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Barclaycard cans free overseas spending on top-pick Platinum Cashback Plus card
Customers who apply for the Barclaycard Platinum Cashback Plus card from 24 June will pay a fee every time they buy something or withdraw cash overseas – but if you got the card before this you'll continue to be able to use it for free abroad.
The card was previously our top pick for overseas spending, as it was fee-free for use abroad and unlike other cards, if you paid off your balance in full each month, you wouldn't be charged interest on overseas cash withdrawals – as long as you let Barclaycard do the conversion for you and not the local ATM.
New applicants will pay a non-sterling transaction fee of 2.99% when they buy something or withdraw cash overseas. If you applied for a card previously, it will it still be fee-free until 31 August 2023.
Which card is now best for overseas spending?
If you want fee-free spending overseas, there are several options out there.
The Tandem credit card has no fees for overseas spending as long as you repay IN FULL every month, but unlike Barclaycard's previous offer you'll pay interest on any cash withdrawals until you repay. As an added bonus, you earn 0.5% cashback when you spend at least £1 on the card abroad and in the UK. This is credited to your account on each statement date. It has a representative APR of 18.9%.
If you're not keen on a credit card, Starling Bank's* debit card has no non-sterling transaction or cash withdrawal fees worldwide. It's easier to get than a credit card and Starling won't do a full credit check on you if you don't request an overdraft, so it could be a good option if you don't want other lenders to see it on your file.
See our Best Travel Cards for our other top picks.
What does Barclaycard say?
Barclaycard would not confirm it had plans to launch a card with similar fee-free features in the near future.
A spokesperson said: "We have been trialling different versions of the Barclaycard Platinum Cashback card since November 2018. For the most recent stage of our trial, we are testing a version which offers 0.25% cashback on everyday spend."
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