Hi All,
I couldn’t seem to find a thread for this.
I’m currently looking at more options for 0% fx fee travel cards, with no additional transactions fees.
Can you share your experiences with any?
I’m currently looking at the Halifax Clarity card, but would like some input?
Debit: There’s plenty. Chase with the 1%, no FX fee and good exchange is a top.
Credit: Barclaycard Rewards if you don’t have another Barclaycard. I use Halifax Clarity. Virgin Money cards are fee-free in Euros, Swedish Kronor or Romanian Lei (including the Virgin Atlantic credit cards).
My experience with credit cards:
Barclaycard Rewards (Visa) is unique in that you can withdraw cash overseas at an ATM for no extra cost (assuming you pay your statement in full). App is workable but not great, shows pending transactions, doesn’t have spending notifications.
Halifax Clarity (Mastercard) is ok in a “reliably boring” way, app is decent, shows pending transactions, notifications were a bit unreliable/delayed when I used them.
NatWest Travel Rewards (Visa) has had the best app experience I’ve tried to date, shows pending transactions, and reliably sends spending notifications with amount in GBP. This is what I currently use.
There’s Monzo Flex as well which I presume works well but I haven’t used a lot.
There’s also “The NatWest Credit Card” (Mastercard) which has RBS/Ulster equivalents albeit without a reward program.
I did mull a bit over the cashback rate of 0.1% vs 0.25% of Barclaycard but realistically the rates are so low it doesn’t add up to much for me when my spend is also split between an Amex.
The Virgin Money Everyday Cashback CC Everyday Cashback Cards | Virgin Money UK seems to be fx-fee free everywhere, not just EUR SEK RON. 0.25% cashback capped at £15pm.
I think that’s the only Virgin card that’s free worldwide. Most charge 3% or so apart from the Virgin Atlantic which is free in most of Europe.
Nationwide is 0% worldwide but doesn’t do cashback anymore (so wondering what will happen with the various Virgin cards come the merger of credit card operations).
Santander Edge credit card fee free and 2% cashback for first year. £3 a month card fee, but I use it for all spending so it’s worth it. You need a current account but can be the basic one.
Yonder offer zero % and you get approximately 2.5% cashback
Edit: £15/month fee, so if you weren’t planning to use it more widely as your Credit Card, maybe not the most efficient
Yes I find the Virgin M Everyday CB almost as good as the Barclaycard Rewards for spending overseas fx fee-free, with the exception of free ATM withdrawal that only Barc offers, but it’s seldom mentioned. I can’t have the Barc Rewards because I already have 2 other Barclaycards. And maybe Barc 0.25% cashback is not capped ?
Like in American Pie?
I’ve got the Halifax Clarity (the OG from years ago!) and the Nationwide credit card. Have used both and they do what they need, which is provide fee-free spending abroad, without fees or exchange rate load.
No cashback, and don’t care for the apps as I don’t use them, just pay it all off when the statement comes in through the door. Product eligibility criteria apply with the Nationwide one, I got mine when it was offered when I opened the current account, so took it.
I also have the VIrgin Atlantic credit card, which has been mentioned and is free-fee with certain currencies. It is app-only (they got rid of their website management) and the app is a sack o’shite.
I tend to have all three with me in my travel wallet plus some cash, although where I have been (Spain, Italy) in the last few years cards are widely accepted.
I actually think the Nationwide one is quite underrated. 0% on both balance transfers and purchases for 12 months and they offered quite a large credit limit without having to ask. Plus the fee-free overseas use (and if you have other Nationwide accounts it’s easy to manage online). It’s definitely a better product than the FD one I’ve just opened even if the design is 
You need to ‘lose’ it as the new white card is quite nice.
That’s the one I have, but it’s definitely the weakest of all the new designs.
I know this isn’t the card design thread but I am also in the camp for the weakest new design for the Nationwide CC, hopefully they’ll come up with something better by the time my ‘building society, nationwide’ one expires in 2028.
Why not just get the Virgin cashback card and pick up 0.25% as well as free overseas use? In due course, presumably it will merge in some form with that current Nationwide card. Choice of four designs.