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Bankrate’s guide to no foreign transaction fee cards
Bankrate research helps you find the credit cards that best fit your needs, but that’s not all. In addition to analyzing the best cards with no foreign transaction fees, we also dig deep into the subject of international travel to reveal information that you can put to use on your next trip — and every trip.
Comparison of best no foreign transaction fee credit cards
| Card Name |
Bankrate Score |
Annual fee |
Best for |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
4.7/5 |
$95 |
Redemption flexibility |
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card |
N/A |
$0 |
No annual fee |
| Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card |
4.1/5 |
$0 |
Foreign travel beginners |
| Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card |
4.8/5 |
$0 |
Cash back on international purchases |
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card (not currently available) |
4.2/5 |
$0 |
Straightforward rewards |
| Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card |
4.7/5 |
$0 |
Intro APR offer |
| Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card |
4.6/5 |
$95 |
Entertainment & dining enthusiasts |
| Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card |
4.6/5 |
$95 |
Travel rewards |
| Discover it® Miles (not currently available) |
4.7/5 |
$0 |
First-year miles bonus |
| Discover it® Cash Back (not currently available) |
4.7/5 |
$0 |
Customer satisfaction rating |
A closer look at the best no foreign transaction fee cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Our take
Even more impressive than the size of the bonus (80,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months) is the value. When you redeem points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, you get a 25 percent boost in points value. That boost turns 80,000 points into $1,000 toward travel when you redeem the sign-up bonus. On the flip side, the annual fee will cost you $95 every year, with no first-year waiver. After riding the initial wave from the sign-up bonus, you’ll have to rely solely on rewards and perks (including the lack of foreign transaction fees) to offset the cost of the annual fee.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card
Our take
A good choice for the cash back-seeker or the casual traveler, the Wells Fargo Propel makes it easy to earn rewards on your leisure activities without the stress of an annual fee. This card has a lot to offer for the entertainment-lover: 3X reward points on dining, travel, rideshare, transit, gas station purchases, and popular streaming services. Plus, the lack of annual fee and foreign transaction fees keeps more money in your pocket. However, if you’re going to redeem your points for flights, you can redeem only on the Wells Fargo Go Far® Rewards portal, making the Propel less flexible than many of the top travel credit cards that allow you to transfer your points to various airline loyalty programs.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
The information about the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
Our take
The VentureOne card is a great fit for casual international travelers who have little interest in dealing with complex rewards programs geared toward big spenders. With a rewards rate of 1.25 miles per dollar spent, the card makes it easy to earn miles whether you’re staying at an international hotel or making everyday purchases at home. Plus, the 20,000-bonus mile welcome offer (equal to $200 in travel) is easily attainable, with a threshold of $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our take
Three things make the Capital One Quicksilver a compelling choice for overseas shoppers. First, the unlimited 1.5% cash back rate applies to eligible international purchases just as it does with purchases made stateside. Second, Visa credit cards like this one are among the most widely accepted in the world — more than 200 countries. Third, the lack of foreign transaction fees means you avoid the whole issue of paying for currency conversion. Consider making the Quicksilver your designated cash back card for souvenirs, clothing and other retail purchases while pairing it with a second card that earns a higher rewards rate on specific travel, lodging and/or dining purchases.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Our take
If you’re a BofA Preferred Rewards member who travels abroad, this card may be one you can bank on. The Preferred Rewards bonus gives the 1.5x rewards rate quite the boost — 25-75 percent, depending on which tier you qualify for. With no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees added to the mix, world travelers who bank and invest with BofA will find a lot to like. Only a select few will be able to fully maximize the value of this card, but those who fit the bill will enjoy its generous rewards structure.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
The information about the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our take
