Metro Bank - using debit card in Europe

General_Grant

The MSE site says there are no fees when used for purchases in Europe.

However my reading of the MetroBank website is that there's a 2.99% fee with nothing being mentioned regarding that no applying in Europe.

I thought the bank had changed its treatment of overseas usage since my last overseas trip.
Can anyone with recent experience confirm the "no charge for use in Europe" statement?
(I intend to visit a Metro branch to ask but only if I have time later today.)

VXman

Thread here....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6537521/metro-bank-current-account-now-has-foreign-currency-transaction-fees/p2

Personally I use Chase. No charges plus 1% cash back (if you pay in £1500 per month). also good savings account rates.

Other cards -

Barclaycard rewards credit card (0.5% cashback) and no interest charge on ATM withdrawals until you pay the bill
First direct sebit

jbrassy

VXman said:

Thread here....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6537521/metro-bank-current-account-now-has-foreign-currency-transaction-fees/p2

Personally I use Chase. No charges plus 1% cash back (if you pay in £1500 per month). also good savings account rates.

Other cards -

Barclaycard rewards credit card (0.5% cashback) and no interest charge on ATM withdrawals until you pay the bill
First direct sebit

Agree with everything said here, but would point out that Barclaycard Rewards is 0.25% cashback, not 0.5%. 

I would also like to throw Starling Bank into the mix as they are a good and have been a top pick for overseas spending for several years.

General_Grant

I went into a Metro branch today and, of course, they confirmed the 2.99% charge.
I have the Halifax Clarity credit card and will be using that.  (I have a Barclaycard badged as Cash Back rather than Rewards.)

It is a pity the MSE checker still has 0% for Europe.  (Their excuse would be "Tool: last updated  August 2024" which appears at the foot of the result.  Still this change was effective in August and it's now November.).

General_Grant

jbrassy said:

VXman said:

Thread here....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6537521/metro-bank-current-account-now-has-foreign-currency-transaction-fees/p2

Personally I use Chase. No charges plus 1% cash back (if you pay in £1500 per month). also good savings account rates.

Other cards -

Barclaycard rewards credit card (0.5% cashback) and no interest charge on ATM withdrawals until you pay the bill
First direct sebit

Agree with everything said here, but would point out that Barclaycard Rewards is 0.25% cashback, not 0.5%. 

I would also like to throw Starling Bank into the mix as they are a good and have been a top pick for overseas spending for several years.

Yes, it's the Cashback Barclaycard which is 0.5%.

safe_hands2

The MSE tool is often out of date. In the card picker they still haven't added the Santander Edge credit card which I used abroad fee free this year.

PRAISETHESUN

It's best practise to check the actual T&C's of the products you hold or are thinking of applying for, rather than relying on the MSE interpretation, which from time to time is incorrect. If Metro don't make any reference to fee free transactions in their product info then I'd be inclined to believe that they do charge for overseas transactions.

General_Grant

PRAISETHESUN said:

It's best practise to check the actual T&C's of the products you hold or are thinking of applying for, rather than relying on the MSE interpretation, which from time to time is incorrect. If Metro don't make any reference to fee free transactions in their product info then I'd be inclined to believe that they do charge for overseas transactions.

Well, of course, Metro Bank on line does mention the 2.99% charge and I had recalled receiving their notification about the change in their T&C much earlier in the year which was why I was surprised at MSE promoting it as fee free when I looked for information on this site.