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How to Get Euros in the US and Avoid High Fees

Q: What’s the best place to get euros before traveling?

If you’re planning to travel to Europe, the best place to get euros is through a multi-currency bank account. Companies such as Wise and Revolut provide multi-currency accounts. With enough euros in your account, you can make card payments in Europe for free.

Q: What’s the best place to get euros after traveling?

If you’ve already traveled and you don’t have a multi-currency account or a travel money card, it may be best to stick with your usual debit card. Check your high street bank’s foreign transaction fees to make sure you’re not going to be charged too much in fees.

Q: Should I buy euros when I get to the airport?

No, exchanging currency at the airport is costly. If you've already traveled, it's probably cheaper to use your bank debit card instead.Despite this, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and open a multi-currency account before you travel, to save on any additional costs when you arrive.

Q: What else do I need to travel to Europe?

You may need to take out a temporary health insurance policy when you travel to Europe. Most US health insurance companies won’t be able to pay healthcare fees overseas. You can choose to pay for your healthcare in Europe and then get reimbursed by your insurance company later.Don’t forget to take your passport.

Q: Can you get euros at the US Post Office?

The US Post Office can transfer money internationally for you, but it doesn’t sell foreign currency. You’ll need to get euros somewhere else, like a neobank with a multi-currency account, or a travel money card.

Q: Can you get euros from US banks?

Most US banks like Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citibank will exchange euros for you, but they may charge a fee and a higher exchange rate than the mid-market rate. To get a better deal, you should open a multi-currency account, or purchase a travel money card.

Q: How far in advance should I buy euros for my trip?

It's generally recommended to purchase euros 1-2 months before your trip if using a multi-currency account like Wise or Revolut. This gives time for the cards to arrive. If using a prepaid travel card, 1-2 weeks in advance is sufficient.

Q: What is the best way to pay when I'm in Europe?

Using a multi-currency debit card like Wise or Revolut to pay directly in euros is the most cost effective. You can also withdraw euros from an ATM using these cards. Avoid paying in US dollars if possible - you'll get a poor exchange rate.

Q: How much cash in euros should I take?

Take enough for the first few days before getting more from an ATM. Many places accept cards now. Take 50-100 euros per person per day in cash as a guideline. Store extra cash securely.

Q: Should I keep receipts for currency exchanges?

Yes, keep any receipts for currency exchanges and withdrawals. This helps you reconcile your accounts later.

Are you planning a trip to Europe but don't know how to buy euros in the US without high fees? Find out how you can purchase euros in the US and why a multi-currency account could help you avoid unnecessary costs.

Author

Frank Day

5 minutes

October 10th, 2024

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How to Get Euros in the US and Avoid High Fees

To get euros in the US, the best options include multi-currency accounts, such as Wise and Revolut, which offer low fees and competitive exchange rates. Avoid high-fee airport exchanges and tourist spots. A prepaid travel card is also a convenient alternative for quick transactions.

Best places to get euros in the USA

To find the best place to get euros in the US, you need to understand the various options available to you. Smart travelers who want to save money and time prefer the multi-currency account instead of going to banks or using airport currency exchanges.

Best way to save on fees - Wise and Revolut multi-currency accounts
Best alternative - Prepaid travel cards
Most overrated - Local banks and credit unions
Best for emergencies - Banks and ATMs abroad

Read on to discover the best places to buy euros in the US, avoiding high fees and currency exchange losses.

Open a multi-currency account

Multi-currency accounts are the best, cheapest way to buy euros with dollars. Instead of converting a fixed amount of dollars into cash, multi-currency accounts let you exchange a specific portion of your total account balance and keep it in euros within the same account.

Online banks like Wise and Revolut dominate the scene here. They both offer a great service and let you buy euros with US dollars in seconds from their mobile apps. To buy euros online, simply download the free app and create an account with these services.

Below are two brief summaries that provide helpful information about these services. We also have a detailed comparison of Wise vs Revolut that covers features, benefits, and plans.

Please share your experience with Wise

Would you recommend Wise?

Comments

Nina

I made a transfer to a Canadian company 1.5 months ago, and the funds have not yet been received. After multiple emails, Wise insists that the money was paid out. However, I have received an official statement from the recipient’s bank confirming that the money has not been received. Wise's complaints department sent me a final letter stating that, according to their records, the funds were paid out.

Additionally, Wise states the following in their Customer Agreement regarding their responsibility for losses:
Quote from Wise's Terms:
"Our Customer Agreement also explains our responsibility for losses in Section 29:
29.1 Unforeseeable loss or damage. We are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen, for example, if you discussed it with us during your sign-up process.
29.9 We are not liable for things which are outside of our control. We (and our affiliates) cannot be liable for our inability to deliver or delay because of things which are outside our control."

