Australian bank ATM fees (and how to avoid them)
Avoid ATM fees by making withdrawals at your own bank ATMs, or a Big Four bank ATM. And watch out for independent, non-bank ATMs that charge withdrawal fees of $3 or more.
Key takeaways
- It's fairly easy to avoid ATM fees by using your own bank's ATMs or any ATM from CommBank, ANZ, NAB or Westpac. Banks never charge you for using their own ATMs if you're a customer.
- Independently owned ATMs can charge fees of $3 or more. But even then, some of these ATMs partner with major banks to offer customers fee-free withdrawals.
- But with more independent ATMs and fewer bank ATMs around these days, you have to be careful not to get hit with an ATM fee.
Australian bank ATM fees and charges, partnerships and alliances
You can use this table to see whether or not your bank has any ATM partners that offer you ATM withdrawals without a fee.
| Institution | ATM partners | Withdrawal fee for other Australian bank cards |
|---|---|---|
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0.70 |
 | N/A | $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| $0 |
 |
| The fee may vary from $1.50 to $3.50. |
 |
| $0 |
The biggest ATM networks in Australia
Finder survey: Do Australians regularly have cash in their wallet?
| Response | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 55.98% |
| No | 44.02% |
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1004 Australians, December 2023
Independently owned ATM fees
There are many independent ATMs in Australian now, with multiple operators. You can find these machines inside pubs, clubs, convenience stores and in public places.
They work just like bank ATMs but they charge an ATM withdrawal fee. These fees vary widely, but they will cost at least $2 or $3 and can go higher.
You can avoid withdrawal fees if your bank is an ATM partner
Atmx is one of the largest independent ATM networks in Australia. If you have a debit card with one of its partner banks you can make fee-free withdrawals.
These ATM partners are:
- ANZ
- Suncorp Bank
- Westpac
- BankSA
- St.George Bank
- Bank of Melbourne
- Horizon Bank
- Bank Orange
- BCU Bank
- P&N Bank
- AMP Bank
- Police Credit Union
- Warwick Credit Union
- Central Murray Credit Union Limited
- Police Bank
- BankWAW
- Central West Credit Union
- BNK Banking Corporation
- GMCU
- Broken Hill Community Credit Union
- Dnister Ukranian Credit Co-operative Ltd
- Transport Mutual Credit Union
- Defence Bank
Note that rediATM was acquired by Armaguard in 2019 and now operates as atmx, so it has the same partner banks.
How to avoid paying ATM fees
Use a partner ATM or any of the big four banks' ATMs
Use an ATM owned by your financial institution or a partner ATM. Check your bank’s website or mobile app for an ATM locator that can advise you of nearby machines you can use for free.
The four major Australian banks – and a handful of others – don't charge ATM fees for out-of-network Australian cards. As these ATMs are typically the easiest ones to find, you shouldn't have an issue making a fee-free cash withdrawal with your debit card.
Use a global alliance ATM if you’re overseas
There is a Global ATM Alliance that gives people who bank with partnered financial institutions a way to use ATMs for free around the world. In Australia, Westpac is part of this alliance, which means Westpac Group cardholders (Bank of Melbourne, BankSA and St.George) can make withdrawals for free at a huge number of international ATMs.
For example, if you were using a Westpac Group card in France, you wouldn't be charged fees at BNP Paribas ATMs. Or, if you were in the UK, you could avoid international ATM withdrawal fees at Barclays Bank ATMs.
Plus, most ATMs in Europe don’t charge a local ATM operator fee, so the main charges you’ll incur will be from your own bank if you don’t use a partner ATM.
Use a fee-free debit account
If you want to avoid ATM withdrawal fees, a fee-free debit card is another option. The ING Orange Everyday Accountand the ME SpendME Transaction Account both offer fee-free withdrawals to cardholders.
However, some of these debit cards have terms and conditions you need to meet to be eligible for fee-free withdrawals, so make sure you read the fine print or contact the bank to find out if you qualify.
Which bank has the biggest ATM network in Australia?
