Credit Card Comparison Tool
(Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links)
Compare the total returns of different credit cards under different spending scenarios.
How does this work?
This comparison tool simply shows the cheapest credit cards based on your spending in Switzerland and abroad. In general, for spending in Switzerland, you want to minimize fees. On the other hand, you want to minimize fees for spending abroad because Swiss credit cards have hefty fees if you spend in another currency or another country.
The result includes the cashback, minus the yearly fees of the card and minus the foreign fees.
Is something missing?
If you would like another credit card included in this calculator, please let me know in the comments below. And if you want to be able to do more configuration, also let me know and I will consider extra features.
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Hi, Baptiste!
Do you think it would be also beneficial to compare the Swiss Airlines credit card?
Best,
Alla
Hi Alla,
I think it would be beneficial, but the problem is how to compare them? They don’t have a set cashback value since it all depends on how the user uses the miles to buy tickets.
Hi Baptiste, thanks a lot for the great content.
Is there any reason why the free Coop Supercard credit card is not included?
Hi Henrik
I did not think of it :)
It’s not a great card because it brings the same value as the Supercard, but I can add it. I will put that on my TODO list.
Thank you, what is nice from this card is the insurance included
Thanks, I will check it out.
Unfortunately, Radicant has to be removed from the list :/
Indeed :( and done.
The calculation for Alpian is not correct. 0.2% is what they add on top of the VISA exchange rate, which is above the interbanking rate.
Hi John,
You are right, I think I have it wrong on my articles as well, I will update all in the next few days, thanks for sharing.
Actually, I got confirmation that they add 0.20% on top of the interbank exchange rate, so the calculation is correct for most currencies (4 main currencies). But for other currencies, they add nothing and use the Visa exchange rate.
The current overview is a bit misleading due to the exchange rate. E.g. Swisscards exchange rate is ~2% above intermarket rate. Hence you don’t pay 2.5% fee with Swisscard Cashback but actually 4.5%.
These exchange rate tricks are also part of ‘foreign fees’ and are the main reason why Radicant, Wise, Revolut are way better than it looks like on first sight.
Also, there is a new Swisscard Credit card with supposedly 0% markup, and this would show up at the leadernoard here as well, but in reality Radicant would be clearly still be the better option then.
You are absolutely right, Ulrich! Both components should be taken into account, like I do in articles. I don’t know why I have not represented that fairly in the comparison tool. I have updated it accordingly!
Great tool, but frankly credit cards are dead. Good debit cards are way cheaper, especially abroad, and if it’s a Mastercard/Visa debit card, you can use it everywhere, just like a credit card, even for booking flights and cars and hotels. As you know, some Swiss debit cards, like WIR bank and some cantonal banks, have zero fees and zero exchange rate surcharges. Credit cards will charge 3-4% easily.
Hi James,
I would not say they are dead. But if I had to keep a single card, I would keep a debit card indeed. And Swiss credit cards are very bad once you go out of the country.
My rule is to use mostly credit cards domestically and mostly debit cards internationally.