No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards

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Comparing the best no foreign transaction fee credit cards

Editor’s picks: No foreign transaction fee credit card details

Best for sign-up bonus: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Best features: The Venture Rewards’ sign-up bonus is straightforward and plentiful: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. It does come with a $95 annual fee, but this card also offers high rewards in bonus travel categories and 2X miles on all other purchases, plus convenient features like a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit and easily transferable miles.
• Biggest drawbacks: The Venture’s list of airline partners in the U.S. is limited.
• Alternative: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a rewards program that isn’t as simple or flexible, but it will likely provide more value if you are willing to book your travel through Chase Travel.
• Bottom line: Big spenders who regularly go abroad will find a lot to love about the versatile Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card beyond the sign-up bonus.

Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for cash back: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

• Best features: The Quicksilver is an easy-to-understand rewards card: It gets unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and has a sign-up bonus of $200 for spending $500 in the first three months. As an added welcome, this flat-rate card offers a 0% intro APR offer on purchases for 15 months (16.49% to 26.49% variable rate thereafter) – a perfect window to purchase a trip to be paid off in increments while temporarily avoiding interest. In addition, this card charges no annual fee.
• Biggest drawbacks: Its flexible rewards and intro offer make this an easy-to-use card, but there are more valuable rewards out there for experienced cardholders.
• Alternative: Thanks to a flat cash rewards rate of 2%, you might get more value on your everyday expenses with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. But you’ll miss out on paying no foreign transaction fees as the Active Cash card comes with a 3% fee for foreign transactions.
• Bottom line: Travelers with good or excellent credit (a score of 670 or higher) who prefer an uncomplicated rewards program will be pleased with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which charges no foreign transaction fee.

Read our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for unlimited miles on purchases: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• Best features: Compared to other premier travel rewards credit cards, the Venture X’s modest annual fee and unlimited miles on all purchases, along with all the other bonuses and perks, make it an instant challenger for the best credit card of its class.
• Biggest drawbacks: The $395 annual fee and $4,000 spend requirement within three months of account opening to earn the 75,000 bonus miles should be considered carefully before applying for the Venture X.
• Alternative: With an annual fee of $695, The Platinum Card® from American Express isn’t cheap, but some travelers looking for luxury may prefer the convenience of Amex’s Membership Rewards program, as well as the lower spending threshold to earn the Platinum Card’s welcome offer.
• Bottom line: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a great option for anyone who travels often, uses their credit card regularly, and will take advantage of as many of the Venture X’s perks as possible. This includes the yearly bonus and travel credit, cellphone protection, and free lounge access.

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for flexible travel rewards: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

• Best features: The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card makes travel rewards even more accessible by allowing you to redeem your points as a statement credit for any travel or dining purchase made on the card within the last 12 months. Plus, you can earn 25,000 welcome bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of card membership. On top of all that, there’s no foreign transaction fee.
• Biggest drawbacks: The rate for cash redemptions is disappointingly low at 0.6 cents per point.
• Alternative: If you like to travel, you could get more value by upgrading to a card with a modest annual fee. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a more robust rewards program and a bigger sign-up bonus. It costs $95, but that fee is easily offset through strategic spending. (Read more about how you can easily offset this annual fee in our review.)
• Bottom line: With an easily attainable welcome bonus and flexible flat-rate rewards program, this is a great card for travelers who can’t be bothered to keep track of spend categories. Bank of America customers can earn even more through the Bank of America Travel Center.

Read our Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for sign-up bonus + general travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• Best features: This top Chase credit card has everything you need in a travel rewards credit card. Cardmembers get a generous base rewards program of 5X points on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, 3X points on dining and 2X points on other travel purchases (1X points on general purchases). There’s also a lucrative sign-up bonus (60,000 points if you spend $4,000 in the first three months), and, of course, no foreign transaction fees.
• Biggest drawbacks: The spend required to earn the bonus may be out of reach for someone on a tight budget. Plus, you’ll need to redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards to get the best value.
• Alternative: The Sapphire Preferred offers the biggest bang for your buck when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, but the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card will be the better option for travelers who like flexibility and want to keep things simple when it comes to earning and redeeming rewards.
• Bottom line: If you’re on the hunt for one of the best travel credit cards and you don’t mind paying a modest annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred allows you to accrue Ultimate Rewards points quickly.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for rotating bonus categories: Discover it® Cash Back

