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Definition: Best bank account. The best bank account will help you manage your finances properly according to your spending style. It’s also important to note that there may be more than one everyday bank account that is "best" for your situation, and what is best for you may be different for someone else. Consider what features are important to you, such as monthly fees, ATM fees and access when selecting your bank account.
The right bank account for you will depend on how you plan to use the account. Select the option that best applies to you.
First you’ll need to think about your requirements for a bank account. Is it flexibility you need, or are you happy to trade some of that flexibility for no monthly fees? The considerations listed below can help you prioritise what features you need in a bank account.
There are numerous banks serving the population of Australia, all offering a range of different banking products. To make managing your money easier, you may want to think combining all your products with the one bank.
Here are some bank accounts that can be linked with savings accounts that allow you to earn high interest on your savings.
| Transaction account | Linked savings account | Savings account max. variable interest rate |
|---|---|---|
| ING Orange Everyday | ING Savings Maximiser | 1.80% |
| ME Everyday Transaction | ME Online Saver | 1.80% |
| HSBC Day to day Transaction | HSBC Flexi Saver | 1.25% |
| Westpac Choice Transaction | Westpac Life Savings Account | 1.30% |
The best bank account shouldn't charge any monthly fees, or it's at least easy for you to meet the deposit conditions so the monthly fee is waived.
To ensure that you are getting the most benefit you should compare all of the fees associated with the lifestyle you have. For example, if you do a lot of shopping through overseas internet sites, you will want to check for the amount charged for international transactions. Compare debit cards with low or no foreign international transaction fees here.
If you use ATMs a lot, consider a bank account that doesn't charge ATM fees. Click "More" on our comparison tables to see what fees and charges apply to each bank account.
Most banks are now online, giving you better accessibility to your money with Internet, phone or mobile banking. If you do a lot of your day to day activities through a smartphone, you should also check for the availability of an app. Compare mobile banking apps here.
Look to see if the institution is strictly online or if you also have the option of calling, or face-to-face banking at a local branch. If you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy, you may want to consider a financial institution that has a physical presence.
This is an important feature to consider if you make frequent ATM withdrawals. With some best everyday bank accounts you could accrue added charges for not using an ATM in it's network. See who has the largest ATM network here.
There are some institutions that are based globally, allowing you easier and cheaper access to your money when travelling abroad.
Take a closer look at your spending habits and try to work out approximately how many transactions you make each month.
If you already know you don't like to carry a lot of cash on you and you prefer to pay for things you want via EFTPOS or BPAY, an everyday account offering high or even unlimited amounts of transactions each month may be best for you. Likewise, if you want to access cash, you can still withdraw your money using an ATM.
Do you have convenient access to your bank's ATMs? Most big banks seem to have ATMs everywhere, some of the smaller banks and credit unions may have them installed in fewer locations, or piggyback with other bank ATM networks. Take a look at the banks offering ATMs available near your home and your workplace and compare the transaction accounts available from those convenient banks.
The fees and charges associated with everyday accounts will vary between different banks. Take a look at any monthly account-keeping fees charged and see what you're getting in return for that fee. Some banks may charge a transaction fee on every transaction you make. Some may offer you a specified number of transactions you can make before they charge excess usage fees.
Others may let you transact on your account an unlimited number of times with no fees at all. Likewise, some banks may require you to keep a specified minimum balance in the account in order to have the monthly fees waived. Others may request that you deposit an agreed amount of money into the account each month in order to avoid paying fees.
While almost every bank now offers a secure online banking portal for you to access your accounts, not everyInternet banking facility is the same. Some offer differing levels of security. You may find that you can't view all of your accounts with that same bank easily, or that reporting facilities aren't as streamlined as you would like.
You can ask a customer service representative at any branch to give you a demonstration of their online banking platform so you can see what level of functionality you can expect before you open an account.
Is it likely your personal circumstances are going to change in the future? Does your current partner bank with a different financial institution to you and you're thinking about consolidating your finances?
Opening a transaction account with a new bank is a good way to develop a relationship with that bank. This is especially true if you're also going to open a savings account or intend to apply for a mortgage in future.
There's a combination of factors as to why most of won't change banks: sometimes it's the love, for others there's the lazy factor and for the remaining, it's not our priority when we're living pay cheque to pay cheque. If you're currently satisfied with the services that your bank provides, such as it's online services or mobile apps, you'd feel less inclined to change.
