How to pay BPAY with a credit card and earn points
Most BPAY payments made from a credit card through your bank are treated as a cash advance: fees, interest and no points. Through B2Bpay you pay with your card, B2Bpay makes the BPAY payment, and it counts as a normal purchase with full points.
Can you pay BPAY with a credit card?
Short answer: Sometimes through your bank, but it is often treated as a cash advance with fees, immediate interest and no points. Through B2Bpay, yes: you pay B2Bpay by card and B2Bpay makes the BPAY payment for you, so it is a standard purchase and you earn full card points.
Many Australian businesses pay bills through BPAY. What many do not realise is that paying BPAY from a credit card in internet banking is usually classified as a cash advance by the card issuer. That can mean:
- Interest charged immediately, with no interest-free period
- A cash advance fee
- No reward points
B2Bpay avoids all three because the card transaction is a payment to B2Bpay for a service, not a BPAY transaction on your card.
What is BPAY?
BPAY is one of Australia's most widely used bill payment systems. Billers print a BPAY biller code and a customer reference number on their invoices, and you pay through your bank's internet or mobile banking.
Organisations that collect by BPAY include government agencies, utilities, insurers, telcos, financial services and many business suppliers. BPAY payments are typically funded from a bank account, which is why people looking for points try to use a credit card instead and run into the cash advance problem.
How to pay BPAY with a credit card through B2Bpay
- Register for B2Bpay at points.b2bpay.com.au and add your card to your wallet.
- Find the BPAY details on your bill: the biller code and your customer reference number.
- Add a new biller in B2Bpay using the BPAY biller code and enter your reference.
- Enter the amount and choose your Visa, Mastercard or Amex. Pay now or schedule a date.
- B2Bpay makes the BPAY payment on your behalf. Your card sees a standard purchase, so you earn full points and keep your interest-free period.
The same approach works for the ATO using your payment reference number, and for suppliers without BPAY using their bank account details. See pay with Amex or pay with Visa for card-specific notes.
What are the benefits of paying BPAY by card?
1. Earn credit card reward points. Processed through B2Bpay, BPAY payments are normal spending rather than a cash advance, so you earn your card's full points. On the Earn plans you also earn B2B Points: 1 per $1 on Earn Max or 1 per $2 on Earn Plus, convertible to Qantas, Velocity, Avios or Luxury Escapes Société Points.
2. Pay billers that do not accept cards. Many BPAY billers do not take cards directly. With B2Bpay you still pay by card and they receive BPAY.
3. Improve cash flow. Use your card's interest-free period, up to 55 days depending on your card, while still paying bills on time.
4. Centralise payments. View bills in one place, schedule payments, pay multiple billers at once and reconcile automatically through Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks.
What does it cost?
A platform fee per payment, ex GST, shown before you confirm. No monthly fee is stated.
| Payment method | Essential No B2B Points | Earn Plus 1 B2B Point per $2 | Earn Max 1 B2B Point per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa / Mastercard | 1.10% | 2.10% | 2.50% |
| American Express | 2.10% | 3.40% | 3.85% |
| Bank account | 0.50% | 1.00% | 1.87% |
| PayTo | 0.60% | 1.10% | 1.97% |
Platform fees ex GST, as published at b2bpay.com.au. The exact fee is shown before you confirm each payment.
Compare that with a typical cash advance: fee plus interest from day one and no points. The B2Bpay fee is generally a business expense; confirm with your accountant. See pricing and what's included.
Turn your business bills into rewards
Tax, utilities, insurance and supplier invoices normally earn little or nothing when paid directly. Paid through B2Bpay they earn card points and B2B Points, your cash stays in the bank longer, and everything sits in one platform.
If your business regularly pays BPAY bills, switching those payments to B2Bpay turns an admin task into a points balance. Sign up, or read paying suppliers with a credit card for the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
Why is BPAY from a credit card treated as a cash advance?
Card issuers generally classify bill payments made from the card through internet banking as cash-equivalent transactions rather than purchases. The classification is set by your issuer. Paying B2Bpay by card is a purchase from a merchant, so the cash advance rules do not apply.
Does the biller see a card payment?
No. The biller receives an ordinary BPAY payment with your customer reference number, exactly as if you had paid from your bank account. They do not need to accept cards or know that B2Bpay was involved. Nothing about their process changes.
How long does a BPAY payment through B2Bpay take?
Allow up to 3 business days for B2Bpay to pass the payment to the biller. Schedule payments a few days before the due date, or set them as recurring so regular bills such as rent or insurance are never late.
Can I use my existing BPAY reference numbers?
Yes. Add the biller using the BPAY biller code from your bill and enter the same customer reference number you use today. The biller allocates the payment to your account as usual. If you have several accounts with one biller, add each reference as a separate biller so payments stay separate.
Can I pay the ATO by BPAY through B2Bpay?
B2Bpay pays the ATO on your behalf by bank transfer using your payment reference number. The effect is the same: you pay by card, the ATO receives a normal payment, and you earn points. This keeps working after the ATO stops accepting credit cards directly on 30 June 2027. See pay BAS with a credit card.
Start earning on the bills you already pay
Set up takes minutes. Pay your BAS, suppliers and rent by card and keep the cash for up to 55 days.