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No one enjoys being charged fees to withdraw cash while abroad, and this can sting particularly when you’re hit with not just a withdrawal fee from the issuing ATM, but also your bank.
With international ATM withdrawal fees usually around $3-5 per use, plus a percentage-based foreign transaction fee, the cost of accessing your own money when traveling can seriously add up.
Fortunately, there are banks out there that don’t charge foreign transaction fees, that will reimburse you for any fees incurred, or that charge lower fees in comparison to other banks.
Here’s a list of great checking accounts or banks to consider that help you avoid those international withdrawal fees.
In general, Chase charges $5 for international cash withdrawals plus a 3% foreign transaction fee. For Chase Premier Plus Checking℠ customers, the $5 withdrawal fee will be refunded for up to 4 withdrawals within a statement period, but this does not include a rebate for any fees incurred from the ATM issuer.
Chase Sapphire Checking customers do not incur any fees, including foreign transaction fees, for withdrawing cash from an ATM abroad. Chase attempts to identify and refund any charges from ATM issuers, but can also be contacted to request a refund if they didn’t identify these fees initially.
Hot Tip: If you’re also in the market for a business checking account, there are multiple great Chase business checking accounts that you should consider.
When withdrawing cash from an international ATM, the Ally Interest Checking Account charges a very reasonable rate of 1%, with the standard being 3%. If withdrawing from an AllPoint, then no ATM surcharge would apply.
Sometimes a surcharge will still display on the ATM screen. However, Ally recommends that customers should proceed with the transaction and the surcharge will not be issued, or it will be refunded within 2 days.
The Ally Interest Checking Account does not require a minimum opening balance and there are no monthly maintenance fees.
With the Aspiration Plus online checking account, you receive one monthly reimbursement of international ATM fees charged when using both network and non-network ATMs, even traveling worldwide.
Aspiration’s fine print does state that a 1% foreign transaction fee is applicable; however, it’s not clear whether this is applicable to ATM withdrawals or for debit card transactions. For any ATM issuer fees incurred, these fees are reimbursed within 2-3 days of the withdrawal.
To open an account, there is a $10 minimum opening balance and a $7 monthly maintenance fee.
Hot Tip: Also avoid paying fee’s when using your cards abroad! See our in-depth article on the best credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees.
If you have a Capital One 360 Checking® account, then you will benefit from no transaction fees for withdrawing cash abroad.
This is only applicable to Capital One 360 customers who set up a checking account online. If you set up a regular account with a physical branch, then you would incur foreign transaction fees on ATM withdrawals. There are no monthly service fees or minimum account balance requirements. You may still incur a flat usage fee from the issuing bank’s ATM, but for some customers, Capital One may reimburse up to $15 per statement month.
If you want to ensure you avoid ATM usage fees, then you can use your Capital One debit card at an AllPoint, available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Australia, and Mexico.
With the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking® account, you receive unlimited rebates for withdrawing cash from international ATMs when using the Schwab Bank Visa® Platinum Debit Card. You can use any bank or ATM network, so this saves the hassle of tracking down a particular ATM when you’re traveling.
The bank will issue a rebate at the end of the month for any ATM fees incurred relating to cash withdrawals, and if you believe a fee is eligible but wasn’t identified by the bank, then you can have Schwab review the charge by calling a Client Service Specialist at 1-888‐403‐9000.
There are no monthly fees or minimum balances required to open the checking account and your account will be linked to a Schwab One® brokerage account, but again, no fees are incurred for this account.
Citibank has an international ATM network spanning 40 countries where Citibank customers can withdraw cash without incurring any foreign transaction or withdrawal fees. Withdrawals must be made from Citibank branded ATMs.
However, for any non-network withdrawals, any fees incurred will be reimbursed to Citigold® customers maintaining an average of $200,000 in eligible linked deposit, investment, and retirement accounts.
Discover Bank does not charge any foreign transaction fees when using international ATMs. However, the bank has limited ATM coverage outside of the U.S..
