Best Virtual Cards Comparison 2025 (UK & EU)

Virtual cards are digital payment cards that live in your banking app or mobile wallet only. They carry a card number, expiry date and CVV like plastic, but run through tokenisation in Apple Pay/Google Pay and are authenticated via SCA/3-D Secure. Broadly, there are two types: digital debit cards that spend from your account balance (e.g., Revolut, Wise, N26) and virtual prepaid cards you top up first (e.g., Skrill, legacy Paysend). Some providers also offer disposable single-use details for one-off payments.

Best use cases include online shopping, subscription management (a separate card per merchant), and travel with multi-currency and transparent FX. Advantages: instant issuance after KYC, granular spend controls (freeze, limits, per-merchant rules), lower exposure of your primary card data thanks to tokenisation, and cleaner analytics/disputes because transactions are segmented across distinct cards.

Top digital payment cards (UK & EU, 2025)

Selection criteria: EU ✓ · UK ✓ · Apple Pay ✓ · Google Pay ✓ · Instant issuance ✓ · Disposable ✓

Personal accounts

• Revolut — instant issuance, multi-currency.
• Wise — true mid-market FX, up to 3 digital cards, transparent fees.
• N26 (EU only) — simple in-app virtual debit, Apple/Google Pay.
• Curve — per-merchant Smart Rules, payment routing.
• Skrill (prepaid) — straightforward wallet top-up, online payments.

Business cards

• Payoneer — business virtual cards in USD/EUR/GBP for payouts and procurement.
• Wise Business — multi-currency, employee cards, clean bookkeeping.
• Revolut Business — team budgets, project cards, spend controls.

➡️ read more about business digital cards.

Quick chooser

Quick comparison table of UK/EU virtual cards (2025)

EU ✓ · UK ✓ · Apple Pay ✓ · Google Pay ✓ · Instant ✓ · Disposable ✓

Notes & addenda

• Wise: up to 3 active digital cards; first virtual becomes available after you order a physical card (post-KYC).
• Revolut: disposable details typically don’t work for deposits, pre-authorisations (hotels/car hire) or recurring payments.
• Curve: Smart Rules route by merchant/category; FX may be applied by Curve within plan limits or by the underlying issuer.
• Starling Bank: virtual cards are tied to Spaces; UK residents; ideal for subscriptions/budgets; no disposable option.
• bunq: EU-centric; instant virtuals with Apple/Google Pay; no disposable; FX/number of virtuals depend on plan.
• N26: not available in the UK (EU-only).
• Apple/Google Pay: supported by Revolut, Wise, Curve, Starling, bunq, N26; Skrill supports both; Payoneer wallet compatibility varies by region/BIN and isn’t guaranteed.

Editors’ Picks – Best by Use Case (UK & EU)

This section matches real-world use-cases to card instances. We evaluated card type (debit vs. prepaid), presence of disposable numbers, issuance speed, FX transparency, support for Apple/Google Pay, UK/EU availability, and spend-control tooling. Here are some quick profiles: who each card would suit, key strengths, and what to watch out for.

Best overall (everyday payments + security): Revolut

Who it’s best for: Anyone seeking just one card for online shopping, subscription services, and travel that requires minimal setup. Strengths: immediate virtual card post-KYC; disposable numbers for HR merchants; multicurrency; Apple/Google Pay; clear in-app limits and controls.
Watch out: marking up plans on weekends; disposables, generally will not work for deposits/PR/Recurring; several advanced features only on paid tiers.

Best FX & travel: Wise

Who it suits: travellers and anyone paying in multiple currencies who wants predictable rates.
Strengths: true mid-market rate with transparent fees; up to three active digital cards; strong multi-currency account; Apple/Google Pay; clear fee preview before you pay. Watch out for: no disposable; first digital card activates only after ordering a physical card; some merchants handle pre-auths differently.

Best spend controls: Curve

Who it suits: users who want per-merchant/category rules and to route payments across different underlying cards. Strengths: Smart Rules (per merchant), Go Back in Time to reassign transactions, Apple/Google Pay, instant digital issuance; carry one Curve card in your wallet while others live in-app.
Watch out for: it’s an overlay, not a standalone account; FX/allowances depend on your Curve plan and the linked issuer; no disposable.

