Swisscard credit card Review 2026 – Pros & Cons
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Swisscard already offers many different credit card packages. In 2025, they introduced yet another one: the Swisscard credit card. This card boasts no fees, apparently including no foreign exchange fee.
But how does it really fare in practice? We analyze this card in detail in this review. By the end of this article, you will know whether this card is good for you.
| Yearly fee | 0 CHF |
|---|---|
| Card | Visa |
| Cashback | 0% |
| Foreign exchange fee | 0% (but exchange rate markup) |
| Interest rate | 13% |
| Emitter | Swisscard |
Swisscard Credit Card
Swisscard is a Swiss company that issues different credit cards. At the time of this writing, they offer around 25 different credit cards. In this article, we will review the Swisscard credit card (simple name). This card was introduced in 2025.
This card only comes as a Visa, not as a Mastercard. The card has a standard maximum of 20,000 CHF per month. This is interesting because this is higher than most standard credit cards. If you need a higher limit, you will need to use a silver, gold, or platinum credit card.
There are a few conditions to get this card:
- You need to be at least 18
- You need to be a Swiss resident
- You need to have enough income to qualify for the credit card
In the past, I have reviewed the Swisscard cashback cards, which were quite interesting. You can read our Swisscard Cashback review for more information.
So, let’s see what this card offers.
The fees
We can start by analyzing the fees of this card.
First, there is no annual fee. This is great because, in my opinion, it is not worth it to get a credit card with a fee.
If you withdraw money, you will pay a 4% fee, with a minimum of 10 CHF.
If you have credit card debt, you will need to pay a 12% interest rate, which is the legal maximum for credit cards in Switzerland in 2026.
The card has no foreign exchange fee. Many people do not know that using a Swiss credit card abroad is expensive (usually more than 2% total fee, sometimes significantly more). On paper, this card is great to use abroad and in foreign currencies. This is the main selling point of this card.
However, in practice, things are not so simple. While they do not have a foreign exchange fee, they have a markup on the exchange rate they use. So, it is not true that the card is free to use abroad.
We can take some examples by comparing the rates from Swisscard and the Wise historical rates on some dates:
- When buying EUR on December 1st, they would use a rate of 0.949 instead of 0.932 (1.82% markup)
- When buying EUR on November 1st, they would use a rate of 0.944 instead of 0.928 (1.72% markup)
- When buying USD on December 1st, they would use a rate of 0.818 instead of 0.803 (1.86% markup)
- When buying USD on November 1st, they would use a rate of 0.818 instead of 0.804 (1.74% markup)
- When buying CNY on December 1st, they would use a rate of 0.119 instead of 0.113 (5.30% markup)
- When buying CNY on November 1st, they would use a rate of 0.118 instead of 0.113 (4.40% markup)
For EUR and CHF, the markup is not too bad even though there are some better alternatives. But for some more exotic currencies like the Chinese yuan, the markup is bad.
Overall, my main issue with these fees is that they are claiming no fees abroad, but they are hiding the fee in the exchange rate. For me, I do not believe they are being transparent with their marketing. This card is cheaper than other Swisscard products abroad, but it does not make it free.
No cashback
Another criterion for a credit card is the cashback you can get on your purchases. Many credit cards offer you money back when you do a payment with the card. This cashback is usually a percentage of the money you spend.
The Swisscard credit card has no cashback. This compensates for the fact that they are reducing the foreign exchange fee, but that does not make it good.
Since it has no cashback, it is not better than a debit card. And there are some debit cards that have great conditions for using them abroad.
Features
One good thing about this product is that you can start using it right away. When you order the card, you will directly have access to the card on the app. It will take a few days to receive the physical card, but you can already start using the card with the card number. However, some people have reported that sometimes it takes longer to get the account validated.
Additionally, you can also pay your credit card bill with electronic bills, which is a nice feature for many people. This also reduces the risk that you forget to pay the bill and end up paying a very high-interest rate.
This card has limited credit card insurance. It only offers return protection insurance.
You can also use the card with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay.
Overall, the features are standard but good (especially the use of eBill).
Alternatives
We should quickly compare this card with some alternatives.
Swisscard credit card vs Cembra Certo One
A great Swiss credit card with excellent cashback (up to 1%!), very flexible, and with a good mobile application.
- No yearly fee
- 1% cashback in three shops
The Cembra Certo One credit card is the credit card I am using myself.
This card offers 1% cashback in three shops of your choice and 0.25% cashback in other shops. This is much better than the 0% cashback of the Swisscard credit card.
Both cards have zero annual fees. The Cembra Certo One card will cost 1.50% for a foreign exchange fee on top of a bad markup, while the Swisscard credit card will only have the bad markup.
Overall, the Cembra Certo One card is much better than the Swisscard credit card to use in Switzerland. Abroad, the Swisscard is better, but there are better alternatives abroad anyway.
Swisscard credit card vs Alpian
Alpian is a premium digital bank, aiming to help affluent people with their money without paying the outrageous costs of traditional private banks.
Use the code POORCH to receive up to a 120 CHF reward.
We should also compare the Swisscard credit card with a debit card. Alpian offers a debit card that is perfect to use abroad. Again, both cards have no annual fee.
This card offers no cashback but has great fees abroad. You will only pay a 0.20% fee during the week and a 0.50% fee during the weekend. When compared to the markup of 1.80 to 5% of Swisscard, the Alpian card is much better.
As long as you can use a debit card, Alpian will be much better. The only case where this can be an issue is when renting a car because they often ask for a credit card.
