Top 4 Credit Cards With No International Fees
Tired of those hidden fees that pop up whenever you’re making purchases abroad or even just shopping online? We get it – those charges can quickly add up and become a real headache.
Imagine being hit with a 3% foreign transaction fee every single time you make a purchase. It’s a frustration many travellers and online shoppers are all too familiar with and fed up with.
And it doesn’t stop there. Even when you decide to withdraw cash from an overseas ATM, you’re still not in the clear. On top of that 3% overseas fee, you’re slapped with an additional $5 withdrawal charge and massive interest charges.
And let’s not forget the cherry on top – those pesky overseas ATM operator fees that can tack on another chunk of change, turning a simple cash withdrawal into a costly affair.
But fear not because we’ve got your back.
In this guide, we will compare credit cards with no international fees, offering solutions to bypass those annoying charges. We’ll explore:
- Benefits of Credit Cards with No International Fees
- Our Top 4 Picks
- How to Select the Perfect Credit Card for You
- Other Ways to avoid foreign transaction fees and save your hard-earned cash
- Extra caution: Avoid massive interest charges!
Benefits Of Credit Cards With No International Fees
The most obvious benefit here is the money you can save on foreign transaction fees. As we’ve already explained, fees can add up quickly and get pricey between fees on purchases and when withdrawing cash at overseas ATMs.
No foreign transaction fee on purchases
None of the cards we will look at today have international transaction fees. That means you won’t be charged the usual 3% foreign transaction fee when making purchases.
Extra Perks
Depending on which card you select, you could be rewarded with some extra perks, such as;
- Free International Travel Insurance
- Interest-free periods
- 0% p.a. on purchases
- Earn rewards points on spending
And more. We’ll cover more of what each of our favourite picks offers below;
Our Top 4 Picks For Best Credit Cards With No International Fees
We took a close look at several credit cards with no foreign transaction fees and found these to be our top favourites;
Bankwest Breeze Platinum Credit Card - Lowest Interest Rate
Best Features
- Lowest interest rate at 9.90%
- No international transaction fees on purchases
- 0% p.a. on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months
- Up to 55 days interest free on purchases
- Low annual fee
- Complimentary international travel insurance
Bankwest Breeze Platinum Credit Card
- Free annual fee first year, then $69 annual fee
- 55 interest free days
- Free international travel insurance that includes the basics but does not cover cancellation costs, pre existing conditions and travellers over 80
- $6,000 minimum credit card
- 0% p.a. on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then reverts to 9.90%
- 21.99% interest rate on purchases and cash advances
- Cash advance fee of the higher of $4 or 2% of cash advance
- Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
The Bankwest Breeze Platinum is a great no frills credit card that offers ‘no foreign transaction fees’ and the lowest interest rate on the market, at 9.90%. These two factors alone will save you hundreds of dollars when travelling overseas.
In addition it has a low annual fee and complimentary international travel insurance. Finally for its price point it is a great value credit card that will be accepted most places around the world.
ING One Low Rate Credit Card - No Annual Fee and Lowest Cash Advance Rate
Best Features
- No annual fee
- No international transaction fees on purchases
- Up to 45 days interest free on purchases
- Lowest cash advance interest rate of 11.99%
- Use instalment plans to pay off your purchases over time at a lower interest rate
ING One Low Rate Credit Card
- 11.99% interest rate on purchases
- $6,000 minimum credit card
- Make payments from your mobile with pay with Apple Pay and Google Pay
- International ATM fee and Foreign currency conversion fee are waived when you deposit $1,000 into your Orange Everyday each month, and make 5+ card purchases that are settled. Otherwise they are the higher of 3% or at least $3
- Put repayments on auto payment each month to pay the minimum balance or full amount
- Can be used wherever Visa is accepted
The ING One Low Rate credit card ‘does what is says on the packet’ - offers a low interest rate for purchases and cash advances. It is 11.99%. The cash advance interest rate is very low and about 50% less than most of its competitors who charge around 22% on cash advances. In addition the ING One Low Rate credit card has no annual fee.
Finally it has no international transaction fees, so you can save money on your travels and when you buy goods from overseas.
ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Credit Card - Best Insurance Coverage
Best Features
- Free access to 7 types of insurance including International Travel Insurance
- No international transaction fees on purchases
- Up to 55 days interest free on purchases
- Same interest rate on purchases as cash advances
- Access to ANZ Rewards program, sign up bonus of 40,000 points
ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Credit Card
- 20.24% interest rate on purchases and cash advances
- $120 annual fee
- $6,000 minimum credit card
- Earn 1.5 Reward Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases up to and including $2,000 per statement period
- Earn 0.5 Reward Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases above $2,000 per statement period
- Works with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay
- Can be used wherever Visa is accepted
The ANZ Rewards Travel Adventure credit card offers the widest range of insurance including International Travel Insurance and Transit Accident Insurance when you travel overseas for up to 6 months for people under 80 years of age. Overseas medical expenses, even with a pre-existing condition will be covered with no excess to be paid.
