The Best Online Currency Exchange Services
in Australia
Planning your next overseas trip? No matter whether you are preparing for overseas travel for holiday or business, buying foreign currency online is one way to reduce stress and potentially save time. The problem is, there are so many online currency exchange services that it makes it hard to figure out which one is best to get your foreign currency.
Look no further. Here is a list of the best Australian online travel money providers, including a quick snapshot for each company and the pros and cons.
Online currency exchange and home delivery
With S-Money, you'll be able to buy currency and pick it up today or get it delivered to your home in Australia. It can be delivered the next day, if you order by 1pm the previous working day. The good news is, you can order up to 14 days in advance on work days.
S-Money gives you the exact same rate you find on Google and XE, in real time. So you don't have to pay extra for inflated foreign exchange rates.
- Same day pick up or next day delivery
- Great rates
- No hidden fees
- Very fast and easy to create an account
- Handle mosts major currencies including USD, EUR, NZD, JPY and GBP
- Not all currencies available
- Limited pick-up locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth CBDs
- Can only buy foreign currency for delivery
- No stores, online only
Instore collection
Crown Currency is exceptionally convenient for collecting foreign currency due to their large national network of stores. Currently due to Covid-19 they have limited stores open.
They offer a huge range of currencies to make it simple to buy foreign currency.
- Convenient locations
- No fees or commissions
- Excellent range of currencies in stock
- Exchange rates vary by location
- No credit card facilities
- Basic website with no ability to buy or sell currency online
Airport pick-up
Travelex is an online travel money exchange service for airport pick-ups. It's best to order your money online before you head to the airport.
The airport branch only holds a selected amount of stock and it can take 3-7 business days to have your currency ready in-store.
Give the Travelex airport branch a call ahead of your trip. You don't want to be boarding for your flight and realise too late the currency you've requested isn't available!
If you didn't have time to order it online, avoid exchanging money at the airport at all costs. Exchange rates at the Travelex airport branch aren't as good as online.
- 3000 pick up locations, including Australia Post offices and most airports
- A large number of currencies to transfer money - 87 currencies in total
- You can order online 24/7
- Card handling fees if you want to buy currency using a credit card
- 1-5 business day wait for online orders for collection
- $10 fee to collect from Australia Post even at airport
- Exchange rate margins not transparent
Best bank
ANZ can offer the most competitive rates from all the banks we looked at. However, they are not always the cheapest online option for purchasing foreign currency.
The exchange rates that ANZ offer aren't the same market rates you can see on online currency converters or Google. To find a better rate, we suggest you compare bank and other online travel money provider's exchange rates before you travel.
- ANZ buy and sell most major currencies (over 50 in total)
- Maximum limit up to $8,000 Australian dollars is greater than other providers
- Larger stock means collection ready in 2-3 business days
- Limited stock of currency in branches
- ANZ Foreign Exchange Centres are limited to CBDs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth
- Additional $8 fee for non-ANZ customers
Do all banks do currency exchange?
Yes. Most major banks will exchange your Australian dollars for a foreign currency. A lot of them also reduce your fees if you have a customer account with them. In some cases, a bank will exchange currency if you just have a credit card with the bank.
When should I use my bank to exchange currency?
Contrary to popular belief using an Australian bank to buy your overseas holiday cash isn't always the most expensive option. In fact it can sometimes be the cheapest way to buy it.
Foreign exchange rates from banks for common currencies, such as the US dollar (USD), Euro and British Pound (GBP) aren't particularly competitive when compared to other currency exchange services. Especially when exchanging money at an airport.
However, banks can be the best option for less common currencies such as the Chinese Yuan (CNY) the South African Rand (ZAR) or the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR).
To work out if a bank is the cheapest way to buy your currency, make sure you compare exchange rates. We do this in our bank currency exchange guides below:
FAQs
What is the cheapest way to get foreign currency in Australia?
The cheapest way to exchange currency really depends on what currency you are buying, how much and where you are.
It's usually cheapest to buy foreign currency at your destination, but not as convenient. If you're more prepared, there is very little difference between buying currency in-store or online. For in-store currency exchanges, you'll get better rates in the CBD than further out. The most expensive option is to exchange your currency at the airport - so don't do it! There are smarter ways to buy currency.
Related reviews: Compare foreign exchange rates for cash; How to Get the Best Currency Exchange Rate
How do I exchange currency online?
Quite often, ordering online is the cheapest and easiest way to buy currency. It usually takes between 2 and 5 business days before the currency is ready, so you can't do it last minute.
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Where can I get money exchanged at the best exchange rate?
Where is the best place to exchange money overseas?
You'll get the best exchange rates if you buy foreign currency at your destination rather than at home, but it might not be as convenient. If you're looking for information on the best ways to take travel money for a specific destination check out the following country guides:
What is the best travel card?
We recommend 5 top travel money cards for Australians going overseas:
- Wise is our best value travel debit card
- Revolut is our best multi-currency travel card
- Citibank Saver Plus is our best bank travel debit card
- 28 Degrees Platinum Mastercard is our best travel credit card
- Travelex Money Card is our best prepaid travel card
Related reviews: Wise Debit Card vs Revolut; 28 Degrees MasterCard vs Citibank Plus Transaction Account vs NAB Traveller; List: The best and worst travel cards in Australia
What currencies can I buy online?
Brazilian Real (BRL), British Pounds (GBP), Canadian Dollar (CAD), Chilean Peso (CLP) , Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY), Croatian Kuna (HRK), Czech Republic Koruna (CZK), Danish Krone (DKK), Euro (EUR), Fijian Dollar (FJD), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), Hungarian Forint (HUF), Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), Japanese Yen (JPY), Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), New Caledonia CFP Franc (XPF), New Zealand Dollars (NZD), Norwegian Krone (NOK), Philippine Peso (PHP), Polish Zloty (PLN), Russian Ruble (RUB), Saudi Arabia Riyal (SAR), Singapore Dollar (SGD), South African Rand (ZAR), South Korean Won (KRW), Swedish Krona (SEK), Swiss Franc (CHF), Thai Baht (THB), Turkish Lira (TRY), UAE Dirham (AED), US Dollars (USD), Vanuatu Vatu (VUV), Vietnamese Dong (VND)
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