The first time I travelled to Europe solo was back in 2011 and I didn’t know much about avoiding fees on credit or debit cards back then.

I took my trusty debit card from my regional bank and paid $3.50 for every cash withdrawal in addition to whatever the local ATM charged. I also traveled with my trusty Chase Freedom Student Card (no longer available for applications) and paid a 3% foreign transaction fee on every purchase made on that card.

I don’t have the records for exactly how much I paid in fees on this trip, but knowing approximately how much I spent, I can estimate I paid over $150 in fees alone during this four-week trip.

With a lot more experience traveling abroad, I now consider a small group of cards to be the best debit cards for international travel, and I don’t leave the U.S. without at least two of these in my wallet (and sometimes three or four!). In this guide, I'll share them with you so that you can hopefully avoid the hefty fees I've been paying in the past.

1. Revolut

Revolut offers different kinds of memberships, some with a fee, but Revolut’s standard fee-free account also comes with a debit card that can be used abroad. The fees you’ll pay for regular transactions will depend on which account type you choose.

Account Type	Monthly Fee	Currency Exchange Fee	ATM Fees	Other Features
Standard	$0	0% up to $1,000 per rolling month for 25+ currencies Monday-Friday; 1% on the weekend	Fee-free at 55,000+ ATMs in the U.S. Fee-free up to $400 per month; then 2% fee	Discounted airport lounge access Earn interest on cash
Premium	$9.99	0% up to $10,000 in 25+ currencies Monday-Friday; 1% otherwise	Fee-free at 55,000+ ATMs in the U.S. Fee-free up to $800 per month; then 2% fee	Global travel insurance Discounted airport lounge access Earn interest on cash
Metal	$16.99	0% for 25+ currencies Monday-Friday; 1% on the weekend	Fee-free at 55,000+ ATMs in the U.S. Fee-free up to $1,200 per month; then 2% fee	Global travel insurance Discounted airport lounge access Earn interest on cash

Pros and cons:

Pros	Different account type options Fee-free ATM withdrawals at 55,000+ ATMs in the U.S. Additional perks like discounted airport lounge access No account minimums
Cons	Complexity in fees and structure Limits on fee-free currency conversion Limits on fee-free out-of-network ATM withdrawals

Learn more about Revolut

2. Wise

If you’ve been traveling for a while, or even if you haven’t, you may have heard about Wise (previously Transfer Wise). Wise is a great tool for transferring money to people in other countries and currencies, and also offers the Wise International Debit Card.

The Wise International Debit Card will automatically convert your USD to local currency at the mid-market exchange rate with no fee if you already have money in your Wise account. If you don’t, Wise will charge a small conversion fee.

You can withdraw up to $100 per month from overseas ATMs with no fee, after which Wise will charge 2%. This is in addition to the fee charged by the local ATM you use, Wise does not reimburse ATM fees charged by other banks.

Pros and cons:

Pros	No foreign transaction fee if you have money in your Wise account No ATM fee on up to $100 in withdrawals monthly No account minimums
Cons	After $100 in monthly ATM withdrawals, a 2% withdrawal fee applies No ATM fee reimbursement Reimburses other ATM’s fee

Learn more about Wise

3. Chime^®

Chime^® is a financial technology company that makes signing up quick and easy. The Chime^® Visa Debit Card has no minimum balance requirements or monthly fees, and members can access fee-free cash withdrawals at over 47,000 ATMs in the U.S.¹

For international travelers, Chime does not charge a foreign transaction fee on card purchases. Keep in mind that out-of-network ATM withdrawals cost $2.50 each, plus any fees the ATM owner may charge.

Pros and cons:

Pros	Fee-free ATM withdrawals at 47,000 ATMs in the U.S.¹ No international transaction fees No account minimums
Cons	$2.50 per withdrawal fee at out-of-network ATMs (including abroad) No ATM fee reimbursement

Learn more about Chime

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

¹Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.

4. Betterment Checking

Betterment Checking is a relative new-comer to the no-fee ATM withdrawals/ATM fee reimbursements space, and it’s well-worth consideration.

Betterment Checking’s Visa Debit Card reimburses unlimited ATM fees and doesn’t charge foreign currency conversion fees, and there’s no minimum account balance either.

For couples who travel together (or separately) and prefer to have a joint account, that’s an option with Betterment Checking.

Pros and cons:

Pros	No foreign currency conversion fee Reimburses other ATM’s fee, typically within 48 hours No account minimums Offers joint accounts
Cons	Relatively new company

Learn more about Betterment Checking

5. Charles Schwab Investor Checking

Charles Schwab Investor Checking was my first go-to when I learned that there were debit cards that reimburse ATM fees charged by other ATMs each month, in addition to not charging an ATM fee on its own.

