Foreign fee study 2026: what credit cards cost abroad

What this study is about

Paying by card or withdrawing cash abroad costs extra with some cards and nothing with others. For this study we analysed all open personal cards in our comparison: genuine credit cards with a revolving option, charge cards, debit cards and prepaid cards. Business cards and cards available only to existing customers are not included.

All figures on this page are calculated automatically from our current card data. When a provider changes its fees and we update the data, the tables update too. The data is based on the providers' official price and service lists.

Two fees make the difference

The foreign transaction fee is a percentage surcharge on every payment in a currency other than the euro. It applies at a restaurant in London just as it does to an online purchase in US dollars. Payments in euros within the EU are exempt: they may not cost more than at home.

The second fee concerns cash. Some banks charge a percentage, often with a minimum amount, others a fixed amount per withdrawal, and others offer a free allowance. On top of that, the local ATM operator may charge its own fee. The ATM shows it before you withdraw; it is not included in our figures.

By card type

The table shows, for each card type, how many cards charge no foreign transaction fee and how high the fee is on average where it applies. Genuine credit cards offer a credit line with a revolving option, charge cards are billed in full once a month, debit cards take each payment straight from your account, and prepaid cards only work with a loaded balance.

Is a card with an annual fee cheaper abroad?

An annual fee does not automatically mean fee-free payments abroad, and a free card is not automatically expensive when travelling. The comparison shows how cards with and without an annual fee differ on the foreign transaction fee.

If you only travel once or twice a year, add up the annual fee and your travel costs. A free card with no foreign transaction fee is then usually the cheapest choice. A card with an annual fee is more worthwhile if you actually use its extras, such as insurance or lounge access.

Visa, Mastercard or American Express?

With Visa and Mastercard cards, it is not the network that sets the fees but the bank that issues the card. Two Visa cards can therefore behave completely differently abroad. American Express issues its cards in Germany itself, including partner cards with PAYBACK or BMW. Revolut issues its cards as Visa or Mastercard depending on availability, so they have their own row.

For acceptance, however, the network does matter: Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere in the world, American Express not in every shop. When travelling, a second card from a different network is worth having.

What a two-week long-haul trip costs

An example calculation for a two-week long-haul trip shows how the fees add up: €3,000 of card payments in a foreign currency and four withdrawals of €200 each. The annual fee is not included, and free allowances are assumed to be unused.

With 23 of 51 cards, this trip costs nothing in fees. The others cost between €6.00 and €137.62.

How to avoid foreign fees

These points keep your statement free of nasty surprises after the trip:

• Use a card with no foreign transaction fee for payments
• For cash, check the bank's fee and any free allowance
• Always pay in the local currency at the terminal and the ATM, not in euros – converting on the spot (Dynamic Currency Conversion) is usually more expensive
• Check the ATM operator's fee on the screen before withdrawing, and withdraw larger amounts less often
• Take a second card from a different network as a backup

Methodology and how to cite

The basis is all open personal cards in our comparison as currently recorded. We count the foreign transaction fee for card payments in a foreign currency according to the provider's price list. Only cards whose bank charges no fee at all for withdrawals in a foreign currency count as “free cash”; cards with a free allowance are not counted. Averages are unweighted means across the cards that charge a fee. ATM operator fees, mark-ups built into the exchange rate and interest are not included.

Media, blogs and consumer sites are welcome to use the figures. Please cite “kreditkartenvergleich.io” as the source, link to this page and state the date you accessed it, as the values change with the card data.

Frequently asked questions about foreign fees

What is the foreign transaction fee?

A percentage surcharge the bank charges on payments in a currency other than the euro. It is listed in the card's price and service list.

Is there a foreign transaction fee in the eurozone?

Not for payments in euros. Within the EU, payments in euros may not cost more than at home. The bank may still charge a fee for cash if it does so at home too.

May I quote the figures from this study?

Yes. Please cite kreditkartenvergleich.io as the source and link to this page. As the values are continuously calculated from the current card data, it is best to state the date you accessed them as well.