Best simple prepaid: Skrill/Paysend

Who is it good for?: Those who want an easy, straightforward top-up solution for online payments or to isolate subscriptions from a main account. Pros Strengths: fast start; Apple/Google Pay on Skrill; basic controls; good for some online services and marketplaces. Watch out: no disposable; in the UK/EEA, Paysend cards/accounts are effectively legacy pre-June 2023 users; FX may include a spread vs mid-market.

Best EU simplicity: N26

Who it suits: EU residents who want a simple virtual debit with mobile wallet support and no overlay complexity. Strengths: instant virtual issuance; Apple/Google Pay; clean app; straightforward base pricing. Watch out for: not available in the UK; no disposable; FX follows Mastercard network rates (not mid-market).

Business use (see dedicated section below): Payoneer/Wise Business/Revolut Business

Who it suits: SMEs, agencies and distributed teams needing virtual cards for contractors, ad platforms, SaaS and procurement. Strengths: employee cards, MCC/limit controls, role-based access, multi-currency, reporting. Watch out for: mobile-wallet compatibility for Payoneer varies by region/BIN; pricing differs by plan.

Quick scenario table

Practical note (informational, not financial advice): if your priority is transparent FX and travel, consider Wise; for one-off higher-risk merchants, Revolut’s disposable can be useful; if granular routing and merchant-level rules matter, Curve’s model fits well; for business spend, see the dedicated corporate options below.

Deep Dives – Top Providers

This section breaks down how each leading provider handles virtual cards, the real-world limitations, and what it costs in practice. Every profile includes a short overview, a mini-table of key parameters, and a clear pros/cons list so you can match features to your use case quickly.

Revolut – Virtual & Disposable Cards (UK & EU)

Revolut issues virtual debit cards instantly in-app after KYC, with Apple Pay/Google Pay support. A standout feature is disposable numbers: for each one-off online purchase, a fresh PAN/CVV/expiry is generated, which materially reduces credential-reuse risk. Your primary virtual card draws from the multi-currency account; conversion runs automatically at payment. Card controls live in the app: freeze/unfreeze, limits, instant re-issue.

FX policy: on weekdays, pricing is close to the mid-market rate within plan allowances; on entry plans a weekend markup applies. Note the disposable limitation: single-use details typically fail for deposits, pre-authorisations (hotels/car rental) and recurring charges. Use a standard virtual or physical card for those scenarios.

Wise – Digital Cards (up to 3) (UK & EU)

Wise lets you keep up to three active digital cards against its multi-currency account, converting at the mid-market rate with transparent fees. Your first virtual card appears instantly after you order a physical card (that dependency applies only to the first activation). Management sits in-app: freeze/unfreeze, re-issue, limits. Apple Pay/Google Pay are supported across many EEA countries and the UK.

There are no disposables: Wise relies on multiple digital cards plus strict controls. You can re-issue quickly to contain exposure, but there’s no single-use flow for higher-risk one-offs. In return, for travel and frequent FX, cost predictability is often stronger than competitors.

N26 – EU-Only Virtual Card

N26 offers a straightforward virtual debit card for EU residents with instant issuance after KYC and full Apple Pay/Google Pay support. It suits users who don’t need overlay logic or complex rules: spending comes from the main account, with in-app controls (freeze, limits, alerts). For basic needs inside the EU, it’s a fast, low-friction start.

Limitations: not available in the UK, no disposables, and FX follows Mastercard network rates (not mid-market). In the eurozone that’s often fine; when travelling outside the euro area, cost predictability may be weaker than with mid-market providers.

Curve – Smart wallet & per-merchant controls

Curve is a smart wallet and overlay card: you pay with Curve, and the transaction is routed to a linked underlying card. Advantages include instant digital issuance, Apple/Google Pay, Smart Rules to auto-select a funding card by merchant/category, plus Go Back in Time to move a posted transaction to another card. Downsides: no disposable; FX/allowances depend on your Curve plan and linked issuer terms; on the free plan there are monthly fee-free FX limits after which a markup may apply.

Skrill – virtual prepaid (MC/Visa)

Skrill issues a virtual prepaid card tied to the wallet balance. Upside: quick start, Apple/Google Pay support, handy for isolating online subscriptions from your main account. Trade-offs: no disposable option; FX includes a spread vs mid-market; occasional declines with deposits/recurring; extra virtual cards may carry a service fee.

