How to Use a Debit Card for Online Payments

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Using your debit card to pay for online purchases is easy, if you have the card on you. All you will usually need is the card number, expiry date and the three-digit CVV number on the back of the card. If you have all of these details available, you should have no trouble using your debit card when checking out. In some cases, you might be required to verify the transaction via your banks online platform or app.

In the early days of Internet shopping people would use either credit cards or the EFTPOS system. Although you can still in come cases use EFTPOS to make online purchases, very few companies accept this form of payment.

One of the big reasons vendors do not like this system is because it can only actually be used by Australians. Therefore any companies abroad would have to jump through many hoops in order to accept this kind of payment method.

Something that also hindered the use of the EFTPOS system, was that many websites use special shopping cart software in order to accept online transactions, and most of the software available was not compatible with the system, meaning many vendors stopped using it.

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Name	Contactless Payments	Instant Payments	ATM Withdrawal Fee	Monthly account fee
HSBC Everyday Global Account Finder Award	Google Pay, Apple Pay	PayID	$0	$0	Special offer: $100 cash bonus for new HSBC customers. Earn 2% cashback on tap and pay purchases (T&C's apply). Enjoy no minimum ongoing balance or transaction requirements and the flexibility to hold up to 10 currencies. Apple Pay and Google Pay available.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
NAB Classic Banking	Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay	Osko, PayID	$0	$0	Enjoy convenient, unlimited access to your money. $0 monthly account fee. Tap and pay with your NAB Visa Debit card or your phone using Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay or NAB Pay for Android. Temporarily block your card at the touch of a button if you lose it.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
MyState Bank Glide Account	Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay	Osko, PayID	$0	$0	Simplify your everyday banking with these sleek digital features. $0 monthly account fee. Choose the way you pay with access to Google, Samsung and Apple Pay plus Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay. Send and receive money in less than 60 seconds with PayID.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Virgin Money Go Account	Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay	Osko, PayID	$0	$0	Special offer: Welcome bonus of 5,000 Virgin Money Points (T&Cs apply). $0 monthly account fee. A transaction account that gives you Virgin Money Points on your everyday spend, access to perks and rewards. Plus, earn a competitive bonus interest rate on your Virgin Money Boost savings account.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Great Southern Bank Everyday Snap Account		Osko	$0	$0	Refund of international ATM withdrawal fees and international card transaction fees (conditions apply). $0 monthly account fee. Unlimited fee-free everyday transactions. Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay available. Savings Top Up tool automatically transfers to linked savings account.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Suncorp Everyday Options Account	Google Pay, Apple Pay	Osko, PayID	$0	$0	Link up to 9 interest-earning sub accounts. $0 monthly account keeping fees. Earn interest on your linked sub accounts to help you save for individual goals, with no account fees to pay. Make contactless payments using Google Pay and Apple Pay.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi Global Currency Account	Apple Pay, Samsung Pay	Osko, PayID	$0	$0	Earn up to 0.75% p.a. interest on your AUD balance. $0 monthly account fee. Enjoy one linked debit card to hold up to 10 currencies and receive foreign currencies for free.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Great Southern Bank Everyday Account		Osko	$0	$0	Enjoy flexible payment options and access to a wide network of ATMs. $0 monthly account fee. Access to Google, Samsung and Apple Pay. Enjoy fee-free cash withdrawals from 10,000+ ATMs across Australia.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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What about credit cards?

Credit cards, and debit cards are the main forms of online payment methods. Although in the early days the credit card was the most commonly used form of payment, it would now seem that debit cards are rising in popularity.

One of the main reasons is because using a debit card for online transactions can potentially be a much cheaper way of making purchases.

Like anything that you spend on your credit card, your purchases will be subject to an interest charge if your balance is not fully repaid at the end of your interest free period. In a very short space of time your balance can increase, and reach a level where you will not be able to pay your full balance in time, and so will begin amassing interest.

This means anything you paid for using your credit card could start going up in cost to you!

Learn more about credit cards.

Why debit cards?

The beauty of the debit card is that it is linked to your bank account and you are only ever able to spend what is available to you in your account.

Unless you have an agreed overdraft with your lender, any purchase you attempt to make with your debit card will be refused if there is not sufficient funds available, and an alternative form of payment will be asked for.

This makes it much easier to stay in control of your spending.

Credit giants Visa and Mastercard are both in charge of processing both credit and debit card transactions, so whichever you use should have the same security benefits as the other.

One thing is for certain, when compared to the EFTPOS system, and credit cards, the debit card is becoming the most common way to pay for your online transactions.

Thank you for your feedback!

Shirley Liu

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Shirley Liu is Finder's global program manager. She was previously the publisher for banking and investments and has also written comparisons for energy, money transfers, Uber Eats and many other topics. Shirley has a Master of Commerce and a Bachelor of Media, Journalism and Communications from the University of New South Wales. She is passionate about helping people find the best deal for their needs.

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How to use a debit card for online payments