Not my experience compared to Wise/Revolut but if it works for you that’s great 😁

Starling uses Master Card rate with no fees.
Wise uses a mark on ecb rate which is often better. After fees, it will usually be a little cheaper per transaction.

OP talks about many small transactions which will incur multiple fees. On this spending profile, I expect Wise will end up more expensive than Starling >
£0.5 per transaction & 1.75% of any amount over £200.

Really depends on how you use Wise .......... If you already hold the currency you want to spend there are no fees, beyond your initial exchange (which is really the intended way to use it), hence you can have 'pots' of pretty much any currency that you want and spend them.

The additional advantage (IMHO) of Wise is that you know up front the exchange rate you are getting when you convert into the chosen currency, with Starling you are at the mercy of the rate when you make the transaction

Starling do charge fees for certain types of transaction so not always fee free

Starling v Wise interesting read

I appreciate thats written by Wise but Im sure if it was incorrect Starling would have had it taken down.

Also keep in kind that Starling is a full blown UK bank account which wont suit everyone, although maybe better for some

I must admit though Starling has given me food for thought about a 'proper bank account'

if we go back to the original question :

"I have a question about a holiday to Croatia next month. 'Experienced users': Do you recommend, please, that I open an HRK/Kuna account and load it with estimated spending money... or... just 'pay as I go' using the card and having Wise make multiple currency exchanges, each time? "

I still believe a mix trannsfer lump sum and "pay as go solution" is the best one. Using Wise transferring a fixed amount to HRK/Kuna accont only makes sense if you are likely to make regular trips to Croatia. On a one-off holiday you are going to left with residual funds which are of little use to you elsewhere. The right solution is make one transfer of a reasonable balance that you know will definitely be spent and then , as holiday winds down, revert to " pay as you go " for the last-minute expenses as a sterling transfer into a Wise sterling account can always be used in the UK on return

By design ..... The residual funds you would flip back into your home currency in one transaction.... in my experience still far cheaper than a number of pay as you go transactions.

The reality is there is no perfect answer unless you know how much is going to be spent and/or exchanged plus how many transactions there are going to be. You could win or lose very slightly either way

Either way .... OP have a great trip .... a lovely destination !

Horses for courses and we each have favourites. I also have a Chase account which gives 1% return on every transaction with my debit card.

Very true …. and one thing for sure there’s only one winner what ever you use …. And that’s not us. 😁

Starling is only available to UK residents.

What rhymes with BANKER?

On a recent stop off in Split and Dubrovnik on a cruise, we found most places accepted euros as they are changing to euros very soon anyway. you could always just use an ATM as a one off to get some walking around Kuna.

Thanks for all the feedback... I think I will guess at the spending money amount up front, load a Kuna account to a rounded amount.... and see how it goes, and as I get nearer to the end either do another top up, or just pay as I go.... Or just use remaining cash ... Its only a couple of euros fee, and if I have residual cash..... well Im sure I can have a 'blow out' with friends to finish off the holiday. The Kuna account will be at zero at the end.... And Ill also have euros in my pocket if needed

We are starting at Split, one way car rental to Pula going up the coast and into Plitvice National park, on the way....( no 3 in Europe apparently....

https://www.trailfinders.com/blogs/t...arks-in-europe. )

Cant wait!! With the crises coming up... It may be a while before we go on such a holiday, so we will make the most of it....

Jon

Have a great trip !!

Interesting thread ... will digest more