Compare Travel Money Cards in Italy

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16 live offers compared from 16 providers, from €16.90 /month. Updated daily.

What are Travel Money Cards in Italy?

Travel money cards are prepaid or e-money cards designed to hold and spend multiple currencies, letting Italian residents pay abroad and withdraw cash without the surcharges tied to a standard carta di credito. Most are issued as e-money under the second Electronic Money Directive (EMD2), with the issuer supervised by Banca d'Italia or an equivalent EU regulator, and run on the Mastercard or Visa networks.

They sit between a full bank account and a simple prepaid card: you top up in euros, convert to dollars, sterling or dozens of other currencies inside an app, and spend at close to the interbank rate rather than the retail exchange rate charged at airport bureaux.

How the Italian market works

Italian users typically choose between global fintech e-money brands and cards from domestic incumbents. International providers such as Revolut, Wise, N26, Curve and Monese offer multi-currency wallets and euro IBANs, while Poste Italiane's Postepay and IC Card families are the most widely held prepaid products in the country, trusted for their post-office reach and integration with everyday payments.

Because these products are e-money rather than deposit accounts, balances are not covered by FITD deposit protection; instead, customer funds are safeguarded in segregated accounts as required under EMD2, meaning your money is ring-fenced from the issuer's own finances.

Key features

Multi-currency wallets — hold and exchange euros alongside currencies like USD, GBP and CHF, converting at or near the Mastercard/Visa interbank rate.

Fee-free foreign spending — most cards drop the 1.5–2% currency conversion markup that traditional Italian cards apply abroad.

ATM withdrawals — a monthly fee-free allowance (often €200–€400) before a percentage fee applies; premium tiers raise the limit.

Instant control — freeze and unfreeze the card, set spending limits and receive real-time notifications from the app.

How to choose

If you travel occasionally, a free tier from Revolut, Wise or N26 usually covers weekend FX spending. Frequent travellers who withdraw cash often benefit from a paid plan with a higher ATM allowance. If you prefer a domestic brand with branch support, Poste Italiane's Postepay is the natural pick. Curve is distinctive because it consolidates your existing cards into one, applying its FX rate on top.

Leading providers in Italy

Revolut, Wise and N26 — app-first e-money accounts with euro IBANs and strong multi-currency features.

Poste Italiane (Postepay / IC Card) — the dominant domestic prepaid family, backed by nationwide post-office support.

Nexi — Italy's largest payments group, issuing prepaid and travel cards through partner banks.

Curve, Monese and ING — alternatives combining card aggregation, migrant-friendly onboarding and banking integration.

What it costs

Many cards have a free standard tier with no monthly canone. Paid plans typically range from a few euros a month up to around €16.90 for top premium tiers, which bundle higher fee-free ATM limits, travel insurance, airport-lounge access and better FX allowances on weekends. Watch for the small weekend FX surcharge some issuers add and the percentage fee once your monthly ATM allowance is used up.

Protections and regulation

E-money issuers operating in Italy are authorised and supervised under EMD2, with Banca d'Italia oversight for domestically licensed firms. Customer funds are safeguarded separately from the issuer's assets, but note these balances fall outside FITD's €100,000 deposit guarantee, which applies only to bank deposits. Card transactions carry Mastercard or Visa chargeback rights and PSD2 strong customer authentication for security.

Common questions

Is my money protected like a bank deposit? No — e-money balances are safeguarded in segregated accounts, not covered by the FITD €100,000 guarantee.

Do I get a real IBAN? Several providers (Revolut, Wise, N26) issue a euro IBAN, though some are non-Italian IBANs that most Italian billers now accept under SEPA rules.

What exchange rate applies? Usually the interbank or Mastercard/Visa rate, far cheaper than airport or hotel exchange desks.

Travel Money Cards in Italy — FAQ