Wise vs Revolut vs Travelex Australia: Travel Card Comparison
Compare Wise, Revolut Standard and the Travelex Money Card in Australia by FX pricing, card setup, ATM rules, stored currencies and leftover-fund costs.
Australian product comparison · Checked 28 July 2026
Three different approaches to travel spending
Wise, Revolut and Travelex can all support overseas card purchases and cash withdrawals, but their pricing models differ. Wise separates a mid-market conversion from its fee, Revolut combines plan-based allowances with time and usage rules, and Travelex uses a traditional prepaid model with retail load rates.
Quick verdict
There is no automatic winner. Wise may suit travellers who value separately disclosed conversion pricing; Revolut may suit people who will use its broader app and plan features; Travelex may suit those wanting a traditional prepaid card and no Travelex international ATM fee. Price the actual trip before choosing.
Scope and method
Australia, personal products and public pricing
This comparison uses Australian personal pricing publicly available on 28 July 2026. The Revolut figures below use the no-subscription Standard plan unless stated otherwise. Provider fees can change, app quotes can vary by currency and paid plans alter allowances.
BER may receive compensation when a reader follows a provider link. That does not change the comparison method: each product is assessed by its published pricing and fit for the stated use.
Current Australian snapshot
Wise vs Revolut Standard vs Travelex
| Feature | Wise Australia | Revolut Standard Australia | Travelex Money Card Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ongoing plan fee | No subscription fee | No monthly plan fee | No monthly subscription stated; inactivity fee can apply |
| Initial physical card | AUD 10; optional express delivery extra | First Standard card AUD 0; delivery currently AUD 4.99 standard or AUD 33.99 express | No new-card fee stated |
| Conversion model | Mid-market rate with a separately disclosed conversion fee; official AU pricing says from 0.63% | Plan-based exchange pricing; Standard adds 0.5% after AUD 2,000 of exchanges per rolling month | Provider retail foreign-exchange rate when loading or moving between currencies |
| Weekend exchange rule | No separate weekend mark-up stated on the cited AU card-pricing page | Standard adds 1% between 17:00 Friday and 18:00 Sunday US Eastern Time | The retail rate quoted for the load or currency move applies |
| International ATM allowance | Up to AUD 400 per month without a Wise withdrawal fee; 2.69% on the amount over AUD 400 | Up to AUD 350 or five withdrawals per rolling month, whichever comes first | Travelex states it charges no international ATM withdrawal fee |
| After provider ATM allowance | 2.69% on the amount above the monthly AUD 400 threshold | 2% or AUD 1.50, whichever is greater | No Travelex international ATM fee; machine-owner fees can still apply |
| Stored currencies | Wise advertises card spending in 40+ currencies; availability to hold varies | Supported balances and spending currencies vary; check the app for the destination | Ten load currencies listed for the Australian Money Card |
| Residual-balance watch-out | Conversion or transfer cost when moving unused money | Conversion rules and plan limits when moving unused money | AUD 4 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months without a transaction; AUD 10 closure/withdrawal fee under current FAQ terms |
ATM operators can charge their own fees for all three cards. Currency, merchant, card-network, fair-usage and security limits may also apply.
Provider fit
Where each model may make sense
Separately priced conversion
Wise
Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate and shows a conversion fee that depends on the currencies and transaction. That makes the conversion components relatively easy to identify.
It may suit a traveller who wants a no-subscription multi-currency account and whose expected ATM withdrawals fit the current allowance. The physical card has an upfront cost.
Plan-based financial app
Revolut
Revolut's Standard plan has no monthly fee, but exchange and ATM allowances matter. Paid plans raise some allowances and add other services, so the right comparison includes subscription cost over the period kept.
It may suit someone who values app controls and will actively track rolling-month and weekend rules. Insurance and other paid-plan benefits must be checked against current eligibility and policy terms.
