Is there a reliable compilation of ATM fees in Spain or elsewhere?
A web search for ATM fees in Spain gets lots of hits, but the vast majority provide two inconsistent false claims. One is that the fee is charged by my (US) bank, not by the bank that owns the ATM. My bank reimburses all ATM fees, and the fees I've seen vary according to the bank owning the ATM. And the fees at a particular bank are the same no matter which of my banks I use a card from.
The other claim is that EU prohibits ATM fees. If this is not false, then most of the Spanish banks are getting away with ignoring it.
Anyway, I know that iberCaja doesn't charge a fee, Santander and LaCaixa do, and I'm not sure about the rest. Even though I get the fees reimbursed, I'd like to do my bank a favor (and simplify my accounting) by avoiding them.
So, how do I look for a reasonably up-to-date list? Perhaps there isn't one and I should start making one. Or put one here as a Wiki.
Best Answer
The claim that EU prohibits ATM fees is true, but the law that applies such ruling in Spain is fairly recent (it came into force in 2016).
Maybe some banks are still adjusting, but I doubt it.
The ruling says that ATMs cannot charge fees to users.
They can, however, charge a fee to the users' banks, and it is up to each bank to decide whether they will charge their clients a fee for using other bank's ATMs or not.
E.g. if I use a BBVA ATM with my Santander card, the ATM cannot impose a fee on whatever transaction I'm doing. But BBVA will charge Santander a fee for my use of BBVA's ATMs, and then Santander may or may not charge me a fee to compensate for that.
The fee that you are seeing is probably your bank's. You should check with your bank if the reimbursment of all ATM fees applies to foreing ATMs also.
As for an actual list, there are many sources with a "bank-to-bank fees table", but most of them are in Spanish. Here's one that I think can be fairly understood ("cajero" means ATM in Spanish):
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How can I avoid ATM fees in Spain?
Travel cards \u2014 with innovative multi-currency accounts and traditional banks alike \u2014 offer good methods for avoiding fees when withdrawing cash from ATMs. There are usually three types of travel cards: prepaid travel cards, debit travel cards, and credit travel cards.What banks waive international ATM fees?
Here are the best banks and best checking accounts that don't charge ATM foreign transaction fees:- Aspiration.
- Betterment.
- Charles Schwab.
- Capital One.
- Alliant Credit Union.
- First Republic Bank.
- Fidelity.
- USAA.
What are at least 2 ways you can avoid ATM fees?
How to Avoid ATM fees- Rely on your debit card, and skip using cash. ...
- Add a cash withdrawal to your grocery or pharmacy purchases. ...
- Keep a cash reserve at home. ...
- Don't use out-of-network ATMs. ...
- Choose a bank with an extensive ATM network. ...
- Partner with a bank that refunds ATM fees.
How do I get around ATM fees?
How to Avoid ATM FeesWith or Without Conversion: How to Avoid Hidden Fees When Taking Out Money Abroad
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Answer 2
My answer is based on using a UK debit card in Spain. UK is (still) a member of the EU, so what I say may not apply to non-EU countries.
Both my bank in the UK and the bank running the ATM in Spain may make a charge for withdrawing money. (I normally use a UK bank that does not make charges, so I just have to worry about the Spanish end.)
They will inform you of any Spanish charges before you commit yourself. If you select your own language when using an ATM, then you will be able to notice that.
Most Spanish banks will offer to do the conversion themselves, charging your bank in your own currency. Their exchange rate is typically 3-5% worse than the market rate. Obviously I always refuse that.
Then some banks say they are going to charge your bank a fee. That is no problem unless they say they are going to add the fee to the euro amount requested.
In southern Spain, BBVA, Santander and Sabadell charge. CajaSur, Bankia, Banco Popular, La Caixa and Unicaja don't. It might be different elsewhere in Spain. Caja Rural won't accept my (Mastercard) card at all.
The only EU rule I know of, stops EU banks charging cards from banks in other EU (Eurozone) countries more than they charge cards from their own country.
(If you have a Spanish debit card and use it in an ATM of a different Spanish bank or a different Spanish ATM network, the charges are high.)
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