Wise Best exchange rate
Wise debit card
45k0.43%-0.65% conversion fee
The best travel card for Canada
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers.
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers. Close enough to the AUD that mental maths is easy. As in the US, the advertised price is not the price - sales tax and a 15-20% tip are added afterwards.
Yes - cards work almost everywhere in Canada, and you can get by on tap alone.
5 travel card options for Canada, compared
Revolut No weekday FX fee
Revolut Standard
30k0% FX fee
Compare only
ING Orange Everyday
Orange Everyday
22k0% with monthly criteria
ubank Spend
Spend account
9k0% international fee
Macquarie Transaction Account
Transaction account
6k0% international fee
Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.
Compared side by side
| Card | FX fee | ATM | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Partner | 0.43%-0.65% conversion fee | 2 free withdrawals/month up to $350, then 1.75% | $0 |
| Revolut | 0% on weekdays, up to 1% on weekends | $350/month fee-free, then 2% | $0 |
| ING Orange Everyday | Rebated if you meet the monthly criteria | International ATM fees rebated with criteria met | $0 |
| ubank Spend | 0% international transaction fee | $0 from ubank, ATM operator fees may apply | $0 |
| Macquarie Transaction Account | 0% foreign transaction fee | $0 from Macquarie | $0 |
Paying for things in Canada
Can you pay by card in Canada?
Near-universal, including contactless. Canada is close to cashless in cities.
Cash and ATMs in Canada
Bank ATMs (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO) are reliable. Avoid the private white-label machines in bars and convenience stores, which charge heavily.
Carry CAD $50-$100. Very little needs cash beyond small-town parking and tips.
Do you tip in Canada?
Expected and effectively compulsory: 15-20% in restaurants and bars, and card terminals will prompt you with those options. Tip taxi drivers and hotel staff too.
Worth knowing about paying in Canada
The shelf price excludes sales tax, which varies by province from 5% to 15%. Budget for it, and for the tip on top.
Before you pay for anything in Canada
Pay in Canadian dollar or Australian dollars?
The terminal will offer you both. One of them is materially more expensive.
Travel card, debit card or credit card?
Why the card sold hardest at the airport is usually the one that loses.
What is a foreign transaction fee?
Around 3%, charged by your own Australian bank. Removable before you fly.
What one Australian dollar buys in Canada
$0.99 CAD per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
More Canada essentials
Canada visa and entry rules
Passport, visa, arrival cards and customs rules for Australian passport holders.
Flights to Canada
Search fares from Australia, then sort the rest of the trip.
Canada eSIM plans
Instant data, no physical SIM required.
Canada travel insurance
Medical, cancellation and luggage cover for Australian travellers.
Canada airport transfers
Trains, buses, private transfers and taxis compared.
Driving in Canada
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
Canada travel essentials
Adapters, plugs, tap water, tipping and health basics.
Things to do in Canada
Attractions, tours and passes worth booking ahead.
Further reading: Travel money for Australians: cards, cash and the fees nobody mentions
How these comparisons are made
Cards are compared on the three fees that actually cost travellers money - the FX margin, ATM fees and account fees - using each issuer's published rates. Jamie has personally spent on travel cards recommended here while overseas. Cash-versus-card guidance is researched per destination rather than copied between pages, because a card strategy that works in Stockholm fails in Osaka. Read the full editorial policy.
Planning Canada?
We will send you the Canada guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.