Personal Finance Tips

Wise card in Ireland: Is it debit or credit?

Gabrielle Figueiredo

13.05.25

Read time 2 minutes

The Wise card has become a popular way to spend money internationally in multiple currencies. But, if you’re thinking about getting one, you might be wondering: is the Wise card a debit card or credit card?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through all about how the Wise card works, including where you can use it and the fees involved.

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Is Wise card debit or credit?

The Wise card is a debit card, not a credit card. This means that when you spend, the money is coming directly from the balance in your Wise Account, you’re not borrowing any money.

Just like other debit cards, you can use the Wise card in Ireland and abroad to pay for goods and services, and also withdraw money.

wise-card

Wise card:

Accepted in over 150 countries

Spend in 40+ currencies

Use it online, in store and at ATMs

Connect it to compatible digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay

As well as the physical Wise card there are also virtual Wise cards. These can be generated for free and used to pay online or using a contactless mobile wallet. When you want a new virtual card, simply delete it and generate a new one online or using the Wise app.

Is the Wise card Mastercard or VISA?

Whether your Wise card is Visa or Mastercard depends on which country it was issued in. In Ireland and across the EEA, the Wise card is a Visa debit card. This applies to both the physical cards and digital version.

Where can you use the Wise card?

The Wise card can be used in +150 countries, anywhere that Visa is accepted, including online retails, shops, ATMs, contactless machines and subscription services.

That said, there are some countries where use is restricted due to international regulations or local laws. You can find the current list of countries where the Wise card won’t work on the Wise FAQ, but at the moment for Irish people it includes countries like Russia, Belarus, Cuba and Myanmar.¹

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Wise debit card fees 💰

Here’s a breakdown of the main fees for Wise card users in Ireland.

Action	Fee
Ordering a physical card	€7
Replacing a card	€4 - unless it was expiring in which case it’s free
Generating digital cards	Free
Withdrawing cash	Two withdrawals of up to €200 total each month for free.* After that, a €0.50 fee applies per withdrawal, and you'll be charged 1.75% on the amount withdrawn over €200.
Spending money	Free if you have the currency in your account. From 0.61% (depending on the currencies) if a currency conversion is needed

*Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

Difference between debit and credit cards

debit and credit card

If you’re not sure of the difference between a credit card and a debit card, like Wise offers, here’s a summary of the key things that set them apart.

Feature	Debit card	Credit card
Source of the funds	Your money is held in a linked account	Money borrowed from the bank
Interest charged	No interest charged on your spending	Depending on the conditions, interest of around 10-20% can be charged on the money owed
Debt risk	Most debit cards don’t allow overdraft so no debt accumulates	All spending is debt which needs to be paid off
International fees	Usually a fixed or percentage based fee for spending and cash withdrawals	Usually a fixed or percentage based fee for spending and cash advances (but normally higher than debit card ones)
Perks and rewards	Generally don’t have any perks or rewards programs	May have additional perks like complimentary travel insurance or rewards programs for spending

Sources used:

Wise - Where will my Wise card work?

Sources last checked on date:

*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.