Despite these terms, Wise has not been able to resolve this issue, and the money has still not been delivered as promised.

I find it irresponsible that Wise does not conduct any investigations into the matter. The Canadian bank associated with Wise is unable to provide any information, as everything goes through Wise. Wise must be capable of tracking the funds and providing precise details about where exactly the money is, who received it, and to which bank account it was deposited.

I would advise everyone to be cautious when transferring large sums of money with Wise. They are not capable of executing a secure money transfer!

No, I don't recommend

8th December 2024

Shengjie Yin

good and perfect

Yes, I recommend

2nd December 2024

Tristan

Beware: Wise's Unethical Policies and Unresponsive Support Cost My Business
I am sharing my experience with Wise to warn fellow business owners about the serious risks and unacceptable practices you may encounter if you choose to use their services.
My business, is a legally registered travel agency in the UK, and I relied on Wise to manage payments for my photography and cultural tours, primarily in South America. Things took a turn for the worse when Wise froze my account and accused my business of violating their Acceptable Use Policy, citing my once-a-year humanitarian trip to Cuba.
Despite explaining multiple times that:
No Cuba-related transactions were ever processed through Wise (I use a separate European bank for this purpose),
My tours comply with the “Support for Cuban People” category authorized by OFAC, designed to help Cuban citizens outside state control,
Wise completely ignored the facts. Their customer support team responded with automated messages, refused to engage in any meaningful dialogue, and even lied, claiming they didn't monitor my emails—despite clear evidence to the contrary. After days of chasing them and providing thorough documentation, they chose to close my account without justification.

The Consequences:
Wise left my business in chaos, disrupting essential transactions and client arrangements.
Their rigid policies align with sanctions widely condemned by the global community, and in doing so, they indirectly support humanitarian suffering.
The Bottom Line:
Wise is unreliable, unresponsive, and unethical. If your business has any complexity or humanitarian focus, beware: Wise will shut you down without notice or explanation, and customer support will abandon you. Their actions have serious real-world consequences.

Avoid Wise if you value your business stability or require ethical and accountable financial services. There are far better alternatives out there that won’t put your livelihood at risk Beware: Wise's Unethical Policies and Unresponsive Support Cost My Business

No, I don't recommend

14th November 2024

Anonymous

I have been a customer for a few years. Yes I love the instant deposits as I make around $1K. However as many non US entities Wise uses a bank out of New York. Therefore the TRANSFER and DEPOSIT from an account transfer can take 4 to 6 days. What this means is that you will not able to make another ACH transfer during this time. This is frustrating if you have to make a follow up transfer in a few days. All in all don't plan to make more than 4 transfer in a month because it may not fo through, Not sure if other transfer companies operate the same way but I am about to find out as I will try Revolute. Bottom linw will require you to use ANOTHER payment method like credit card or some other method. Understand this: YOU MAY HAVE THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT but they WILL NOT TRY TO VERIFY IT WITHIN THE THE PERIOD IT WILL TAKE THEM TO DEPOSIT IT IN YOUR ACCOUNT. To add insult to injury I called in and the agent siad that they can see that they got paid but the computer takes time to update/reconcille I guess! It is a slow system!

I'm not sure

7th November 2024

Anonymous

There is a lot of advice on RECEIVING INHERITANCE in the UK from overseas but nothing on the rules for SENDING money gifts to grandchildren living OVERSEAS and the rules on Inheritance Tax in that case.

I'm not sure

29th October 2024

Anonymous

The service is decent, nothing more. I have had security issues that are not quickly resolved. Call center personnel are average. The app is not, in general, user friendly. You should definitely do research on a variety of service providers before making a choice. Do not take the reviews at face value. I chose Wise based on positive reviews but now regret not doing more research on other companies.

I'm not sure

20th October 2024

Anonymous

So far so good

I'm not sure

14th October 2024

Daniel

I checked to see if Wise even sends money to Colombia. Colombia is not even in their list of countries. Why is it even advertising for Colombia?

I'm not sure

10th October 2024

Bill Sanders

I have used Wise for several years. They once rejected a large transfer because it was to a coal company. Apparently, they are a woke company! But they refused to tell me why. More recently, they required verification of my identity using a smart phone. I am 69 and never owned a cell phone because I don't need one. But they forced me to buy one, which I did last week. Getting the phone updates ate up all my data, so i got 1 GB more. I took 12 different pics of my passport and another 12 of my face for them. They rejected them - and are holding up my transfer. Now my phone ate up that gig of data and I must buy another gig (thru Tracfone) just to use the phone. What a hassle. This is not a photo studio! They know who i am already.