Debit cards are accepted at ATMs displaying the Discover, Pulse, or Diners Club International logos. Unfortunately, most international ATMs are not part of the surcharge-free network, so a usage fee would be incurred from the ATM issuer.
The Fidelity® Cash Management Account gives customers free ATM withdrawals worldwide, even reimbursing any ATM issuing fees at the end of the statement month.
Fidelity’s website is a little misleading as a disclaimer states that a 1% transaction fee is chargeable; however, actual users have experienced that this applies only to debit card transactions, not ATM withdrawals.
No minimum opening balances or monthly service fees apply to a Fidelity Cash Management account.
HSBC customers benefit from the bank’s expansive global network with branches and ATMs located worldwide. When using most HSBC-branded ATMs internationally, all customers are not charged ATM withdrawal fees; however, a foreign transaction fee of 3% would apply.
This 3% transaction fee is waived for HSBC Premier checking account customers, with eligibility being a $100,000 maintained balance in combined deposit accounts and investments, or a qualifying commercial balance. If the requirements are not met, then a $50 monthly service fee would apply.
PNC Bank charges a $5 fee for foreign ATM withdrawals and $3 for withdrawals in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, plus a 3% transaction fee of the amount withdrawn. These fees are waived for some customers.
For Performance Spend customers, fees will be reimbursed for 4 withdrawals and up to $10 per statement period on ATM surcharges incurred by other financial institutions. This account requires a $25 opening deposit plus a $10,000 average monthly balance across all PNC linked accounts or $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits. Failing that, then a monthly fee of $15 applies.
For Performance Select customers, transaction fees will be reimbursed for unlimited withdrawals and up to $20 per statement period on ATM surcharges incurred by other financial institutions. There is no minimum opening deposit is required if the account is opened online ($25 required otherwise.) Monthly linked account balances must average $25,000 or $5,000 in qualifying direct deposits, or a $25 monthly fee will be charged.
TD Bank charges a standard $3.00 fee for withdrawing cash from non-TD ATMs plus a 3% foreign exchange fee. The ATM issuing the cash may still impose a usage fee for withdrawals or balance checks, and these may be reimbursed for some customers. TD branded ATMs can be found in the U.S. and Canada.
With a USAA® checking account, you will be charged a $2 non-network fee plus a 1% transaction fee for withdrawing cash at an international ATM.
Although there are no waived options for specific account holders, these fees are quite low in comparison to other charging banks. Please note that a USAA account is limited to U.S. military members and their eligible family members.
Wells Fargo charges a flat $5 fee for withdrawing cash from international ATMs; however, this fee is waived for Portfolio by Wells Fargo with unlimited non-network ATM withdrawals. The monthly service fee for this account is $30 unless $25,000 is maintained across linked checking, savings, time accounts/CDs, or FDIC-insured IRA accounts. Alternatively, $50,000 must be maintained in qualifying linked bank, brokerage, and credit balances.
Preferred Checking account holders benefit from 1 fee-free withdrawal per statement period with subsequent withdrawals incurring the $5 fee.
Both of these accounts require a $25 minimum opening deposit.
A bit of research and planning will save you from paying unnecessary international ATM charges. Consider how often, and for how long, you are likely to travel every month. If you travel each month, but for short periods, then you may be satisfied with an account that reimburses you for fees up to a certain amount for each statement month.
If you’re traveling for longer periods or are planning to withdraw large amounts of cash, then you may want to choose a bank with a flat fee rather than a percentage transaction fee. For example, if you’re looking to withdraw $500, then a flat $2.50 flat fee with TD Bank is far more beneficial than a 3% transaction fee, which would be $15.
On the other hand, if you only plan to withdraw small amounts of cash, then the percentage fee could be more cost-effective for you.
If you regularly travel to a particular country, then before you open a checking account, research which banks have ATM availability there. Some banks may offer international ATM coverage, so by planning ahead, you get to avoid any nasty surprises for ATM surcharges.
