Cardless ATM Withdrawals in Australia: How They Work

You left your wallet at home. You need cash for the parking meter. A decade ago, you were stuck. In 2026, you open your banking app, tap a button, and pull notes from the ATM with nothing but your phone and a code.

Cardless cash lets you withdraw money from an ATM without inserting a physical debit or credit card. All four major Australian banks offer it, and several smaller banks have followed. The process takes about 30 seconds longer than a standard withdrawal, and costs nothing extra at your own bank's ATM.

Every cardless withdrawal follows the same basic sequence. You request cash through your bank's app. The app generates a one-time code or a temporary token. You enter that code at a compatible ATM, and the machine dispenses your cash.

The specifics differ between banks. CommBank uses a six-digit code that expires after two hours. NAB generates a code valid for a set time window. ANZ links its cardless feature to Apple Pay and Google Pay tap functionality. Westpac uses a similar tap-to-withdraw method through its mobile app.

Two methods dominate the market. The first is code-based withdrawal, where you generate a numeric code in your app and type it into the ATM. The second is tap-based withdrawal, where you hold your phone against the ATM's NFC reader, the same way you tap to pay at a shop terminal. ANZ and Westpac favour the tap method. CBA and NAB offer code-based options alongside tap.

Each of Australia's Big Four banks handles cardless cash with different limits, methods, and ATM networks. The table below breaks down what you get from each.

All four banks cap cardless withdrawals at $500 per day. This matches the standard ATM withdrawal limit most transaction accounts carry. If your account has a lower daily ATM limit, that lower figure applies to cardless withdrawals too.

Beyond the Big Four, ING offers cardless withdrawals at over 2,000 ATMs through its partnership with the rediATM network. Macquarie Bank lets customers use Apple Pay or Google Pay at any ATM that supports contactless. Bendigo Bank rolled out cardless features in 2024 through its updated mobile app.

ATM network size determines how useful cardless cash is in practice. CommBank runs the largest ATM fleet in Australia with over 3,500 machines, concentrated in urban and suburban areas. If you bank with CBA, you will find a compatible ATM within a few kilometres in any Australian city. NAB's smaller network of 1,800 ATMs creates gaps in regional towns. Westpac bolsters its numbers by including St George, BankSA, and Bank of Melbourne ATMs in its cardless network, pushing the combined total to around 3,000.

The Reserve Bank of Australia reported in 2025 that total ATM numbers across Australia fell 12% since 2020. Banks have closed machines in low-traffic locations as cash usage declined. This shrinking network makes it more important than ever to confirm ATM availability in your area before relying on cardless cash as a primary backup.

The code-based method at CommBank works as a good template for all banks. Open the CommBank app and tap "Cardless Cash" from the home screen. Select the account you want to withdraw from. Choose your withdrawal amount in $20 increments, up to $500. The app displays a six-digit code on screen.

Walk to any CommBank ATM. On the ATM screen, tap the "Cardless" option before inserting a card. Enter your six-digit code. Confirm the amount. Collect your cash. The whole process adds about 15 seconds to a normal ATM visit.

For tap-based withdrawals at ANZ, the process is shorter. Walk up to an ANZ ATM that shows the contactless symbol. Hold your phone against the NFC reader. The ATM recognises your digital wallet and connects to your account. Enter your PIN on the ATM keypad. Choose your amount and collect the cash.

One difference worth noting: code-based withdrawals let you generate the code at home, then walk to the ATM minutes or hours later. Tap-based withdrawals require your phone at the ATM in real time. If your phone battery dies between generating a code and reaching the ATM, the code still works at CBA and NAB. With tap, a dead phone means no withdrawal.

Banks built several layers of security into cardless cash. The one-time code expires, so a stolen code becomes useless after the time window closes. Tap-based methods need biometric authentication (Face ID, fingerprint) on your phone before the ATM responds. Every transaction triggers an instant push notification, so you see if someone else uses your code.

