There is a discreet "club" of major banks that do each other a valuable favour: their customers can withdraw cash at the other members' ATMs without paying the usual fees. This club is called the Global ATM Alliance. It launched in 2002 and, if you bank with a member, it can save you money on every single withdrawal — and a lot over a whole trip.

How it works: two fees gone at once

A withdrawal abroad normally triggers two separate fees:

  • the fee your own bank charges when you use an ATM that isn't theirs (often $3-5 per withdrawal);
  • the fee charged by the ATM's owner — the one shown on screen before you confirm ($0 to $8 depending on the country).

Between alliance banks, both disappear: your bank waives its fee, and the partner ATM waives its own.

Who is a member, and where?

  • United States — Bank of America
  • United Kingdom — Barclays
  • France (+ French overseas territories), Italy, Luxembourg, Turkey, Morocco, Poland, Ukraine and several West African countries — BNP Paribas and its subsidiaries (BNL, BGL, TEB, BMCI…)
  • Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, India — Deutsche Bank
  • Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru and much of the Caribbean — Scotiabank (Colombia, sold in 2025, is no longer covered)
  • Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea — Westpac (including its St George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA brands)

In total: over 44,000 ATMs in more than 40 countries. On this site's country pages, member banks are marked with the "Global ATM Alliance" tag. Membership evolves over time — always check the up-to-date list on your bank's website.

Watch out: what the alliance does NOT cover

  • Your bank's currency conversion fee — unless nothing gets converted. The alliance waives withdrawal fees, not the conversion fee. Each bank keeps its own: Bank of America 3%, Barclays ~3%, BNP Paribas 2.90% outside the euro zone (within the euro zone, nothing is converted — so there is nothing to pay).
  • Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). Even at a partner ATM, the screen may offer to charge you in your home currency: always decline and choose the local currency.
  • Credit cards. Withdrawing cash with a credit card is treated as a loan: interest accrues from day one, alliance or not. Use a debit card instead.
  • Coverage varies by bank. Each member publishes its own list of partners and countries: check your bank's "Global ATM Alliance" page before you travel.

How to use it, in 4 steps

  1. Check that your bank is a member, and for which countries.
  2. Once there, specifically look for the local partner's ATMs — not just any machine.
  3. Always refuse to be charged in your home currency (DCC): choose the local one.
  4. If your card still charges a percentage conversion fee, group your withdrawals.

Not a customer of a member bank?

All is not lost: in many countries, some banks charge no fee at all to foreign cards, whoever you bank with — which is exactly what this site tracks, country by country. In Germany, for instance, Cash Group ATMs are free for foreign cards. Before you go, open the country page, spot the banks marked "free" and note their names — they are not always the most visible ATMs at the airport.