Nubank review

The account carries a monthly fee of BRL 0, so holding it adds nothing to a monthly budget. The costs worth watching sit on the card instead: conversion of 3.5% when you pay in another currency, and cashback of 1.25% paid on spending.

A foreign purchase is converted at a fee of 3.5%, which ranks 242 among the brands compared here. Travel is listed as a feature of the card, so trips are within its scope, but the conversion charge makes it pricier than cards that charge less on currency.

It issues a debit card on the mastercard network, so spending comes straight from the balance in the account. The card type is debit rather than credit, so it suits people who pay in full rather than those carrying a balance from month to month.

Yes, a virtual card is one of the listed features, which lets you shop online without handing over the physical card. The account pays cashback of 1.25%, and the physical card runs on the mastercard network.

Kids are listed among the audiences this account serves, so a family can keep spending for children and adults under the same roof. The physical debit card and the virtual card both sit on that account.

Nubank is headquartered in Brazil and was founded in 2013, so the account, its pricing and its cashback of 1.25% are built for that market rather than for an international customer base.

Monthly fees tie across the field: Nubank charges BRL 0, Wise charges £0, Varo Believe charges $0 and Chime charges $0. The real differences sit in the card type and in the currency cost.

The Nubank card is a debit card, so money leaves the account as you spend it. A secured card from Varo Believe or Chime works on credit against a deposit, which suits people who want to spread a purchase rather than fund it upfront. Cashback of 1.25% is the reward Nubank adds.