In addition it covers travel cancellations, travel delay, lost luggage, up to $5000 per card holder for rental vehicle car excess. Finally it covers up to $3 million in personal liability for the card holder, their spouse and dependents.
HSBC Low Rate - Lowest Minimum Credit Limit
Best Features
- $1,000 credit limit available
- No international transaction fees on purchases
- Up to 55 days interest free on purchases
- 0% p.a. on balance transfers for the first 20 months (a 2% one-off balance transfer fee applies)
- Free domestic travel insurance
HSBC Low Rate Credit Card
- 12.99% interest rate on purchases
- $99 annual fee
- $40,000 minimum annual income
- 25.99% interest rate on cash advances
- $30 late payment fee
- Cash advance fee of the higher of $4.00 or 3% of the transaction amount
- 0% p.a. on balance transfers for the first 20 months (a 2% one-off balance transfer fee applies), then it reverts to 25.99% p.a
- Works with Google pay and Apple pay
- Can be used wherever Visa is accepted
If you want a credit card with a low limit for ‘just in case emergencies’, then the HSBC Low Rate credit card is a great option. It offers a very low minimum credit limit of $1000. In addition it offers no international transaction fees, 55 days interest free, a low interest rate of 12.99% and a relatively low annual fee of $99.
However its cash advance fees and interest rates are crippling and some of the most expensive on the market so we strongly advise using a different card for international ATM withdrawals.
Choosing The Right Card For You
Now that we’ve compared these credit cards, you can consider which is best for your situation.
We recommend considering several factors, such as;
- Countries you travel to or buy from: Some cards are better suited for certain countries. Consider the exchange rates and whether or not that card is accepted in the country you intend to travel to.
- Paying off balances to avoid interest - If you take advantage of the interest-free period that certain cards offer, as long as you can pay up the balance within the required time, you won’t be charged interest.
- Are the perks worth it? - Consider whether or not the cards’ options are worth it for your situation. Will you be saving money in the long run?
Other Ways To Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees And Save Your Hard-earned Cash
Planning is the best way to save your hard-earned cash when travelling overseas or buying online.
Consider which option from those we’ve reviewed is best suited for you and your intended destinations. Sometimes, bringing just a credit card with no international fees may not be enough.
You could always have a mixed strategy, like bringing your credit card along with a debit card and then also bringing some cash with you;
ING Orange Everyday
A great option to consider is the ING Orange Everyday account and cards, which offers rebates on international transaction fees and some ATM withdrawal fees when you meet eligibility criteria.
Although ING recently removed rebates on overseas ATM operator fees, you can still benefit from unlimited rebates on the 3% international transaction fee, and five rebated ING ATM withdrawal fees monthly.
Up Bank
Another option is Up Bank, which offers no international transaction fees and allows free ATM withdrawals overseas. It is a top pick for Aussies looking to avoid sneaky bank fees when travelling or shopping online abroad.
Customers praise Up Bank’s easy sign-up process, mobile app for tracking spending, and partnership with Wise for international money transfers.
Other Travel Cards
There are several cards designed especially for travel and making online purchases.
They remove the international transaction fee, have low fees, competitive currency conversion rates and offer free ATM withdrawals.
Some great examples are the Wise Travel Card, Revolut and Travelex Money Card.
Changing your Currency Before Travelling
The simplest way to avoid fees on each transaction is to bring cash. All you have to do is convert your Australian dollars to the foreign currency of the country or countries you plan to travel to.
You can convert your currency online and have it delivered directly to you or collect it in-store.
Online money exchangers like S Money are often an easy and cheap way to buy foreign currency. You usually only pay a small fee and the currency exchange rate, no hidden fees!
Extra Caution: Avoid Massive Interest Charges!
Something to be especially aware of when using your credit card abroad is withdrawing cash from an overseas ATM. You will be subject to cash advance fees and interest charges.
These can add up to huge costs and sting a lot of travellers who need to be made aware. We recommend you only withdraw cash from your credit card if in an absolute emergency.
We’ve compared some great options for choosing the best credit card with no international fees.
We recommend a credit card for emergencies, as it can be more expensive than using a debit card or cash. However, depending on your situation, you can take advantage of some great perks and rewards points programs.
Remember to consider where you’ll be going and what facilities will be readily available. And don’t be afraid to consider more than one strategy.
Do any of these options fit well with you?