Use an ATM locator to familiarize yourself with your nearest surcharge-free ATM. This will save you time searching for compatible ATMs when on your travels and avoid having to use a high-fee ATM for urgent cash.
Never use a credit card for cash withdrawals from an ATM as these will always incur higher withdrawal fees than your debit card.
Always withdraw cash in the local currency as you’ll avoid dynamic currency conversion fees from your bank. Choosing to process the transaction in your home currency, rather than the local currency, means your bank can use an unfavorable rate rather than the general rate of exchange.
Bottom Line: Think about how much you travel, where you travel, and how much you think you’d be withdrawing regularly when deciding on which account is best for you.
The best checking account for you will depend on your financial circumstances; example being whether you have a large enough balance to qualify for a premium account that will carry international ATM reimbursement, in addition to various other benefits.
If you’re looking to open a checking account purely for international ATM purposes, then a Capital One 360 or Schwab Bank account makes the most sense with no monthly fees or minimum account balance requirements. A Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking® account comes with the additional benefit of being able to withdraw fee-free at any non-network ATM.
The information regarding Chase Premier Plus Checking℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
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44 comments
Lindsey Miller
July 11, 2019
Have you actually opened and used each one of these accounts yourself before writing this? And have you kept up with the Charles Schwab account? I left my money in my account after my last trip, and within 6 months, they’d invested and lost all $700 dollars worth of my money, even though I didn’t opt in to a lot of the trade deals in the paperwork. I wouldn’t use them unless you pull your money out right after and your trip is less than 2 months long, tops. Not FDIC backed for a reason. Anything that asks you to invest to give you an account that isn’t insured is there to take your money away from you. Might as well pay those atm withdrawal fees along the way.
Catherine Luther
July 12, 2019
Hi Lindsey,
Sorry to hear of your negative experience with Charles Schwab. Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Charles Schwab in any way so if you would like to send any feedback, please do so by contacting them directly. The Schwab Bank High Yield investor Checking account is FDIC covered as detailed here on the Charles Schwab website.
Alex
January 28, 2020
I had a Charles Schwab account for several years (2014-end of 2017) solely for no ATM fees and never had any such thing happen to me. I used the card all the time in over 40 countries and kept money in it long term and it was fine. I don’t think they can just take your money like that unless you accidentally opted into something?
Peter Krass
July 25, 2019
Sounds like the person above maybe didn’t put their money into the checking but left it in the brokerage or something? Also not sure how it got invested without any instructions to do so.
You can’t lose money in a checking account. I have the brokerage account just sitting there empty never even funded to use the checking and it works pretty well.
Also saw that Betterment has a waitlist out for a checking account that won’t have international fees and reimburses for ATMs. Might be a simpler option to get up and running with that and I think I read they won’t be pulling credit on it either.
Catherine Luther
July 25, 2019
Hi Peter,
Yes, it sounds like that may be the case. Thanks for the information on Betterment, we know it’s under a little scrutiny at the moment but we’ll certainly be keeping an eye this checking account.
Albert E Fish
September 07, 2019
Please review Sofi bank.
Catherine Luther
September 08, 2019
Hi Albert, thanks for your suggestion. We’ll take a look for our next update.
Eric Seaman
October 08, 2019
Never open a Charles Schwab account! I did, BIG mistake! When I first opened an account with them they lost my $300 check. I had to talk to many agents to get that straightened out and it took two weeks. They told my foreign bank that my ATM card was stolen, a blatant lie. The bank kept my ATM card. They closed my account without notifying me, stranding me with no money in a foreign nation. I presume because I wasn’t letting them invest (lose) my money in their investment accounts. They would not tell me a reason except that it was a “business policy” and said they do not call customers, even if you are talking to them and get disconnected. They sent a check for my balance over $1,100.00 to my home in the USA which I could not receive, and they did not inform me of this. Absolutely the worst company I have ever had to deal with in my life. Don’t get taken by them.
