3 Best Cards to Use in India - Debit, Prepaid and Credit Cards

Wise is our pick for travel debit card for India

With this card:

Convert Australian dollars to rupees at the mid-market exchange rate
It's very easy to set up and order
You can receive foreign currency into a multi-currency account linked to the card
You can transfer money to a bank account overseas

It's not all good news though

There is a 2% ATM withdrawal fee when you withdraw over $350 during a month
It takes 7-14 days for delivery

Click here to see the full list of cards and how Wise compares

Debit Cards offer the convenience of a credit card, but work differently. They draw money directly from your bank account when you make a purchase. It's designed for everyday money transactions and means that you're not accumulating debt.

A debit card could make you stick to your travel budget, because you can't overdraw money from your account. And for daily purchases, we think a debit card can help you stick to your travel budget, because you can't overdraw money from your account.

Generally, we recommend having the combination of a travel debit and travel credit card for safety, flexibility and convenience on your trip.

For prepaid cards, you're able to load the card with a set amount of money in the currencies you need. Ideally you do this before your trip, but often you can reload them as well.

Most prepaid travel cards allow for multiple currencies to be loaded onto the card. So it's important to know what currency you'll be using on your travels. Airlines also offer prepaid cards so the money you spend can earn you reward points.

With prepaid travel cards you need to be careful. They can have numerous fees and charges, which can make it more expensive than other options. But if you're organised and travelling to multiple cities a prepaid travel card is a good option.

Revolut - prepaid travel card for India

With this card:

No purchase fee, load fee, reload fee, exchange rate margin or minimum balance requirements
Unlike other Travel Cards, its free and easy to use the balance of your currency or convert it back to AUD
The exchange rates are unbeatable. They use the same rate you see on XE or Google with no hidden mark-up

It's not all good news though

For the free Standard account, there is a 2% ATM withdrawal fee when you withdraw over $350 during a month
The premium account costs $10.99 a month, which can really add up if you are not using it often

Click here to see the full list of cards and how Revolut compares

Credit cards have obviously been around for a long time. But now there are specialised travel credit cards. Generally, these cards give you longer to pay back what you've spent but the interest rates after this time can be quite high.

The main advantage with credit cards are the reward points you get in return for your customer loyalty when you spend. But it only works if you pay off the balance in full each month.

Credit cards are great to use for car hire, restaurants and accommodation - larger expenses that are easier for you to pay back over time. Some services only take credit cards to hold purchases so they can definitely be handy while you're travelling.