To make a payment online with your debit card all you need is the card number, expiry date and the three-digit CVV/CVC number on the back of the card.
How to use your debit card online
Select the card type. You'll need to select the card type (usually Visa or Mastercard). Sometimes you will need to classify if it's a credit or debit card.
Enter the card number. Enter the 16-digit number that's printed on the front of your debit card. This is not your account number.
Enter the expiry. Underneath the card number you should see the card expiry date expressed as 4 numbers. For example 04/28 means your card will expire in April 2028.
Enter the CVV. This is a 3-digit number that's usually found on the back of the debit card, to verify the card.
Extra security steps. Some online stores might also require you to verify the transaction via your phone or banking app.
Tips for using your debit card online
If you're planning to use your debit card online, here are some tips to ensure you keep your money safe and you don't get stung with fees.
Check your account balance.
Unlike a credit card, you'll only be able to use your debit card for online purchases if you've got enough money in your account to fund the purchase. If you don't have enough, even if it's a few dollars short, your transaction won't work.
Don't forget to think about extra charges such as shipping fees when calculating the cost of the purchase.
Watch out for international transaction fees.
If you plan to use your debit card online to buy things from overseas, it's a good idea to get a debit card with no foreign transaction fees. This is a fee that's charged when a currency conversion is required, and it can be as high as 3.5% of the transaction value each time.
Make sure the website is legitimate.
Avoid using your debit card online from websites that don't look legitimate, and never give your debit card details out via social media or online forums.
Keep your card details safe
Never use your card on a public or shared computer, as this exposes you to security risks. It's also a good idea not to store your debit card details online.
While convenient, this also exposes you to risks.
Can I get a virtual debit card?
There are several ways you can add a debit card to your phone and pay digitally.
Virtual cards. Companies like Wise, Up and Revolut offer virtual debit cards you can setup via their apps.
Google Pay/Apple Pay/Samsung Pay. You can add your debit card to a payment app like Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay. You can set your virtual card up via your banking app or the pay app itself.
In your bank app. With many banks, you can skip the secondary app and just set up a virtual card in your banking app.
Paying with a debit card versus a credit card
Debit cards
Spend your own money. With a debit card, you're spending money in your bank account. There are no interest charges.
Less temptation to overspend. Credit cards are a great tool, but if you're not disciplined they make it easier to overspend. Debit cards limit you to what's in your bank account and help prevent people from going into debt.
Fees. Banks don't typically charge fees to have a debit card with your transaction account.
Surcharges. Many shops and merchants make you pay a small surcharge when using a card. Debit card surcharges are lower than surcharges on credit cards.
Security. Generally, there's greater security with credit cards. If a charge is fraudulent, it's often easier to challenge if it's a credit card.
Credit cards
Spending on credit. With a credit card, you're spending money you've borrowed. If you don't pay off your balance the interest charges can cost you more over time.
Flexibility. Credit cards give you more options. You can buy something today and pay it off later.
Fees. Most credit cards come with some kind of annual fee.
Points and rewards. Many credit cards let you earn rewards points or frequent flyer points on your spending.
Surcharges. Credit cards have higher surcharges than debit cards.
Was this content helpful to you?
Thank you for your feedback!
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Serina Bird, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
Richard Whitten is Finder’s Money Editor, with over seven years of experience in home loans, property and personal finance. His insights appear in top media outlets like Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine, and the Herald Sun, and he frequently offers expert commentary on television and radio, helping Australians navigate mortgages and property ownership. Richard holds multiple industry certifications, including a Certificate IV in Mortgage Broking (RG 206) and Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146), as well as a Graduate Certificate in Communications from Deakin University. See full bio
Richard's expertise
Richard has written 596 Finder guides across topics including:
It's common to have a few different bank accounts that each have a different purpose. Here's how you may benefit from having multiple bank accounts and the traps to avoid.
PayID allows you to transfer money in real-time without entering your recipients BSB and account number. Read this guide to learn about the benefits of PayID and how to set it up.
Some banks allow you to send money using someone's phone number instead of a BSB and Account Number. If your bank doesn't have this feature you can usually use PayID instead - here's how.
A travel debit card is just a regular Australian debit card with less international fees an charges, making it a great option to use overseas. See a range of debit cards suited for travel in this guide.
The best bank account will help you manage your everyday spending with low fees and easy access to your money. Check out our Top Picks curated by experts.
When used wisely, a debit card provides you with great flexibility when it comes to handling your everyday financial needs.
Important information about this website
Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.
Finder is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stand by our editorial principles.
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