Alan
December 06, 2019
Schwab Bank doesn’t invest money so something else is going on with Lindsey, and no they don’t invest it in a brokerage account either as they are self directed accounts so her story doesn’t hold any water. My experience with Schwab Brokerage and Schwab Bank have always been outstanding. I have been a customer since 1987.
Jason Smith
January 16, 2020
Just an FYI, I just got a letter from TD bank that starting March 5th they will be adding an ATM foreign transaction fee of 3%.
Craig
February 16, 2020
Have no idea what Lindsey or Eric are talking about. Schwab simply doesn’t do what their accusing them of. I’ve been a Schwab member for over 10 years. My investments have doubled in value in the last year, not because of Schwab but but because I picked good stocks. Learn what you’re doing before investing or dealing with banks instead of blaming them on things you don’t understand.
d
March 07, 2020
please correct your information — citibank charges 3% foreign transaction fees for cash withdrawals even from a citi atm unless you maintain $50K combined balance through their citi priority account
Tim
April 02, 2020
I’m in Thailand, and since August of 2018, TD Banks withdrawal fees for me were $3.00 up until Feb of 2020. This month they charged $3.00 + $18.37 INTL Fee totaling $21.37 to take out $650.00. Plus, tack on the local atm fees here which are 250 baht (roughly $8.50) This brought the grand total to almost $30.00 for one withdrawal. How crazy is that?
Any recommendations to avoid this robbery?
Jarrod West
April 04, 2020
Hi Tim,
Have you tried contacting TD to see why they started charging this fee suddenly? If they are planning to charge that regularly moving forward, I would consider banking with someone else that won’t charge you $30 every time you want to access your money.
Tim
April 10, 2020
Hi. Yes, and when I enquired, their only answer was that they had mailed out a notice that the additional international fees would go into effect on March 1st 2020. Seeing how I get paperless statements, I don’t really believe anything was ever mailed (nothing received).
They say that the new fees will continue.
Jarrod West
April 11, 2020
Well, that is disappointing. If that is the case then I would consider moving your money to another bank so that you do not have to pay such high fees when you want to access your money.
Retired CAV
January 06, 2021
Just use Fidelity, no fee.
Ptyh
February 13, 2023
Sorry to hear that. A recommendation is to open a checking account with Schwab and then the problem is solved. Schwab is the best for travelers by the way. No foreign fees whatsoever in my experience.
Stan
May 06, 2020
The Information listed here regarding TD Bank seems to be inaccurate. TD charges $3 PLUS a 3% international / currency exchange fee!!! (As per their website)
Jarrod West
May 11, 2020
Hi Stan,
Thanks for that information. I’ve updated our post with the accurate info.
B. Lewis
May 07, 2020
TD Bank just altered their fee schedule and they DO charge foreign transaction fees, and they’re high, IMO.
Jarrod West
May 11, 2020
Hi B. Lewis,
We’ve updated our post with the accurate information. Thanks!
Michael Carter
July 16, 2020
I would suggest you go back to Aspiration and check their foreign ATM transaction fee schedule. They no longer reimburse for the use of a foreign ATM, unless one has an Aspiration plus account, for which there is a $4 monthly charge. Customers are limited to “up to one” transaction per month. What a deal. You pay $4 for the privilege of saving $4. This is why I have abandoned Aspiration.
Jarrod West
July 20, 2020
Hi Michael,
Thank you for letting us know! I’ve updated the post to reflect that information.
Julie Workman
November 05, 2020
Um, your update is still REALLy confusing and incorrect. It still says: “there are no international ATM fees charged when using both network and non-network ATMs, even traveling worldwide.”
It does not bother to state that you can ONLY get reimbursed for ONE ATM fee per month.
I’m with Michael Carter above…l am highly disappointed with how quickly Aspiration has changed the rules of the game and I’m considering quitting them too.
