Best Credit Cards Without Foreign Transaction Fees

What the fee costs

A 2.5% foreign transaction fee is added to purchases in another currency, including many online purchases. On $3,000 of spending that is $75, and on $10,000 it is $250. A card with no fee avoids that, though the exchange rate still applies.

The cards with no fee

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ ($150) adds six lounge visits and a full insurance package. The Scotiabank Gold American Express ($120) has a $12,000 income requirement and high earn rates on groceries and dining, though foreign-currency purchases earn only 1x. The Home Trust Preferred Visa ($0) adds no surcharge but includes no travel insurance and is not available to Quebec residents.

Catches to check

A no-fee card is not automatically the best card abroad. Check the rewards on foreign purchases, the insurance included, and whether the card is accepted where you are going. Some banks also charge a currency conversion margin inside the exchange rate, so the savings may be less than the fee alone suggests.

How to use this

For heavy foreign spending, use a no-fee card as your main card abroad and keep a second card on another network as a backup. For occasional trips, a rewards card with a fee may still come out ahead if its benefits outweigh the foreign fee.

The cards in this guide

Facts come from each issuer's own pages and were last verified October 28, 2026. Confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.

• ScotiabankScotiabank Passport

  Card shapeVisa

  Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ Card

  $150 annual fee · no foreign transaction fee · Scene+

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• ScotiabankScotiabank Gold Amex

  Card shapeAMEX

  Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

  $120 annual fee · no foreign transaction fee · Scene+

  Read the full card profile
• Home TrustHome Trust Preferred Visa

  Card shapeVisa

  Home Trust Preferred Visa

  No annual fee · no foreign transaction fee · CashBack Rewards

  Read the full card profile