ANZ vs CommBank savings and bank accounts

We compare the different accounts offered by two of Australia's Big Four banks; ANZ and CBA.

Australia’s “Big Four” banks often have a reputation for being virtually identical, but there are several key differences in the products and services they offer that can have a huge bearing on which bank is right for you. ANZ and Commonwealth Bank are two of the biggest players in Australia’s banking industry, each of them offering a range of transaction accounts, savings accounts and other financial products and services.

But which of these two banks is right for you? We compare ANZ and CommBank side by side to help you decide.

Meet the contenders: ANZ vs CommBank

ANZ began life as the Bank of Australasia in Sydney in 1835. Today, ANZ is one of the world’s top 50 banks, operating across more than 30 global markets and having more than 5 million customers. It provides bank accounts, home loans, credit cards and many more financial products to its customers. ANZ has around 2500 ATMS around the country, and around 700 branches.

Commonwealth Bank was established in 1911 and now boasts more than 15 million customers, making it the largest bank in Australia. CommBank has locations across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. It offers a full range of banking services to its customers, including everything from savings and transaction accounts to credit cards and mortgages. CommBank has more ATMS than ANZ with about 4,000 around the country, as well as around 1000 branches.

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Our expert says

"I didn't choose between ANZ and CBA - I bank with both of them. In fact, I have accounts with 5 different banks. I spread my accounts (home loans, credit cards and savings) across multiple banks to spread my risk. If I ever get scammed or hacked, I don't have my entire financial situation tied up with one bank so it will be easier to manage. I also prefer to stay loyal to the best deal for me personally, rather than being loyal to any single bank. "

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ANZ and CommBank deposit products compared

ANZ or Commonwealth Bank: which bank is better for your day to day banking?

Transaction accounts

If you’re looking for a no-frills transaction account to help you take care of your day-to-day banking needs, ANZ offers the Access Advantage Account and CommBank provides the Smart Access Account.

ANZ Access Advantage AccountCommBank Everyday Account Smart Access
Monthly fee$5 (fee waived if you deposit at least $2,000 per month)$4 (fee waived if you deposit at least $2,000 per month)
Debit cardYes – VisaYes – Mastercard
Online banking access24/7 Internet banking24/7 Internet banking
Mobile banking access24/7 mobile banking via the ANZ App24/7 mobile banking via the CommBank app
ATM withdrawal fee$0$0
International transaction fee3%3%
Contactless smartphone purchasesApple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google PayApple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay
Mobile app rating4.7 on App Store and 4.2 on Google Play4.7 on App Store and 3.5 on Google Play
Name Monthly fee Govt. Guarantee Own network ATM fee Card type
ANZ Access Advantage
ANZ logo
Apple Pay Google Pay Samsung Pay Garmin Pay
Monthly fee
$5
Government Guarantee
Own network ATM fee
$0
Card type
Visa
More Info
Commonwealth Bank Smart Access
Commonwealth Bank logo
Apple Pay Google Pay Samsung Pay Garmin Pay
Monthly fee
$4
Government Guarantee
Own network ATM fee
$0
Card type
Mastercard
More Info
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Both banks also offer special transaction accounts for pensioners and retirees, including the ANZ Pensioner Advantage Account and the CommBank Pensioner Security Account.

Savings accounts: High interest bonus savings accounts

Both ANZ and CommBank offer bonus savings accounts, allowing customers to earn a higher bonus interest rate when they meet some account conditions. ANZ's bonus saver account is the ANZ Progress Saver, while ComBank's bonus savings account is the Goal Saver Account.

ANZ Progress SaverCommBank Goal Saver Account
Maximum interest rate4.1% p.a.4.9% p.a.
Standard variable rate0.01% p.a.0.4% p.a.
Bonus interest rate4.09% p.a.4.5% p.a.
Bonus interest conditionsEarn bonus interest each month you make a single deposit of $10 or more, and no withdrawals.Earn bonus interest each month you deposit $0.01 or more and make no withdrawals.
Account-keeping feesNoneNone
Minimum balance requiredNoneNone
Linked account requiredYes - you need to link to an ANZ bank accountYes - you need to link to a CBA bank account
Account accessInternet banking and mobile banking appInternet banking and mobile banking app

Introductory saver accounts (honeymoon savers)

Both banks also offer an introductory saver account, too. These accounts offer a bonus interest rate for the first few months after opening the account, which is then reduced to the standard ongoing variable rate after the 'honeymoon' period is over.