• Best features: One of a select few offering its level of rewards, the Discover it Cash Back offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spend each quarter on rotating categories such as restaurants, wholesale clubs and even online retailers (activation required). After hitting the $1,500 threshold in a quarter, the rewards rate drops to 1% (the same as all other purchases).
• Biggest drawbacks: Due to limited international availability, travelers should research whether Discover is accepted where they’re traveling.
• Alternative: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ also has 5% cash back in rotating categories. But it also has fixed rewards rates in numerous bonus categories, including 5% cash back on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 3% on dining and on drugstore purchases. Unfortunately, you’ll have to pay a 3% foreign transaction fee if you plan to use it for overseas spending.
• Bottom line: The Discover it® Cash Back is a versatile cash back card that is a good match for travelers willing to be strategic in their spending. But if you think you’ll have difficulty keeping up with rotating categories, you might be better served by a flat-rate credit card.

Read our Discover it® Cash Back review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for entry-level Marriott rewards: Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

• Best features: With no annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold rewards both for loyalty spending and general travel spending. Earn up to 14X points at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Also, earn 2 points for every dollar spent on other travel purchases, including airfare, taxis and trains. Plus, you can earn 30,000 points after a $1,000 spend within the first three months from account opening.
• Biggest drawbacks: It isn’t always easy to find room availability despite the fact that there aren’t technically any blackout dates. That can be especially problematic during busy periods like summer holiday travel.
• Alternative: Upgrading to a Marriott Bonvoy card with an annual fee will take you to a new level of perks like a bigger welcome offer and an annual free night. But if you don’t want to pay an annual fee and aren’t loyal to the Marriott Bonvoy hotels, a general-purpose travel card like the Discover it® Miles could be a better fit.
• Bottom line: Marriott loyalists looking for a fast-track to status can’t go wrong with this no annual fee card.

Read our Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for hotel rewards: Citi Premier® Card

• Best features: You’ll not only earn 3X points per dollar spent on air travel and at hotels, but this versatile card offers the same rewards rate for purchases at restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations. Also, once per calendar year, get $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, when you book through thankyou.com or 1-800-THANKYOU.
• Biggest drawbacks: Anyone hoping to rake in the rewards on everyday purchases may be less than thrilled with the 1X per dollar rate. Plus, all travel must be booked directly through Citi.
• Alternative: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a midtier travel card with similar features to the Citi Premier. It has the same $95 annual fee and a comparable sign-up bonus value. But it also comes with the chance to earn higher rewards in select travel categories, and rewards have a greater value when you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• Bottom line: The Citi Premier® Card offers a lot of value for globetrotters who regularly dine out, order take out, gas up the car or book hotels and flights. It’s even better if you’re an existing Citi client and are already familiar with its ThankYou Points program.

Read our Citi Premier® Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for flat rewards rate: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

• Best features: The VentureOne offers travelers a 1.25X miles rate on all purchases, plus no annual fee. Miles don’t expire for the life of the account, and there’s no limit to how much you can earn with this card. To welcome new cardholders, Capital One awards 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first three months (a $200 value towards travel).
• Biggest drawbacks: Travelers may feel a tad underwhelmed by the list of airline partners, which so far excludes any major domestic carriers.
• Alternative: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card is also a no-annual-fee credit card that won’t charge foreign transaction fees. But it edges out the VentureOne Rewards with its unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases.
• Bottom line: Anyone with good or excellent credit (a score of 670 or higher) who is on the hunt for a rewards card with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee will want to take a look at the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Read our Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for travel beginners: Discover it® Miles

• Best features: The lack of annual fees, foreign transaction fees and miles limits, plus the flexible redemption options make for a powerhouse travel card for beginners.
• Biggest drawbacks: While this may not be a total dealbreaker for budget travelers and new cardholders, miles can’t be transferred to airline loyalty programs
• Alternative: If you spend a lot on travel and dining, consider upgrading to a travel card with a modest annual fee ($95). The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card costs $95 a year, but compared to a basic travel card, it can help you to maximize the amount of rewards you earn while also providing enhanced benefits like an annual hotel credit, trip cancellation and trip-interruption insurance and a complimentary DashPass subscription.
• Bottom line: If you’re looking for a travel credit card but don’t want to get locked into confusing points offers or an annual fee, the Discover it Miles may just have what you’re looking for.