Our expert says: Bank ATMs are getting harder to find
"The number of bank ATMs peaked in 2016. Since then, banks have been shrinking both the number of branches and ATMs in their networks. But independent, fee-charging ATMs are becoming more common. Depending on where you live, it may be hard to actually find a fee-free bank ATM. "
What fees will I be charged for using my credit card at an ATM?
When you use a credit card to withdraw cash from an ATM, you'll be charged a cash advance fee worth around 2-3% of the transaction amount, or a minimum dollar value of around $2 to $5. You'll also attract the cash advance interest rate from the date of the transaction.
Even if your credit card doesn't charge overseas ATM withdrawal fees, you'll still attract the relevant cash advance charges. Given the high fees and interest rates, you may want to consider using your debit card to make ATM withdrawals instead.
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My friend is on a pension. Her son moved for work and left his cat with her but said he’d pay for food and would transfer money. She went several times to a rediATM (the only one near her) to see if funds arrived. She was charged $2.50 each time for balance check, not even a withdrawal. Are they allowed to do this?
Hi Sally,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder.
I understand that this situation could be frustrating. There are different ways on how ATMs earn and one of them is charging withdrawal fees. If you use an ATM which isn’t a partner of your card, then it is most likely that you will be charged a fee.
It is important to take note of the name of your card and the ATMs that don’t charge any fee. You can do that by looking at our table on this page. So, for example, if your card is NAB or Macquarie cards and you use RediATM, you won’t have to pay any withdrawal or inquiry fee.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
I understand being charged a fee if withdrawing money, but seems unreasonable to be charged $2.50 for a balance check.
Hi Sally,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
I can understand your frustration. I suggest that every time you check your or your friend’s balance in a cash machine, make sure that they are ATM partners. When we say ATM partners, these financial institutions are partnered together so customers can use any of their ATMs free of charge. Customers are charged $2.50 even doing a balance enquiry and this fee is called “disloyalty” fee for using rival ATMs.
As a friendly reminder, while we do not represent any company we feature on our pages, we can offer you general advice.
I also advise you to contact your bank to verify this info for your peace of mind.
I hope this helps.
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Jeni
My son was charged an ATM operator fee of $8.00 for a withdrawal which I think is extremely excessive. Is this a rip-off or are the non-bank ATMs that charge this much?
Hi Linda, thanks for your question!
Usually, ATM operators charge fees to non-partner banks and unfortunately these fees are usually high especially when you use the independent ones. So as much as possible, you have to look for an ATM where you can withdraw funds from your own bank’s ATM or ATM alliances.
Cheers,
May
hi i am wondering if i am able to use commonwealth atm to withdraw cash from my bendigo account and will it cost me also wondering if bendigo bank Atm’s in tasmania have the cardless cash option as i have just opened an account with bendigo bank and wont have my card for up to 10 days
Hi Deborah, thanks for your inquiry!
Unfortunately Bendigo Bank does not currently have a cardless cash option. Without a card withdrawing from a Commonwealth Bank ATM would not be supported. The cost for withdrawal from a non Bendigo Bank/ Suncorp ATM from a Commonwealth Bank ATM is $2.00 .
Cheers,
Jonathan
sorry I have just asked a question and lost the possible reply..(re ATM matters for my ASB Auckland account
HI Gordon. I’ve sent something to your email. Jacob.
If I use my ASB New Zealand card for cash withdrawals in Australia. First of all is that OK and, if so, what will the cost be, if any, of a withdrawal ?
Hi Gordon. Thanks for your question. You should be able to use your New Zealand Card at Australian outlets / merchants where Visa, MasterCard or American Express are accepted. There may be a cost, usually a cash advance fee, cash advance interest rate, cross currency conversion fee, international ATM fee and local ATM operator fee ($2.00-$2.50) when you use your card to make a withdrawal from an ATM and a cross currency conversion fee and purchase rate of interest when you make a purchase. Please check with your credit card issuer and the credit contract you received when you got the card for a full list of international fees and charges. Jacob.