Pay your bills by credit card: power, rent, phone, rates, rego and tax
Most household bills can go on a credit card, either directly with the biller or through a bill payment service that pays the biller by BPAY or bank transfer. Here's when each option makes sense, what it costs and the catches.
Card The Bill is an independent guide. We're not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Sniip, pay.com.au, B2Bpay or any biller named here. We may receive a referral reward from providers we link to. Fees apply and are shown by the provider before you pay.
Pay direct or use Sniip?
Since 1 October 2026, businesses can't add a card surcharge on eftpos, Mastercard or Visa, and American Express has removed surcharging too. So if your biller takes your card, paying it directly costs you nothing extra and is usually the better choice.
A service such as Sniip is useful when:
- the biller doesn't take cards at all (common for rent, rates and strata levies)
- the biller has stopped taking cards since 1 October, as some rent and strata platforms have
- the biller doesn't take your card (for example, Amex)
- the extra points and scheduling are worth the fee to you
Sniip charges your card, pays the biller by BPAY or to its BSB and account number, and shows the fee before you confirm.
Bill by bill
| Bill | What to check | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Power, gas and water | Many energy retailers and water utilities list both card and BPAY payment on their own pages. If they take your card free, pay direct. Utilities are an eligible industry for Sniip's 1.29% personal Amex rate. | Energy and water billers |
| Phone and internet | Telstra, Optus and Vodafone list BPAY. Some telcos, such as TPG and iiNet, list only card or direct debit on the help pages we checked, so pay those directly by card. | Telco billers |
| Rent | Sniip pays rent to a licensed agent with an ABN, not to a private landlord. Some rent platforms, including DEFT and RentMate, stopped taking cards from 1 October 2026. | Rent guide |
| Council rates | Use the BPAY biller code and reference on your rates notice. | Rates guide |
| Strata levies | StrataPay schemes only take cards if the owners corporation voted to keep them. BPAY details are on your levy notice. | Strata guide |
| Car rego | Most states take cards online and list BPAY on the renewal notice. Through Sniip, rego must be paid in full in one payment. | Rego guide |
| Tax | The ATO takes credit cards directly until 30 June 2027, and its card payment page says card payment fees don't currently apply. | ATO guide |
| Insurance | Several insurers list BPAY on their payment pages. Insurance is an eligible industry for Sniip's 1.29% personal Amex rate. | Insurers |
What Sniip costs
| Pay with | Fee |
|---|---|
| Bank account | 0% (no card points) |
| Debit card | 0.65% |
| Visa or Mastercard credit | 1.50% |
| Personal Amex | 1.29% if the biller is in one of Sniip's 21 eligible industries (such as utilities, telecommunications, rentals and insurance), otherwise 1.99% + GST (2.19%) under $100,000 |
| Australian prepaid cards | 0.85% |
| International cards | 3.00% |
There's no subscription or account fee. Sniip's optional Points Booster costs extra on top of these fees.
Points and interest-free days
- Card points: Sniip says your card can earn on the full amount, including the fee. How much depends on your card's rewards terms, and some cards cap or exclude government, tax or bill payments.
- Qantas Points from Sniip: 1 Qantas Point per $10 on eligible card payments if you link Qantas Frequent Flyer, capped at 2,000 points a calendar month.
- Interest-free days: the biller is paid now and you repay your card on its due date. You only get interest-free days if you pay the full closing balance by the due date. How many days you get depends on your card.
Example: a $2,000 rent payment on Visa. Sniip's fee is $30.00 (1.50%). A card earning 1 point per $1 that counts the fee would earn about 2,030 points, plus 200 Qantas Points from Sniip. Whether that's worth $30 depends on your card and what you value the points at. If it isn't, pay from your bank account for free.
Pay your card off in full. Card purchase interest is usually far higher than any points you earn, so paying a bill by card only works if you clear the full balance by the due date. If you're struggling to pay a bill, talk to the biller about a payment plan or hardship help, or call the free National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
What Sniip can't pay
- Banks, lenders and leasing: Sniip's terms list banking and financial institutions, pay-day lenders, and hiring and leasing as prohibited payments. Car loans, home loans, personal loans and credit card bills can't go through Sniip, even when they have a BPAY biller code.
- Other restricted sectors: including gambling, charities and not-for-profits, remittance, foreign exchange, and securities and derivatives.
- Yourself or people close to you: payments to yourself, relatives, friends or related businesses are prohibited.
- Private landlords and shops: rent must go to a licensed agent, and Sniip is for bills, not checkout purchases.
Timing
Sniip's cut-off is 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday. Card payments to BPAY billers are processed the next business day, and payments to a BSB and account number can take up to 2 business days. Your biller may take longer to record the payment, so pay 2 to 3 business days before the due date.
How to pay a bill with Sniip
- Add the bill: scan the BPAY code, upload a photo, forward it from your email, or enter the biller code and reference by hand.
- Choose your card. Sniip shows the fee before you confirm.
- Pay now, schedule it, or set up a recurring payment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay my power, phone or internet bill by credit card?
Usually, yes. Many energy retailers and telcos take cards directly, and since 1 October 2026 businesses can't add a surcharge on eftpos, Mastercard or Visa. If your biller takes your card for free, pay it directly. If it doesn't take cards, or doesn't take your card, a bill payment service such as Sniip can pay its BPAY or bank details for a fee.
Is it cheaper to pay direct or through Sniip?
If the biller accepts your card, paying direct is cheaper because there's no surcharge. Sniip charges a fee (1.50% on Visa or Mastercard credit, as at 9 Oct 2026). It only makes sense when the biller won't take your card, or when the extra points and scheduling are worth the fee to you.
Do I need an ABN to use Sniip?
No. Sniip can pay BPAY bills such as energy, water, rates, insurance and the ATO without an ABN. Bills paid to a BSB and account number need an invoice showing the payee's ABN.
Can I pay my car loan, home loan or credit card bill through Sniip?
No. Sniip's terms list banking and financial institutions, pay-day lenders, and hiring and leasing as prohibited payments, so loan and credit card repayments can't go through Sniip, even when the lender has a BPAY biller code.
Can I use Sniip at the shops?
No. Sniip is for bills and invoices with BPAY or bank account details, not purchases at a checkout.
Will I earn points?
Possibly. Your card's rewards terms decide how much it earns, and some cards cap or exclude government, tax or bill payments. Sniip also gives 1 Qantas Point per $10 on eligible card payments if you link Qantas Frequent Flyer, capped at 2,000 points a month.
Is a Sniip payment a cash advance?
Sniip says its payments are processed as a normal purchase, not a cash advance. Your card issuer makes the final call, so check your card's terms.
How early should I pay?
Sniip's cut-off is 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday. Card payments to BPAY billers are processed the next business day, and the biller can take longer to record it, so pay at least 2 to 3 business days before the due date.
Sources
Checked on 9 Oct 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the source before you pay.
- Sniip: Pricing (opens in a new tab)
- Sniip: FAQs (cut-off times, cash advance, partial payments, blocked billers, Qantas Points) (opens in a new tab)
- Sniip: What bills can I pay? (opens in a new tab)
- