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.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine.
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i want to know if am going to any country should load the currency of that country in my Visa card or i can use USD or euro to use there?
nikkiangcoJuly 24, 2018
Hi Rehman!
Thanks for getting in touch!
Yes, you should load the currency of the country you’re going to in your Visa Travel Card to save money on foreign exchange fees. Depending on where you’re going, it’s always good to use the local currency if paying in cash.
Hope this helps!
Nikki
FrancisApril 25, 2018
Why can’t shops except my travel card when I have sufficient funds, or is the card only to use in ATM machine.
Finder
RichApril 25, 2018Finder
Hello Francis,
Thanks for posting your comment here.
As an added protection for cardholders, transactions from overseas are closely monitored and flagged by the system if it looks suspicious. This is one of the reasons why credit card companies require customers to notify them of their dates of travel. This way, they can expect purchases from overseas and mark them as an authorized transaction.
If you have sufficient funds and you are able to withdraw from the ATM but you are unable to make purchases, then it’s best to call your card issuer to have it checked.
Cheers!
Rich
KKNovember 22, 2017
I wish to have money equivalent to 100 u s dollar during my forthcoming trip to Sri Lanka for a week.I have hdfc bank debit card (Master Card) & pnb Global credit card (VISA) with me with sufficient balance in it.Do I still need to carry the exchange money in cash for Sri Lanka.If yes,then how much,so as not to face any scarcity of funds at any stage during the trip. Thanks.
K.K.Kaul
Finder
RenchNovember 22, 2017Finder
Hi KK,
Thanks for reaching out to us. Please note that we are not affiliated with any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.
The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Rupee (LKR). The Sri Lankan government has tight control over the national currency and there are strict limits on the number of rupees you can bring in and out of the country (up to 5,000 LKR). Because the Sri Lankan rupee isn’t an international currency, you’ll need to change your US dollars or withdraw rupees from an ATM when you arrive.
You can check out our Sri Lanka travel money guide to have an idea of how much cash you should bring and other travel money options that might be suitable for your trip.
The popular P2P app offers a no-fee debit card with cashback rewards.
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i want to know if am going to any country should load the currency of that country in my Visa card or i can use USD or euro to use there?
Hi Rehman!
Thanks for getting in touch!
Yes, you should load the currency of the country you’re going to in your Visa Travel Card to save money on foreign exchange fees. Depending on where you’re going, it’s always good to use the local currency if paying in cash.
Hope this helps!
Nikki
Why can’t shops except my travel card when I have sufficient funds, or is the card only to use in ATM machine.
Hello Francis,
Thanks for posting your comment here.
As an added protection for cardholders, transactions from overseas are closely monitored and flagged by the system if it looks suspicious. This is one of the reasons why credit card companies require customers to notify them of their dates of travel. This way, they can expect purchases from overseas and mark them as an authorized transaction.
If you have sufficient funds and you are able to withdraw from the ATM but you are unable to make purchases, then it’s best to call your card issuer to have it checked.
Cheers!
Rich
I wish to have money equivalent to 100 u s dollar during my forthcoming trip to Sri Lanka for a week.I have hdfc bank debit card (Master Card) & pnb Global credit card (VISA) with me with sufficient balance in it.Do I still need to carry the exchange money in cash for Sri Lanka.If yes,then how much,so as not to face any scarcity of funds at any stage during the trip. Thanks.
K.K.Kaul
Hi KK,
Thanks for reaching out to us. Please note that we are not affiliated with any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.
The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Rupee (LKR). The Sri Lankan government has tight control over the national currency and there are strict limits on the number of rupees you can bring in and out of the country (up to 5,000 LKR). Because the Sri Lankan rupee isn’t an international currency, you’ll need to change your US dollars or withdraw rupees from an ATM when you arrive.
You can check out our Sri Lanka travel money guide to have an idea of how much cash you should bring and other travel money options that might be suitable for your trip.
Best regards,
Rench