Traditional prepaid card
Travelex
The Australian Travelex Money Card lets users load listed currencies at Travelex's retail rates. Travelex currently states that it does not charge an international ATM withdrawal fee, although the ATM owner can.
It may suit a traveller who prefers a prepaid product and wants to lock a destination-currency amount before travel. Compare the load rate and plan for inactivity or closure costs on leftover funds.
Decision scenarios
Match the card to how you will use it
Spend
Mostly card purchases
Compare the destination-currency amount produced by the same AUD budget. Wise's conversion fee, Revolut's plan/time limits and Travelex's retail load rate can create different results.
Cash
Frequent small withdrawals
Revolut Standard's five-withdrawal cap can matter before its AUD amount cap. Wise's current cited AU pricing is amount-based. Travelex has no issuer international ATM fee, but its load rate still affects the cost of cash.
Multi
Several destination currencies
Check which currencies can be stored, which are only supported for automatic conversion and what balance order applies. A large headline currency count does not answer those questions.
Long
Card kept after the trip
Wise and Revolut can remain broader personal payment accounts. With Travelex, include the current inactivity and closure terms in the decision if money may remain unused.
Live comparison
Price your destination and amount
Static fee tables cannot show the exchange rate offered for every currency and moment. Use the same AUD amount and destination currency, then confirm the quote and fee screen with each provider.
Cash-withdrawal comparison
Three layers can affect an ATM withdrawal
01
Currency conversion
If the required balance is not available, the card converts another currency under its pricing rules.
02
Provider withdrawal fee
Wise and Revolut apply thresholds; Travelex currently states no issuer fee for international ATM withdrawals.
03
ATM operator fee
The machine owner can add a separate surcharge regardless of the card's provider allowance.
At the ATM
Choose the destination's local currency unless you have deliberately compared and accepted dynamic currency conversion. Check the operator fee before confirming and avoid repeated tiny withdrawals when a fixed or minimum fee applies.
Common comparison mistakes
What the headline table can miss
Before choosing
Verify these details
- Reset periods: calendar month and rolling month are not the same.
- Weekend window: Revolut's cited times use US Eastern Time, not Australian local time.
- Paid-plan economics: a higher allowance is not free if a subscription is required.
- ATM operator charges: provider “free” wording does not cover the machine owner.
- Unsupported currency: spending support and holding support can differ.
- Insufficient balance: automatic conversion can draw from a currency you did not expect.
- Card arrival: include delivery time and cost before departure.
- Leftover money: know the conversion, transfer, inactivity and closure path.
Decision panel
A defensible choice in four steps
01
List the trip
Record destination currencies, expected card spend, cash withdrawals and travel dates.
02
Price the conversion
Compare each provider's current quote for the same currency and amount.
03
Add fixed and threshold costs
Include card delivery, subscription, ATM usage, operator fees and residual-fund costs.
04
Plan a backup
Keep a second payment method and modest local cash separately, regardless of the primary card selected.
Read the provider-neutral travel money card comparison guide for the full cost worksheet.
Bottom line
Wise for clear conversion components, Revolut for plan users, Travelex for prepaid structure
Those are starting points, not rankings. A low-cash trip, a weekend conversion, a multi-country itinerary and a card kept for years can each produce a different result. Compare the live quote and current terms for the exact trip.
Official Australian sources
- Wise Australia pricing
- Wise Australia card fees
- Revolut Australia Standard fees
- Revolut Australia currency exchange fees and limits
- Revolut Australia cash-withdrawal fees
- Travelex Australia Money Card FAQs and fee table
- Travelex Australia product-disclosure documents
Product check completed 28 July 2026. This is general information for Australian personal products, not personal financial advice. Fees, quotes, plan features, eligibility and terms can change; verify them with the provider before applying or loading money.
Disclaimer: Please note any provider recommendations, currency forecasts or any opinions of our authors should not be taken as a reference to buy or sell any financial product.