Starling or Monzo?

[eryamanf]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone uses Starling or Monzo in Cyprus. Do you have any issues when you use the card in shops/restaurants etc? Are you able to withdraw cash from ATMs free of charge?

Lastly, which one would you recommend to obtain? I am really in between and can't decide which one would be best to get.

Thanks

[Soner]

I have a Monzo and Revolut card. I use these everywhere North and South without any issues. I have used ATM to draw cash with Monzo in the past but there were ATM bank charges. However, I have been told that you can draw cash with Revolut at Turkish Bank ATM without any charges.
Hope this helps.

[eryamanf]

Hi Soner,

Thanks for your reply. Have you tried withdrawing money with Monzo in the South? Would you still get charged on the ATM?

[Hair Cut]

Starling closed my wife's account we had been here during the Covid crises and used it for over six months. Then had an email to say we had broken their "Terms and Conditions" about being out of the UK. We tried to explain that we felt safer here than in the UK, but they would not have it and gave my wife 14 days to transfer the funds out, luckily she also has a Halifax account which we transferred it into. My wife's pension arrived during the 14days and they rejected it without telling her.

[MnM]

We both have Starling, Monzo and Revolut. Not used Revolut yet as it had been dormant and only got sorted out a few months ago. It is dead easy transferring GBP to tl and vice-versa. Never had any problems with the other two apart from as Soner said, Monzo charging to withdrawer even in tl.

[eryamanf]

Thanks MnM. Did you have any issues when you withdraw money with your Starling one? Did you get charged on the ATM?

Thanks again.

[MnM]

Tbh we've not tried as yet as we've always had loads of tl on us so not needed the card, but we will be using the card next time.

[Chriswright03]

I have used the Starling card for a couple of years. We occasionally pay in shops and restaurants with it but usually use Revolut for that. We use Starling to withdraw Lira from ATM's here without charge. You can withdraw up to £300 a day but if you withdraw sterling here most ATM's will charge you hence we withdraw the tl equivalent without issue.

[alphamike]

I've had Revolut card for a few years, Starling card more recently. I use both cards for shopping and taking out TL from ATM, but mostly use Revolut card. You can only withdraw £200 on basic Revolut card per month, hence why I got Starling card too, as if need be can withdraw up to £300 per day.
Never take out Sterling, always withdraw TL as there is no charge. Some ATMs don't accept Revolut (no idea about Starling yet), however, there are plenty that do, so wouldn't let that hinder your decision.

[Bogaz58]

I use revolut for purchases and cash withdrawals, great card, better exchange rate just becareful on weekends, they charge for both services. Cash withdrawals free at certain ATMs, check before you withdraw but only £200 per month on basic card, suits me though.

[alphamike]

With Revolut, within the app, if you change Sterling to TL prior to weekend, you don't get charged on purchases at weekends, would imagine it would be the same withdrawing cash.

[Soner]

Hi Soner,

Thanks for your reply. Have you tried withdrawing money with Monzo in the South? Would you still get charged on the ATM?

Sorry can't remember, i did use monzo in south ATM and may have been charged for ATM use.

To be honest i think it's good to have at least a couple of cards to fall on.

[JoandJelly]

Just to buck the trend we use Wise and are very happy. We've used it almost exclusively for the last 2 years without any issues. We can withdraw £200 equivalent FOC per month which suits us.