Prepaid Travel Cards guide

eDicky

kaydee wrote: »

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......

Do these two cards have numbers beginning with a '4' or '5'?

I am able to top up my Revolut using non-UK debit cards, although they incur a credit card fee if I use them to buy, for example, an EasyJet standard fare ticket.

clairville

Used this card in Spain France no problem in any cash machine App works instant for balance ,you can choose the best rate of exchange and can transfer funds
No fees at this moment in time

kaydee

eDicky wrote: »

Do these two cards have numbers beginning with a '4' or '5'?.

Yes, the French card does start with a 4 - but HSBC France have confirmed it IS a debit card!!
Not sure about my son's Dutch one - he is there using it!

eDicky

kaydee wrote: »

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!!

They have usually handled things for me very quickly, and if an immediate response was ever not forthcoming an extra "hello?" would catch somebody's attention.

Obviously the staff are multi-handling many conversations and issues, the system is still being developed and glitches 'ironed out'. The way I see it, if they need to hire many extra staff in order to handle the demands of impatient customers even faster, they are less likely to survive without having to introduce fees after a year. Compared to other products I think they are performing well and deserve my patience.

eDicky

kaydee wrote: »

Yes, the French card does start with a 4 - but HSBC France have confirmed it IS a debit card!!
Not sure about my son's Dutch one - he is there using it!

I think that in general credit cards have a number beginning with a '5' and debit cards with a '4'. So your French card is not being rejected by Revolut because of its initial digit. Some debit cards (not those issued with UK bank accounts) do incur a credit card interchange fee from the merchant, perhaps French banks do this.

But this does not explain why your son's card is rejected, because as Nifty says most Dutch merchants refuse any card which will incur interchange fees, his bank would not issue a useless card so it must be a 'true' debit card.

Adding to the mystery, I am able to top up with a UK prepaid debit card (Optimum, successor to the OrangeCash), whose number begins with a '5' and is normally regarded for transactions as a credit card.

kaydee

My comments about help were in frustration in the way that nothing ever breaks at a good time!!
My son is abroad and I was trying to urgently get funds to him and having problems and there was no help available.
Hopefully as they get bigger they might be able to afford to offer longer support hours - it is a 24hr world out there!
Speaking to them today they have been very helpful and most things are ironed out.
The French debit card is ongoing - for some reason HSBC France cards have the 6 digit start numbers that most other systems identify as credit cards - good old French for you!
They have admitted they have a problem with Dutch debit cards generally - they tend not to have a 16 digit number on them so are not compatible with Revolut's systems - you have to do it by bank transfer.

NiftyDigits

One definitely hopes they are successful. The alternative is to be charged extra by the banks. So a little patience whilst they iron out the kinks as well as large customer base with many transactions will hopefully keep it viable without them having to introduce fees for each aspect of the service.

jpucng

i have just received my Revolut card. I have topped it up - received my free £5 and am ready to go! So far seems very easy to use

rome1067

I tried to get a Revolut card but had left it a bit late and the card wasn't going to get here in time so I went to tesco and did a cash passport there as you get the card in store.

I didn't set up the online account before coming away and now I can't do it I just keep getting an error message "details validation fail message".

I have tried to ring the UK freephone number but I am constantly on hold and I am getting charged for the call. I can't get through to Vodafone either to ask if I would be better ringing the Spanish free phone number, so not having much luck with any customer service at the moment! I have emailed cash passport but have had no response from them.

I really wouldn't recommend this card as the customer service is appalling, I dread to think what it would be like if you had a major issue with a stolen card or unable to draw funds.

mw08

Hi all, newbie so please be nice!
Looking for advice regarding pre-paid card, mum is going to Oz and New Zealand, doesn't have a bank account anymore and receives her pension via Post Office card (btw.. I have nagged her to open an account again but stubborn old bird won't!)
Anyway, upshot is that looking at a prepaid card which would have some load on it prior to travel, Subsequently, I would be topping up from my bank account in the UK while she is away.
It does appear that majority of the previous comments are a selling platform for Revolut (I'm sure it is fab, but fresh eyes seeing the thread for the first time see nothing but the one provider) this isn't an option as if only access is via an app then it's a non starter as I have an older version of android and am happy with my phone!
She's come out of the Post Office with a leaflet for that, any other suggestions or should I just go with that.
Thanks in advance