Lydia review
Updated September 28, 2026 · HodlCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Lydia is a debit card with a virtual card, and the monthly fee is €0. Readers who want a card that costs nothing to hold and nothing extra to convert currency will find little to argue with here, though Monzo Flex and Wise charge the same monthly fee.
Key facts
- Best for
- Readers who judge a card on what it costs to hold and to convert.
- 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
- The card costs nothing to keep open month to month, with a monthly fee of €0.
- Spending in another currency is free of conversion charges at 0%, the figure that usually decides the cost of a card used abroad.
- A debit card draws on the account balance, so there is no separate card balance for you to load first.
- A virtual card covers online payments if you want a card number kept apart from the everyday card.
Cons
- Monzo Flex, Wise and the BMW Card von American Express also charge monthly fees of £0, £0 and $0, so paying nothing monthly is no longer a reason to move.
- A debit card cannot be spent beyond the balance in the account, so it is of no use to you until money is in place.
Who it suits
- Readers who judge a card purely on running cost and want a monthly fee of €0.
- People who mostly pay at home and rarely convert, where a conversion fee of 0% hardly comes into play.
- Anyone setting up online payments with a virtual card while keeping everyday spend on a debit card.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want the Monzo Flex account rather than a card, since Monzo Flex also charges a monthly fee of £0 and Lydia covers the card on its own.
- Anyone who prefers the BMW Card von American Express, whose monthly fee of $0 matches Lydia, so the account decides the choice.
How it compares on our data
Lydia sits at the top of the table on both price measures. It ranks 1 of 237 brands on the currency conversion fee and 1 of 379 on the monthly fee. On each of those it is at the head of the list, which is the strongest argument it has against the cards placed next to it.
Fees
Fees come down to two figures. The monthly fee is €0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%, so the card costs nothing to hold month to month and nothing extra when a purchase is converted. Both apply to the same account, so there is no cheaper basic version and no dearer fuller one to weigh.
How Lydia compares
Frequently asked questions
What does Lydia cost each month?+
The monthly fee is €0, so keeping the account open costs you nothing month to month. The other figure that affects what you pay is the currency conversion fee, which is 0%. Together they keep the card cheap to hold and cheap to use abroad.
Is there a currency conversion charge on the card?+
No. The currency conversion fee is 0%, so a purchase in another currency adds no conversion charge to the bill. For a card used on holiday or on services priced in a foreign currency, that is the figure that decides the real cost.
Is Lydia a debit card?+
It is a debit card, so payments come straight from the money in the account rather than from a card balance you load first. Spending is limited by the balance you hold, and keeping the card costs a monthly fee of €0.
Can you get a virtual card?+
A virtual card is available, which suits you if you want a card number for online payments kept apart from the everyday card. Adding it changes neither the monthly fee of €0 nor the conversion fee of 0%.
How does Lydia compare with Monzo Flex and Wise?+
On monthly cost the three sit level: Lydia charges €0, Monzo Flex £0 and Wise £0. The difference between them is not the monthly price, and the conversion fee of 0% is the extra figure to weigh.
What about the BMW Card von American Express?+
Its monthly fee is $0, the same as Lydia's €0. With no charge to hold either card, the deciding factors are the account each card is attached to and the conversion fee charged at the point of sale, 0% at Lydia.
How does Lydia rank on HodlCue?+
It ranks 1 of 237 brands on the currency conversion fee and 1 of 379 on the monthly fee, placing it at the head of both lists among the cards tracked here.
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.