ATMs Your Bank Will Let You Use For Free

Diving onto the nearest ATM regardless of brand can be tempting when you need cash in a hurry, but you’ll invariably end up paying $2 or more for the privilege. Dodge fees with our guide to which ATMs your bank lets you use for nothing.

Picture by yewenyi

The listing below summarises which ATM “networks” you can generally utilise for free with a particular bank’s accounts, and how many machines that network offers. Each financial institution is linked to its online ATM finder to help you locate a useful nearby option. (If you’re using an unfamiliar ATM, be on the alert for skimmers and other fraudulent devices.)

Note that a bank offering free transactions on its own machines doesn’t in itself guarantee that you’ll get a fee-free transaction: if your account limits the number of ATM transactions you can make per month, then you’ll end up getting slugged if you go over that number. (Even then, using your own bank’s ATM will be cheaper than using a rival, since the latter experience will end up hitting you with both foreign withdrawal and excess usage fees.)

Minimising your visits to the automatic teller can be good financial practice: constant visits for top-up money are often symptomatic of broader budget management issues. That said, there seems little point forking over money you can avoid by locating the “right” ATM when you do need to make a withdrawal. Be wary of unbranded ATMs in corner stores, petrol stations and the like, which will generally charge fees no matter what kind of account you have.

ANZ: Can use ANZ ATMs free of charge; claim 2,600 machines.

Bank of Queensland: Can use Bank of Queensland or RediATMs for free; claim 3,500 machines.

BankSA: Can use Westpac, St George and BankSA ATMs free of charge; claim 2,800 machines.

BankWest: Can use Commonwealth and Bankwest ATMs free of charge; claim 4,000 machines.

Bendigo Bank: Can use Bendigo and Suncorp ATMs free of charge; claim 2,000 machines.

Commonwealth Bank: Can use Commonwealth and Bankwest ATMs free of charge; claim 4,000 machines.

NAB: Can use NAB or RediATMs free of charge; claim 3,100 machines.

St George: Can use Westpac, St George and BankSA ATMs free of charge; claim 2,800 machines.

Suncorp Bank: Can use Bendigo and Suncorp ATMs free of charge; claim 2,000 machines.

Westpac: Can use Westpac, St George and BankSA ATMs free of charge; claim 2,800 machines.

Credit unions and building societies: Most utilise the rediATM network, which claims 3,100 machines; check this list to see if your institution is included.

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