# BoursoBank's Ultim bank card

> Pay and withdraw money abroad with **no bank fees** thanks to BoursoBank's Ultim card, the one we've used every day and on every trip since 2019: free payments in euros and foreign currencies, free euro withdrawals, and three free foreign currency withdrawals every month.

Source: https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/travel-tips/bank-card/

**BoursoBank Ultim card**

Open a bank account with BoursoBank and choose the Ultim card to travel with total peace of mind!

[Open a BoursoBank account with our referral link](https://bour.so/p/qRXCzHmoeNr) (paid partner link)

## What we thought of BoursoBank's Ultim card

Since 2019, we've used the BoursoBank Ultim international bank card every day and all over the world, the debit version for Marie and the credit version for Romain: tried, tested and approved, we recommend it without hesitation!

BoursoBank, formerly Boursorama Banque and renamed in October 2023, isn't a neobank like N26 or Revolut: it's the online bank of Société Générale, a French bank.

- Customer service is easy to reach by phone and by message, and responsive in an emergency, particularly for blocking a card (a service we've had to use twice).
- We've always received our new bank cards quickly whenever we renewed them after they expired.
- The card's insurance quickly reimbursed us for two disrupted trips, a cancelled flight in Italy and a cancelled train in France.

And above all, using our Ultim cards every day in France and on all our trips abroad, we've never paid a single bank fee! Which is a huge perk.

Transparency and affiliation: this article contains affiliate links. If you open an account with BoursoBank by clicking these links, we earn a commission that helps fund the blog.

## Fees abroad: what's free, what isn't

✓ **No fees on payments abroad**, whether in euros or other currencies, on any continent, by bank card or contactless payment

✓ **Free, unlimited euro withdrawals**; foreign currency withdrawals are fee-free for up to three withdrawals a month (then charged at 1.69%)

✓ **Free card as long as you use it at least once a month** (the card costs €9/month if you make no payments; a withdrawal doesn't count)

Remember to use the card at least once a month (paying for bread or a coffee is enough). For us that's no hardship since our Ultim cards are our everyday cards.

## The Ultim card's travel insurance

The Ultim card's insurance **covers costs from a transport delay or cancellation of more than four hours, up to €400** per delay: meals, hotel nights and transfers. We've used it twice, for a cancelled flight in Italy and a cancelled train in France, and each time the insurance reimbursed us for the hotel and restaurants we paid for on the spot. For a train, the coverage only applies in France.

Beyond €400, you need real travel insurance, and that's what we take out for every trip outside Europe: [what we thought of Heymondo travel insurance](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/travel-tips/travel-insurance/). 

## The other perks

### Works with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay

The card works with contactless payment on phones and watches: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Garmin Pay. Handy so you don't have to pull out your physical bank card for every payment.

![the corner boursorama flixbus europcar discounts](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/screenshot-20260924-001443-6bdf8e18.webp)

### Access to discounts

As BoursoBank customers, we get free access to **The Corner**, a discounts and cashback program with more than 150 brands, including car rental companies (Europcar, Alamo, Enterprise) and travel sites (lastminute.com, Abritel, Promovacances). For car rental, though, we almost always go through [BSP Auto, which is often cheaper](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/en/travel-tips/car-rental/).

![BoursoBank app: choose between a single-use virtual card capped at €200 or a customizable reusable virtual card](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/screenshot-20260924-001027-ea01f3fa.webp)

### Virtual cards for paying online

A virtual card is a card with a temporary number, used to pay online without giving out your main card number: it's a simple safeguard against fraud and scams, handy for securing your online purchases.

BoursoBank lets you hold up to ten at a time, either single-use or reusable, each with an adjustable cap and validity period.

![BoursoBank's black Ultim Visa bank card](https://voyagesurlacomete.fr/photos/2026/carte-bourso-f333270c.webp)

## Debit, deferred debit or credit: what's the difference, and which card should you use to rent a car?

In France, almost every bank provides a **debit card** by default: every payment or withdrawal is taken directly from your current account (for an **immediate** debit card) or at the end of the month (for a **deferred** debit card).