There are other examples of great debit cards. But this does not mean that all debit cards are good to use abroad.
Swisscard credit card FAQ
How much cashback do you get with Swisscard credit card?
You do not get any cashback with the Swisscard credit card.
Who is Swisscard credit card good for?
The card is only good for using abroad when you cannot use a debit card.
Who is Swisscard Cashback not good for?
This card is not good in Switzerland since you have no cashback. This card is also not good for using abroad if you can use a debit card since it has a hidden markup.
Is Swisscard credit card really free abroad?
No. They have no foreign exchange fee, but there is a markup on the exchange rate. This markup varies for each currency pair.
Swisscard credit card Summary
Swisscard Review. We analyze the credit cards offered by Swisscard AECS, focusing on their cashback options and foreign currency fees.
Product Brand: Swisscard
2.5
Swisscard credit card Pros
Let's summarize the main advantages of Swisscard credit card:
- Low foreign exchange fee.
- No yearly fee.
Swisscard credit card Cons
Let's summarize the main disadvantages of Swisscard credit card:
- Hidden markup for foreign exchange.
- No cashback
Conclusion
Overall, the Swisscard credit card is not appealing. They claim no fees on using it abroad and in foreign currencies, but they have a significant markup on the exchange, which makes the card not so cheap abroad.
In Switzerland, there are better alternatives since the Swisscard credit card has no cashback. And abroad, you can use different debit cards with lower foreign exchange fees.
For me, the only place where this card makes sense is for people that are often in situations where they cannot use a debit card. This should be mostly the case for renting cars abroad. In all other cases, there are better cards.
If you want to read more about credit cards, you can read our article about the best credit cards in Switzerland.
What do you think about this new credit card?
More reading
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Credit Card Insurance in Switzerland 2026 – Is it worth it?
Are you covered? We analyze common Swiss credit card insurances (travel, purchase protection) to see if they are actually useful or just marketing.
Swisscard Cashback Credit Card Review 2026 – Free and 1% Cashback
The best free credit card? Read our review of the Swisscard Cashback cards (Amex & Visa) and see if they offer the best rewards in Switzerland.
Learn easy ways to optimize your finances and save thousands in Switzerland with our exclusive e-book. Learn about the most cost-effective financial services tailored for savvy residents and expats!
Get Your FREE Swiss Money-Saving Guide
Hi Baptiste,
First of all, as always, thank you for your insightful blog—it’s been incredibly helpful!
I’m considering getting a credit card, mainly because I’m planning a trip to Asia this summer. A credit card would be useful for safety, insurance, and convenience during my travels.
In Switzerland, I don’t use my card much for daily expenses (I mostly do my groceries in France), so cashback isn’t a priority for me. One thing I’m unsure about is whether airlines like Etihad charge fees based on their country, which makes me question if the Cembra card is the best option.
Do you have any advice on which card might suit my needs best?
Thanks again for your help!
Hi Jacopo
If you are going to use it during your travels and not only from Switzerland, the Cembra cards will not be great.
There is no perfect credit card for abroad. The Migros Cumulus credit card is not too bad. The main issue is that its foreign exchange is not very transparent.
If you do not mind holding two cards, you can also go travel with another debit card, like Neon, for instance. You can use the debit card when possible and the credit card in other cases.
Also, be careful that some Asian countries are not that welcoming for credit cards. When I was in China, it was difficult to get it accepted outside of large chains.
Thank you for your help!
I’ve decided to go with the Cembra card (using the link you shared—thanks!). For travel expenses, I’ll stick with my usual multicurrency debit card. As for the flight, I’ll probably use the Cembra card, just to be on the safe side.
That sounds reasonable! That’s what I do: use a debit card when possible and then just use the credit card when necessary and pay the fees.
Have a good trip!
How is it allowed for a credit card company to have such lack of transparency?
Already with their cashback card, they have this “hidden” fee that if a CHF payment is processed outside of CH, they charge a fee. The problem is there is no way to know if a seller is processing the payment outside of CH until you receive the statement. However, by then it is already late.
Unfortunately, they are not alone in this strategy. Migros is doing the same strategy with their credit cards which is supposedly great to use abroad. I would say the entire industry is lacking standards.
How to activate my Swiss Credit card?
The card gets activated automatically when you ordder it i believe, no?
Hi Baptiste,
Unfortunately issuing a virtual card right away is another claim they fail to fulfill. Although you can complete the application on the swisscard app, at the end of the process they display a message saying that they need to check a few things and in the end it takes 1-2 weeks to get access to your card.
They have also been super weird with me since I applied for a second card with the purpose of using that with my partner (as a common account). They keep rejecting my application and when I call they tell me to apply again and reject me after. I have had a similar setup with their Cashback product before and never had a carry over in my balance so I am not sure how I ended up in their black list.
Thanks for sharing, Hur.
It’s sad that they don’t even deliver on their promise :(
And weird that they are difficult to get a second card. I thought that as long as the account was approved, getting a second card was easy since the limit remains the same.
Good article as usual, thanks.
Note that the Certo One! card reduced their cashback for other shops down to 0.25 from 0.33 some time ago.
Thanks, T!
And thanks for reminding me! I still have the old number in mind! I will update it.
Thanks for the review. What about using Neon Free abroad?
Hi Pedja
Neon Free is great to use abroad, but there are now some cheaper alternatives, such as Alpian and WIR Bank Top but Neon Free is well established.