Paying direct vs paying through B2Bpay: an honest comparison

Which earns more points: paying the ATO direct or through B2Bpay?

Short answer: Through B2Bpay, in almost every case. Paid direct, most rewards cards earn reduced or no points on ATO payments. Paid through B2Bpay, your card earns its everyday rate because the charge is a purchase from B2Bpay, and Earn Plus or Earn Max adds B2B Points on top.

The direct route has one clear advantage: there is no fee. Since the RBA changes on 1 October 2026 the ATO charges nothing for card payments. If your card happens to earn full points on government payments and you do not need B2B Points, paying direct is hard to beat for now.

The catch is "for now". The ATO states that after 30 June 2027 credit cards will no longer be accepted, per its payment options page. After that, the direct route by credit card is gone and the comparison is between B2Bpay and paying from your bank account. See ATO credit card changes 2027.

Side by side: paying the ATO

Here is how the options compare for a business paying a BAS.

The fee is generally a business expense; confirm with your accountant. Full fee detail is in fees, GST and tax deductions.

Side by side: paying a supplier

For suppliers the comparison is simpler, because most do not accept cards at all. Paying direct means a bank transfer, which earns nothing and leaves your account immediately.

Through B2Bpay, the supplier still receives a bank transfer, and nothing changes for them. On your side the payment becomes a card purchase: full card points, B2B Points on Earn Plus or Earn Max, and the cash stays in your account until your statement is due.

Where a supplier does accept cards, check whether they add a fee and whether your card earns full points with them. If both are favourable, paying them directly is reasonable. If the supplier does not take your card type (American Express is the common case), B2Bpay lets you use it anyway. See paying suppliers who don't accept cards.

Do I need a bill payment platform if I already have a business credit card?

Only if you want to use that card for bills the card cannot otherwise pay, or want points on payments the card would not earn on. A business credit card alone works for suppliers that accept cards and earn full points. It does not help with the ATO after June 2027, with landlords and suppliers who only take bank transfer, or with billers where your card earns reduced points.

Think of B2Bpay as extending the reach of the card you already have. The card supplies the credit and the first layer of points; B2Bpay supplies access to every biller and the second layer of points.

If you do not yet have a rewards card, our guide to choosing a card for business bills lists the features that matter when most of your spend will go through a platform.

Is it better to pay by bank transfer and earn B2B Points, or by card?

By card, if you value interest-free days and your card earns points. By bank account or PayTo, if you do not want to use credit or have exhausted your card's points cap.

The numbers on a $20,000 payment on Earn Max: Visa or Mastercard costs $500 ex GST and earns 20,000 B2B Points plus card points plus up to 55 days interest-free. Bank account costs $374 and earns 20,000 B2B Points with no card points and no interest-free days. PayTo costs $394 for the same points.

Many businesses use both: card for large payments where cash flow matters, bank account for the rest. You can nominate a different payment method per biller in your B2Bpay wallet. Worked examples are in points maths.

What are the alternatives to paying the ATO by credit card?

After 30 June 2027 the ATO will still accept bank transfer, BPAY and other electronic methods, and payment plans remain available through ATO online services for businesses that need to spread a liability.

Each has a cost. Bank transfer costs nothing but drains cash on the day and earns nothing. A payment plan carries the ATO's general interest charge for as long as it runs. A payment through B2Bpay costs a one-off platform fee and gives up to 55 days interest-free if you clear the card in full, plus points.

Which is cheapest depends on how long you need and what you value. For a gap of a few weeks the B2Bpay route is often the least expensive once points and the deduction are counted; for a long-running debt, talk to your accountant about the ATO's options. B2Bpay does not give financial advice.

When does paying through B2Bpay not make sense?

When the biller accepts your card with no extra charge and earns full points, or when you cannot pay the card statement in full and would pay interest, or when the payment is one the card rules do not allow, such as paying yourself or a related entity.

It also makes less sense on Earn Plus or Earn Max if you do not value airline points; choose Essential instead and keep the lower fee and the card's points.

B2Bpay is designed for ABN-holding businesses paying business bills. If that is you, the typical pattern is to put the ATO, rent, insurance and bank-transfer-only suppliers through the platform and leave card-accepting suppliers as they are. See why businesses choose B2Bpay.