that you have to pay up front, or as you go along, rather than getting credit to be paid off later, but for me avoiding the usual card fees (5%+ from my bank) is well worth it.

NiftyDigits

eDicky wrote: »

Are you able to do this free of charge from a French or Dutch euro bank account? Is it treated as a SEPA transfer?

Depends on the bank, but friends report no more than a 2€ charge for a bank transfer.

kaydee

At first thought the card was fantastic, but slowly it is making itself harder to be loved!!
First my problems trying to Link a French Debit card which Revolut decided was a credit card even though the bank told me was definitely a debit card!
Then my son couldn't link his dutch euro debit card to Revolut either......
Yes, I have managed to get a transfer by going to the bank - but that takes away the immediacy and ease of use!! Waiting a day for the funds to arrive!
For my UK bank it takes my debit card, I set up a top up and it is almost immediate. On our experiences of linking european debit cards to the euro side of things, not so good.
Problems more often than not trying to use the card in Holland - fuel, no - supermarket, no - sandwich shop, no - online to book cinema tickets, no ....
Yes, you can go to the ATM and get cash out, but isn't the whole point of a card to help keep you safer by not having to carry large amounts of cash about ? ..........................
And then tonight I wanted to transfer some of my euros on my card to my son and his Revolut card - simple, instant, no problem ......... That is what their web site says!!!
Did it work? - will hell freeze over more likely!
Select euro - tick
select send - tick
select person on list who it actually says is on Revolut too - tick
enter an amount - tick
enter a comment - tick
look at page for what to do next ............. not so good
decide it must be the tick at the top right - so tick
then wait ......... and wait ........... and nothing happens, nothing - not even you stupid soul you've done this wrong.......... just nothing!!
Thanks for all the help Revolut!!

Why is the support never there at the times you need it!! and why is it so hit and miss if you get a quick response and help, or you sit doing the one thing Revolut definitely does do well - make you wait!!

NiftyDigits

kaydee wrote: »

At first thought the card was fantastic, but slowly it is making itself harder to be loved!!
First my problems trying to Link a French Debit card which Revolut decided was a credit card even though the bank told me was definitely a debit card!
Then my son couldn't link his dutch euro debit card to Revolut either......
Yes, I have managed to get a transfer by going to the bank - but that takes away the immediacy and ease of use!! Waiting a day for the funds to arrive!
For my UK bank it takes my debit card, I set up a top up and it is almost immediate. On our experiences of linking european debit cards to the euro side of things, not so good.
Problems more often than not trying to use the card in Holland - fuel, no - supermarket, no - sandwich shop, no - online to book cinema tickets, no ....
Yes, you can go to the ATM and get cash out, but isn't the whole point of a card to help keep you safer by not having to carry large amounts of cash about ? ..........................
And then tonight I wanted to transfer some of my euros on my card to my son and his Revolut card - simple, instant, no problem ......... That is what their web site says!!!
Did it work? - will hell freeze over more likely!
Select euro - tick
select send - tick
select person on list who it actually says is on Revolut too - tick
enter an amount - tick
enter a comment - tick
look at page for what to do next ............. not so good
decide it must be the tick at the top right - so tick
then wait ......... and wait ........... and nothing happens, nothing - not even you stupid soul you've done this wrong.......... just nothing!!
Thanks for all the help Revolut!!

Why is the support never there at the times you need it!! and why is it so hit and miss if you get a quick response and help, or you sit doing the one thing Revolut definitely does do well - make you wait!!

I think that you'll find that is the norm in the Netherlands.