Jarrod West
November 05, 2020
Hi Julie,
It seems Aspiration has made further updates to their Plus account from our most recent update – so I’ve updated the post again. Please be advised that we do not have any affiliation with Aspiration, and are merely proving information for readers.
Steve
August 25, 2020
I have heard that these banks that have zero or refunded fees, give lower a lower exchange rate on international transactions. Has anyone experienced that?
Jarrod West
August 25, 2020
Hi Steve,
I do business with Chase, Ally, and PNC, and I have not experienced this with any of them.
James H
May 14, 2023
Whenever I’ve checked the exchange rate that Schwab has used after getting cash out an ATM, it has ALWAYS been very close to the daily published rate. They don’t mess around. Those rates are always far superior to the “street” rates that the local exchange places use to convert cash. It just kills me when I see people using those places, especially at airports. Such a rip off.
Tucker McElroy
September 28, 2020
The Capital One 360 checking account seems like a good option for frequent international travelers at first glance insofar as there are no foreign transaction fees or foreign ATM fees. However, if you plan to use your Capital One 360 debit card (or any Capital One credit card) for online purchases, then be prepared for some MAJOR headaches. Quite often, the bank will not allow online purchases to go through without identity verification. Unfortunately, the only verification option the bank extends is one in which the customer must respond to a challenge code texted to the U.S. mobile number associated with the account. The problem here is obvious: if you’re traveling outside the U.S., then you don’t normally have access to your U.S. mobile phone number. Furthermore, the same verification problem also arises in some communications with Capital One customer support. For example, my Capital One 360 debit card was recently hacked while I was abroad. When I called customer support (via Skype) to report the problem, I was advised that the bank could not ship a replacement card to my international address until I underwent the same identity verification via challenge code. Interestingly, after speaking with four different reps, I was invited to submit to a convoluted verification process in which I was asked to provide a scan of my U.S. passport via an embedded app sent by the bank via email. Final irony: The hacked card I was seeking to replace was only one month old and I had never used it – which calls the efficacy of the bank’s fraud protection protocols into question (again.)
Chris
January 18, 2021
For capital one, you said they “may be reimbursed up to $15 per month for some eligible customers”. What are the stipulations for being eligible?
Catherine Luther
January 19, 2021
Hi Chris,
Capital One doesn’t disclose this information, so you would need to contact them directly to enquire.
Tom Gourley
February 13, 2021
I’m planning on moving to Ecuador, I plan on getting a capItal one credit card for no foreign transaction fees and Charles Swabb checking for ATM withdrawal, pros and cons anyone.
Gena
May 13, 2021
For anyone that is a U.S. Veteran or family member you can open an account with Navy Federal and there are no foreign transaction fees for ATM withdrawals.
JFC
April 27, 2022
As a fellow NFCU member, that’s not correct. Their website’s Fees page specifically says using a Navy Fed debit card internationally for ATM withdrawals will incur a 1% foreign currency conversion fee.
“Point-of-sale and ATM transactions made in foreign countries 1% per transaction”
https://www.navyfederal.org/membership/fees-and-charges.html#fees-charges-accord-5
However, the Navy Fed Visa Platinum CREDIT card does NOT charge any FCF when used for purchases outside the U.S.
Debra
February 22, 2023
I’ve been getting charged for transactions outside of the US. I’m not a veteran but my father was. Is that only for veterans and their dependents?
Rich
June 04, 2021
Wells Fargo has just announced that, as of August 9, 2021, the minimum balance required to avoid international ATM fees is now $250,000, which is quite a jump from the previous required minimum balance of $50k.
Hannah
July 10, 2021
I have a Charles Schwab account for many years even now. I initially opened the account for no ATM fees and later, I also do some investments. I don’t have any issue and it just follows my settings. I used the card in many countries and always have some money in it (not much due to the low-interest rate). I think for any account, people need to be careful and pay attention. My old accounts with BOA, Wells Fargo, and capital one 360 checking all got hacked before. I talked to the banks and they went to investigate and refund me the money (some could be just a few dollars with capital one 360 which I opened but even didn’t have the chance to use). I usually closed that account after the event according to some banker’s advice. Also, banks can change the fee policy at any time, so check often.
