Is there still a free swiss *credit* card in euros?

Banks, Insurances & Third Pillar
1

Hello!

I need a credit card in euros. UBS offers it with a fee of at least 80€ per annum as well as Swisscard and Viseca.

The Amex International Currency Card is without yearly fee, but doesn’t seem available Switzerland anymore (plus, it’s an Amex).

Is there a free credit card that I can use in euros in the eurozone, and settle in euros?

I am aware of the debit card offers of Neon, Revolut, etc. That’s not what I need.

Thanks for your help <3

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DKB, 2.5 EUR per month

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Maybe not the reply you’re looking for, since I’m not aware of any free CH-issued EUR credit card, but…

Why and what for?

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Because Italy is a beautiful country where I love to spend money, but I don’t have an account in euros and don’t wish to have one.

I just want to freely spend euros when I feel like it, without prior planning and budgeting, then settle any credit card invoice by wiring the exact amount in euros from IBKR.

5

In an ideal world, this would be great. It’s available in Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Spain and the USA.

6

Debit cards are working fine for most situations these days. There is a lot past assumptions that debit cards are declined, and a ‘true’ credit card is needed. All modern payment systems accept debit just fine or same as a CC. I used my Wise card for hotel reservations, payment and also car payments, including non-european countries. I assume debit cards from other providers are fine, too. Keep balance in EUR on Wise, spend from card - physical card and virtual card(s) online, with no recurring fees. For the rare situation it doesnt work, use the CHF physical CC and eat the 1.2 to 2.5%+forex charge

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As mentioned before, DKB is the smart choice (per my Eurozone buddies).

What you could also do is get a Miles&More credit card, after looking into it I discovered there’s the MyFlex card that comes without monthly fees

What I’ve done: UBS key4 standard (when splitting my time between CH + EE), works fine

8

Thank you, MyFlex looks good and seems provided by DKB.

However, they demand a SEPA standing authorization, therefore expect you to have an account in euros somewhere :frowning:

I would like to avoid opening an account in euros. My goal is to settle my invoices a posteriori, without having to maintain a positive balance in euros.

Kartenabrechnung/Abrechnungskonto

Die nach diesem Vertrag fälligen Forderungsbeträge werden gemäß dem folgenden SEPA-Lastschriftmandat per Lastschrift von diesem Konto eingezogen:

https://antrag.miles-and-more-kreditkarte.com/ch/app/cash?execution=e1s1

9

You don’t need a credit card to spend money.
You can use a debit card to spend (though admittedly have to have either money on the account first or line of credit).

You probably do want to have a EUR account (see below).
Even if you only replenish that account on demand (see your later post).

I can see the convenience from your side.

But from the perspective of the bank, your bills will be paid from the account of a corporation (IBKR) that’s outside of the European Economic Area - instead of from an account in your name. Some won’t like that.

Few to to no banks will issue you a credit card, when you …

  • want it for free
  • don’t live in their country (the countries they have as target markets)
  • or are a citizen of that country
  • don’t have credit history there
  • don’t pay the bills from your own bank account
  • don’t hold assets as a guarantee/collateral
  • and not even have a “reference” bank account at all in that country/economic area

I suppose your - somewhat realistic - options are:

  1. a Swiss-issued card and pay for it (unless, see Swisscard, you have some considerable “non-mustachian” turnover on it).
  2. open an EU bank bank account and use its debit card. And possibly credit card from the same bank, if/once you can get it (again, credit cards are often not free. And with legacy banks, you may have to hold assets with them)
  3. a card associated with a card or loyalty program you’re already a member of (e.g. travel)
  4. trick an EU bank with lax credit checks into issuing you a free high-interest card (probably requires an address in the country they’re marketing to), even though you, I assume, don’t live
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Thank you. I just want to keep it as simple as possible.

Options 2 and 4 are excluded from the start.
Option 3 would be acceptable but a Swiss provider typically offers this in Swiss francs only.
Option 1 is what remains.

All I wanted was an equivalent to the (now discontinued) Amex free International Currency Card.

Swisscard waives the fee if I spend 20k€ per year, which is more than I intend to spend in holidays, to be honest.

It seems that there is no free option currently. Which leaves me with the option of paying a fee until a better option shows up.
UBS Visa Card Classic EUR is 40€ the first year and 80€ afterwards.

11

Migros CC: Migros is leaving Cembra soon - #278 by Myfirstme?

Using Neon for your everyday banking could be a solution (the Neon Mastercard seems to work as a debit card, as in it debits money from your account, but there should be enough money there if it’s your base account).

Otherwise, the Cumulus Visa may suit your needs, with a sizeable 2% mark-up on interbank forex rates.

I would personally just use Wise/Revolut, evaluate how much money I spend on a trip and top my card up before leaving (and keeping some base money on it for shorter trips on a whim.

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I use BCV for my everyday banking, it’s free of charge because I have the rental surety account with them (and a small savings account for emergencies).

My way of managing my finances is to have a typically empty salary account. Each last day of each month, I pay all my bills including Swisscard, and invest the remainder.

That’s the simplicity I wanted to keep.

13

This was on air a couple days ago, and contains an interesting table.

BCV Visa Débit seems to have an excellent exchange rate (but a fixed fee) - or was it pure luck?

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Huh. For once a good article about personal finance from classic media.

If they let VISA handle currency exchange, the resulting rate should be not bad, actually.

15

From the RTS table I understand that they add +0.5% and Fr. 2.00 to Visa’s rate.

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image1046×725 40.3 KB

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I found that Neon for paying in EUR is best this days, otherwise Revolut or Wise.
Non of them are “credit” (they are prepaid or debit) but honestly I do not know why would you need a credit card.
I never had any issue, they will just block more money for rental cars and that is it.

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