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Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.
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Some credit cards charge what's known as a foreign transaction fee. This is calculated as a set percentage of the purchases you make in other countries, such as while you're traveling. You might also encounter foreign transaction fees when you buy online from an overseas merchant. Let's take a closer look at the Chase Freedom credit cards specifically, and discuss the foreign transaction fee you can expect to pay when you use one of these cards in other countries.
Chase Freedom foreign transaction fee
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. Its cousin card, Chase Freedom Flex®, does as well. This means the fee charged will be 3% of the total transaction amount. Transaction fees are charged in addition to the cost of the purchase that triggers the fee. So, if you made a $100 purchase with a 3% foreign transaction fee, the fee would be $3, and the total charge would be $100 + $3 = $103.
The foreign transaction fee applies to transactions made in currencies other than U.S. dollars. This fee also can occur if your transaction passes through a foreign bank.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Up to $300 cash back
Welcome Offer:
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
$200 bonus
Rewards Program:
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases
1.5% - 5% cash back
Rewards Program:
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Intro APR:
0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Intro APR:
0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR:
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
Regular APR:
20.49%-29.24% Variable
Annual Fee:
N/A
$0
Annual Fee:
N/A
$0
Highlights:
INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
Member FDIC
Highlights:
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
If you are physically outside of the U.S. and make a local credit card purchase, you can be assessed a foreign transaction fee. However, foreign transactions can also occur while you are within the United States. For example, an online purchase made in a foreign currency may be treated as a foreign transaction by the credit card company.
You can find out if a credit card charges a foreign transaction fee by checking the pricing and terms document in the cardholder agreement. The pricing and terms are typically provided in the same envelope as your physical card. You can also go to the credit card's website to find a link for the pricing and terms. Foreign transaction fees will be listed in the "Fees" section, usually under "Transaction Fees."
If you don't see a listing for the foreign transaction fee anywhere in the pricing and terms documentation, this typically means the card does not charge a foreign transaction fee.
Do foreign transaction fees matter?
Although 3% of any given transaction may not sound like a lot of money, it can certainly add up over the course of a trip abroad or with a few large purchases in other currencies. If you're on a tight $1,000 budget for your vacation, you don't want to waste $30 on unnecessary fees. Thankfully, it's easy to find rewards credit cards without foreign transaction fees.
Ultimately, foreign transaction fees have the potential to make using a given credit card more expensive when you travel or shop online. It's worth paying attention to these fees and choosing a different credit card that doesn't charge them when you travel or are buying from online retailers that deal in another currency besides U.S. dollars.
Related reading
Learn more about Chase credit cards and their rules and benefits:
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
20,000 ThankYou® Points
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Up to 2% cash back
2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year.
N/A
1% - 5% Cashback
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back
Up to $300 cash back
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
1.5% - 5% cash back
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases
Intro:
0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Other excellent Chase card options without a foreign transaction fee include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Objectively yes, as the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex® both have stellar benefits including decent cash back rates and no annual fee. These cards are probably best left at home if you're traveling outside the country, however.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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