The SavorOne offers many things that international leisure travelers will like (including generous reward rates on dining and entertainment) while sparing them from some of the things that could give them heartburn (such as foreign transaction fees and annual fees). Most of all, the 15-month 0% intro APR offer on purchases (15.49% – 25.49% variable thereafter) creates an opportunity to pay for a big trip over time while avoiding interest charges. The SavorOne could offer a good fit for budget-conscious foodies who’ve been looking for innovative ways to finance an international vacation.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our take
Fans of culinary tourism will find this card plenty tasty. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card offers unlimited 4 percent cash back on dining and entertainment, along with 2 percent at grocery stores and 1 percent on everything else. The sign-up bonus of $300 after you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of opening the card is generous and easy to qualify for. Having no foreign transaction fee is a nice additional perk to an already long list of attributes. This card could more than pay for its $95 annual fee if you spend substantially on dining and entertainment.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
The information about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
Our take
The 2X miles reward rate on all purchases is very generous and the travel category is broadly defined by Capital One, which should make this your go-to travel card. Plus, the flexible redemption options, no foreign transaction fees and generous welcome offer help sweeten the deal. The lack of foreign transaction fees plus 19,000 hotel locations equals extra appeal for international travelers. It does have a $95 annual fee. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, consider the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
Discover it® Miles
Our take
If you can handle some delayed gratification, Discover it Miles could be worth the wait. Discover automatically matches all the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, 35,000 Miles would become 70,000 Miles, worth $700 toward travel. In the meantime, you’ll earn unlimited 1.5x miles per $1 on all purchases — not the most competitive rate, but decent. One thing to consider if you’ll be traveling internationally is that Discover is not as commonly accepted abroad as other networks, such as Visa and Mastercard.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
The information about the Discover it Miles has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Discover it® Cash Back (not currently available)
Our take
The Discover it Cash Back has several qualities that make it an outstanding international credit card. Discover consistently ranks at or near the top among U.S. issuers in J.D. Power’s annual credit card satisfaction study. Earning 5 percent cash back in rotating bonus categories when you activate each quarter (up to the $1,500 in purchases, then 1%) and having Discover match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year also sweeten the deal.
Read the full review and find out how to apply.
The information about the Discover it Cash Back has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
What are foreign transaction fees?
When you use a credit card overseas to buy something in the local currency, your credit card issuer has to convert the money you’ve spent into U.S. dollars to properly bill you. It may seem like any other transaction from your perspective, but behind the scenes the credit card issuer pays various costs associated with currency conversion, transferring money through a foreign bank and so on.
Many issuers offset these costs by charging a foreign transaction fee for every overseas purchase.
The fee usually ranges from 3%-5% of the amount spent on each transaction, which means the cost to you can really add up:
| Foreign purchase in dollars |
+3% foreign transaction fee |
+5% foreign transaction fee |
| $50 |
$51.50 |
$52.50 |
| $100 |
$103 |
$105 |
| $500 |
$515 |
$525 |
Fortunately, a number of credit card issuers have stopped charging foreign transaction fees. The cards profiled on this page offer several examples of issuers banking on the idea that consumers will appreciate issuers absorbing those costs rather than passing them along.
Why do banks charge a foreign transaction fee?
Overseas transactions require banks to convert the money spent into U.S dollars. So when you make a purchase online from an overseas vendor or make an international charge, the conversion process costs money, which is where the foreign transaction fee comes into play. The total fee that you pay often derives by adding the charge from the issuing bank (like Bank of America, Wells Fargo) and the processing fee from the payment networks (like Visa or Discover).
Foreign transaction fees and credit card rewards
Foreign transaction fees don’t apply to rewards spending since they’re not part of the purchase price. Using the chart above as an example, consider how it would work with a 1 point per dollar credit card charging a 5% foreign transaction fee. A $500 overseas purchase would show up as $525 on your bill, but you’d earn 500 rewards points instead of 525.
In other words, you could:
- Spend 444 euros (about $500 U.S.) for a hotel on a vacation to Barcelona
- Owe your credit card issuer $525 for that purchase, counting the foreign transaction fee
- Earn 500 rewards points, leaving a potential 25 points (5%) on the table
Who should get a no foreign transaction fee card?
