The best credit cards for expats in the Netherlands

Choosing the best Dutch credit card often involves wading through pages of information on interest rates, annual fees, and handy benefits. 

In this guide, we’ve sourced the most popular credit cards in the Netherlands — for personal use, travel, and all your business-related financial needs — and put them into one place.

READ MORE | Banking in the Netherlands: the complete guide

Here’s how to get the most bang for your buck! 💳✨

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Best Dutch credit cards for personal use

If you’re looking for a personal credit card that’ll offer you some powerful rewards, you can’t go wrong with the below options. 👇

ING Credit Card: Best for everyday use

The ING Credit Card is the easy choice for a daily card that’ll cover your essentials, shopping trips, and anything else, at the low price of just €19.80 per year.

Not the biggest fan of credit, but still want the functionality? ING’s Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit cards may be right up your alley!

Check it out

ABN AMRO Credit Card: Best for expats on a budget

At just €1.70 per month, this ABN AMRO credit card is super easy on your wallet.

Don’t let the price fool you, though, because this baby will also earn you a nifty 8% discount on rental cars and a 4% cashback on hotels for that much-needed trip back home.

Check it out

Openbank eCommerce Card: Best for online shopping

Although this is technically a virtual prepaid bank card, Openbank’s eCommerce Card is a stellar option if you want the benefits of a credit card without the costs.

With zero commissions on purchases with foreign currency and full control over how much money you load on this card, it’s the perfect choice for online shopping enthusiasts.

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Rabocard: Best starter credit card

Costing a maximum of €2 per month on the Rabo DirectPackage, the Rabocard is one of the cheapest credit cards available in the Netherlands.

However, cheap doesn’t mean stingy, as the card’s standard lending limit of €1000 per month can be raised to a generous €10,000, depending on income.

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Best Dutch credit cards for travel

Frequent flyers, on the other hand, often have different requirements for their credit cards. While most of these cards aren’t widely accepted for day-to-day purchases in the Netherlands, they’re great for buying flights!

Their benefits can range from flight benefits to a smoother travel experience, and their credit card of choice will need to do some heavy lifting to open those doors for them. 💪💳

Our top picks are:

American Express Platinum card: Best for luxury travel

With open access to Schiphol’s exclusive Privium Plus benefits — such as faster security and border checks, priority parking, and the luxuries of the Privium Lounges — the American Express Platinum card ensures that your journey is as relaxing and stress-free as possible.

Of course, good things don’t come cheap, and neither does the AMEX Platinum card! Costing €65 per month, you’ll also need a gross yearly income of €30,000 to apply for this card.

Check it out

Flying Blue Platinum American Express card: Best for KLM frequent flyers

At €55 per month, the Flying Blue Platinum AMEX unlocks the door to KLM’s handy Flying Blue loyalty programme, with the ability to earn Miles whenever you book a flight.

You can spend your Miles on countless exclusive rewards, such as baggage allowance, seat upgrades — or even a reward ticket!

Check it out

Mastercard Black: Best for earning Air Miles

A cheaper alternative to the AMEX Platinum and Flying Blue Platinum cards, the ICS Mastercard Black offers great benefits for the price, including continuous travel insurance and access to over 1000 lounges in 75 different countries.

Costing €204 per year, this credit card also provides you seamless opportunities to earn Air Miles for most airlines — which can then be redeemed in the form of seat upgrades, discounts, and exclusive shopping deals.

Check it out

Best Dutch credit cards for business

Perhaps you’re a businessperson or freelancer? Then these handy cards might be far more your speed.

N26 Business Mastercard: Best for freelancers

With nifty cashback features, in-depth spending insights, and deposit protection, the N26 Business Mastercard is a fabulous asset in any freelancer’s arsenal.

Even better — depending on your N26 plan, you may even be eligible for travel insurance to cover delays, emergencies, and cancellations.

Check it out

American Express Business Green Card: Best affordable AMEX business card

The AMEX Business Green Card comes with comprehensive financial security — combining flexible spending limits, deferred payment plans, and a thorough overview of your business expenses.

Costing €85 per year, it also provides you with membership reward points for every euro spent.

Check it out

Visa World Card Business: Best for small businesses

At €42 per year, the Visa World Card Business is an excellent choice for new start-ups and small businesses.

Jam-packed with handy features such as flight delay insurance and SafeGuard Support in the event of emergencies, it also offers ICS’ 24/7 Fraud Protection system — so you can rest assured that your capital is as safe as can be.

Check it out

How to get the most out of your Dutch credit card

Hoera, you’ve got yourself a Dutch credit card… but how can you make the most of the new asset in your wallet?

Here are some handy tips and tricks that’ll serve you well during your time in the Netherlands:

Get a discount on your trip back home

Stunning though the Netherlands is, a trip back to your family and home country can really be the best mood-booster known to man. Travel, unfortunately, can be a rather expensive hobby.

Well, with your fancy new credit card, you’re in luck! It can help you score discounts on flight tickets, handy upgrades, and even travel insurance.

Choose a prepaid credit card for the best of both worlds

Prepaid credit cards function very similarly to debit cards, where you load a certain amount of money on your card in advance and can only spend up to that value. This often makes them a safer option than traditional credit cards.

However, where prepaid credit cards differ from debit cards is that your card needn’t be affiliated with a bank or banking account to operate. In addition to this, they offer many of the vast benefits that credit cards do — from cashback offers to travel insurance and more.

3 things to know about credit cards in the Netherlands

It’s only natural to have a few questions about what it’s like to own a Dutch credit card.

Let’s run through some important things you need to know. 👇

1. A credit check is generally mandatory

In order to apply for a credit card in the Netherlands, applicants will need to complete a BKR assessment.

Also known as the Bureau Krediet Registratie (Credit Registration Office), this assessment determines how much money you have borrowed — and whether you’ve paid those bills on time.

READ MORE | The best banks in the Netherlands for internationals in 2024

Many credit card companies will refuse your application if you have a negative BKR.

2. Many credit cards have an income requirement

Depending on your desired credit card, you will very likely have to meet a certain monthly or yearly income requirement in order to be eligible.

Some banks (such as ING) may still offer you a credit card even if you don’t meet all their income criteria — but your spending limit may be drastically reduced.

3. It’s easy to avoid paying interest on your credit card

One important thing to know about credit cards is that you’ll be billed for all expenses charged on your card at the end of every month.

As long as you pay any outstanding balances within your card’s grace period, you won’t need to pay any interest on this money.

Have you used any of the credit cards on our list? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments below!

Credit cards in the Netherlands: Frequently Asked Questions