Read our Discover it® Miles review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for lounge access: The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Best features: With the Platinum Card in your wallet, you’ll enjoy access to the Global Lounge Collection, which Amex states has over 1,300 airport lounges in 140 countries. The high-end card also offers flexibility while traveling, with 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. This option also features unlimited points that won’t expire, a welcome offer of 100,000 points after a $6,000 spend within the first six months and no credit card foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).
• Biggest drawbacks: The Platinum Card does not come cheap – bringing along a $695 annual fee. If your spending habits align with the impressive list of credits and perks that are worth over $1,000, you’ll have no trouble making up that fee. But that immense value starts to drop if you aren’t interested in things like memberships at Walmart or Equinox gyms.
• Alternative: If you want luxury but don’t want to pay such a steep price, you’ll want to consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It has a smaller annual fee of $395 and is a solid pick if you like lounge access and only need a limited amount of luxury perks. Learn more about the Capital One Venture X vs. Amex Platinum Card.
• Bottom line: Those willing to shell out the $695 annual fee will certainly get their money’s worth in top-notch travel perks including lounge access, Hilton Honors gold status and a number of handy travel related statement credits. If you’re constantly on the go, these benefits can be enormously useful.

Read our review of The Platinum Card® from American Express or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for international travelers: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Best features: Unlike most, this card features an annual travel credit of $300 for cardholders to spend anywhere in the world. And when purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, you can earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals as well as 5X points on air travel. You can even earn 3X points on other travel and dining purchases and 1X points elsewhere. (The 10X, 5X and 3X travel rewards rate only applies after you earn your $300 travel credit.) And here’s the kicker: Points are unlimited, don’t expire and receive a 50% boost on travel rewards when redeeming through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
• Biggest drawbacks: This is a well-rounded card, but it comes with a high annual fee of $550. And despite the versatile redemption options (including travel, cash, and gift cards), there is a lower rewards value when you redeem for cash, gift cards or merchandise than when you redeem for travel booked through Chase.
• Alternative: Depending on your spending habits and the level of premium features you’re looking for, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could be a better fit. It has a smaller annual fee and still packs a punch when it comes to luxury perks like lounge access and annual travel credits. Learn more about the Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• Bottom line: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is for jetsetters who spend enough on dining and travel to justify the high annual fee.

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

Best for no blackout dates: American Express® Gold Card

• Best features: Not only does the American Express Gold Card offer no blackout dates, it provides cardholders with bountiful rewards like a welcome offer of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. See if the Amex Gold is right for you.
• Biggest drawbacks: Both the $250 annual fee and welcome offer threshold may be a little high for someone on a budget.
• Alternatives: If you don’t travel enough to justify the $250 annual fee, a no-annual-fee credit card like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 3X points for dining and doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. Pair it with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express ($95 annual fee), which offers an impressive 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%), and you could see bigger cash back rewards for less of an annual fee.
• Bottom line: This card will benefit travelers who spend a good bit at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets and prefer to redeem rewards on travel versus cash back.

Read our American Express® Gold Card review or jump back to this card’s offer details.

What is a foreign transaction fee?

Foreign transaction fees are charges that credit card issuers and payment networks place on purchases made in a foreign currency or on purchases that involve a foreign bank. A foreign transaction can be a purchase processed through a foreign bank (such as when you buy something from a non-U.S. retailer website) or when you travel overseas, including when you use an ATM. Note that there can actually be multiple fees at a foreign ATM, including a flat-rate international ATM surcharge as well as an ATM access fee.

Usually, a credit card foreign transaction fee is around 3% of the purchase price. Of that 3%, your card issuer typically charges 2% for processing the transaction and the remaining 1% is for converting the transaction from one currency to another. To put this in perspective, a $100 purchase would cost you an additional $3 in foreign transaction fees.

Which credit cards work internationally?

You won’t have trouble using your credit card at home. In the U. S., the four major credit card networks – Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover – have an acceptance rate of 99% or higher among merchants who accept credit cards. But it’s a different story overseas.

According to their respective websites, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted in over 200 countries and territories around the world. But Visa and Mastercard are more widely accepted at over 70 million merchant locations compared to Discover’s network of over 50 million merchants. And while American Express has made great strides to increase its international presence beyond 160 countries, it still doesn’t match the power of Visa or Mastercard.

But that doesn’t mean your Discover or American Express card won’t provide tremendous value when traveling abroad or making purchases with a foreign bank. It’s just a good idea to have a backup plan, which should include carrying a Visa or Mastercard, as well as your debit card for cash withdrawals and that rare occasion when a merchant doesn’t accept any credit card.