To get this card, you’ll need to open a Charles Schwab Investor Checking account and a linked Charles Schwab Brokerage account, but as both have $0 minimums and no fees this additional account requirement isn’t a huge deal.

Charles Schwab Investor Checking Debit Card

Pros and cons:

Pros	No foreign transaction fee No ATM fee Reimburses other ATM’s fee No account minimums
Cons	Must open two accounts ATM fee reimbursement happens only once per month Incoming transfers are slow

Learn more about Charles Schwab Investor Checking

6. Fidelity Cash Management

Fidelity Cash Management is another account that I personally have and can recommend based on my experience. It’s a little bit different than the other accounts on this list because the Fidelity Cash Management account is a brokerage account that comes with a debit card.

One thing that’s nice about the Fidelity Cash Management account is that it will reimburse ATM fees on the same day as your ATM withdrawal, compared to the monthly reimbursement from Charle Schwab, that means you’ll get your money back a lot sooner. The flip side is that Fidelity charges a 1% foreign conversion fee on debit card purchases and some cash withdrawals at ATMs.

Pros and cons:

Pros	No ATM fee Reimburses other ATM’s fee Technically a brokerage account Daily ATM fee reimbursement No account minimums
Cons	1% foreign conversion fee on debit card purchases and some ATM withdrawals

Learn more about Fidelity Cash Management

What To Look For When Choosing The Best Debit Card for International Travel

The best debit cards for international travel have a few key features that we kept in mind. Since travellers will generally be using ATMs outside of their home country and often withdrawing money in foreign currencies, we primarily considered cards without foreign transaction fees or ATM withdrawal fees.

Some debit cards will even reimburse ATM fees charged by a local ATM.

For the real-world cost, we assume that you’re a digital nomad and frequent traveler who, on average, makes four ATM withdrawals of $250 each while traveling outside of the U.S. each month.

We assume that the rest of your purchases are made with a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Of course, depending on your destination and digital nomad budget, these numbers could be much lower or higher, but this will give you an idea of what it would cost you to use each of the debit card options we’ve highlighted in this article:

Card Name	Foreign Transaction Fee	ATM Withdrawal Fee	ATM Fee Reimbursement	Monthly Real-World Cost Estimate
Wise International Debit Card	0% (if money is in your Wise account)	$100 fee-free, then 2%	No reimbursement	$18** + other ATM’s fees
Chime®	0%	$2.50 at out-of-network ATMs; Fee free at 47,000 ATMs in the U.S.¹	No reimbursement	$10 + any ATM owner fees (4 × $2.50)
Betterment Checking	0%	$0	No limit, reimbursement within 48 hours	$0
Charles Schwab Investor	0%	$0	No limit, monthly reimbursement	$0
Fidelity Cash Management	1% on some ATM withdrawals	$0	No limit; daily reimbursement	$10
Revolut Standard Account	0% up to $1,000 per rolling month for 25+ currencies Monday-Friday; 1% on the weekend	Fee-free up to $400 per month; then 2% fee; Fee-free at 55,000+ ATMs in the U.S.	No reimbursement	$12* + other ATM’s fees

* Assuming all withdrawals were made during the week. Plus 1% for withdrawals made on the weekend.

** Assuming money is already in your Wise account.

The Bottom Line

If you’re planning to travel abroad for a few weeks, few months, or few years, you need to pick a debit card that will help you save money on foreign transaction/currency conversion fees and minimize the amount you spent on ATM fees.

Here’s our bottom line takeaway from each of the options outlined above:

Wise International Debit Card is ideal for travelers already holding funds in their Wise account, offering competitive conversion rates and low fees on the first $100 withdrawn monthly.
Chime^® offers simplicity and accessibility with its extensive network of fee-free ATMs in the U.S.¹, though it falls short for international ATM withdrawals due to additional fees.
Betterment Checking and Charles Schwab Investor Checking both stand out by offering no foreign transaction fees, unlimited ATM fee reimbursements, making them excellent choices for frequent travellers who face varied banking needs abroad and seeking the absolute lowest cost.
Fidelity Cash Management offers a unique proposition with its daily ATM fee reimbursement, despite a small foreign conversion fee, which might appeal to those prioritizing immediate reimbursements or making small withdrawals.
Revolut provides flexible plans with its tiered account options, catering to diverse needs from basic to extensive travel benefits, though the fee structure can be complex.

There’s no single best option that will be the right fit for every single digital nomad, so you need to weigh the pros and cons of each to find the best fit for your travel style.

If you’re looking to choose your bank account based on more factors than just its debit card, check out our recommendations for the best bank accounts for digital nomads instead.

Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

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Caroline Lupini

Articles by Caroline Lupini

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