Best UK credit cards with no foreign transaction fee

Travelling abroad soon? Whether it’s a sun-soaked Spanish holiday or a backpacking trip across south-east Asia, you’re going to need some spending money.

If you prefer to avoid the inconvenience of exchanging and carrying cash, you might want to pack a travel-friendly credit card. But are there any UK cards that don’t charge fees for spending and withdrawing cash overseas?

Find out below, as we’ll give you a rundown of the best UK credit cards with no foreign transaction fees. This could save you money on your trip and help your holiday budget go a little further.

We’ll also show you a travel-friendly alternative - the Wise card. It’s not a credit card but an international debit card linked to your Wise account. You can use it for spending in 150+ countries worldwide, automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at the great mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee*.

Learn more about the Wise card 💳

6 of the best UK credit cards with no foreign transaction fee

Now, let’s dive into our list of the best UK credit cards for overseas spending.

Take a look below for a quick comparison of the main contenders. We’ve included providers that offer fee-free overseas ATM withdrawals too, along with some that are best for just spending abroad.

Barclaycard Rewards Credit Card¹

The Barclaycard Rewards Card is a great choice for holidays and travel overseas. It has no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees, including for cash withdrawals - this is actually pretty unusual for UK credit cards.

You’ll just need to watch out for fees charged by some ATM operators, and remember that interest on cash-based transactions is likely to start accruing right away.

The card uses Visa’s exchange rate to convert currency and has a representative APR of 28.9% (variable). Plus, you’ll get perks such as 0.25% cashback on all eligible spending.

To apply, you’ll need to be over 21 years old and have an income of at least £20,000 a year. And of course, you’ll have a good credit history and pass other eligibility checks.

Halifax Clarity Credit Card²

Another good pick for travel is the Halifax Clarity Credit Card. It has no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees. Like with the Barclaycard Rewards Card, this also includes overseas ATM withdrawals.

Just watch out for fees charged by the ATM operator, and remember that interest will start accruing from the day you make the withdrawal.

Currency is converted using either the Visa or Mastercard exchange rate on that day. There’s no set interest rate, as this and your credit limit will be determined upon application.

The Halifax Clarity card is a pretty straightforward travel credit card, with not much in the way of extra features. However, like other credit cards it does offer purchase protection of up to £100 on single purchases.

To apply for the card, you’ll need to be a UK resident over the age of 18, with a job and regular income.

NatWest Travel Reward Credit Card³

The NatWest Travel Reward Credit Card charges no foreign transaction fees on spending, although it does have a 3% (min. £3) fee for ATM withdrawals.⁴ Any cash-based transactions will also start accruing interest right away.

This is a card that gives you something back when you make travel-related purchases. It offers 1% cashback on eligible travel spending, which includes flights, train tickets and transport bookings, car hire, hotels, cruises, travel agents and more.

You’ll also get 1% to 15% cashback when spending with selected partner retailers.

The representative APR for the card is 27.9% (variable), there’s no annual fee and the Visa exchange rate is used for converting currency

To apply for this card online, you’ll need to be a UK resident aged 18 or over, with an annual income of at least £10,000.

Santander All in One Credit Card⁵

The Santander All in One Credit Card is a good choice for spending abroad, as it has no foreign transaction fees for purchases.

However, like the NatWest card, it charges a 3% fee (min. £3) for ATM withdrawals - and interest is likely to start accruing immediately.

It also gives you 0.5% cashback on all spending, up to a maximum of £10 a month. But there is a £3 monthly fee, so you’ll need to do your sums and figure out if you’ll earn enough in cashback to offset this.

The representative APR for the card is 29.8% (variable), and it will either use the Visa or Mastercard exchange rate for converting currency when you spend abroad.

To apply, you’ll need to be a UK resident over the age of 18, with an income of at least £10,500 a year.

Bip Cardless Credit⁶

Bip offers something a little different than a standard UK credit card. It’s a UK fintech company which specialises in cardless credit on your phone.

This means you don’t get a physical plastic card, but a virtual one that lives on your phone. It lets you make contactless payments without having to dig around in your wallet for the right card.

With a Bip card in your mobile wallet, you can spend overseas with no foreign transaction fees. You can also withdraw cash fee-free, although you’ll have to find a cardless ATM - and these are hard to come by.

The provider also charges no monthly or annual fees, and uses the Mastercard exchange rate for currency conversions.

Bip cardless credit has a representative interest rate of 34.9% APR (variable), which is higher than some of the other providers on our list.

To apply, you’ll need to be a UK resident aged at least 18.

Zopa Credit Card⁷

Last but not least, we have the Zopa Credit Card. It’s a decent pick for travel, as it has no foreign transaction fees for spending outside the UK.

You’ll just need to be mindful of the £3 fee per cash withdrawal - and remember that interest on cash withdrawals will start accruing right away.

But if you just use the card for spending, Zopa won’t charge you any fees. There’s no annual fee either.

The representative APR for the Zopa Credit Card is 34.9% (variable), just like with Bip cardless credit. It uses Visa’s exchange rate to convert currency.

Before you apply, you can check your eligibility on the Zopa website.

Things to remember before using credit cards abroad

Using a credit card for spending overseas can be super convenient, but there are also some potential pitfalls to avoid. Here are some key things to bear in mind:

• Many UK credit cards charge a high fee for overseas cash withdrawals
• Even for cards that offer fee-free ATM withdrawals overseas, interest will almost certainly start accruing right away. This means that there isn’t the usual interest-free cushion you have for purchases, which gives you time to repay before interest is charged.
• Some credit cards also have a higher interest rate for cash-related transactions.
• Watch out for ATM operator fees too - these aren’t charged by your card provider, but they can be pricey nonetheless.
• Make sure you can afford the minimum repayments before using a credit card for holiday spending. It’s easy to let loose on spending while on holiday, but you don’t want to return to the UK only to face the stress of unaffordable debt.

Get the Wise card for international spending and cash withdrawals

Looking for an alternative for holiday spending? Check out the Wise card. It isn’t a credit card, but is a fantastic option for low-cost spending and cash withdrawals worldwide.

Open a Wise account online and you can order the Wise card for a one-time fee of £7 or get the virtual Wise card for £0. You can use this clever card in 150+ countries. It automatically converts your pounds to local currency whenever you spend using the mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee* – or it’s free if you already have the local currency in your Wise account.

Need cash? You also get two free ATM withdrawals for up to 200 GBP (or currency equivalent) each month. Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

And if you need to send money overseas, such as to pay expenses on a holiday home or book a hotel, you can use your Wise account to do it in just a few clicks.

Sign up with Wise for free 🚀

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 09-Apr-2025