Online banking glossary of terms
Please note that these are a general explanation of the meaning of terms used in relation to online banking platforms. Your bank or financial institution may use different terms, and you should read your product disclosure statement (PDS) carefully to understand everything that may apply to your account. You cannot rely on these terms in relation to any product you may purchase.
Account-keeping or administration fee: An ongoing fee charged to cover the bank’s administration costs of creating and maintaining the account. Usually charged monthly, this fee is often waived if you deposit a certain amount per month into the account. Find out the latest fees for online accounts with our star ratings reports for savings and transaction accounts.
Android Pay: Android Pay is a digital wallet and contactless smartphone payment app that launched in Australia in July 2016. Find out which institutions’ cards are compatible with Android Pay.
Apple Pay: Apple Pay is a digital wallet and contactless smartphone payment app that launched in Australia in April 2016. Find out which institutions’ cards are compatible with Apple Pay.
Bpay: An electronic bill payment system in Australia, where bills are paid through a financial institution’s online or telephone banking facility to registered merchants (‘billers’).
Contactless payments: The ability to make a payment by holding your smartphone to an EFTPOS terminal rather than using a physical credit card or debit card. Requirements for contactless payments vary depending on whether you are using a mobile banking app or a digital wallet app. Learn more about contactless payments here and check whether your bank is compatible with the main digital wallets.
Digital Wallet: A digital wallet is an electronic system that stores your card details. This can be used in two ways – for a quicker, easier online shopping experience (no need to enter card details) and to make contactless payments using your smartphone. Learn more about how digital wallets work.
Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA): The AFCA is responsible for providing a free and independent dispute resolution service that helps consumers make complaints and resolve disputes with their banks, insurers and other financial institutions. Learn more about the AFCA here.
Google Wallet: Google Wallet is a digital wallet and contactless smartphone payment app that launched in Australia in July 2016. Learn more about how digital wallets work.
MasterPass: MasterPass is a digital wallet that can be used when online shopping or making other purchases. Learn more about how digital wallets work.
Pay Anyone: A payment system where you can transfer money to any individual or organisation using online or phone banking, as long as you have their account name and number.
PayPal: PayPal is a digital wallet that can be used when online shopping or making other purchases. PayPal also owns other payment companies, including PayPal.Me for alternative payments, and Xoom for international money transfers. Learn more about how digital wallets work.
Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): The central government-owned institution in Australia that issues bank notes, sets the official cash rate to meet the inflation target, maintains a financial payments system, and manages Australia’s gold reserves and foreign exchange currency reserves.
Samsung Pay: Samsung Pay is a digital wallet and contactless smartphone payment app now available in Australia. Find out which institutions’ cards are compatible with Samsung Pay.
Savings account: Bank accounts that pay significant interest back to the account holder and cannot be used to make transactions. Savings accounts typically have higher interest rates than transaction accounts. They can be linked to transaction accounts to make savings available as funds for transactions as needed. Compare savings accounts using our website and find out the latest interest rates on offer with our star ratings reports for savings accounts.
Transaction account: A deposit account where your money is available for day-to-day transactions. Provides frequent access to funds in your account for making payments through EFTPOS machines, online, ATMs and branches, and also for the use of cheques. Compare transaction accounts using our website.
Visa Checkout: Visa Checkout is a digital wallet that can be used when online shopping or making other purchases. Learn more about how digital wallets work.