Best Credit Cards In Sweden (2023 Guide)
I tried over 150 credit cards (yes, crazy! See the picture below). The best credit card is something that constantly changes, so it is hard to catch up. Many sites out there compare all of them, but looking at so many options is very hard! I was confused, too.
In this post, I cover the best credit cards in Sweden right now based on my experience and why. This is my overall ranking, meaning the credit card needs to be good for everyday spending, travel, reward system, insurance, etc.
Keep in mind that In this post, I talk about credit cards in Sweden with annual fees. If you are looking for a free card (no fees), then check out this other post. Also, check these specific posts:
Bank Norwegian Visa
0.5% back on everything
Cashback or Cashpoints
Split into 6 interest-free installments
Dental protection
Travel Insurance
Price: FREE
American Express Gold (or Blue)
100.000 welcome points
Great reward system
Great travel insurance
Lounge access
Apple Pay
Invite your friends
Price: 2100kr / year
Coop Mastercard Mer
10.000 welcome points
Points on all purchases
Get up to 5 points/kr!
Convert points for vouchers
Travel and purchase Insurance
Free first year
Price: 295kr / year
Marginalen Gold Visa
Pay bills with your card
Split into 4 interest-free installments
Payment-free months
9 Insurances
Online stores with cashback
Free first year
Price: 195kr / year
Who am I, and why should you care?
Over the past 15 years, I tried over 150 credit cards. I even have a folder where I keep all the old ones I don’t use anymore.
Why? Well, I love flying and traveling, and most often, with credit cards, you could get free points or miles to travel for free. I got started when I had my first job (at 17) and still remember getting that “welcome bonus” for getting my first card.
As I grew older, I always used banks and cards to my advantage, not only for travel but also learning how to save money while using them. I would sign-up and try new cards while they were still free, and cancel them when no longer attractive or beneficial.
So, yes. I’m a bit of a freak, but I also learned a lot, like how to get to 1 million SAS EuroBonus points and travel around for free. I hope my guides can help you remove some noise and decide.
In this post, I present my top 4 best credit cards in Sweden right now, why I love them, and how they can help you save money. Let’s get started.
Why should you get a credit card?
If you don’t have a credit card yet, check out this post on why you should get a credit card.
What are the Best Credit Cards in Sweden?
1. Bank Norwegian Visa
The Bank Norwegian Visa is a no-annual-fee credit card issued by Bank Norwegian (part of NOBA Group) that can unpack a load of benefits, including a dual reward system (CashPoints or Cashback), 0.5% back on everything, groceries and travel insurance, free ATM withdrawals, a great app, mobile payments, and even optional dental protection.
The card’s biggest strength is that the reward system is flexible, easy to understand, and very straightforward for beginners. Points are actually useful, and the bank offers other great products (savings accounts and loans)
Who’s this card for?
This card is a must-have. Great for beginners who want to get in the points and cashback game without complications and hefty fees. It’s perfect for building up a better credit score. You can use your points to pay for the credit card statement or towards Norwegian Airlines flights.
Pros:
- 100% free of charge.
- Flexible reward system: CashPoints or Cashback.
- Free ATM withdrawals while abroad.
- Rewards on all purchases and a straightforward bonus system
- 0.5% points on everything
- 1% points on foreign-currency transactions
- 3%-5% points on Norwegian Airlines flights
- 2% on electric cars and public transport (Norway only)
- Great app and online dashboard.
- Up to 55 days of interest-free credit on every purchase (six weeks).
- Travel insurance and groceries insurance.
- Dental Protection (optional and cheap)
- Perfect for building credit score.
- Add extra insurance easily.
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay.
Cons:
- You need to be over 23 years old to apply.
- High-interest rate if you are not paying your bill in full.
2. American Express Gold Card (or Amex Blue)
I won’t lie, I have been in love with the American Express concept for a long time. I love their brand and how they’ve built it. Their customer service. Their cards, and the rewards. I have a long history with them and tried many flavors of their cards, and it’s because of that history that I will try to be the least biased here.
Pros:
- Bonus points on everything!
- Extra points twice a year
- Up to 55 days of interest-free credit on every purchase.
- Invite a friend and get your money back, and collect points with someone you like.
- 600kr back on selected restaurants
- Supplementary travel insurance with cancellation protection is included.
- Lounge Access at Arlanda
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Metal card (sleek)
Cons:
- Expensive
- Some shops do not accept American Express.
- Interest rates are more expensive
Is Amex the right card for you?
First of all: the card is expensive. If you are not planning on using some of the benefits, like the 600 kr on dinners, the lounges at Arlanda, or their travel benefits, it will not be worth it.
