St.George Complete Freedom Account

Last updated: 1 April 2020

An everyday transaction account with Cardless Cash and Apple Pay, plus no account fees for students and those under 21.

The St.George Complete Freedom Account is a handy everyday transaction account with no account keeping fees if you deposit $2,000 a month. The account keeping fees are also waived for students and customers aged under 21.

It comes with a linked Visa Debit card with payWave and you can access your account using mobile and internet banking, so you bank anytime, anywhere.

$2,000

Fee Free Deposit

Account keeping fee

ATM withdrawal fee

Overseas ATM withdrawal fee

Details

Product Name	St.George Complete Freedom Account
Monthly account fee	$5
Card access	Visa
ATM Withdrawal Fee	$0
Internatonal ATM Fee	$5
International transaction fee	3%

Minimum Age	18
Joint account availability	Yes

Pros

Cardless Cash available
24/7 Online access to your account
No account fees for students and under 21s
No ATM fees at more than 50000 ATMs globally

Cons

Minimum $2,000 deposit required every month to get the $0 monthly fee (unless you're a student or under 21)
international transaction fees apply

Expert review

Review by

Alison Banney

alison.banney@finder.com

Alison Banney is the banking and investments editor at Finder. She has written about finance for over six years with her work featured on sites including Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Dynamic Business.

Expert review

This account charges no account keeping fees if you’re under 21 or a full time student or apprentice. If this isn’t you, you can still get the $5 account fee waived if you deposit $2,000 a month. Make sure you can meet the monthly deposit condition before opening the account, as it is quite high in comparison to other accounts.

The Cardless Cash feature in the St.Geroge app allows you to withdraw cash from St.George ATMs without your debit card, by generating a unique code in the app. If you’re an Apple user, you can link your debit card to Apple Pay to make purchases with your phone or wearable device while you’re out and about without your wallet. However if you’re an Android user, the account doesn’t support Google Pay or Samsung Pay just yet.

Another benefit of banking with St.George is it’s part of the Westpac Group. This means you can make free ATM withdrawals at all St.George, Westpac, BankSA and Bank of Melbourne ATMs in Australia and at 50,000+ ATMs overseas that are part of the Global ATM Alliance. But keep in mind that if you use an overseas ATM outside of the alliance, you'll be charged a $5 withdrawal fee, and the ATM operator may charge their own fee, too.

SPECIAL OFFER: $50 CASH BONUS

Receive a $50 cash bonus when you open a new St.George Complete Freedom account online by 30 June 2020 and deposit $500 within 30 days of opening the account. You must also make sure the account remains open for at least 45 days from the date of account opening. New account holders only. T&Cs apply.

Key features

$0 Account keeping fee if you deposit $2,000 per month

If you're able to deposit at least $2,000 into your account by the last business day of the month, the monthly service fee is waived. If you don't make this obligation one month, your account will be charged $5.

However, since this is a month-by-month feature you'll still get the no fee advantage the next month with the right deposit amount. To make sure you never have to pay the service fee, consider having your salary directly deposited right into your account.

$0 Account keeping fee for students and customers under 21

If you're under 21 years old or are a full-time tertiary student or apprentice, the monthly account keeping fee will be waived.

Linked Visa Debit card

You'll receive a linked Visa Debit card with this account which you can use online and in stores all around the world. The card comes with payWave, so you can make tap-and-go purchases without entering a PIN for transactions under $100.

$0 Transaction fees in Australia

There are no charges applied to your account when you use internet or phone banking or make purchases in store with your Visa debit card.

Free ATM withdrawals from the Westpac ATM network

Taking out cash at an ATM with St.George, Bank of Melbourne, Westpac or BankSA in Australia will not incur any charges. If you use an ATM from another network, that institution may apply a charge to your account. Westpac currently has the third largest ATM network in Australia.

No ATM withdrawal fee at more than 50,000 ATMs globally

St.George is a part of the Westpac Global ATM alliance which allows you to make cash withdrawals from more than 50,000 ATMs globally without being charged an ATM fee. If you do use an ATM that is not a part of the alliance, you will be charged $5 per transaction plus other fees and charges may be added to your account from the issuing bank.

3% International transaction fee

If you make a cash withdrawal or purchase that requires a conversion of a foreign currency, you will be charged 3% of the Australian dollar amount to your account. For example, when using your debit card in another country or when shopping online from an overseas retailer.

$1 opening deposit requirement

There is a small minimum opening balance requirement of just $1 for the Complete Freedom Account.

24/7 Online access to your account

You can look forward to convenient and secure banking. St.George online and phone banking means you can access your account anytime and view your balance immediately. You can even use fingerprint login when accessing the St.George Mobile Banking app, given that your phone is compatible. Stay updated with SMS and email alerts.

Withdraw cash without your Visa Debit card using Cardless Cash

Don't worry about bringing your wallet anymore. With Cardless Cash, you can use your St.George mobile banking app to withdraw money from select St.George ATMs.

A range of security features to protect your money

St.George offer a Card Block feature, so if you've misplaced your card you can block it for up to 15 days using the app while you find it. There is also peace of mind from 24/7 fraud monitoring and fraud money back guarantee. If you report fraudulent transactions promptly and didn't contribute to the loss, St.George will reimburse you for that cost.

Only available for personal accounts and names

This account is only available for personal names and can't be opened as a SMSF or business. If you'd like to see what options are available , you can compare other St.George everyday and savings accounts here.

How to apply

Eligibility

Age requirement. Only individuals who are at least 18 years of age may open the Complete Freedom Account.

