Lydia review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Lydia is a debit card for travellers and anyone who does not want a monthly charge. Fees sit at €0 a month with currency conversion at 0%, a virtual card is available, and the cost score comes to 7.2 across the brands compared.
Key facts
- Best for
- A cost-first debit card for anyone paying regularly in other currencies.
- Monthly fee
- €0↗
- Currency conversion fee
- 0%↗
- Card type
- Debit↗
- Features
- Virtual card
- Official website
- lydia-app.com
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 1 source
Pros and cons
Pros
- Monthly fee of €0, so holding the account carries no recurring charge.
- Currency conversion at 0%, with a virtual card available for online payments.
- Placed 1 of 258 brands on currency conversion and 1 of 422 on the monthly fee.
Cons
- Currency conversion at 0% leaves no fee headroom, so there is nothing left to trim for readers who travel often.
- The card is a debit card, so readers who want credit or prepaid options will not find it here.
Who it suits
- Readers who pay in other currencies often and want the conversion charge kept at 0%.
- Anyone comfortable with a euro account and a debit card, plus a virtual card for online payments.
- Readers who want a plain card for everyday spending rather than a wider account.
Who should look elsewhere
- bunq, which charges 0.5% to 3% on conversion, for readers willing to accept a cost on foreign spending.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, whose monthly fee is $0 but which is a secured credit card rather than Lydia's debit card.
- Wise, where the monthly fee is £0 in sterling rather than the euro on Lydia's account.
How Lydia compares
Where Lydia is available
- Available
- France
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to hold a Lydia card?+
The monthly fee is €0, so holding the account carries no recurring charge. Lydia places 1 of 422 on that measure among the brands compared. Currency conversion is the other cost stated for the card.
Is there a fee when I spend in another currency?+
Currency conversion is charged at 0%, which puts Lydia at 1 of 258 brands on that measure. For context, the debit card ranking shows a median of 1%, and bunq charges 0.5% to 3%.
What kind of card does Lydia issue?+
It is a debit card rather than a credit or prepaid product, so spending draws on the money held in the account. Lydia also lists a virtual card, which covers online payments without handing over the main card.
How does Lydia score on cost?+
The cost score is 7.2, and the overall score is the same figure at 7.2. That result rests on the two charges the card is judged on for everyday use, the monthly fee and the conversion fee.
Who does the card suit?+
Lydia suits readers who pay in other currencies regularly and want the conversion charge kept low. The debit format plus the virtual card cover everyday spending and online purchases in the same product, which helps anyone who does not want to hold a second card.
How does the card compare with bunq and Wise on fees?+
bunq charges 0.5% to 3% on conversion, against 0% for Lydia. Wise lists a monthly fee of £0 in sterling, while Lydia's is €0 in euro, so the currency a card is used in decides which is cheaper to run.
What does Lydia offer beyond the fees?+
The only other feature listed is a virtual card, so the value on offer sits in running costs rather than extras. Those fees are why the cost score reads 7.2 against the wider debit card set.
Sources
- sumeria.eu checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features
“Cartes bancaires virtuelles”
- sumeria.eu/offres checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Currency conversion fee, Monthly fee
Compiled from 2 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.