If you’re commonly making overseas purchases or planning your future international trips, a no foreign transaction fee card could really be a beneficial perk to take advantage of. Those who could benefit from a no foreign transaction fee credit card include:
- Frequent international travelers
- Those who shop with international vendors online
- Owners of a small business that purchases from overseas sellers
Foreign transaction fees by issuer
Foreign transaction fees among credit card issuers vary according to different factors, including processing fees from payment networks. This chart shows how much several issuers charge for foreign transaction fees (for their cards that have them).
| Issuer |
Issuer fee
|
Mastercard/Visa fee |
Total
|
| American Express |
2.7%
|
N/A |
2.7%
|
| Bank of America |
2%
|
1% |
3%
|
| Capital One |
None
|
1%; absorbed by Capital One |
0%
|
| Chase |
2%
|
1% |
3%
|
| Citi |
2%
|
1% |
3%
|
| Discover |
None
|
N/A |
0%
|
Credit cards with no foreign transaction fees (by issuer)
Cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees include:
American Express
Bank of America
- Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card (not currently available)
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card (not currently available)
- Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card (not currently available)
Capital One
- Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
Chase
Citi
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® (not currently available)
- CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard® (not currently available)
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® (not currently available)
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card By Citi (not currently available)
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi (not currently available)
Discover
- Discover it® Miles (not currently available)
- Discover it® Cash Back (not currently available)
Business credit cards with no foreign transaction fee
Small business owners who don’t want to pay fees on foreign transactions have a number of credit card options to choose from. Top candidates for cash back and travel rewards include:
Business cash back
Business travel
*The Plum Card is a charge card rather than a credit card, meaning you’ll have to pay your balance in full every month without carrying anything over.
Further reading: Guide to the best business credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
Preparing for international travel: What you need to know
- Tell your bank about your travel plans ahead of time. Otherwise, you risk being locked out of your accounts. Banks will often freeze an account on suspicion of fraud if they detect unusual activity, such as a purchase being made thousands of miles from the cardholder’s address. You may be able to notify your bank through your mobile app, or you can simply call.
- Some regions do not accept certain credit card networks. Visa and Mastercard payment networks are usually your safest bets but are still not accepted in many parts of Asia, which is dominated by UnionPay. Discover and American Express are less often accepted overseas. Since acceptance varies even between different regions of the same country, it’s best to do your research ahead of time, carry credit cards from at least two different networks and always have cash on hand.
- EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) chip cards are standard in many countries outside the United States. Contactless cards, too, are becoming increasingly common in many European countries. According to Visa, more than half of retailers in Australia, Canada, the U.K. and France currently accept contactless payments. While magnetic stripe “swipe” cards might still work in some of these countries, using them may slow down the purchase or cause confusion. If you don’t have an EMV chip or contactless card yet, you can usually swap out your magnetic stripe card by calling your bank.
- Credit is probably the safest way to pay. If your credit card is lost or stolen, the maximum amount of fraudulent purchases you can be liable for is $50, thanks to the Fair Credit Billing Act. With debit cards, you can be liable for $500 or more, depending on how long it takes you to report the fraud. Cash, while convenient, is easy to misplace and there’s little you can do to replace it when stolen or lost.
- Never pay in U.S. dollars. Merchants may ask you whether you’d like to pay in U.S. dollars instead of the local currency. This option requires dynamic currency conversion, and while it may seem appealing to know how much you’re spending upfront, it’s nearly always a bad idea. With dynamic currency conversion, you pay a currency conversion fee upfront, usually much higher than foreign transaction fee rates charged by card issuers. But it doesn’t end there. Even if the purchase is made in U.S. dollars, banks may still charge foreign transaction fees if the purchase is processed by a foreign bank. So if you aren’t careful, you could end up paying a currency conversion fee and a foreign transaction fee. What is the easiest way to avoid this mess of fees? Pay in local currency with a no foreign transaction fee credit card card.