Plus, if you don’t like dealing with your finances and you would rather prefer not to worry and just use a single unique card for everything, then this is probably not the right choice for you.
Let me explain. Let’s start with the cons. Many, many shops, even in 2023, don’t accept American Express. This means that if you order this card, you will most likely end up anyway having to use your debit card or some other alternative.
In addition, you will get lots of points. Hundreds, thousands, and even millions. But, to use them, you need to sit down and understand how you can translate those points into something meaningful to you. A simple option is just to use those points to pay for your bill (like cash back, or credit statement). But it has many more opportunities than that, like for example being able to get free flights and hotels. It can be very lucrative, and it is a fun game.
Now, if you don’t mind spending some extra couple of hours figuring that out, or you actually would like to consider more than just one credit card in your wallet, then American Express is a no-brainer.
There are just so many opportunities with their cards. You enjoy very high purchase limits, get almost 2 months of interest-free payments, and they have a fantastic referral program: if you invite friends and family, both you and them get rewards. Plus, they support Apple Pay, and they have excellent adoption internationally (especially in the US). Check how I use Amex to get to 1 Million SAS EuroBonus points.
You can sign-up now to get 100.000 welcome points which are worth 500kr. You can also invite more friends and family members to get 100.000 points for each of them.
3. Coop Mastercard Mer
I also love their cooperation with SAS, as an alternative to the SAS EuroBonus Mastercard, where you can only use points on Scandinavian Airlines.
Coop Mastercard Mer has been around for several years, at least since I came to Sweden in 2012. The Coop Mastercard Mer is a payment, credit, and membership card developed by Coop and Entercard. With this card, you earn points when you shop at Coop and its partners. The card also gives points on purchases outside Coop and outside Sweden and has a favorable insurance package included.
Who’s this card for?
If you are already shopping at Coop, this card is a no-brainer. You get extra points and can squeeze out a lot of benefits. It can also be good for someone who wants a flexible points system that can be used pretty much anywhere (like Amex points), but don’t want to pay a high annual fee.
Pros:
- 10.000 welcome bonus (worth 100 kr)
- Free for the first year, then 295kr
- Simple point system
- Points can be exchanged for pretty much anything (vouchers).
- Collect points with your family
- Travel and purchase insurance
- Up to 55 days of interest-free credit on every purchase.
- Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Solid reputation: Issued by EnterCard, and has been around for ages
- Exclusive offers and promotions like with other credit cards (MoreGolf Mastercard)
Cons:
- It would be nice to see a cheaper version of this card (i.e., 195kr) and a Premium version of this card where you earn more rewards, similar to the SEB SAS EuroBonus World Mastercard Premium
The Coop Mastercard Mer card is a solid option that has been around for many years with a good reputation. Its point system is simple and can be a great option for families spending considerable amounts on groceries and everyday expenses. You also get the flexibility to use your points on anything you want without paying exorbitant fees like with American Express cards.
You can check the full review post here.
4. Marginalen Gold Mastercard
You can get the Marginalen Traveller Mastercard for free for the first year, as I explain here. But here I would like to focus on the Marginalen Gold Visa, as it has a different system.
Marginalen Bank has been stepping up the last few years in all its products and offers a pretty competitive portfolio. They provide a range of cards, Gold and Traveller, and their own point system.
Pros:
- Free for the first year, then 195kr
- Cashback on online purchases, discount on over 200 stores
- Pay bills with your credit card
- Two “payment-free” months. You can choose to “not pay” that month, and your payment gets postponed to the next month.
- 9 different insurances
- Up to 50 days of interest-free credit on every purchase.
- Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Split payments up to 6 months
Cons:
- They don’t offer a free savings account or their own point system.
Overall, it is a very solid option at a low price, a good idea could be to combine it with other cards, particularly if you are planning on doing a home renovation or have large expenses ahead.
Marginalen Gold allows you to pay bills with your credit card with no extra fees like Betalo, and then you can split those into installments. So, you could potentially pay for constructors or other fees and split them over time.
5. Northmill Bank Kontokredit
Northmill Bank Kontokredit (account credit) is a bank account with an overdraft, all for free. You get extra credit up to 50.000kr, and you only pay for what you use. The interest rates are personal and ultra-low compared to traditional credit cards. You can choose how you want to repay and even change every month. You can also get a debit card with Apple Pay, and a savings account that gives you 4%, all free.
Although you don’t get purchase protection, points, or rewards, Northmill kontokredit is the simplest and cheapest way to get a credit line whenever needed. Northmill Bank is fully digital and strongly customer-centric. Considering that they are a fee-free bank, its products are just spectacular.
Who’s this card for?
