No Annual Fee Credit Cards in Spain

Many people still pay an annual fee for a credit cards issued by their bank in Spain, but why pay 30€ or more per year if you can get one free that also comes with perks?

Many banks offer free credit cards if you have a current account, such as ING Direct. But if your bank charges for a credit card, doesn’t offer any bonuses and you don’t want to change bank, why not apply for one of the cards listed below?

WizInk

WizInk offers a free MasterCard with 3% cashback on purchases in two categories. Choose from: fashion, food, leisure and travel. Cashback is limited to 6€ per month (72€ per year).

You’ll also get 30€ back when you spend 300€ in the first three months after receiving the card.

Every month when you receive your statement you have 10 days to decide whether to pay it off in full or finance part of your bill.

Tarjeta You

Offered by Advanzia Bank, Tarjeta You is a totally free Mastercard only available online. Depending on the date of your purchases you can enjoy up to 7 weeks of free credit providing you pay your bill in full by the designated date.

According to their website they do not charge for cash withdrawals at ATMs worldwide, however they do advise that the bank where the ATM is located may levy a charge that you would have to pay.

Bankinter

Bankinter offers over 10 branded free Visa cards with promos depending on the category chosen including:

Travel (Halcón Viajes or Viajes Ecuador)
Fuel (BP)
Flights (Air Europa)
Telecoms (Vodafone)
Insurance (Linea Directa)

Cashback offers depend on each category. For example, with travel you get 6% back on purchases at Halcon Viajes or Viajes Ecuador and 3% on other purchases (max. 60€ per month).

Credit cards issued by stores

Carrefour Visa Pass. 1% Cashback when you spend 300€ a quarter (excluding supermarkets and petrol stations) returned with your quarterly Carrefour cheque. Also 8% cashback at Carrefour petrol stations or 4% cashback at Cepsa petrol stations. You can request an additional card at no cost.
MediaMarkt Club Card Visa. Comes with exclusive promos for card holders. Watch out with the option to pay at the end of the month in full as you will be offered automatic finance in 3, 6, 10 or 12 months with interest.
Ikea Visa. Exclusive promos for card holders and automatic financing of Ikea purchases up to 72 months if required. Online account information. Additional cards also free (for family members over 18 years old).
Eroski Club MasterCard. Get a cash advance of up to 300€ daily at Eroski supermarket tills commission-free, 1% cashback on your purchases outside Eroski (excludes supermarkets and petrol stations) and regular additional promos.
One that comes with a catch is the Fnac Visa card. There’s no fee but you have to be a member of Club Fnac which does have an annual fee. With the Fnac credit card you’ll get 5% off at Fnac and 0.5% cashback on all other purchases. You can only request the Fnac Visa in store.

What about the interest rate and other fees on credit cards in Spain?

We haven’t included any details about the hefty interest rates charged on credit cards. It’s always best to choose the default repayment option of “in full at the end of the month” to avoid interest payments.

If you do need to spread the payment over a longer period, the interest charged will cancel the benefit of having a free card. It may be more beneficial to pay an annual fee for a credit card with a lower interest rate.

Most cards will levy a fee on any foreign currency transactions. If you often make purchases in different currencies, or travel outside the eurozone, take a look at cheaper options in our dedicated post on multi-currency accounts and cards.

Your credit rating

Before you apply for a credit card, it could be a good idea to check your credit rating in Spain first. See how to do it in our dedicated post at the link.

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