Residency requirement. Applicants need to be residents of Australia with a valid Australian residential address.

Deposit requirement. An initial deposit of at least $1 is required before the account can be opened.

Documentation needed

If you are eligible, continue on to the secure application page. The following documentation will be good to have close by to ensure that your information is accurate:

Identification documents. St.George will attempt to verify your identity electronically by using two forms of the following identification; driver's licence, passport, Medicare card or your birth certificate.

Personal details. In addition to your name and date of birth, you will need to provide a valid residential address within Australia.

If you are a new St.George customer

Australians who have not previously banked with St.George or used one of their other products may need to visit a branch in order to complete the 100 points of identification.

What happens after I submit my application?

Filling out the application should take about five minutes and expect it to be less than two business days before your account is opened. A Visa debit card will be mailed to your home, allowing you to begin accessing your money when you need to.

FAQ

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12 Comments

Darryl
June 22, 2018

1. Can the withdrawal be transferred to a 3rd party? Eg, If I want to pass $20 to someone else, can I give them the temporary OIN and have them access the funds?
2. Can I transfer to another bank account? Eg, If I want to send $20 to a 3rd party direct to the bank account.

Reply
- Arnold
  June 22, 2018
  
  Hi Daryl,
  
  Thanks for your inquiry
  
  1. Yes, the St. George Freedom Account cardless cash feature can be shared with others by sharing your cash code with others. This is ideal if you need to quickly get cash to friends and family.
  
  2. Yes, transferring funds to other accounts is possible. However, these accounts need to be eligible accounts that are linked to your St. George Freedom Account.
  
  You want to check St. George’s website and the terms and conditions for more information about this account.
  
  Hope this information helps
  
  Cheers,
  Arnold
  
  Reply
Morris
October 2, 2016

Hi there,

I would like to close my st george complete freedom bank account since I moved overseas and it just keeps charging my account monthly even when i have no use for it, I forgot to close my bank account before i moved away from Australia, I am not coming back anytime soon within ten years, is there any way i can close it with phone or online? Thank you very much

Reply
- finder Customer Care
  
  Clarizza
  October 5, 2016
  
  Hi Morris,
  
  Thanks for your question.
  
  Yes, you can certainly close your account by calling the bank direct if you can’t visit a branch.
  
  Regards,
  Clarizza
  
  Reply
vahid
July 20, 2016

Hi,

I want to receive money from overseas from a tax refund company. Will there be any charges for receipt of money credited to your account from overseas of course in foreign currency but equivalent to get here in AUD. I have complete freedom account.

Reply
- finder Customer Care
  
  Clarizza
  July 25, 2016
  
  Hi Vahid,
  
  Thanks for your comment.
  
  It is best to check with your bank, however it looks like there is a fee of around $15 for inward transfers. Please note we are a comparison website and provide general advice only.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  Clarizza
  
  Reply
Diane
July 2, 2016

I want to open a St George Freedom Account but only for about a month then I would want to close it. How do I go about this?

Reply
- finder Customer Care
  
  Clarizza
  July 4, 2016
  
  Hi Diane,
  
  Thanks for your question. You can open a St.George Freedom Account by clicking on the ‘Go to Site’ button at the top of this page. Be sure to check information on documentation requirements and eligibility to apply under the ‘How to Apply’ tab on this page.
  
  You can certainly open an account for one month. When you’re ready to close, you can notify St.George direct.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  Clarizza
  
  Reply
- Dan
  September 19, 2016
  
  Hi,
  Is there any fees for closing an account with St George? If yes, what’s the amount?
  
  Reply
- finder Customer Care
  
  Clarizza
  September 20, 2016
  
  Hi Dan,
  
  Thanks for your question.
  
  St.George do not charge a fee for closing the account. Once your balance is at $0 (you have transferred your funds elsewhere), you can call St.George to close your account or visit one of their branches.
  
  We also recommend taking a look at our guide to closing a bank account which outlines what you need to look out for and considerations to make.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  Clarizza
  
  Reply
ANNA
February 12, 2016

What is the withholding tax rate on accounts where no tax file numbers are provided? Please advise.

Reply
- finder Customer Care
  
  Shirley
  February 15, 2016
  
  Hi Anna,
  
  Thanks for your question.
  
  WHT is calculated using the top marginal rate of tax (which is 45%) plus Medicare levy (which is 1.5%).
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  Reply

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St.George Complete Freedom Account

An everyday transaction account with Cardless Cash and Apple Pay, plus no account fees for students and those under 21.

Details

Expert review

Alison Banney

Expert review

SPECIAL OFFER: $50 CASH BONUS

Key features

$0 Account keeping fee if you deposit $2,000 per month

$0 Account keeping fee for students and customers under 21

Linked Visa Debit card

$0 Transaction fees in Australia

Free ATM withdrawals from the Westpac ATM network

No ATM withdrawal fee at more than 50,000 ATMs globally

3% International transaction fee

$1 opening deposit requirement

24/7 Online access to your account

Withdraw cash without your Visa Debit card using Cardless Cash

A range of security features to protect your money

Only available for personal accounts and names

How to apply

Eligibility

Documentation needed

If you are a new St.George customer

What happens after I submit my application?

FAQ

I am shopping around for a transaction account that meets my needs. I am considering opening a 'complete freedom account' with you. It is a requirement for myself that I have two debit MasterCards with the account I open. Is this possible with the account you offer?

What do you mean by 'if I have signatory'?

How long does it take for St George to activate the account and email you if you applied for it over the weekend?

Can you view your transaction on line, instead of a statement every three months?

Ask an expert

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