Curve Card Review: All Your Cards, Rewards & Cash back in One Card

What is a Curve Card?

Curve Card is a digital payment card that allows you to consolidate all your credit and debit cards onto one card. With Curve, you can make purchases using any of your linked cards without carrying them all with you.  Curve Card works by linking your existing cards to your Curve account and allowing you to make transactions using the Curve Card.
You can choose to use either the physical card that is delivered to you, or set up Curve through Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay to pay with your mobile device. The app allows you to set a preferred card for payments, or choose a specific card each time you make a transaction.

How does Curve Card work?

Simply, Curve Card works by linking your existing credit and debit cards to the Curve app. Once you have linked your cards, you can use the Curve Card to make purchases, withdraw cash from ATMs, and access other financial services. When you use the Curve Card, you can choose which card you want to use to make the purchase, and the payment will be charged to that card.

Curve Card Main Features

One of the standout features of Curve is that it allows you to make purchases in foreign currencies without incurring any foreign transaction fees. This applies to all four of the Curve cards. When you use your Curve card to make a purchase in a foreign currency, Curve will automatically convert the currency for you using the interbank exchange rate. By not charging any foreign transaction fees, Curve allows you to save money when you travel or make purchases from international merchants. This is particularly useful if you travel frequently or if you make online purchases from international websites. However, the amount of fee-free foreign FX (foreign currency exchange) transactions you can make with Curve depends on which of the four Curve cards you have. Here’s a breakdown of how it works for each card:

• Use your Curve Card worldwide with no FX fee: One of the standout features of Curve is that it allows you to make purchases in foreign currencies without incurring any foreign transaction fees. This applies to all four of the Curve cards. When you use your Curve card to make a purchase in a foreign currency, Curve will automatically convert the currency for you using the interbank exchange rate. By not charging any foreign transaction fees, Curve allows you to save money when you travel or make purchases from international merchants. This is particularly useful if you travel frequently or if you make online purchases from international websites. However, the amount of fee-free foreign FX (foreign currency exchange) transactions you can make with Curve depends on which of the four Curve cards you have. Here’s a breakdown of how it works for each card:
  • Curve (the O.G) – fee-free FX up to £1,000 per month
  • Curve X – fee-free FX up to £2,000 per month
  • Curve Black – unlimited fee-free FX
  • Curve Metal – unlimited fee-free FX

• Smart Rules: With Smart Rules, you can automate your spending and save money. For example, you can set rules to automatically switch between cards based on the type of transaction, the merchant, or the currency.

• Anti-Embarrassment Mode: This feature allows you to “time travel” and move purchases between cards up to 14 days after the transaction was made. This can help you avoid embarrassing situations, such as a declined payment in a restaurant or store.

• Go Back In Time: This feature allows you to change the card you used to make a purchase up to 30 days with the free Curve Card  and up to 120 days for the Curve Metal Card after the transaction was made. This can be useful if you accidentally charged the wrong card or if you want to take advantage of rewards or cashback offers.

• Earn Cashback: Curve offers cashback rewards on purchases made using your Curve card. The amount of cashback you receive depends on which Curve card you have. For the Curve (the O.G) and Curve X cards, you can earn cashback at selected retailers and the cashback rates vary depending on the retailer and may change from time to time. Instead, for the Curve Black and Curve Metal cards, you can earn 1% cashback with three and six specific retailers.

• Loyalty cards: add your favourite loyalty cards such as your Tescos Clubcard, Costa, Boots, Caffè Nero … to your Curve app so you don’t have to carry multiple rewards cards around at any one time

• Curve customer protection : Curve is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) but Curve customers are covered up to £100,000 with Curve Customer Protection

• Apple/Samsung/Google Pay: pay with Curve using your smartphone

• Curve Fronted: With Curve Fronted, you have the ability to make payments using your Curve debit card even in cases where a merchant doesn’t accept credit cards. This is possible because the underlying credit card is used to complete the transaction. However, to cover the costs associated with these transactions, there is a service fee of 1.5%. This fee is charged immediately, and the transaction amount along with the fee will be visible in the ‘Wallet’ tab.