Starling Bank – virtual cards for Spaces (UK)

Starling is a UK bank with virtual debit cards linked to Spaces (separate budget “envelopes”). Issuance is instant in-app, the card can be added to Apple Pay/Google Pay, and it draws only from the selected Space – ideal for subscriptions, marketing or category budgets. Overseas spend uses Mastercard network rates with no Starling conversion fee on card purchases.

It’s a clean way to segment spend without opening new accounts: create a Space per merchant/subscription, issue a virtual card, and cap the limit. Limitations: no disposable; UK residents only; for ATM/hotel pre-auths, use the main card.

bunq – EU virtual cards (Apple/Google Pay)

bunq is an EU-focused neobank. Virtual debit cards are issued instantly in-app, work with Apple Pay/Google Pay and can be linked to specific sub-accounts. It’s convenient to maintain separate cards for subscriptions, online services or trips; the app offers fast freeze/re-issue, limits and alerts. Conversion typically follows Mastercard network rates; exact terms depend on your plan.

Use cases: everyday online payments in the EU, subscription segmentation, intra-Europe travel. Limitations: no disposable; the number of virtual cards and FX details vary by plan; not available to new UK residents.

Business Virtual Cards (UK & EU)

Virtual business cards solve day-to-day spend operations: project/team budgets, MCC/merchant limits, and instant issuance to employees and contractors without plastic logistics. Tokenisation in Apple/Google Wallet reduces exposure risk, while role-based access and audit trails simplify control and compliance.

For finance teams, the core value is centralised administration: team-level policies, daily/monthly limits, spend categorisation, and dedicated cards for ad platforms, SaaS and contractors. This speeds up month-end close, improves visibility, and reduces overspend risk.

Shortlist (UK & EU)

1. Payoneer — business virtual (USD/EUR/GBP)
   For supplier payouts and online procurement; Apple/Google Wallet availability varies by region/BIN. A solid fit for cross-border flows and marketplaces.
2. Wise Business — multi-currency employee cards
   Mid-market FX with transparent fees; fast issuance of virtual cards per team/project; practical limits, analytics, and Apple/Google Pay in supported countries.
3. Revolut Business — budgets and role-based access
   Separate cards per team/project, spend policies, category/merchant limits, and reporting integrations. Multi-currency access and corporate perks depend on plan.

Advanced options (for complex setups)

Wallester, Pleo — B2B issuers/platforms focused on scalable card issuance, MCC controls and API-/expenses-management. Useful for large advertising budgets or intricate delegation models.

Before choosing, verify: Apple/Google Wallet support in your jurisdiction, MCC rule support, roles/permissions, support SLAs, and export formats (CSV/API) for accounting.
For tighter financial control, plan separate card pools for: ad networks, SaaS subscriptions, travel & expenses, and merchants that require pre-authorisations.

How to Choose a Virtual Card in UK/EU

This section helps you narrow options to your use case. Don’t fixate on brand or sticker price—check the FX model, security controls, and whether mobile wallets are actually supported in your country.

💱 Fees & FX

The key difference is the conversion model. Wise uses the mid-market rate with a transparent fee, so travel and foreign-currency online spend are more predictable. Revolut prices close to mid-market within plan allowances, but entry plans add a weekend markup; if you often pay on weekends, plan conversions ahead. With Curve, FX depends on your plan and which underlying card funds the payment—sometimes Curve converts, sometimes the issuer does—so review both sets of terms. Ideally, the app should preview rate and fees before you pay; if not, expect network rates plus possible markups. To minimise costs, pre-hold the target currency and avoid peak-time conversions.

🔒 Security & Controls

Security is a mix of tech and hygiene. Revolut offers disposable numbers for one-off payments, which cut credential-reuse risk, but they typically don’t work for deposits, pre-authorisations or recurring charges. Wise doesn’t do disposables; instead you can keep up to three digital cards and freeze/reissue quickly—enough to split subscriptions and limit exposure. Curve stands out with per-merchant rules: you decide which linked card pays each merchant and you can move a posted transaction later (Go Back in Time). For all providers, check SCA/3-D Secure flows—best case is in-app biometric approval with instant push alerts. A practical setup: one persistent virtual card with a low limit for subscriptions, a separate card for marketplaces, and a disposable (where available) for one-off “risky” sites.