The $500 daily limit also acts as a safety net. A thief who compromises your phone can't drain your account through an ATM. They would need your app login (biometric or PIN), your withdrawal PIN, and physical access to a compatible ATM within the code's expiry window.

ASIC's ePayments Code protects you if someone makes an unauthorised cardless withdrawal. You bear zero liability for transactions you did not authorise, as long as you report the fraud within a reasonable time and didn't share your PIN or passcode. Contact your bank within 24 hours of discovering an unauthorised withdrawal. Our full banking features guide covers tap and go, PayID, and digital wallets alongside cardless cash.

The biggest risk is shoulder surfing. If someone watches you generate a code in a public place, they could memorise the six digits and race to a nearby ATM. Treat your cardless code like your card's PIN: shield your screen, and generate the code when you're alone or at the ATM itself.

Phone theft creates a compounding risk. If a thief takes your unlocked phone, they can open your banking app (if biometric re-authentication is not required for each session) and generate a cardless code. Set your banking app to require Face ID or fingerprint for every login, not just the first session of the day. Enable remote wipe through Find My iPhone or Google Find My Device so you can erase app data if your phone is stolen.

Scamwatch reported a rise in social engineering scams targeting cardless cash in 2025. In these scams, a caller impersonates your bank and asks you to generate a cardless code for "verification purposes." They then use that code at an ATM. Your bank will never ask you to generate a cardless code over the phone. If someone calls with that request, hang up and call your bank on the number printed on the back of your card.

Cardless cash withdrawals at your own bank's ATM cost nothing. The transaction counts the same as a standard ATM withdrawal from your transaction account. No extra fees, no premium charges.

Cross-bank cardless withdrawals are a different story. Most cardless systems lock you to your own bank's ATM network. You can't use a CBA cardless code at a Westpac ATM. This means the foreign ATM fee question doesn't apply, because the feature won't work cross-network in most cases.

Withdrawal increments matter too. ATMs dispense cash in $20 notes (some in $50 notes), so you can withdraw $20, $40, $60, and so on up to your daily limit. You can't withdraw $15 or $35. Some banks further restrict cardless withdrawals to specific increments, like $50 or $100 only, through the app interface.

The most common scenario: you forgot your wallet or lost your card. Cardless cash bridges the gap while you wait for a replacement card, which takes 5 to 10 business days at most banks. During that window, your phone becomes your ATM card.

Parents use it to send cash to children. A parent in Melbourne can generate a CBA cardless code and text it to their university student in Brisbane. The student walks to the nearest CBA ATM and withdraws the money. No waiting for a bank transfer to clear, no fees. If you need a card for tap-and-go, see how long it takes to get a credit card in Australia.

Travellers within Australia find it useful when carrying a wallet feels risky. Heading to the beach or a music festival? Leave your cards locked in your accommodation. Keep your phone. Access cash when you need it, and carry less risk of losing physical cards.

The feature loses its value if you need cash from a bank that isn't yours. If your closest ATM belongs to a different network, cardless cash won't help. In rural areas with limited ATM coverage, the restriction to your own bank's machines can be a real problem. Check your bank's ATM locator app before relying on this feature outside of cities.

Cardless cash also won't work during major app outages. CBA experienced a nationwide app outage in February 2025 that blocked cardless transactions for several hours. Carry a physical card as backup whenever possible.

Small business operators sometimes use cardless cash as an emergency float solution. A cafe owner who runs out of change can withdraw coins and small notes from the ATM next door without leaving their card behind the counter. The $500 limit handles most small-business cash register shortfalls.

One scenario where cardless cash fails: large cash payments. If you need to pay a tradie $2,000 in cash (still common in some industries), the $500 daily limit blocks you from collecting the full amount in a single day. You would need four days of $500 withdrawals, which defeats the purpose. For amounts above $500, a direct bank transfer through PayID or BPAY remains faster and more practical. For international transfers, see our guide on sending money overseas from Australia.