People who want the benefits of a credit card without the complications of carrying an extra card or keeping track of when to pay an invoice. Northmill kontokredit is intuitive, powerful, simple, yet totally free.
Pros:
- Absolutely zero fees
- Credit line up to 50.000kr
- Ultra-low interest rates with personal offers (based on your credit score)
- Choose how you want to repay, and change every month
- Free debit card
- Apple Pay and Samsung Pay
- Free savings account that yields up to 4%
- Deposit guarantee (backed up by the government)
Cons:
- No points or rewards
- No purchase protection
Norhtmill Bank has remained competitive since 2006 and recently raised 30M EUR for strong investment in digital innovation and neobanking. You can also check my review post here.
6. Marginalen Traveller Mastercard
The Marginalen Traveller Mastercard option is attractive, as you get one of the market’s most comprehensive travel insurance when looking at the price range. In addition, you get points on all purchases you make on the card, which can later be used to book trips with or buy products in the points shop.
Marginalen Bank has been stepping up the last few years in all its products and now offers a quite competitive folio. They provide a range of cards, Traveller and Gold, and their own point system.
Who’s this card for?
Avid travelers already paying for insurance when booking trips, flights, and hotels. People who want to split large purchases with no interest or high fees. Marginalen Traveler has some premium-card features for free.
Pros:
- Great travel insurance
- Points in everything you buy. Redeem the points for flights, hotels, and car rentals.
- 25% discount in over 200 online stores.
- Up to SEK 120.000 in credit.
- Up to 50 days of interest-free credit on every purchase.
- Split payments into 6, 12, or 24 months.
- Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Free for the first year.
Cons:
- It has a fee after the first year, but you can try it for a whole year and see if it is a good fit for your wallet and expenses.
Overall, a fantastic option to have in your credit card arsenal. I love the concept of being able to have interest-free payments. It is an excellent tool when you want to pay for holidays, travel, or even unplanned emergencies and don’t want to take the hit immediately. Native support for Apple Pay and Google Pay is a big win!
Being a Mastercard, it will be broadly accepted, so you don’t need to worry about that part.
Wrap up
I hope this post is useful and promise to keep it regularly updated with the most updated info.
If you have any further questions or wish to brainstorm or chat, feel free to reach out to me anytime on Instagram!
Enjoy!
I live in Denmark and I must say the available selection of credit cards is miserably dissatisfying. can you do a similar article for Denmark?
on a related note, I lost my eurobonus status over the last 2 years (thank you COVID) and I am now eyeing up the Eurobonus mastercard premium in order to get back to Gold. However, with the announced coming changes in Feb 2023, does it still make sense?
Hi Ade, thanks for checking my post. Sure! I’m working on a similar article for Denmark that’s coming up in the next couple of days. I’ll let you know once it is published.
Re: EuroBonus, it will be definitely harder to get Gold status with EB Mastercard, the trick most people use in Sweden and Norway is to get the SAS Amex Elite that helps with 20k status points (combined with the Mastercard). Being based in Denmark with a strong SAS presence it can still make sense to try to qualify for EB Gold. Have you looked into registering in Norway or Sweden and applying for a credit card from there? Several people use that trick.
Are there any cards in Sweden that do not charge a transaction fee for purchases abroad in a foreign currency? And for withdrawals?
What would you recommend?
Hi! Thanks for reading. That’s hard to find, but there is a fix you can use that works for any credit card in Sweden except American Express. You can get a Curve card for free and connect your credit card to it. Then you just pay with Curve, and your transaction gets forwarded to your credit card. The currency conversion is done by Curve which has no fees during weekdays, and your Swedish card gets charged in SEK.
My takeaway is as follows –> Get the Swedish card you like the most, and then:
– If you do just a few foreign transactions every month, Curve free works just fine
– Depending on how many transactions you make every month, it could be worth subscribing to Curve X. If you need a more premium plan like Curve Black or Curve Metal, make sure that it is worth it, instead of just paying the foreign transaction fees on your Swedish credit card.
– Curve Metal is also great if you travel a lot because you can get extra lounge access, travel insurance, phone protection, etc.
– There’s a way to get free Curve Black with Plutus (yeah, sounds complicated, but it is not so much). You can potentially get the best of everything by exploring that approach, but I never tried it. How it works is that you pay for Curve Black using Plutus, and then you get reimbursed that money.
here are some articles I wrote
Curve: https://airlapse.net/blog/new-prices-for-curve-and-curve-x-tier
Plutus: https://airlapse.net/blog/plutus-the-new-way-to-get-free-spotify-or-netflix-in-2023-plutus-perks
Curve and Plutus: https://airlapse.net/blog/curve-and-plutus-partner-to-offer-free-curve-black-card-worth-120
Hope it helps!