• Curve Flex : Curve Flex is a feature that enables you to transform previous transactions into monthly instalment plans, providing you with the flexibility to pay over time instead of all at once. You can easily utilize this feature by selecting a suitable payment from your transaction history and simply choosing “Swipe to Flex”. This not only smooths out your cash flow but also helps you manage your expenses more efficiently.

4 Curve Cards: Which One Is Right for You?

Curve provides 4 cards (Curve, Curve X, Curve Black, Curve Metal) and the good news is that the standard Curve Card is free!, It comes with some restrictions such as a limit on the number of cards you can connect, a cap on “Go Back in Time” days, Smart Rules limitations, and charges for ATM withdrawals and foreign currency transactions.

Here are more details about each card: 

• Curve (the O.G): The Free Curve card is a great option for those who want to simplify their wallet and only carry one card. It allows you to add up to two cards and make purchases using either of them. With its “Go Back in Time” feature, you can also move a transaction from one card to another, up to three times a month, for up to 30 days after the purchase. Additionally, it offers one smart rule, which lets you set specific rules for how you want to use your card. The card also comes with fee-free foreign exchange transactions (up to £1000), no foreign ATM fees (up to £200 per month), and cash back rewards. While there’s a delivery fee of £4.99, there’s no monthly cost for the card.

• Curve X: The Curve X card offers more features than the original Curve card. You can add up to five cards and enjoy unlimited “Go Back in Time” up to 60 days after purchase. You can also create up to five smart rules to further customize your usage. Additionally, it has a higher fee-free foreign exchange transaction limit (up to £2000) and the same no foreign ATM fees (up to £200 per month). It also has cashback rewards. However, it comes with a monthly cost of £4.99.

• Curve Black: The Curve Black card has unlimited card linking capabilities and offers 1% cashback with three specific retailers. It also includes worldwide travel insurance and unlimited smart rules, which can be used to customize your card usage. It has fee-free foreign exchange transactions (unlimited) and unlimited “Go Back in Time” up to 90 days after purchase. Additionally, it comes with cashback rewards. The monthly cost for the Curve Black card is £9.99.

• Curve Metal: The Curve Metal card is the most premium option, offering an exclusive metal card with 1% cashback from six specific retailers. It also includes worldwide travel insurance, unlimited smart rules, phone insurance, and unlimited “Go Back in Time” up to 120 days after purchase. Additionally, it offers airport lounge access and cashback rewards. The Curve Metal card comes with a monthly cost of £14.99, which is the highest among the four Curve cards.

Cards you can link to your Curve Wallet

You can link most Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards to your Curve account.
It is important to note that some specific cards may not be accepted by Curve, such as prepaid or commercial cards. Additionally, some banks may have policies regarding linking their cards to third-party apps like Curve, so it’s worth checking with your bank before proceeding.

Is Curve safe to use?

If you’re wondering about the safety of using Curve, rest assured that it is a regulated entity under the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means that your data is protected by the security regulations enforced by the FCA. What’s more, during transactions, Curve does not disclose your bank card details to any retailers. Moreover, the app comes with a feature that enables you to lock your card in case it gets misplaced or stolen, thus providing you with an additional layer of security.

Where is the Curve Card Available?

Curve Card is available to individuals residing in the United Kingdom, as well as all 30 nations encompassed by the European Economic Area (EEA). Additionally, the service from 2022 is also available in the United States.

Do the “premium” Curve Cards (Curve X, Curve Black, and Curve Metal Card) offer enough value to justify their cost?

Many customers find that the “premium” Curve Cards – Curve X, Curve Black, and Curve Metal – are worth the investment due to their added benefits. With Curve Black and Curve Metal, you can enjoy worldwide travel insurance, mobile phone insurance, access to Airport LoungeKey worldwide, car hire excess insurance, and more generous cash back rates. Additionally, these cards allow for more days to use the “Go Back in Time” feature, which is a valuable tool for managing expenses. Meanwhile, the Curve X card – which costs only £4.99 per month – offers more value than the free Curve card, with features like additional card slots, more Smart Rules, and fewer limitations. Overall, these benefits make the premium Curve cards a worthwhile choice for frequent travellers or anyone who values additional perks.