Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Bitpanda Card vs Upgrade
Bitpanda Card
Higher score in this comparison
Upgrade
Where Bitpanda Card and Upgrade differ
| Compare | Bitpanda CardReviewVisitVisit | UpgradeReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | €0 | $0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%Lower | 3% |
| Rewards rate | 1% cashback on crypto asset spending | 3% cash back on gas, groceries, streaming and monthly subscriptions, and utilities; 1% on everything else, uncapped |
| Perks | 1% cashback on crypto asset spending | Visa Zero Liability protection, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Roadside Dispatch, Upgrade Shopping offers, Rewards do not expire, 24/7 fraud monitoring and real time alerts, Flexible payment options Pay Now, Pay in 4, Pay Over Time (coming soon) |
| Cashback rate | 1% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Rewards type (Cashback), Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Bitpanda Card scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.9.
- Bitpanda Card is available in 18 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Bitpanda Card: 0% vs 3%.
- Perks: only Bitpanda Card offers 1% cashback on crypto asset spending.
- Perks: only Upgrade offers Visa Zero Liability protection, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Roadside Dispatch.
Our verdict on each
Bitpanda Card
Bitpanda Card suits crypto holders who pay in euros or abroad, with an annual fee of €0 and a currency conversion fee of 0%. The account runs on assets the platform holds for you, and the only reward listed is cashback on crypto asset spending.
Upgrade
Upgrade pairs a free debit card with cash back on everyday spending, so it suits people who want no monthly charge and a reward on routine bills. The currency conversion charge of 3% is the catch, and that makes it a weaker fit for regular travel spending.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherAnnual fee €0, monthly fee €0 and currency conversion fee 0% leave nothing to pay, ahead of the site median on fees. | 8.7Monthly fee $0 and annual fee $0 help, but conversion of 3% and free withdrawals of $0 weigh on it. |
| Offer | 8.4 | 9.2HigherRewards are cashback, with a checking base rate of 2% and uncapped category rates on fuel, groceries, streaming and utilities. |
Spending 1,000 abroad
Bitpanda Card
0
0% of 1,000
Upgrade
30
3% of 1,000
Bitpanda Card comes out 30 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
How they place
| Ranking | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Debit cards | 13 of 1336 | 34 of 1336 |
| Cashback cards | 4 of 203 | 10 of 203 |
Choosing between them
Pick Bitpanda Card if cost and currency conversion fee matter most.
Pick Upgrade if offer matter most.
Availability and regulation
| Country | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) MiCA CASP 5493007WZ7IFULIL8G21 AT_FMA PSD_EMI AT_FMA_54966 | Not confirmed |
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 9845005X9B7N610K0093 | Not confirmed |
| Malta | Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) MiCA CASP 984500DEID7B03J77118 | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Bitpanda Card: 19. Additional countries for Upgrade: 1.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards | Rewards |
| Legal entity | Bitpanda GmbH | Upgrade, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Austria | United States |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Debit cards
| Fact | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | €0 | $0 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Card type | Debit | Debit |
| Cashback rate | 1% | 2%Higher |
| Card network | Visa | Visa |
| Custody | Custodial | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 3%highest quarter | 1% |
| Cashback rate | 1%below the median | Not confirmed | 1.5% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Bitpanda Card
Pros
- Costs sit at the free end: annual fee €0, monthly fee €0 and currency conversion fee 0%, so a reader pays nothing to hold the card or spend abroad.
- It ranks 1 of the 301 brands compared on annual fee, and 1 of the 181 on the currency conversion fee, which is rare in this group.
- Spending crypto earns cashback of 1% on crypto asset spending, which the listed alternatives do not match; they compete on annual fees of $0 and $0.
Cons
- The card is custodial (custodial), so the crypto the account is built on is held by the platform rather than in a wallet you control.
- Cashback of 1% is tied to crypto asset spending, so ordinary purchases on the card add nothing on top of it.
Upgrade
Pros
- The debit account's monthly fee is $0 and the credit card's annual fee is $0, so both are free to run.
- Perks include Visa Zero Liability protection, roadside dispatch, travel and emergency assistance, and fraud monitoring with real time alerts.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre.
Cons
- A currency conversion charge of 3% is the weak spot, ranking 218 of 259 brands on this measure.
- The free ATM allowance is $0, so cash machine withdrawals are not free.
- Cash back on the checking side runs at 2%, below the richer category rates the credit card pays.
Who each suits
Bitpanda Card
Who it suits
- Crypto holders on the Bitpanda platform who want to spend from the balance they already keep.
- Anyone paying in several currencies who wants a currency conversion fee of 0%.
- Readers who put cost first: annual fee €0 and monthly fee €0 sit at the free end of this market.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a card for building credit with a repayment line: Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, annual fee $0, serves that purpose.
- Readers who want a secured Visa credit product rather than a balance-linked card: Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), annual fee $0.
- People who spend on everyday purchases and never touch crypto, since the cashback of 1% is tied to crypto asset spending: Upgrade OneCard™ at $0 is the plain fee comparison.
Upgrade
Who it suits
- People who want a debit card with a monthly fee of $0 and cash back on routine household spending.
- Spenders who keep their balance in a single currency and travel little, given a conversion charge of 3%.
- Card users who want help by phone and email as well as a help centre, through email, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, if currency conversion is your main cost, because Upgrade charges 3% on it.
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, if you take out cash often, since Upgrade's free ATM allowance is $0.
Country by country
| Country | Bitpanda Card | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Estonia | Yes | No |
| Finland | Yes | No |
| France | Yes | No |
| Germany | Yes | No |
| Greece | Yes | No |
8 of 20 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Bitpanda Card
What does the Bitpanda Card cost to hold?+
There is an annual fee of €0 and a monthly fee of €0, so holding the card costs nothing. The site's median monthly fee is €0 and the median annual fee is €0, which puts it at the free end of the market rather than above it.
What does it cost to spend in another currency?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%. The median across the cards compared here is 1%, with an upper quartile of 2.5% and a high of 10.5%, so a foreign purchase here costs the same as a local one.
Upgrade
Is there a fee for keeping the account open?+
No. The monthly fee is $0 and the card carries an annual fee of $0, so nothing is added to your regular outgoings just for holding the account. Spending in another currency is the main extra cost to plan around.
What does Upgrade charge for currency conversion?+
A charge of 3% applies when you spend in a currency other than the one your balance is held in. It is the biggest cost to budget for, and it ranks 218 of 259 brands on this measure, so frequent travellers get a poorer deal here.