📱 Wallets & Availability

If you pay by phone or watch, Apple Pay/Google Pay support is critical. Revolut, Wise, Curve and N26 support both wallets across most EU markets and the UK (N26 is EU-only). In the UK, Starling supports both wallets with virtual cards tied to Spaces; in the EU, bunq supports both with instant virtual issuance. Always verify wallet support for your exact jurisdiction and BIN—this is especially relevant for Payoneer, where compatibility varies. With Wise, note that your first digital card becomes active only after you order a physical card, so factor that into timing. For travel, check whether a merchant requires a physical card or blocks tokenised/disposable numbers for deposits. The ideal combo: both wallets supported, availability confirmed for your country, and no critical dependencies (like needing plastic when you explicitly don’t want it).

Limitations You Should Know

Disposable numbers aren’t suitable for deposits, recurring charges or pre-authorisations. Technically, hotels, car rentals and some services place an initial hold (pre-auth) and later complete or adjust the charge against the same PAN. A disposable PAN is invalidated after the first authorisation, so subsequent charges are declined. The same applies to subscriptions: the first payment uses SCA, but follow-ups are merchant-initiated without your interaction—single-use numbers won’t work. The fix: use a persistent virtual or a physical card with a low limit for these merchants.

Multiple cards at once are great for risk and subscription segmentation. Wise allows up to three active digital cards simultaneously–handy to separate subscriptions, marketplaces and specific services. With N26, the number of virtual cards depends on plan/market; treat it as “multiple available”, but confirm current limits in-app before you set things up.

Mind physical-card dependencies. With Wise, your first virtual card becomes active only after you order a physical card. You won’t need to wait for delivery for every new digital card, but do factor in the initial order when timing a trip or upcoming payments.

Mobile wallets have compatibility nuances. For Payoneer, Apple/Google Wallet support varies by region and even by BIN–some users get wallet support, others don’t. Starling (UK) and bunq (EU) generally support Apple Pay and Google Pay, but always check the exact country/device lists; N26 is EU-only. Before you commit, confirm your wallet is supported for your jurisdiction and specific issuer/BIN.

Practical summary

Regulatory & Security (UK & EU)

In the EU and the UK, online card payments fall under PSD2 with Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). In practice this means most remote transactions require two factors – e.g., biometric approval in the issuer’s app plus possession of the device.

3-D Secure 2 is the technical layer banks use to deliver SCA. Some payments go through “frictionless” with no extra step; others trigger an in-app prompt or push notification. That’s expected: the system balances security with convenience.

Apple Pay and Google Pay add another protection layer via tokenisation. Your wallet stores a device token rather than the real PAN; each transaction carries a unique cryptogram. Even if a merchant is compromised, your primary card details aren’t exposed.

There are exceptions that explain occasional friction. Merchant-initiated transactions (MIT) for subscriptions can proceed without repeated SCA after the first payment, but hotel/car-rental pre-authorisations require the same PAN for completion – single-use cards won’t work here.

When you may see declines or extra steps:

• using disposable details for a deposit, hold or recurring charge;
• the bank/issuer flags higher risk (unfamiliar country, unusual amount);
• the wallet or merchant asks to re-provision the token after profile changes.

Know the roles. The wallet handles tokenisation and device binding; the issuer decides SCA and risk. If the bank asks for authentication, the wallet simply relays the challenge – it can’t “override” it.

Conversion impact matters, too. Extra checks can raise drop-off, but you can minimise this by:

• adding your card to the mobile wallet and confirming the token in advance;
• marking trusted merchants where supported;
• enabling push alerts and approving 3-D Secure promptly in the app;
• using a persistent virtual card with a low limit for subscriptions, and keeping disposables for true one-off online purchases.

Set-Up: From Account to First Payment (3 Steps)

Onboarding takes only a few minutes. Follow the steps below to issue a virtual/digital card, add it to your wallet, and run a first test payment.

