Traveling outside the US? Want to avoid pesky foreign transaction fees while paying with a card? We got you! After comparing dozens of checking accounts, here are the best international debit cards with great perks, no foreign transaction fees and no monthly maintenance fees.
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8 best debit cards for international travel
SoFi Checking and Savings
Chime® Checking Account
Revolut debit card
Wise debit card
Varo Bank
Capital One 360 Checking
Charles Schwab Investor Checking
Betterment Checking
Methodology: How we choose the best international debit cards
Finder’s experts researched and analyzed over 150 debit cards to find ones with minimal or no charges on the following: international ATMs, foreign transactions and currency conversion fees.
We also consider factors like monthly fees, minimum balance requirements and interest rates when picking the best cards, particularly when choosing among those that fulfill our major requirement of limited international fees.
What about the international Wise debit card?
Wise, formerly Transferwise, is a well-known international account and money transfer service. Wise temporarily paused issuing new debit cards to US customers, but is now able to issue debit cards again for US customers (Wise Business cards still paused). The pause was due to data leaks and issues with its partner bank.
Wise is still a great option for money transfer services, offering some of the lowest currency conversion rates in the market.
These factors should be top of mind when comparing the best debit card for international travel:
Foreign transaction fees. Most traditional debit cards charge foreign transaction fees, often at least 3% of the transaction amount. But if you go with SoFi, Chime or Revolut, you’ll avoid those pesky fees.
International ATM fees. If you need to withdraw money, watch out for international ATM fees. Some banks charge a set dollar amount plus a percentage of the amount you withdraw overseas, and some foreign ATM fees aren’t even charged by the bank itself.
Currency conversion fees. A hard-to-avoid fee, you’re likely to run into currency conversion fees when switching currencies. However, some accounts, like Revolut, offer free currency conversions.
Monthly fees.If you don’t use an account that often, you’ll likely want a free checking account with no balance requirements so you can keep it open without worry.
Don’t want to open a new checking account just for traveling? There are alternatives.
Travel credit cards. Great for booking flights and hotels, travel credit cards can offer tasty cashback rewards and perks like travel insurance, baggage insurance and even trip cancellation insurance.
Virtual debit cards. Want some extra security and make contactless payments? Virtual debit cards are a great option for traveling. Revolut is a strong choice, as it offers unlimited virtual debit cards and the account is designed for international spending and money transfer services.
Cash. Cash is king, and you may be able to convert currencies at your local bank. Most currencies exchange for a rate of around 1% to 3%, but it can be risky to carry only cash while traveling. It may be wise to have other payment methods available.
Traveler’s checks. A somewhat outdated method, traveler’s checks are personal checks in the local currency of the country you’re traveling to. In most cases, you just head to your bank and ask for a traveler’s check in the currency of your choice for a currency exchange fee. But unlike plastic and cash, checks are seldom accepted.
Prepaid cards. Don’t want to open a whole checking account for one trip? There are prepaid travel cards, such as the PayPal Prepaid Mastercard® with $0 foreign ATM withdrawal fees. However, most prepaid cards come with foreign transaction fees, often around 3% to 4%, and most charge for loading cash.
You’ll want to be able to spend your money while traveling, whether it’s for getting around, buying souvenirs, booking accommodations or going to restaurants. The best debit cards for traveling have no monthly maintenance fees and don’t charge foreign transaction fees. If none of our best options are for you, compare more of the best checking accounts here.
Frequently asked questions
What is a foreign transaction fee?
Most banks charge a foreign transaction fee when a currency conversion is required. For example, if you make a payment online using your US debit card on an Australian site, your bank needs to exchange USD for AUD to process the payment and will charge you a fee. This fee is usually around 3% of the transaction value, but it varies among banks.
Your bank can charge even more fees when you use a foreign ATM or send an overseas transfer. Plus, it can mark up the cost of a foreign currency and pocket the difference. Because these fees are often charged on top of one another, they can quickly add up if you make regular foreign transactions.
Which bank accounts let me hold multiple currencies?
Some international bank accounts, like Wise and Revolut, allow you to hold multiple currencies.
Can I use my debit card in another country?
You can probably use your existing debit card while traveling to another country, but unless your bank has $0 foreign transaction fees, it might cost you a hefty fee per transaction. You may also want to notify your bank if you travel abroad, as it may flag a foreign transaction as fraudulent and freeze your account.
Should you use a debit card when traveling internationally?
One of the main reasons to avoid using a debit card while traveling internationally is for potential foreign transaction fees, which are common with most checking accounts. But plenty of banks and fintechs with debit cards waive foreign transaction fees, including SoFi, Revolut and Capital One.
What are some popular debit card issuers overseas?
Visa and Mastercard are two popular debit card issuers overseas.
Cassidy Horton is a freelance personal finance copywriter and past contributing writer for Finder. Her writing and banking expertise have been featured in Forbes Advisor, Money, The Balance, Money Under 30, Insure.com, and other top digital publishers. She holds a BS in public relations and an MBA from Georgia Southern University.
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Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
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I’m about to obtain and load a Debit Card (Master Card Cash Passport) ready to travel from Australia to india. Can I just load it up with AUD or should I be putting in USD.
Finder
ValJanuary 28, 2019Finder
Hi Julie,
Thank you for leaving a question. For the MasterCard Cash Passport – you may lock in exchange rates each time you load and reload. Load up to 11 different currencies on one card: USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, THB, CAD, HKD, SGD, JPY, AED and AUD.
