Westpac Choice Transaction Account

Enjoy free ATM withdrawals at more than 50,000 ATMs globally and get cash out without your card using Cardless Cash.

This everyday transaction account has no monthly account keeping fee when you deposit $2,000 a month. There's also no account fees for students and customers aged under 21.

You can access over 3,000 Westpac Group ATMs in Australia for free along with 50,000 global ATMs that are part of Westpac’s Global ATM Alliance.

1.0 ★★★★★ (1 review) Write a review

Alison Banney

Last Updated Jan 5, 2021

$2,000

Fee Free Deposit

Account keeping fee

ATM withdrawal fee

Overseas ATM withdrawal fee

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Details

Product Name	Westpac Choice
Monthly account fee	$5
Card access	Mastercard
ATM Withdrawal Fee	$0
International ATM Fee	$5
International transaction fee	3%
Monthly deposit required to waive account fee	$2,000
Contactless Payments	Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay

Joint account availability	Yes
Minimum opening deposit	N/A

Pros

No ATM fees when using St.George / Westpac / BankSA / Bank of Melbourne ATMs in Australia
Access 50,000+ ATMs globally for free
No monthly service fee if you deposit a minimum of $2,000 per month
No account fees for students and under 21s

Cons

Must deposit $2,000 to get no monthly service fee
Foreign transaction fees apply

Review by

Alison Banney

alison.banney@finder.com

Alison Banney is the banking and investments editor at Finder. She has written about finance for more than 8 years with her work featured on sites including Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Dynamic Business.

Expert review

The Westpac Choice bank account has a monthly account keeping fee of $5, however this is waived if you’re under 21 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 free withdrawals at more than 50,000 ATMs worldwide. 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.

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.

Key features

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

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 students and customers under 21

The account keeping fee is waived for customers under the age of 21, 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.

Debit Mastercard or Handycard

A Debit Mastercard is issued to all Choice account holders over the age of 14. With this card, purchases can be made all over the world in stores, online and over the phone. The card comes with PayPass so you can make tap-and-go purchases without entering your PIN for transactions under $100.

Customers under the age of 14 can use a Handycard, which allows you to withdraw cash from Westpac ATMs, however does not allow for online purchases.

Free ATM withdrawals within the large Westpac ATM network

You can make unlimited withdrawals using your Debit Mastercard from any Westpac ATM in Australia.

No foreign ATM withdrawal fee when using one of 50,000 Global Alliance ATMs

Westpac is a part of the Global ATM alliance which allows you to make cash withdrawals from certain banks overseas 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.

Global ATM partners

Country	ATM Network
New Zealand	Westpac NZ
Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji	Westpac Pacific Banking
Italy, France	BNP Paribas
Poland, Spain, Germany	Deutsche Bank
Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana	Barclays Bank
UK, Portugal and Gibraltar	Barclays Bank
South Africa	ABSA
USA	Bank of America
Ukraine	Ukrsibbank
China	Bank of Nanjing
Singapore	DBS, POSB
Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Caribbean, Jamaica	Scotiabank

Online, tablet and mobile banking available

You can also get cash from Westpac ATMs by using a cash code that is issued to you through mobile banking. This option limits you to withdrawals of up to $500 daily or $1,000 a week.

Mortgage interest offset available

If you are a home loan customer with a Westpac Rocket Repay home loan or Rocket Investment loan, the balance of your Choice account can offset the balance of your home loan. Interest is then applied to your mortgage payment based on the adjusted amount, lowering the amount due to Westpac.

Foreign currency conversion

If you make a transaction in a foreign currency and the merchant accepting the Debit Mastercard is located outside of Australia, you will be charged 3% of the Australian dollar amount. This includes using your card overseas and also shopping online from overseas merchants.

Get cash without your debit card

Westpac's Cardless Cash feature lets you withdraw money without your debit card from Westpac-branded ATMs. All you need to do is generate a code from the Westpac Mobile Banking app.

Tap and Pay with your Android phone

Pay in-store with your compatible Samsung smartphone using Tap and Pay. Hold your phone to the EFTPOS reader to make purchases under $100 in a tap.

How to apply

When after comparing the features of various transaction accounts you find that the Westpac Choice is the right choice for you, you can apply online by clicking 'Go to Site'.

Eligibility

Your age. There is no minimum or maximum age limit for this account but you must be 12+ to open it. Keep in mind that if you are under 14, you will not be issued a debit Mastercard. Instead, you will need to apply for the Handycard. This card will be able to provide you with access to your money.
Residency. You must be an Australian resident currently living in Australia with a valid residential address.

Mobile number. Westpac will send an account activation code to your mobile phone once they have opened your account.

Documentation needed

If you are eligible to apply for the Choice account, continue on to the secure application page with the following documentation close by to refer to:

Identification documents. Westpac will attempt to verify your identity electronically by using the information from one of the following documents; your passport, driver's licence, Medicare card or birth certificate. If Westpac is unable to verify your identity, you may need to have this step finished at a local branch.
Personal information. Some of your personal details will need to be provided, such as your full name, date of birth and your current Australian address.
Account information. If you intend on using this account as a 100% offset for your home loan, have your customer or account number available.

What happens after I submit the application?

Once you have submitted your online application to Westpac, they will issue you an activation code so that you may begin making your deposits. The debit Mastercard will be sent by post to the address you provided and will be ready for use once you activate it.

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12 Comments

Lincoln
September 9, 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

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

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 ?

finder Customer Care

Jhez
May 29, 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/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

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

finder Customer Care

May
November 18, 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

faye
June 3, 2016

Can I get a mastercard debit card from Westpac, I am on a pension and I need it so that I don’t incur the booking fee when I buy online.

finder Customer Care

Shirley
June 6, 2016

Hi Faye,

Thanks for your question.

Yes, you’ll receive a MasterCard when you open a Westpac Choice transaction account. It should arrive in the mail within 1-2 weeks of opening the account.

Hope this helps.

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