Natwest Debit Card Review

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3 stars
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BritishExpat's Review of Natwest Debit Card

24th Dec 2008

Overall Rating

0.5 stars
  • Value for money
    0.5 stars
  • Main Card Function
    Cash Card
Good Points

Can be used in most places in the UK. Can be used in India.


Bad Points

Cannot be used in a LOT of countries to make point of sales transactions at all and in some countries, only in a few places. Cirus network is weak and many cash points abroad may decide not to accept it today. In many countries of acceptance it is equivalent to a Solo Card. The old clearance networks are not sorted out so one place that accepts Maestro in one country may not accept YOUR Maestro. Cannot be used on some foreign websites.


General Comments

I was born and grew up in the UK. I moved to Israel five years ago. My sister lives in Germany. There is not one place in Israel that I can use Maestro to make point of sales transactions. Nearly all international websites don't take Maestro. Some banks in Israel don't take Cirus at cash points but most do SOMETIMES.
Mastercard have a credit card and Debit Mastercard and had Maestro as their equivalent to Solo card. In some countries like India, it was the main debit brand. Mastercard bought Switch, Irish Laser Card and Eurocard and rebranded them all as Maestro. Within said countries it is like a Debit Mastercard but it uses the old domestic clearing system so you may find that one country that uses Maestro doesn't accept YOUR Maestro. Or that it is equivalent to a Solo card.
If Natwest haven't sent me a Debit card that uses either the Visa or Mastercard clearing systems by the next time I go back to the UK (I go yearly or sometimes every six months) then I'm moving banks.

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Members' Comments onBritishExpat's Review

  • habitaddict on 20th May 2009

    "Mastercard Debit" doesn't exist in the UK (but I've seen it in the US market). It's called "Maestro" here (formerly Switch) and is functionally equivalent to Solo, except with a cheque guarantee feature and greater acceptability (in the UK). As far as I know, banks will choose either VISA or Mastercard affiliation, then only issue cards of the one chosen brand.