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Westpac Choice Transaction Account

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Alison Banney
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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.

$2,000

Fee Free Deposit

$5

Account keeping fee

$0

ATM withdrawal fee

$5

Overseas ATM withdrawal fee

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Details

Product NameWestpac Choice
Monthly account fee$5
Card accessMastercard
ATM Withdrawal Fee$0
Internatonal ATM Fee$5
International transaction fee3%
Monthly deposit required to waive account fee$2,000
Contactless PaymentsGoogle Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay

Expert review

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Review by

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

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.

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. In order to be considered for this account, an applicant must be at least 12 years of age. Keep in mind that if you are under 16, 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.

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12 Comments

    Default Gravatar
    lincoln
    September 9, 2019

    Can you purchase online using the handycard?

    Reply
      Default Gravatar
      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

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    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

    Reply
      Default Gravatar
      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

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    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 ?

    Reply
      Avatarfinder 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

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    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

    Reply
      Avatarfinder 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

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    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.

    Reply
      Avatarfinder 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.

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    Claire
    March 1, 2016

    what is the least expensive way to pay a dental bill in Thailand the amount will be approx. $14,500.00
    Thanks

    Reply
      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      Shirley
      March 2, 2016

      Hi Claire,

      Thanks for your question.

      Online money transfer providers typically offer the lowest fees and strongest exchange rates on money transfers to Thailand. There are also cash pickup options and transfer to bank accounts that you can use through money transfer providers.

      You can compare a range of international money transfer providers that you can use to send money to Thailand. Please ensure to read through the relevant product disclosure statement and terms and conditions to ensure that you got everything covered before you initiate money transfer.

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      Shirley

      Reply
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