How to save money on future international travel
Avoiding foreign transaction fees should be at the top of your list when looking for a credit card to take with you on your future overseas trip. Here’s some advice to help save even more:
- Use a specialization strategy. If you venture abroad with multiple no-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards, think about using the right card to maximize your rewards. For example, the Capital One Savor has a rewards rate of 4 percent cash back on dining and entertainment. A second, flat-rate card such as the Capital One Quicksilver would earn more than the Savor (1.5 percent cash back vs.1 percent cash back) on other purchases. You could use Savor for dining and entertainment and make Quicksilver your general-purpose card.
- Know how your rewards programs define “travel” beyond airfare and hotels. Many rewards cards offer bonus points on smaller travel purchases, but issuers have their own definitions of travel. Some issuers put expenses such as rideshares and parking fees in the travel category, while others don’t. Pay attention to the specifics of your rewards program to earn the most points.
- Book through rewards portals or affiliate sites that add value. If you book a hotel room through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, you may be able to boost the value of your points by 25%-50% depending on which card you have. With certain cards, American Express offers credits up to $100 at Hotel Collection locations.
- Avoid ATM fees by researching your bank’s network of international ATMs ahead of time. While international ATM fees may be unavoidable with some issuers, others, like Bank of America, provide a list of international partner ATMS where you can withdraw cash without BofA fees.
- Know what kind of handy travel perks your credit card provides, such as car rental insurance, lost luggage insurance or a TSA PreCheck credit. Whether its a card you already have or its a card you’re hoping to acquire before your travels, make sure you’re utilizing the built-in benefits that can save you money.
Compare different payment options for foreign purchases and travel
No single payment option offers an ideal solution for every possible set of circumstances, especially when you’re traveling abroad. Consider the pros and cons of your various options. Depending on your destination and personal preference, you may find that a combination of payment methods proves most useful.
Credit cards
- Pro: They’re safer than cash or a debit card. With a credit card, you can dispute and resolve fraudulent charges before your statement closes or freeze your card before thieves get a chance to use it.
- Con: They’re not accepted everywhere, particularly in rural areas.
Debit cards
- Pro: Convenience is probably their best attribute.
- Con: Even though they’re safer than cash, they have fewer protections against theft than credit cards — and a worse exchange rate.
Cash
- Pro: Cash is still king in some settings, including open-air markets where chip readers can be hard to come by.
- Con: Unlike electronic payment methods, cash is untraceable. If your wallet is stolen, the cash inside is likely gone forever.
Cryptocurrency
- Pro: It’s very fraud-resistant, since it doesn’t involve giving a merchant access to your full credit line.
- Con: A number of countries don’t recognize cryptocurrency as a legal medium for transactions. Be sure to do your research ahead of time. Plus, you may be able to use it for foreign online purchases.
Travelers checks
- Pro: (Yes, they still exist.) They’re secure, replaceable if lost or stolen and accepted at many places worldwide.
- Con: They may involve fees and commissions. Also, you may take a hit on the exchange rate.
Can you use no foreign transaction fee cards for online and non-travel purchases?
Yes, you can certainly use your no foreign transaction fee credit card for online and non travel purchases. You can use your card for online purchases when buying from an overseas merchant. If the items you’re interested in buying are listed in a foreign currency, that could mean that you’re on an international sellers website, and you may be able to take advantage of your no foreign transaction fee credit card.
However, this can vary by the card issuer and the bank. It’s imperative that you do your research before making any online overseas purchases so you don’t get slapped with an unexpected fee or a declined transaction. You can check the terms and conditions by visiting your card issuer’s website. If you can’t locate the needed information on the website, you can always pick up the phone and call the customer service number on the back of your credit card.
Business credit cards with no foreign transaction fee
Small business owners who don’t want to pay fees on foreign transactions have a number of credit card options to choose from. Top candidates for cash back and travel rewards include:
Business cash back
Business travel
*The Plum Card is a charge card rather than a credit card, meaning you’ll have to pay your balance in full every month without carrying anything over.
Frequently asked questions about no foreign transaction fee cards
Do all credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee?