ANZ Online SaverCommBank NetBank Saver
Introductory interest rate3.65% for the first 3 months5.1% for the first 5 months.
Standard variable rate1.4%2.35%
Conditions to achieve bonus rateNew account holders will earn the bonus rate for the first 3 months. Not deposit conditions to meet.New account holders will earn the bonus rate for the first 5 months. Not deposit conditions to meet.
Monthly account feesNoNo
Name Maximum Variable Rate p.a. Base interest rate Intro/Ongoing Government Guarantee Monthly Max Rate Conditions
ANZ Online Saver
ANZ logo
Maximum Variable Rate p.a.
3.65%
Standard Variable Rate p.a.
1.40%
Intro/Ongoing
3 months
Government Guarantee
Monthly Max Rate Conditions
  • N/A
Commonwealth Bank NetBank Saver
Commonwealth Bank logo
Maximum Variable Rate p.a.
5.10%
Standard Variable Rate p.a.
2.35%
Intro/Ongoing
5 months
Government Guarantee
Monthly Max Rate Conditions
  • N/A
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Term deposits

Term deposits provide safe and consistent returns on the money you invest. They allow you to deposit your money for a set time period and earn a fixed interest rate, meaning your balance is guaranteed to grow by a specified amount.

Both ANZ and Commonwealth Bank offer a range of term deposit accounts with terms ranging from 30 days through to five years. The interest rates on offer vary depending on the term you choose, as you can see in the table below.

Name Product AUFSA-TDA 3 Mths p.a. 4 Mths p.a. 5 Mths p.a. 6 Mths p.a. 7 Mths p.a. 12 Mths p.a. 24 Mths p.a.
ANZ logo
0.05%
0.05%
0.05%
0.10%
0.10%
0.15%
0.15%
More Info
Commonwealth Bank logo
3.10%
3.15%
3.25%
3.35%
3.45%
4.35%
3.70%
More Info
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Of course, there are many more banks you can choose from and you don't need to do all of your own banking with one specific bank. You can choose to spread your banking around a number of banks: have a high interest savings account with one bank, a credit card with another bank, and a home loan with a third bank. Other than the "ease" of having all of your banking with one institution, there's no need to be loyal and do all your banking with one institution. There can even b risk benefits of spreading your banking out – for instance, if you get hacked, you don't have all of your eggs in one basket. If you don't think ANZ or CommBank has the right account for you, you can compare bank accounts, savings accounts and term deposits from a range of different Australian banks instead.

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Writer

Tim Falk is a writer for Finder, writing across a diverse range of topics. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, Tim has reported on everything from travel and personal finance to pets and TV soap operas. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio

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6 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    ElizabethJuly 19, 2023

    We are looking at ANZ progressive savings a/c versus Comm. Bank goal savers a/c .
    Are these accounts available to have within a super account?.
    We are retired and in pension mode. Which is best?Thanks.

      AvatarFinder
      AlisonAugust 1, 2023Finder

      Hi Elizabeth, both the ANZ Progress Saver account and the CommBank Goal Saver account are only available for personal use and cannot be opened as part of your super/SMSF.

    Default Gravatar
    DrMarch 21, 2019

    At the moment I am signing for a loan request to build a house. I told the broker I’m taking a home loan for $ 480000. He advised me to go with Comm Bank with 3.84% interest rate. I looked at ANZ bank and the interest rate is 3.75%. Why did my broker told me to go to CommBank?

      AvatarFinder
      JoshuaMarch 21, 2019Finder

      Hi Donna,

      Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃

      While I might not be able to specifically tell you why your broker chose CommbBank over ANZ, there might be other factors that he considered. He might have considered factors such as ongoing fees, application fees, features, and others.

      What I can suggest is for you to directly speak to your mortgage broker and discuss your concern with him/her.

      I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Cheers,
      Joshua

    Default Gravatar
    QuentinJune 18, 2018

    I need to open a bank account – Do I need to go into the bank for this or is there an alternate way to do this?

      Default Gravatar
      NikkiJune 19, 2018

      Hi Quentin,

      Thanks for getting in touch.

      To open a bank account, you can do this online or visit a branch near you.

      You can also check our guide in opening a bank account online. On the page is a comparison table you can use to see which account suits you. If you prefer to open an online account, press the “Go to site” button of your preferred bank to get started.

      Hope this clarifies.

      Regards,
      Nikki

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