**A credit card**, strictly speaking, draws on a revolving pool of money, a consumer loan that's paid back afterward with interest: it's the card Americans use every day, for example.

The nuance that matters when traveling: in France, cards labeled "credit" are most often deferred debit cards, and that's exactly where their value lies.

## Why get a card marked "credit" for travel?

There are plenty of perks to having a card marked “CREDIT”, especially when traveling. It saves you from getting turned down:

- **at car rental counters**: they most often require a credit card to hold the deposit. A card marked “debit” is very frequently turned down at the desk.
- **at hotels and other lodging**: they can place a hold on a deposit without actually eating into your available balance, since it's never charged.

At BoursoBank, the deferred debit Ultim card is marked “CREDIT” precisely for this reason, and it's widely accepted for your travel bookings, while still being a straightforward deferred debit: you pay at the end of the month, with no consumer credit and no interest. It's the best option, in our view.

To get a deferred debit Ultim card, BoursoBank requires 6 months as a customer and €6,000 in your account balances. The card comes with a one-time €10 fee for switching debit type.

|  | Immediate debit card | Deferred debit card | Credit card |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Label on the card | DEBIT | CREDIT | CREDIT |
| Charged to the account | Immediately | At the end of the month | At the end of the month |
| Fees / interest to pay | None | None | Consumer credit interest |
| Car rental | Often turned down, depending on the country and rental company | Accepted | Accepted |
| Verdict | For everyday use | The best choice for travel | Avoid, because of the interest |

## The BoursoBank referral in 5 steps
**1. Click our referral link**

The link opens BoursoBank's form with our referral already filled in. If the form asks for a referral code, enter MADA2922.

**2. Open your account in a few minutes**

The documents required are the usual ones: a form of ID, proof of address, and your personal details. Super quick and easy! You then choose the type of bank card that suits you.

**3. Choose the Ultim card, the black one**

That's the one that unlocks all the perks described above.

**4. Make an initial deposit to activate your account**

To permanently activate your bank account, you need to make an initial deposit. Its amount counts toward the bonus: part of the bonus sometimes depends on this first deposit. The sum will be credited once the account is open.

**5. Get your bonus paid into your bank account**

The welcome bonus amount varies depending on the terms of the offer in effect when you sign up. It's on top of your initial deposit amount. You're also required to use your card at least once in each of the first three months.

**Travel with a fee-free international bank card**

Become a BoursoBank customer and get your welcome bonus*! (*offer subject to conditions)

[See the current referral offer](https://bour.so/p/qRXCzHmoeNr) (paid partner link)

## Frequently asked questions about BoursoBank's Ultim card
### Is BoursoBank's Ultim card really fee-free abroad?

Yes for payments, in euros as well as foreign currencies, and for euro withdrawals. Foreign currency withdrawals are free three times a month, then charged at 1.69%. So we'd recommend grouping your withdrawals abroad and taking out

The card stays free as long as you make at least one payment a month; otherwise it costs €9 a month (rates checked in September 2026).

### Can you rent a car abroad with the Ultim card?

Yes. But make sure you have the deferred debit version, marked “CREDIT”, since most rental companies require it to hold the deposit or complete the booking. The immediate debit version, marked “DEBIT”, may be turned down at the desk.

### What does the Ultim card's travel insurance cover?

Costs from a transport delay or cancellation of more than four hours (meals, hotel and transfers) are reimbursed up to €400 per delay, per the policy terms in effect in 2026. For a train delay or cancellation, the coverage only applies in France. Beyond that, you need to take out travel insurance, such as Heymondo, for example.

### How does the BoursoBank referral work?

Go through our referral link, which fills in the referral for you; if the form asks for a referral code, enter MADA2922. The bonus amount depends on the offer running at the time you sign up.