> In some places the merchant frequently passes the fees on to the customer In the US that is exceedingly rare. The only exceptions I've seen are the governmen

> In some places the merchant frequently passes the fees on to the customer In the US that is exceedingly rare. The only exceptions I've seen are the government and a few discount gas stations. But, you're right, in the end it's important to always be aware of the payment rules of each place and optimize accordingly. > I think it's also common for a credit card to have an annual fee that probably doesn't apply to a debit card. Most normal credit cards (at least in the US) have no annual fee. A good one is the Citi Double Cash card, no annual fee and unlimited 2% back on everything. The premium cards have fees, those are rarely worth it unless you travel so much that you can take advantage of all the discounts.