Up Bank Card

Up is an Australian neobank (now majority-owned by Bendigo Bank) offering a fee-free debit Mastercard with zero foreign transaction fees for Australian travellers. The exchange rate applied is the Mastercard network rate with no additional surcharge — meaning Australians spending abroad pay approximately 0.3-0.5% above the pure mid-market rate, which is competitive with Wise for AUD-origin spending.

ATM withdrawals internationally are free (no Up-imposed fee) up to a generous daily and monthly limit, with fees applying above the limit. This makes Up one of the best Australian debit cards for ATM use abroad, alongside ING and the Citibank Plus account.

The Up account is a full bank account (BSB and account number, eligible for APRA-regulated deposit protection up to AUD 250,000) rather than just a prepaid card. This means salary, savings, and everyday banking can all operate from the Up account, with the travel debit card being a natural extension rather than a separate product to manage.

The app is exceptionally well-designed by Australian fintech standards — frequently cited as one of the best-designed banking apps in the country. Spending categorisation, savings goals (with interest-bearing "savers"), 2Up joint account features, and a clean transaction history make it a compelling everyday banking product that also happens to be excellent for international travel.

Up is available to Australian residents 18+ with an Australian phone number. Non-residents cannot open an Up account. For Australians planning international travel, Up should be the first debit card to consider for zero-markup international spending.