mBank CZ review

The account carries a monthly fee of CZK 0, so holding it costs nothing. That sits at the free end of the cards compared here, where the median monthly fee is €0. Readers who keep a balance mainly for day to day spending therefore pay no subscription to keep the card active.

Converting between currencies costs 0% on this card. Many cards compared on the site add a conversion charge, with a median of 1%, and mBank CZ places first on that measure. A cardholder paying in another currency therefore keeps the full network rate rather than paying a markup set by the bank.

Cash withdrawals without charge come to CZK 1,500 on the account before any fee applies. That allowance places mBank CZ at 30 on the cash withdrawal allowance ranking, so readers who take money out regularly should weigh the amount against their own use.

The card type is debit, so spending runs straight from a bank balance rather than a prepaid balance. It runs on the mastercard network. Debit cards suit readers who want the money to leave a current account at the point of sale, and the balance has to be there.

The feature list includes a virtual card, travel support and multi-currency accounts. A virtual card gives a separate card number for online spending, and the multi-currency features matter for readers who hold or spend in several currencies without paying a conversion charge of 0%.

mBank CZ was founded in 1986 and operates as a Czech bank, so the card sits with an established institution rather than a new entrant. Readers who weigh the stability of the bank behind a debit card can set that against a monthly fee of CZK 0.

On the charges readers check most, mBank CZ sits at the cheap end: a monthly fee of CZK 0 and a conversion fee of 0%. Monzo Flex, Wise and Bitpanda also list monthly fees of £0, £0 and €0, so the account cost alone does not separate them.