UOB Mighty FX (Now FX+) vs YouTrip vs Wise: Which is best for overseas spending?

Planning a trip overseas? If you’re looking for smart ways to handle your international spending, you may be torn between UOB Mighty FX¹ vs YouTrip². UOB Mighty FX - now rebranded as UOB FX+ - is a popular international debit card linked to several UOB accounts, while YouTrip is a standalone wallet and card designed for travel use.

This UOB FX+ review walks through the key features, fees and exchange rates of UOB FX card vs YouTrip. We'll also introduce the Wise card, a handy travel companion to make seamless card payments when you're overseas.

UOB FX+ Card vs YouTrip vs Wise - Main benefits

Using a dedicated travel card for overseas spending offers a safe, convenient and often cheap way to manage your travel money. There are plenty of options out there for Singapore customers, including the popular UOB FX+, YouTrip and Wise. Which is best for you will depend on your specific preferences and requirements.

We’ve got a more detailed look at each of these options coming right up - but to give you a flavour of what to expect, let’s put UOB Mighty FX vs YouTrip vs Wise side by side for comparison.

*Details correct at time of research - 27th June 2025

What is the UOB FX+ card?

The UOB FX+ card is an international debit card from UOB which you can link to several key UOB accounts including the One Account. Once linked, you can use the UOB FX+ service to exchange SGD in the UOB TMRW app, to 11 supported currencies (AUD, CAD, CNH, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, CHF, USD) for overseas spending, with preferential rates and no foreign transaction fee.

The TMRW app offers a few handy currency conversion solutions including the option to set rate alerts or automatic conversions which trigger when your currency reaches your desired rate. Once you have a foreign currency in your UOB wallet you can then spend with no extra charges abroad. You’ll also be able to use your physical card in an ATM to make a withdrawal overseas.

What is the YouTrip card?

YouTrip is a popular local option for a travel card and wallet, supporting 12 foreign currencies for holding and exchange. You can also use your YouTrip app to send international payments and your physical card for ATM withdrawals.

When you open a YouTrip account you can add money to your account in SGD and then convert to the currency you need in just a few taps using the app. Then use your card when you travel to spend with no additional foreign transaction to pay at the point of purchase.

What is the Wise card?

Wise is a currency conversion, account and card provider which offers the Wise card linked to a smart international account which holds 40+ currencies.

As with YouTrip, you can add money to Wise in SGD and then either convert in the app when you spot a good rate, or allow the card to convert currencies for you when you pay. In either case you get the mid-market rate with no hidden fee, and currency conversion costs from just 0.26%. Similar to UOB, Wise also offers ways to set rate alerts and automatic conversions so you can manage your money across currencies effortlessly.

UOB FX+ vs YouTrip vs Wise - Fees and charges

It’s important to note that the way UOB FX+, YouTrip and Wise work on fees and charges is quite different. That can make it tricky to compare them without careful consideration of how you’ll use your account and card.

Ongoing fees and charges

Let’s start with the ongoing costs for each. With the UOB FX+ card you must also have a UOB account to link - such as the One Account. This may have its own fees. For example, the One Account has a 5 SGD monthly fee if you don’t hold a minimum balance of 1,000 SGD or more. There’s then an annual card fee on top of this, which may be waived if you use your card regularly enough.

YouTrip does not have any ongoing fees to pay, but does have a one time card replacement fee of 10 SGD. Wise has no ongoing fees once you have paid the one time fee to get a card - 8.5 SGD.

Transaction fees and charges

Aside from the ongoing costs it helps to consider how you’ll use your card. Transaction fees tend to apply whenever you spend, convert or make cash withdrawals, so finding the card which has the lowest available fees for the types of transaction you need to make often can help minimize the costs. When you travel, the chances are that the key transaction fees you’ll meet are for spending and ATM use.

The UOB FX+ card does not have a separate foreign transaction fee once you have converted your balance to the required currency, but does charge a 2.5% fee + 5 SGD for ATM use. 4 ATM withdrawals annually may have the 5 SGD fee reimbursed.

YouTrip and Wise also waive foreign transaction fees. Youtrip allows you to make withdrawals up to 400 SGD. With Wise, you can make up to 2 totalling 350 SGD a month respectively, with no extra provider fees. After this, there’s a variable fee - 2% for YouTrip, and 1.5 SGD + 1.75% with Wise.

Comparing exchange rates

Comparing the fees of UOB Mighty FX vs YouTrip vs Wise is important - but looking at the exchange rates used by each to convert currencies is probably even more impactful.

UOB FX+ rates include a variable markup - known as a spread⁷. That’s a fee. The spread used depends on the currency in question, and you’ll only be able to check the cost by comparing the UOB rate you’re quoted against the mid-market rate for your currency which you can get from Google. That can be a bit of a hassle, and does make it harder to see exactly what your international card use is costing you.

YouTrip also uses a variable markup on currency conversion, so you’ll want to compare the rate offered against the mid-market rate to check the overall cost.

Wise takes a different approach on currency exchange, using the mid-market rate and splitting out the costs of currency conversion so it’s easy to see what you’re paying. You can then compare the rate offered to other providers to decide which is best for your specific transaction.

Summary: Which travel card should you pick in Singapore?

To decide which option is best for you, you’ll want to look carefully at both UOB Mighty FX vs YouTrip - and also at alternatives like the Wise card. The UOB FX+ card has annual fees, and you might also need to pay a fee for your underlying UOB account. There's also steep charges for ATM use, and variable currency exchange costs.

YouTrip offers simple card services with 12 currencies, and no ongoing fees, while Wise offers an account covering 40+ currencies with no monthly charges and the mid-market rate for currency conversion. Compare all the options available, based on your specific travel plans and spending preferences to see which might work best for you.

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Sources last checked: 21 July 2025