A$ AussieSpend
At the checkout

Pay in AUD or local currency?

When a terminal or ATM overseas offers to charge you in AUD, the merchant or its payment processor sets that conversion rate. Compare it with a Cotizave reference estimate for paying in local currency through your card, including any card fee on the AUD charge.

Compare a foreign-currency charge with the merchant's AUD offer.

Checking Cotizave for an available reference rate…
Checking rateNo sample rate is used.

Compare both totals, including fees

This is called dynamic currency conversion, or DCC. The merchant's processor sets the AUD offer. Your card may charge an international transaction fee even when the charge is in AUD, as the ACCC explains. Read "Pay in AUD?" at the terminal: what it means for the full explanation.

Common questions

Should I pay in AUD or USD at an American checkout or ATM?

Often local currency (USD), but compare the actual merchant offer with your card's fees. The merchant or its processor sets the AUD conversion rate. Your card may still charge an international transaction fee on that AUD payment.

Why does the terminal offer to charge me in AUD at all?

It's called dynamic currency conversion (DCC). It can look convenient — you see an AUD figure before you pay — but the merchant's processor, not your bank, sets that exchange rate, and it typically carries its own markup on top.

What if I don't know my card's fee or markup?

Leave unknown fees at 0 only to explore a baseline scenario. The difference may include exchange-rate and card-fee effects, so it is not a measured DCC markup. Check your card's fees schedule before deciding.