Can You BPAY with a Credit Card?

Yes, you can BPAY with your credit card.

In the process of reviewing and paying your bills, you’ve probably come across BPAY before. It’s commonly presented as one of the payment options, usually alongside direct debit, credit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Given card payments are the most common, you might not have ever used BPAY. If that’s you, this resource will add another option to your bill-paying process.

Just like with other bill payments, you can choose to pay with a debit, and in many cases, a credit card account. So you can BPAY from a credit card, but it’s important to search for the biller to check from which type of accounts they accept payments. Use the company’s Biller Code (found on the bill) to see accepted payment types.

Check all your providers using the bank or BPAY Biller Code search function.

» MORE: 9 things to know before getting your first credit card

What is BPAY?

BPAY is an easy, secure electronic bill payment service for Australians. BPAY’s mission is to help Aussies get better at bills. Simply look for the BPAY logo on your bill, log into your mobile banking, find the ‘pay by BPAY’ option, enter your Biller Code and customer reference number CRN (found on the bill), and select which account to pay from.

You can make the payment immediately or schedule it, as long as it’s before the due date. The scheduling function is of great benefit to those who easily forget bill due dates.

Instead of going through a third-party website, you can do it through your online banking login. Aussies use BPAY to conveniently make payments without navigating a different external website each time. Money clears out of your account within one business day, so there’s no pending lag in your bank.

» MORE: Credit card vs debit card: differences, benefits and uses

How to BPAY from a credit card

The process is simple:

Check if your biller accepts credit card BPAY payments.
Log into your online banking.
Go to payments and find BPAY.
Enter Biller Code and CRN.
Select the credit card account and confirm the payment.

If your biller doesn’t accept credit card BPAY payments, you can transfer money from your credit account to your debit account, but this triggers a cash advance fee (usually 3%). Using the Vodafone example, if you pay your bill online via credit card, there is a 0.70% surcharge. For a $150 bill, the surcharge would be $1.05 versus the $4.50 cash advance. In this instance, paying the bill directly through the website with a credit card is the better option.

» MORE: Can you pay rent with a credit card?

What to watch for when using a credit card for BPAY

While more than 150 financial institutions accept BPAY payments, the biggest barrier is that all billers don’t accept credit cards. You might want to use a credit card for your bill payments (and to earn points), but the provider only accepts savings or debit cards.

Certain banks might allow you to use your credit card for BPAY still, but the transaction is classified as a cash advance — and comes with the respective, hefty 3% fee. It’s all dependent on how the biller is set up with BPAY. Cash advances do not have an interest-free grace period like standard purchases, which is something to keep in mind.

Another key consideration is the ability to earn rewards from your credit card. If a biller accepts credit card BPAY payments, it’s considered a purchase, and you could earn points with every dollar you spend (if you have a rewards card). Check with your bank and airline about the specifics of your credit card as it relates to BPAY.

There are additional caveats with BPAY and credit cards. Once a BPAY payment is made, it can’t be reversed. If you made a mistake inputting the code and CRN, you’ll have to go through the process of submitting a dispute. If your scheduled BPAY payments come out when other automatic debits do and there are insufficient funds, transactions will be rejected. Make sure to stay on top of your cashflow.

» MORE: Guide for credit card payments

Advantages of credit card BPAY payments

It’s cheaper than other credit card payments. Westpac charges $0.80 + GST per credit and debit account transaction, whereas NAB charges $0.88 (GST inclusive).
You can make bill payments directly in your bank login
It’s safe and convenient. BPAY is an Australian company.

Disadvantages of credit card BPAY payments

Not all providers accept BPAY credit card payments, and you have to check each one individually.
You could rack up cash advance fees

» MORE: Can you withdraw cash from a credit card?

Other ways to earn points and pay bills with a credit card

The goal is to be able to use your credit card for all your bills, earn reward points, and then pay the statement in full at the end of each month to avoid interest. This is possible if your billers accept credit card BPAY payments. If they don’t (and each payment triggers a cash advance), consider your alternatives.

Look into:

Paying online on the provider’s website
Calling the company and paying over the phone
Paying in person at the company’s nearest physical location
Paying at Australia Post via Post Billpay (online or in-person).

In all these instances, the payment will be treated as a purchase, not BPAY or a cash advance. You’ll accrue rewards points and can make the most of the interest-free days your bank sets (usually 55 days).

It’s worth taking the time to learn how you can leverage BPAY so you know when you can and can’t use it to support managing your finances.

If the biller accepts BPAY credit card payments, they’ll have their fee structure. Check with your provider if (and how much) they charge for processing payments. For example, Westpac charges $0.80 + GST per credit and debit account transaction, whereas NAB charges $0.88 (GST inclusive).

» MORE: Credit card fees to know

About the Author

Amanda Smith

Amanda Smith is a freelance reporter, journalist, and cultural commentator. She covers culture + society, travel, LGBTQ+, human interest, and business. Amanda has written stories about planning for retirement for…

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