No, not all cards charge a foreign transaction fee. In fact, there are plenty of travel cards that can add much value to your future trips that don’t charge foreign transaction fees. Even though many credit cards will tack on that extra fee when making purchases internationally, you don’t have to look far to find cards that withhold from these fees. Doing a quick check on the card issuers website under the “terms and conditions” section can help you decipher whether or not you’ll pay that foreign transaction fee.
What is the average foreign transaction fee?
Normally, a foreign transaction charge will be around 3%. However, these fees can range anywhere from 1%-3% depending on the issuer and the card.
So let’s say you’re shopping online from a seller based overseas and you’ve got $200 worth of merchandise in your cart. When you add that foreign transaction fee, you’ll be paying $6 in fees. While this may not seem like much, If you’re commonly making international purchases or are already planning ahead future trips, these fees can quickly accrue. So, just as a best practice, always be sure to check if your card offers no foreign transaction fees.
Do hotel bookings/Airbnb charge foreign transaction fees?
In some cases, hotel room charges are processed by the hotel. This means that if you are thinking about booking an international room in the future, just be aware that you may get charged a foreign transaction fee.
Do foreign transaction fees apply to online purchases?
A foreign transaction fee can apply even if the only traveling you do is through your web browser. The rule of thumb is that if your purchase involves a seller based outside the United States, it affects the cost of processing the transaction. Whether in person or virtual, a transaction is still a transaction. The best way to avoid paying this extra charge on online purchases from sellers based overseas is to use a no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card.
How do you calculate a foreign transaction fee?
The fee applies to the purchase price, so calculating how much it costs you is a simple, two-step math exercise:
- Multiply the price of the purchase by the fee percentage
- Add the result of step 1 to the purchase price
Here’s an example. Let’s say your nephew’s favorite soccer team is Manchester United F.C., so you buy him a jersey from an online retailer based in England using a credit card that charges a 3-percent foreign transaction fee. If this purchase costs $100, the fee would be $3 and bring your total cost to $103.
- $100 x 3 percent = $3
- $100 + $3 = $103
Do foreign transaction fees apply to debit cards, charge cards or gift cards?
Unfortunately, you can’t escape foreign transaction fees just by using a different type of card. Credit cards, debit cards, charge cards and even prepaid gift cards commonly charge foreign transaction fees.
If you’re exploring products with no foreign transaction fees, consider credit. Many no-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards come with a wealth of benefits and the ability to earn rewards, perks you won’t find with debit cards and gift cards.
How we chose our list of best no foreign transaction fee cards
Bankrate uses a comprehensive system to evaluate credit cards and produce a 5-star score. In the case of no-foreign-transaction-fee cards, we’ve emphasized the criteria most relevant to consumers looking to maximize the value of their international purchases.
Annual fee
Most cards on our list are free of both annual fees and foreign transaction fees. However, some annual-fee cards offer incentives, like a large welcome or introductory offer, that offset the yearly cost of membership. For this category, we evaluated whether the total value justifies the cost of using the card.
Rewards value
We place priority on cards that put money back in your wallet — regardless of whether you’re using it in Tucson or Tuscany. For each card, we’ve evaluated the earnings rate and corresponding redemption value to identify the cards that accomplish more than just offering a line of credit.
Additional perks
Travel perks may not be your main motivation for getting a no foreign transaction fee card, but they often provide additional benefits that increase the card’s total value. Several credit card issuers offer additional features, like travel accident insurance or trip delay insurance, to make their cards more useful to consumers.
More information on overseas travel and credit cards
If you still need to do some research, check out these resources from Bankrate:
Senior Editor Barry Bridges has been writing about credit cards, loans, mortgages and other personal finance products for Bankrate since 2018. His work has also appeared on websites including Nasdaq.com, Zillow.com and The Simple Dollar. He was previously an award-winning newspaper journalist in his native North Carolina. Send your questions about credit cards (and fantasy baseball) to bbridges@bankrate.com.
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