KBC Credit Card in Belgium: Review and Fees

KBC is the largest bank in Flanders and one of Belgium's four major banks. Its credit card underwent a major overhaul in 2025: the old Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers were scrapped, replaced by a single card with optional insurance packs. The result is a modular system where you build your own coverage, though the total cost is harder to read at a glance.

Here is my analysis, with rates as of 1 June 2026, foreign transaction fees and a verdict by profile.

How much does the KBC credit card actually cost in 2026?

The KBC credit card is free. No annual fee, no issuance charge. On paper, that is hard to beat.

In practice, the card is tied to your KBC current account. Two options: the Basic Account at €2.50/month (€30/year) or the Plus Account at €4.25/month (€51/year). The Plus Account includes the Shopping and Travel packs in its monthly fee. The Basic Account does not: you pay for those separately if you want them.

Since 1 January 2026, the Plus Account increased by €0.50/month (previously €3.75). Test-Achats noted that this rise also affected the Basic Account (from €2 to €2.50/month) and the universal banking service. KBC justified the increase by pointing to its investments in security and digital innovation.

What this means for you: comparing a "free KBC card" with a "€27 ING card" makes no sense if you ignore the account cost. A KBC Plus Account holder pays €51/year for the account and gets the card plus two insurance packs included. An ING customer pays €27 for the Visa Classic alone, without insurance. These are different calculations entirely.

Is the card available with the Basic Account?

Yes. With the Basic Account (€2.50/month), you get the credit card without the Shopping and Travel packs. Payments in Belgium and the eurozone, monthly statements, contactless: everything works. Insurance is only absent unless you add it as a paid option.

How do the KBC modular packs work?

Since 2025, KBC replaced its Gold and Platinum cards with three optional packs. You start with a base card and add what suits you.

The Shopping Pack is the cheapest purchase protection on the Belgian market. At €18/year, it covers your purchases against theft and damage for 90 days, and extends the manufacturer's warranty by two years on electronics and appliances. For regular online shoppers, that is good value.

The Travel Pack costs €84/year. That is more expensive than an ING Mastercard Gold (€51/year with built-in insurance), but the ceilings are higher: €10,000 in trip cancellation versus €6,000 at ING, and €2,500 rental car excess coverage. Worth comparing based on how often you travel.

The Luxury Pack at €300/year targets a very specific profile: frequent business travellers who use airport lounges regularly. For most people living in Belgium, it is disproportionate. For a full comparison of premium offerings, see our Gold and Platinum card guide.

Key detail: with a Plus Account (€4.25/month), the Shopping and Travel packs are included in the account fee. You do not pay for them on top. This is what makes the Plus Account competitive despite the price increase.

What is the KBC Flex Budget APR?

The KBC Flex Budget charges an APR of 9.35%, based on a variable debit rate of 8.97%. This is one of the lowest rates among major Belgian banks for a revolving credit facility tied to a card.

For comparison, ING charges 12.50% APR on its Visa Classic, BNP Paribas Fortis between 8.50% and 9.50% on its Optiline, and Beobank goes up to 14.49%. KBC Flex Budget sits at the low end of the market, which is a real advantage if you need to spread a large purchase.

The minimum repayment is set at 5.6% of the balance or €25. A €2,000 purchase repaid at the minimum would cost roughly €193 in interest over 18 months. That is not trivial. If you are planning a purchase of that size, a fixed-rate personal loan will almost always be cheaper. Our credit card interest rate guide breaks down the numbers bank by bank.

What are the foreign transaction fees with a KBC card?

Payments within the eurozone are free. Outside the eurozone, KBC applies a 1.6% currency markup above the European Central Bank reference rate.

That 1.6% is in line with most major Belgian banks: identical to BNP Paribas Fortis, lower than ING's 2%, but far from the 0% offered by Revolut or N26 Standard on their initial tiers. ATM withdrawals cost 1% of the amount with a €5 minimum, rising to 2% (min. €5) at bank counters or exchange offices, plus the currency markup on non-euro currencies.

An example: a Brussels couple on holiday in Turkey spending €2,000 in card payments would pay €32 in currency markup with the KBC card. With a Revolut Standard, the same spending costs zero within the €1,000/month per person allowance. The strategy remains the same as with every Belgian traditional bank: keep the KBC card for Belgium and the eurozone, switch to a neobank card the moment you leave the euro area. Our foreign payment guide compares the markups of seven major banks.

Who is the KBC credit card right for?

The KBC card suits existing KBC customers who want a straightforward credit card bundled with their account, with the option to add insurance as needed. The Plus Account with Shopping and Travel packs included is a solid all-in-one package for use in Belgium and across Europe.

It suits three profiles less well. Frequent travellers outside the eurozone will pay 1.6% currency markup on every transaction: a Revolut or Wise as a secondary card is a must. Non-KBC customers have no reason to open an account just for the card, since the Beobank Visa Classic works without a dedicated current account. And cashback seekers will find nothing here: KBC offers no cashback programme on card spending.

To compare the KBC card with other traditional banks, see our traditional bank card comparison, our ING credit card review and the card finder quiz that narrows it down in five questions.

FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about the KBC credit card are available above in the article's structured data.