JFC
April 27, 2022
Charles Schwab’s combo free brokerage and no-fee/fee reimbursing checking account is the best deal out there for any international travel use. They don’t charge any of their own fees for foreign ATM use, and they fully reimburse any withdrawal fees charged by foreign banks. They’re the best of the best when it comes to international travel.
I’ve had those two linked accounts with Schwab for years, and never had any problems. Their customer service is very responsive and first-rate, and they typically reimburse any foreign ATM fees automatically without you having to pester them. They also don’t use or invest your money kept in accounts with them unless you ask/tell them to, contrary to some claims above.
The Cap One 360 checking account is also a good option, including that it allows up to $5000 per day in in-branch so-called counter withdrawals at foreign banks, which is one way to avoid dealing with anyone’s ATM fees. And since Cap One doesn’t reimburse the ATM withdrawal fees charged by foreign banks, doing the counter withdrawals when traveling is the best bet when using a C1 card.
However, after being a C1 customer with various accounts for literally decades, I ended up canceling the last of my remaining accounts with them this past year. In recent interactions, I found their customer service quality and responsiveness over time has seriously gone downhill, to the point where I felt like the CSRs I ended up having to deal over the phone with for various routine matters were literally brain dead! Their account is good, but woe is you if you have to deal with their customer service.
Bubba
May 17, 2022
Needham Bank reimburses all worldwide ATM fees. See their web site for details.
ORDTGU
March 01, 2023
Travelled in Turkey and used Schwab at a couple of different ATMS. It seems that most that I saw had DCC and % fee (I tried multiple ATMs, all similar). Schwab did refund all fees. In Colombia, Qatar, UAE, Finland Riga & Estonia, ATMS did not charge any fees and gave accurate rate. Canada, Honduras all fees reimbursed.
Mexico, the ATMs ask you if you agree to DCC, you can hit NO and it will bypass it and charge you current rate. I guarantee most people just press yes and are charged DCC. All ATM fees reimbursed with Schwab.
In Thailand, all ATMS that I used charged fixed Baht of 220 (~US$7) , and Schwab reimbursed full amount. Schwab is the GOAT!
Back up emergency card is SOFI (converted to interest account). Just have a couple of $100’s for emergencies and keep card locked using app. New terms are that they will not charge any fees or commissions, but will not reimburse ATM fees. I have yet to use it because Schwab never fails, but good to have a back up in case of loss or theft of Schwab.
Schwab has excellent customer service, they have overnighted my card, they have given me a $25 gift due to a technical glitch on their end. They have some retail stores in large cities in the US, primarily for Investment advice, but they can help. Also I use the mobile check deposit to fund account, or do e-transfers, never fails.
I honestly feel fortunate that during my travels I have access to worry free ATM transactions.
James H
May 14, 2023
Schwab is the best!! I’ve had a brokerage account with them for over 30 years and I only use their card to get money when I travel internationally. They rebate all fees charged by the ATM owner and do not charge an international transaction fee like everyone else. Not once has the card not worked overseas. Domestically, I also use my E*Trade brokerage card to get cash because they also refund ATM fees like Schwab does. Internationally, E*Trade charges a 1% fee, so I don’t use them overseas.
Crystal
July 01, 2023
How is this article about checking accounts to avoid the fees, when every one of them charges the fees you’re claiming to avoid with these accounts?
By the way, Chase is THE WORST bank if you’re trying to avoid fees. I have an account with Chase, and they charge more fees than any bank I’ve ever seen or heard of!
Keri Stooksbury
July 04, 2023
Hi Crystal – We provided some options with reduced or refunded fees. Thanks for reading!
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