How to avoid foreign transaction fees

The easiest way to avoid foreign transaction fees is to use a credit card that doesn’t charge for overseas purchases. Why? Typically, in terms of convenience and security, credit cards are the best payment method.

When you use a credit card with no foreign transaction fee, you don’t just avoid an unnecessary fee that eats into your budget. You’ll have an easier time disputing credit card charges than you will debit card purchases or items paid for with cash. Your credit card may also come with built-in protections like extended warranty and purchase protection.

In addition to being safer to use, credit cards are also accessible, meaning anyone can avoid foreign transaction fees. There are credit cards that charge no foreign transaction fee for every credit score range. Take a look at the following cards that charge no foreign transaction fee, no annual fee, and offer a number of valuable consumer protections:

Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards for limited or no credit

• Discover it® Student Cash Back
• Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
• Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards for bad credit

• Discover it® Secured Credit Card
• Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card
• Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards for fair credit

• Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
• Capital One Platinum Credit Card
• Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®

Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards for good credit

• Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards for excellent credit

• Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card
• Discover it® Cash Back
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Pros and cons of a no foreign transaction fee credit card

How to choose a no foreign transaction fee credit card

How to make the most of a no foreign transaction fee credit card

• Contact your bank before you travel. Make sure to notify your bank before you travel, as 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.
• Come prepared with multiple cards. Whether you’re traveling domestically or abroad, your ability to use a credit card at a merchant depends on whether the merchant accepts that card’s payment network. If you’re planning to travel internationally and your primary card is American Express or Discover, it’s best to bring along a Visa or Mastercard as a backup.
• Know how your rewards programs define “travel.” It’s important to pay attention to the specifics to get the most from your rewards credit card. 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.

Foreign transaction fees by card issuer

Below are the standard credit card foreign transaction fees for top issuers. Some issuers, like Capital One and Discover, elect not to charge a foreign transaction fee on any of their credit cards. Of course, even different cards from the same brand can vary in their fees.

Do I need a chip-and-PIN card for foreign transactions?

It’s a good idea for overseas travelers to have a chip-and-PIN card, but not necessarily a requirement.

Until a few years ago, U.S.-issued cards were swiped using magnetic stripe technology. Now, like Europe, our credit cards have an EMV chip. What happens after you insert the chip differs depending on where you are. While U.S. merchants will usually ask for your signature, European merchants may ask for a four-digit PIN.

The PIN provides an added layer of security and may be required at some overseas vendors — for example, at European train kiosks. Nowadays, however, most merchants can bypass the pin portion of the transaction if you don’t have one.

How we picked the best no foreign transaction fee credit cards

• Rewards: rates, type, ease of redemption: There are a variety of people who can benefit from avoiding credit card foreign transaction fees, from small business owners to travel enthusiasts. We chose credit cards with high rewards rates in spending categories to match, like business rewards and travel benefits.
• Travel perks: One reason you may be hoping to avoid foreign transaction fees is that you have international travel plans. Some of the travel perks you’ll find among our top credit cards with no foreign transaction fee include free checked bags, rental car insurance, airport lounge access and TSA PreCheck credits.
• Sign-up bonus/welcome offer value: Many of the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees also come with lucrative sign-up bonuses or welcome offers. We compared the value of cash back, airline mile and point bonuses to ensure you’re getting the most overall value from these picks.

Number of no foreign transaction fee cards we analyzed: 938

All criteria used: Rates and fees, rewards rates, rewards categories, sign-up bonuses, point values, redemption options, redemption flexibility, credit needed, travel benefits, transfer partners, international customer service, security, ease of application.

More information on credit cards with no foreign transaction fees

• Best credit cards for international travel
• Can you use a Discover card for international travel?
• How to maximize your credit card rewards for international travel
• Capital One Venture Rewards benefits guide

About the Author

Tracy Stewart

Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer specializing in credit card loyalty programs, travel benefits, and consumer protections. He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.

About the Editor

Jeanine Skowronski

Jeanine Skowronski is a credit card expert, analyst, and multimedia journalist with over 10 years of experience covering business and personal finance. She has previously served as the Head of Content at Policygenius, Executive Editor of Credit.com, Deputy Editor at American Banker, Staff Reporter at TheStreet and a columnist for Inc. Magazine.

About the Reviewer

Sally Herigstad

Sally Herigstad is a certified public accountant, author and speaker who writes about personal finance for CreditCards.com. She also writes regularly for MSN Money, Interest.com, Bankrate and RedPlum.com, and has been a guest on Martha Stewart radio and other programs.