Which is better - choosing With or Without Conversion at ATM in Slovenia?
In Slovenia, ATMs from NLB, SKB Banka, and Abanka frequently display “With or Without Conversion” when you use a foreign card. That’s dynamic currency conversion. With = billed in GBP, USD, or EUR at an inflated rate. Without = billed in euros directly, converted fairly by your card issuer. I tested NLB ATM in Ljubljana city center, pressed Without, and Revolut gave me the exact mid-market rate. Tried With at SKB near Tivoli Park, and the exchange was almost 6% worse.
First time I saw the DCC prompt in Slovenia, I thought “With Conversion” meant fewer fees - turned out it meant more. I used an NLB ATM near Tivoli Park and chose “With” - my bank later showed me how I paid a poor rate. Second time, I went “Without Conversion,” and it was way closer to the market rate. It’s definitely one of those travel traps you only learn about the hard way. Now I just skip the “convenience” and go with my bank’s rate.
DCC is designed to give you “price certainty” in your home currency, but it usually comes at a steep cost. In Maribor, I used an Abanka ATM and it showed me the converted amount in GBP, but with an exchange rate that was 5% above what my UK bank would’ve used. I always decline it now. The trick is: look for the phrase “Your card issuer may charge fees” - that’s a sign you’re doing it right by choosing “Without Conversion.”
That’s Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) - basically, the ATM offering to do the exchange for you right there. It sounds convenient but the rate is marked up quite a bit. I tried it once at a Nova KBM ATM near Lake Bled just to see, and the fee was sneaky high. Every other time I chose “Without Conversion,” and the exchange was far more reasonable. The message looks like a warning, but don’t be alarmed - “Without” is the way to go if you want to avoid overpaying.
Used a Gorenjska Banka ATM in Ljubljana and saw the “With or Without Conversion” option every time. If you pick “With Conversion,” the ATM locks in its own rate, and it's almost always worse than what your bank back home would give. I tested both and lost about €7 on a €200 withdrawal with conversion. Always pick “Without Conversion” - it lets your bank handle the currency exchange, and the rate is almost always better, especially with cards like Revolut or Wise.