Practical travel decisions

Travel Money Guides: Cards, Cash and Transfers

Practical guides on paying abroad: the best card for each region, ATM and currency conversion fees, freelancer payouts, eSIMs, insurance and what to do when a card or phone stops working.

Five guides to cards, fees and mobile data abroad

Pick a card for Europe, Asia or Latin America, compare Wise and Revolut, or work out whether an eSIM beats roaming for your trip.

Travel money planningBest Travel Card for Europe: Wise, Revolut, N26, BybitBest travel card for Europe: Wise, Revolut, N26, Bybit Card EU. N26 adds no card FX fee; Revolut Standard exchanges up to GBP 1,000 a month without a fee.

Travel money planningWise vs Revolut: Fees, Exchange Rates and ATM LimitsWise vs Revolut: Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a fee; Revolut Standard is free up to GBP 1,000 a month, then 1%. Card, ATM and plan costs compared.

Travel money planningBest Travel Card for Asia: Cards, Cash and QR PaymentsBest travel card for Asia: Wise, Revolut, N26, Bybit Card and RedotPay compared, GBP 250 of free Wise ATM cash, yen for Japan and Alipay for China.

Travel money planningBest Travel Card for South America and Latin AmericaBest travel card for South America: Wise USD balances for Ecuador and Panama, Revolut and N26 for pesos, USD 250 of free Wise ATM cash, Cuba cash rules.

Travel connectivityeSIM vs Roaming: Which Is Cheaper for Your Trip?eSIM vs roaming: check what your plan includes, count the days roaming is charged and compare with the full eSIM price. Six days at €5 already cost €30.

Every fee in these guides carries the date it was checked, and the calculators use the numbers you enter.

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Travel money & card choices

Travel money guides: 32 guides on cards, cash, ATM and FX fees, hotel deposits and backup payments for Europe, Asia, the USA and Latin America.

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Travel money & card choicesApple Pay and Google Pay Abroad: Charges ExplainedApple Pay and Google Pay abroad cost what your card charges: N26 adds no fee, Revolut Standard is free to GBP 1,000 a month. Setup, DCC and safety.

Travel money & card choicesATM Withdrawal Fees Abroad and How to Avoid ThemATM withdrawal fees abroad by card: Wise is free to USD 250 a month, Revolut Standard to GBP 200 or 5 withdrawals. How to skip DCC and operator fees.

Travel money & card choicesBest Travel Card for Asia: Cards, Cash and QR PaymentsBest travel card for Asia: Wise, Revolut, N26, Bybit Card and RedotPay compared, GBP 250 of free Wise ATM cash, yen for Japan and Alipay for China.

Crypto cards & asset access

Crypto for travel: 10 guides on crypto card fees and risks, MiCA, USDT vs USDC, wallets vs exchanges, crypto ATMs and spending stablecoins abroad.

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Crypto cards & asset accessCrypto ATMs Abroad: Fees, Scams and Legal OperatorsCrypto ATMs abroad: how to read the quote (a USD 24 gap on USD 200 is 12%), check that the operator is legal and spot the caller-directed kiosk scam.

Crypto cards & asset accessCrypto Card Fees Explained: FX, ATM and CashbackCrypto card fees compared: Bybit Card EU adds 0.5% on foreign payments, Nexo 0.2% on EEA weekdays, RedotPay 1.2%. ATM allowances, card costs, cashback.

Crypto cards & asset accessCrypto Card Risks for Travelers: Custody, Freezes, TaxCrypto card risks for travelers: exchange custody, program closures (Gnosis Pay’s legacy card ends 20 Dec 2026), liquidation, frozen access and tax.

Freelancer payouts & work money

Freelancer payments: 13 guides on getting paid from abroad, Wise vs Payoneer, platform fees, invoice terms, tax reserves and invoice fraud.

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Freelancer payouts & work moneyFreelance Invoice Payment Fraud: Spot and Stop ItFreelance invoice payment fraud: confirm any bank-detail change by phone, watch for 5 warning signs and act fast; UK scam refunds reach GBP 85,000.

Freelancer payouts & work moneyFreelance Platform Fees: What You Actually Take HomeFreelance platform fees explained: Upwork takes 0–15% per contract, then come payout and conversion costs. Example: $1,000 earned becomes $863.08.

