Last Updated: February 17, 2026
Travelling abroad? Don’t let your bank punish you with hidden fees and awful exchange rates. Here's how to avoid foreign transaction fees and save money every time you spend overseas.
💡 The Problem with Traditional Banks
Most high street banks still charge hefty non-GBP transaction fees (usually 2.75%-3%) when you spend abroad – and they often apply a poor exchange rate on top. That means you could be losing 5-10% on every purchase abroad.
Common foreign usage fees:
- Barclays: 2.99% foreign transaction fee
- HSBC: 2.75% + bad exchange rate
- Lloyds / Halifax: 2.99%
- NatWest / RBS: 2.75%
- Santander: 2.95%
✅ The Fix: Use Smart Cards That Don’t Charge Foreign Fees
Instead of your regular debit card, use a digital bank or money app that gives you:
- No foreign spending fees
- Real-time Mastercard/Visa exchange rate
- Better tracking and budgeting while abroad
Here are cards worth comparing and how their signup offers work 👇
🌍 Curve – One Card to Rule Them All
Use Curve to connect all your cards, then spend from just one smart card while abroad. Curve gives you the Mastercard exchange rate with 0% foreign usage fees.
🤑 Get £10 free with code “JENZO”
📖 Read the full Curve review
💳 Monzo – Fee-Free Travel Spending + Budgeting
Monzo is a brilliant travel companion. Use it abroad with no extra charges on spending, plus helpful tools like budgeting, instant notifications, and card freeze.
🎁 Get £10 free with Monzo
📖 Read the full Monzo review
🌐 Revolut – Ideal for Travel & Multi-Currency Accounts
Revolut supports 30+ currencies, gives you the interbank exchange rate, and offers travel perks like stock rewards, crypto access, and real-time spend tracking.
🎁 Get £5 when you join Revolut
📖 Read the full Revolut review
🌍 Monese – EUR & GBP Accounts with No FX Fees
Monese lets you hold EUR, GBP, and RON with no conversion fees on spending. Ideal for frequent travellers or anyone who earns in more than one currency.
🎁 Get up to £10 with Monese – use code STEVE879
📖 Read the full Monese review
🔁 Always Choose to Pay in Local Currency
When paying in-store or online abroad, always choose to be charged in the local currency (USD, EUR, etc.), not GBP.
Why? If the store converts it, you’ll get a terrible exchange rate. Let your card handle the conversion at a much better rate.
📲 Travel-Friendly Features to Look For
All the apps above offer:
- 🌐 Mastercard or Visa wholesale exchange rates
- 🔒 Card freeze, fraud alerts, instant spend notifications
- 💳 Virtual cards for safe online purchases
- 📊 Budgeting and transaction insights
- 💸 Signup bonuses and cashback
✈️ Final Thoughts – Travel Smarter, Spend Smarter
Avoiding foreign transaction fees is one of the easiest travel hacks. By switching to a fee-free digital bank card and paying in local currency, you could save hundreds per year.
What I Do When Travelling to Avoid Card Fees
I use a simple process on trips: pay in local currency, avoid cash withdrawals unless needed, and track everything from one card app. Curve has been useful for this because I can keep one card in my wallet and still switch the underlying payment card if needed. I have used the same method on longer drives and cross-border travel, including a multi-day Belgium trip, and it removes most of the guesswork at payment terminals. My rule is never accept the terminal conversion to GBP because that is usually where the hidden cost sits. Keeping the card setup sorted before travel has been the biggest win for avoiding foreign transaction surprises.
Steven | UK driver and frequent road trip user
I’m Steven, founder of MoneyAppReviews. I test money apps, referral programs, and EV tools in real life before I write about them. I drive a 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, use Octopus Intelligent Go for home charging, and regularly track costs, savings, and app performance over time. I focus on practical, evidence-based reviews that help people decide what is actually worth using, not just what pays the highest commission.