Westpac Choice Transaction Account
- Fee Free Deposit
- $2,000
- Account keeping fee
- $5
- ATM withdrawal fee
- $0
- Overseas ATM withdrawal fee
- $5
Our verdict
Enjoy fee-free withdrawals at thousands of ATMs globally and make payments with your Westpac Digital Card available via the Westpac App on your phone or wearable device.
The Westpac Choice bank account has a monthly account keeping fee of $5, however this is waived if you’re under 30 or a full time student. You’ll also get the account fee waived if you deposit $2,000 a month. If you’re concerned about meeting this deposit requirement, there are lots of other everyday accounts with no monthly fee and no deposit conditions to meet.
For those of you who love to travel, Westpac is part of the Global ATM Alliance which is one of the largest ATM networks internationally. This means you can make withdrawals at thousands of ATMs worldwide without being charged a fee by Westpac (although the ATM operator may charge its own fee). There is, however, a 3% international transaction fee applied to card purchases made in a currency besides AUD. While you can avoid this fee with a select number of debit cards, it is fairly standard across most of the major banks to charge this.
One unique feature of this account is the ability to set up a Westpac Digital Card within the Westpac App which can be used exactly like a digital version of your debit card. You can use this online and in stores without needing your physical debit card, and it's available instantly after opening your account.
If you’ve got a Rocket Repay home loan with Westpac, you can use the Choice account as an offset account to reduce the amount of interest you need to pay on our loan. The account can also be opened as a joint account, and both account holders will get their own debit MasterCard linked to the account, which is handy if you regularly need to split expenses with a partner or roommate.
Pros
-
No ATM fees when using St.George / Westpac / BankSA / Bank of Melbourne ATMs in Australia
-
Access thousands of ATMs globally with no fee by Westpac
-
No monthly account keeping fees for students and under 30s
-
Instant access to a Westpac Digital Card in the Westpac App
Cons
-
Must deposit $2,000 to get no monthly account keeping fee (unless you meet the waiver criteria)
-
Foreign transaction fees apply
Details
Key details
| Product Name | Westpac Choice |
| Monthly account fee | $5 |
| Card access | Mastercard |
| Own network ATM fee | $0 |
| International ATM Fee | $5 |
| International transaction fee | 3% |
| Monthly deposit required to waive account fee | $2,000 |
| Contactless Payments | Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay, Digital Card |
Eligibility
| Minimum Age | 14 |
| Joint account availability | Yes |
| Minimum opening deposit | N/A |
| Residency status | Permanent Australian residents with an Australian address |
Key features
$5 monthly account keeping fee waived if you meet the account conditions
If you are able to deposit at least $2,000 a month into your account (for example your salary), the $5 monthly service fee will not be charged to your account.
No account fees for full time students and customers under 30
The account keeping fee is waived for customers under the age of 30, full-time tertiary students, and individuals who hold an Australian Pensioner Concession or Health Care Card. Expatriate and migrant customers will have the fee waived for the first year that the account is open.
Compare other transaction accounts
Your reviews
Alison Finder
Editor
Hi there, looking for more information? Ask us a question.
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Richard Whitten Finder
November 06, 2023
Please contact Westpac directly with this question, as they can give you a more accurate answer than we can.
Lincoln
September 09, 2019
Can you purchase online using the handycard?
Ash
September 10, 2019
Hi Lincoln,
Thank you for contacting Finder.
Unfortunately, you cannot make online purchases using the handycard but you can withdraw cash from Westpac’s ATM machines. Kindly take note that the handycard is being issued to account holders who are 16 years old and below.
I hope this helps.
Please do not hesitate to reach out again to us if you have additional questions.
Cheers,
Ash
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Leon
June 26, 2017
Most of the banks mentioned above don’t charge foreign ATM withdrawal fee when using a Global Alliance ATM. In Germany the Global ATM Alliance partner is Deutsche Bank. Does that mean that I can use only ATM branded Deutsche Bank or also those of their subsidiary Postbank?
Thanks
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Jonathan
June 27, 2017
Hello Leon!
The Westpac Global ATM Alliance page indicates that only Deutsche Bank is connected in Germany.
You may want to verify this with Westpac directly.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Kelly
May 25, 2017
I am planning to travel to Melbourne for holidays about 2 months . I am worry to carry cash on hand . I wanna know which is the best bank me as a foreigners should choose to avoid the fees and charges on basic daily transactions ( cash withdrawal , money transfer ) . Or which bank provide the lesser charge on those transaction ?
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Jhezelyn Andoy Finder
May 28, 2017
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for your question.
As a foreigner in Australia, there are actually everyday transaction accounts that are available for you. You can open or apply for an account when you arrive. You can find on this page – https://www.finder.com.au/bank-accounts/foreigners-open-a-bank-account-in-australia what are these banks and the guide on how you can apply.
Please click on the name of the transaction account you are interested in to know more about the features of the account including fees and rates.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
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Sarberz
November 17, 2016
I am about to leave on a four month tour of Europe and the United Kingdom and was wondering which of the debit cards would be best to use for cash withdrawals and card payments.
I was looking at Citibank on this site but they have no branch atms in Western Europe and only three in United Kingdom.
They may still be the best but I am a bit confused on which one to choose.
Thanks
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May Finder
November 17, 2016
Hi Sarberz,
Thank you for your inquiry. As Finder is a comparative financial service, we’re unable to suggest or recommend one specific travel money card to our users as the best option depends ultimately on your own financial situation, travel plans, and spending habits.
Nonetheless, you may compare your travel money card options. To check the fees and rates of the card, simply click on the name of the card so that you’d be redirected to its review page.
As for the Citibank travel card, if you’re referring to the Citibank Plus Transaction account, it has actually no fees for foreign transactions or ATM withdrawals. Although you’ll be charged third-party ATM operator fees, which Citibank does not have control.
Hope this has helped.
Cheers,
May
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Lap
November 02, 2023
What is the period l have to wait if l have reached my cardless cash withdrawal limit of $1000