Freelancer payouts & work moneyFreelancer Invoice Payment Terms: Deposits, Late FeesFreelancer invoice payment terms: deposits, retainers, due dates, late payers; UK law adds 8% plus base rate interest, EU rules EUR 40 per late invoice.

eSIM & travel connectivity

Travel eSIM guides: 8 guides on Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily, eSIM vs roaming, when to install, hotspot use and moving an eSIM to a new phone.

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eSIM & travel connectivityAiralo vs Holafly vs Saily: Which Travel eSIM to PickAiralo vs Holafly vs Saily: Airalo for fixed data in 200+ destinations, Holafly Unlimited at EUR 59.95 a month, Saily for sharing data with up to 4 people.

eSIM & travel connectivityeSIM for Europe: Roaming, Regional Plans and CoverageeSIM for Europe: EU roaming has covered Ukraine and Moldova since 1 Jan 2026. Buy a travel eSIM for gaps like the UK or Switzerland, then check coverage.

eSIM & travel connectivityeSIM vs Roaming: Which Is Cheaper for Your Trip?eSIM vs roaming: check what your plan includes, count the days roaming is charged and compare with the full eSIM price. Six days at €5 already cost €30.

Travel insurance decisions

Travel insurance guides: 8 guides on choosing a nomad policy, Schengen rules, pre-existing conditions, adventure sports, gear cover and claims.

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Travel insurance decisionsTravel Insurance for Digital Nomads: How to ChooseTravel insurance for digital nomads: compare eligibility, trip length, medical limits and gear cover. SafetyWing Essential starts at USD 62.72 per 4 weeks.

Travel insurance decisionsSchengen Travel Insurance Requirements: €30,000 RuleSchengen travel insurance requirements: at least €30,000 of medical cover with repatriation, valid across Schengen for the whole stay. How to check it.

Travel insurance decisionsTravel Insurance for Adventure Sports: What to CheckTravel insurance for adventure sports: name the exact activity, check rescue and gear cover. Some US plans bought after 23 Oct 2024 can’t be upgraded.

Booking & travel payments

Booking and travel payments: 3 guides on refunds, a wrong cardholder name on a hotel booking and paying for a hotel with a virtual card.

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Booking & travel paymentsTravel Booking Refunds: How the Money Comes BackTravel booking refunds: why a cancelled hotel or tour refund takes 5–10 business days, how to trace it with an ARN and what a refundable rate costs.

Booking & travel paymentsWrong Cardholder Name on a Hotel Booking: What HappensWrong cardholder name on a hotel booking: what hotels do with a typo or a third-party card, how to fix it before check-in and 5 things to bring.

Booking & travel paymentsVirtual Card for Hotel Booking: Check-in and DepositsVirtual card for hotel booking: fine for paying online, but bring a physical card for check-in. Example: a EUR 250 hold leaves EUR 350 of EUR 600.

Access, security & emergencies

Money access and security abroad: 7 guides on a lost card or stolen phone, frozen accounts, KYC documents, 2FA abroad and banking on public Wi-Fi.

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Access, security & emergenciesBank Account Frozen Abroad: What to Do NextBank account frozen abroad: find out what is blocked, answer the document request and pay essentials from a second account. UK firms reply within 15 days.

Access, security & emergenciesKYC and Proof of Address for Digital NomadsKYC and proof of address for digital nomads: the 5 checks providers run, what to send for each and how to prove an address when you move every few months.

Access, security & emergenciesLost or Stolen Card Abroad: What to Do FirstLost or stolen card abroad: freeze it, report it and get a replacement. Visa says new cards typically arrive in 3–5 days and emergency cash within hours.

Tax, reporting & residence

Tax and residence for nomads: 3 guides on the 183-day rule, crypto tax by country and digital nomad visa requirements, with official sources.

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Tax, reporting & residence183-Day Rule for Tax Residency: How Days Are Counted183-day rule for tax residency: in the UK, 183 days in the tax year makes you resident, under 16 days usually non-resident. How homes, work and ties count.

Tax, reporting & residenceCrypto Tax by Country: UK, US, Germany and CARF RulesCrypto tax by country: how the UK, US and Germany tax crypto, what DAC8 reports from 1 Jan 2026 with first exchanges by 30 Sep 2027, and records to keep.

Tax, reporting & residenceDigital Nomad Visa Requirements and Proof of FundsDigital nomad visa requirements compared: Spain 200% of SMI a month, Dubai USD 3,500 a month, Thailand DTV THB 500,000, plus how to build proof of funds.