Note: This comment has been edited by the MoneyTransfers.com team to align with our content guidelines.

No, I don't recommend

3rd October 2024

Ziggy Meilus

It used to be always instant, now it may come right away or it can take 5 even 7 days to get the money.

I'm not sure

30th August 2024

Showing 10 out of 12 reviews

Wise

Wise is probably the fastest and cheapest way to open a multi-currency account and get euros in the US.

Once you set up an account with Wise, you'll receive a Wise card, allowing you to spend in various currencies. For a one-time $9 fee you can get the Wise virtual multi-currency card as soon as you activate your account.

The physical Wise debit card may take up to 5 days to arrive. You can easily use it with ApplePay and the Google Pay app as a convenient way for online and contactless payments in euros.

If your account has sufficient funds, you can use the Wise card to pay and withdraw up to $100 per month from ATMs without any charges. However, a nominal fee applies if you withdraw cash more than twice a month. You may find it more convenient to pay directly by card rather than withdraw cash.

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Revolut

Revolut is also one of the best ways to get euros, since this bank lets you store 28 different currencies in one account. With the free Revolut card, you can spend like a local wherever you are.

Throughout the weekdays when the market operates, Revolut offers the mid-market exchange rate without any added markup. But during weekends, they impose a 1% markup on all currency conversion requests. Debit card transactions come with a fee of 0.7% when made in the European region.

Revolut will send you a free physical multi-currency debit card too, with a small delivery fee. You can also add a virtual card to ApplePay and GoogleWallet for contactless payments and as a convenient way to spend for your online purchases.

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Get a travel money card

Travel money cards have better rates than banks and airport exchanges, but they are not the cheapest way to get euros when it comes to rates and fees.

Travel cards such as Currensea link to your bank account and deduct payments directly when you use them. The card converts the money and usually charges a markup on the exchange rate.

If you want to plan your holiday spending and stay within your budget, consider using a prepaid currency card. Once the money reaches the card, you can use it to spend while you’re away, or go for a top up if you find you need more.

Remember, even though a travel money card may seem convenient, the exchange rates are usually higher. Using this option to buy euros will cost more than using Revolut or Wise.

Use local banks and credit unions

You can exchange money at all major banks and credit unions, but it's pricier than using multi-currency accounts to buy your euros online via their apps or travel money cards.

If you need to convert money quickly, this may be a useful option to get cash. However, they are more expensive compared to other choices on this page, so we don't recommend using them to buy currency or have dollars you want to switch to euros.

Use a foreign currency exchange

Buying euros in the US? Foreign currency exchange services are popular, but not the best value to buy currency before you travel.

If you buy euros at a foreign currency exchange, it will probably cost more than if you do it at your bank. In this case, it may be quicker and cheaper for you to withdraw the local currency from an ATM at your destination.

Places to avoid when exchanging for euros

The best deals are available through multi-currency accounts, with travel money cards not far behind. Unfortunately, you only find these options by actively searching for the best ways to buy euros.

Many people still exchange money at airports and tourist areas, but it can be more expensive than to withdraw cash from ATMs across Europe. If you want to know why you shouldn't exchange currency at airport desks, read the next section.

Currency Exchange at the Airport

Pre-planning is crucial to getting a good deal when it comes to exchanging foreign currency. Last minute attempts to convert money at the exchange offices at the airport are not cost-effective.

Condé Nast Traveler says airport currency exchanges charge fees of $5 to $15. The exchange rate is usually 7% to 15% higher than the mid-market rate.

Free currency exchanges at the airport? I don't think so!

Even if airports don't charge 'fees' on their exchanges, they add huge markups to their exchange rates, usually between 7% and 15% higher than the standard bank rate.

Foreign currency exchanges in tourist-dense areas

Exchanging currency at national landmarks and tourist destinations can be costly.

To protect your money, avoid using small offices to exchange currency and purchase euros. If you compare exchange rates and fees and use a multi-currency account, you can save money by avoiding unnecessary costs.

Visiting banks abroad

It can be tempting to exchange at a local bank when you arrive at your destination. It's best to only do this in an emergency, since the fees and exchange rates are high. Some banks may charge for helping non-account holders.

If you don't have enough money while traveling, using your own bank card is cheaper than exchanging at a foreign bank, but still expensive. The best way you can save money is to prepare in advance and open a multi-currency account before you travel. These usually offer the most competitive rates and the lowest fees in the market.

Getting euros in the US - plan ahead and reap the rewards

If you're going to Europe and think you'll need Euros, get a multi-currency account. Having a multi-currency card in your wallet and on your phone will not only save you on fees, but also reduce your risk of being a target for pickpockets by eliminating the need to carry large amounts of cash.