🪪 Step 1 — KYC and issue your virtual/digital card

Complete identity verification in the app: fill in your profile, upload your ID, and pass the liveness check. Once verified, issue a virtual (or digital) card in one tap. If your provider activates the first digital card only after you order a physical one (e.g., Wise), order the plastic in advance—the virtual card will appear as soon as the physical card order is confirmed.

📱 Step 2 — Add to Apple Pay or Google Pay

From your banking app, tap “Add to Apple/Google Pay”, or add the card from the wallet and confirm SCA in the issuer’s app. Ensure the tokenised card is set as default. On iPhone/Apple Watch, enable double-click for quick access; on Android, turn on NFC and set Google Pay as default.

💳 Step 3 — Test purchase and set controls

Make a small €1/£1 transaction (digital content, charity, or any low-value merchant). Check that 3-D Secure/SCA triggers and that you receive a push notification. Then open card settings to:

• enable notifications for all transactions;
• set daily/monthly limits;
• if needed, enable per-merchant rules (Curve) or create separate virtual cards for subscriptions (Wise supports up to three);
• use a disposable card (Revolut) for one-off higher-risk purchases.

Mini checklist before live use

• Balance/currency: top up and, where possible, pre-convert to the payment currency.
• Geo/risk: planning a payment from a new country? Pre-enable international online transactions (where configurable).
• Wallet token: reissued the card? Confirm the Apple/Google Pay token has been refreshed.
• Subs/deposits: don’t use disposable numbers for hotels, car hire or recurring payments.

If a payment fails:

• Check for an SCA prompt in the issuer app (a push may have been missed).
• Lower risk flags: disable VPN/proxy, try a different browser, or pay via the tokenised wallet instead of typing the PAN.
• For deposits/pre-auths, switch from disposable to a persistent virtual card.
• If needed, enable 3-D Secure in card settings or refresh your billing details.

FAQs

Short, practical answers to the most common questions.

Methodology & Sources

How we built the comparison

We pulled data from official product pages, Help Centres, legal docs (fees/terms) and public announcements by providers. The table reflects verified parameters: card type, instant issuance, disposable availability, Apple/Google Pay support, entry-level monthly pricing, FX policy, regional availability, and key notes. Fact-check date: 16 October 2025. Where sources conflicted we prioritised official documentation; unverified or contradictory claims were excluded.

How we selected the picks

Our scenario-based picks weigh a bundle of factors:

• FX transparency (mid-market vs network rates/mark-ups),
• presence of disposable numbers or equivalent controls (freeze/regen, multiple digital cards),
• Apple/Google Pay support in the relevant regions,
• quality of spend controls (limits, per-merchant rules),
• real availability in the UK & EU and speed of onboarding.

We did not score cashback/perks that change frequently unless they affect baseline suitability for a use case.

Core sources

• Revolut: virtual/disposable card pages, fees/terms, Apple/Google Pay help.
• Wise: card & virtual/digital pages, limits and wallet compatibility help, pricing.
• Curve: official site, Smart Rules terms, FX allowances by plan.
• N26: virtual card help, account pages, mobile wallet support.
• Skrill: virtual/prepaid card pages and wallet support docs.
• Starling Bank (UK): virtual cards for Spaces, Apple/Google Pay support.
• bunq (EU): virtual card and plan pages, wallet compatibility.
• Payoneer: card resources and availability/currency help.
• Regulation: EBA/FCA materials on PSD2/SCA and 3-D Secure; card-network guidance.

Read more about our methodology.

Disclosure

This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Some links may be affiliate; if you open an account via these links, the site may earn a commission. This does not influence provider selection, comparison structure or conclusions. Always check the latest terms on the providers’ official websites before applying.

Summary — Which Card to Pick in 2025?

If your priority is predictable FX and travel, look at Wise: mid-market rates with transparent fees and up to three digital cards to segment subscriptions. For one-off online payments at higher-risk merchants, Revolut with disposable numbers and instant issuance can be useful. If you need spend rules and per-merchant routing, Curve’s model with Smart Rules and Go Back in Time fits well. EU residents who want a straightforward virtual debit without extra layers can consider N26 (EU-only). For simple prepaid-style online payments, viable options include Skrill, plus Starling (UK) and bunq (EU) for clean virtual debit setups (note: no disposable).

This article is informational, not financial advice. Always confirm current terms on providers official pages before applying.