For your question, you may either load AUD or USD whichever is more convenient.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Val
RAJANovember 11, 2018
I a m planing to travell to Singapore. Will I be able to use easyshopPlatinum Debit master card of HDFC Bank for purchases And payment towards food ch and taxi fairs or I need to arrange for forex card only
nikkiangcoNovember 22, 2018
Hi Raja,
Thanks for your inquiry and for visiting our page. You may certainly use the easyshop Platinum Debit Mastercard of HDFC Bank for purchases and payment for food, taxi fairs and etc. when you go to Singapore. Call HDFC that you will be travelling to Singapore and inform them of your travel dates so they can activate your card for international transactions. Hope this was helpful. Don’t hesitate to message us back if you have more questions.
Best,
Nikki
SizweOctober 29, 2018
Can i withdraw money from any ATM using my South African Standard bank debit card in USA?
Finder
JhezelynOctober 29, 2018Finder
Hello Sizwe,
Thank you for your comment.
According to Standard Bank (South Africa), your card is accepted at over 30 million merchants worldwide. You may use to withdraw from ATM’s overseas, however, please note that fees may apply. Please note that you need to notify the bank in advance if you’re planning to use your card overseas so they won’t need to disturb your trip with a phone call to authenticate your purchases. You can also activate your card for overseas travel in the mobile banking app by letting the bank know your travel dates before you leave.
To be sure, best to bring with you back up cards and cash.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
ninaOctober 2, 2018
How much will fees cost if I withdraw from my asb debit card in Australia
Finder
johnbasanesOctober 3, 2018Finder
Hi Nina,
Thank you for leaving a question.
The ASB Bank Limited NZ has an overseas ATM withdrawal fee of $7.50. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
GeneOctober 2, 2018
I have a child in the Philippines. I am there for a month every 6 months. WesternUnion fees are reasonable but is there a cash or debit card I can load here in the USA for my baby’s mom to use anywhere in the Philippines without those fees? And can she get cash from an ATM without paying fees? Lastly, are there common banks in both the USA and the Philippines?
Finder
JhezelynOctober 5, 2018Finder
Hello Gene,
Thank you for your comment.
Since you’re looking for a prepaid cash card or debit card, you may want to take a look at the prepaid travel money cards.
These are the cards that you can load up, design when traveling, and can be used in different countries. I have not confirmed that this can be used in the Philippines, however, please do note that most Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex can be used in the said country. You can also withdraw cash through an ATM. Please do note that fees when withdrawing money will still depend on the card. The local ATM fees may apply.
The popular P2P app offers a no-fee debit card with cashback rewards.
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I’m about to obtain and load a Debit Card (Master Card Cash Passport) ready to travel from Australia to india. Can I just load it up with AUD or should I be putting in USD.
Hi Julie,
Thank you for leaving a question. For the MasterCard Cash Passport – you may lock in exchange rates each time you load and reload. Load up to 11 different currencies on one card: USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, THB, CAD, HKD, SGD, JPY, AED and AUD.
For your question, you may either load AUD or USD whichever is more convenient.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Val
I a m planing to travell to Singapore. Will I be able to use easyshopPlatinum Debit master card of HDFC Bank for purchases And payment towards food ch and taxi fairs or I need to arrange for forex card only
Hi Raja,
Thanks for your inquiry and for visiting our page. You may certainly use the easyshop Platinum Debit Mastercard of HDFC Bank for purchases and payment for food, taxi fairs and etc. when you go to Singapore. Call HDFC that you will be travelling to Singapore and inform them of your travel dates so they can activate your card for international transactions. Hope this was helpful. Don’t hesitate to message us back if you have more questions.
Best,
Nikki
Can i withdraw money from any ATM using my South African Standard bank debit card in USA?
Hello Sizwe,
Thank you for your comment.
According to Standard Bank (South Africa), your card is accepted at over 30 million merchants worldwide. You may use to withdraw from ATM’s overseas, however, please note that fees may apply. Please note that you need to notify the bank in advance if you’re planning to use your card overseas so they won’t need to disturb your trip with a phone call to authenticate your purchases. You can also activate your card for overseas travel in the mobile banking app by letting the bank know your travel dates before you leave.
To be sure, best to bring with you back up cards and cash.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
How much will fees cost if I withdraw from my asb debit card in Australia
Hi Nina,
Thank you for leaving a question.
The ASB Bank Limited NZ has an overseas ATM withdrawal fee of $7.50. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
I have a child in the Philippines. I am there for a month every 6 months. WesternUnion fees are reasonable but is there a cash or debit card I can load here in the USA for my baby’s mom to use anywhere in the Philippines without those fees? And can she get cash from an ATM without paying fees? Lastly, are there common banks in both the USA and the Philippines?
Hello Gene,
Thank you for your comment.
Since you’re looking for a prepaid cash card or debit card, you may want to take a look at the prepaid travel money cards.
These are the cards that you can load up, design when traveling, and can be used in different countries. I have not confirmed that this can be used in the Philippines, however, please do note that most Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex can be used in the said country. You can also withdraw cash through an ATM. Please do note that fees when withdrawing money will still depend on the card. The local ATM fees may apply.
Alternatively, you may also want to take a look at the ways to send money to the Philippines.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chatbox on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn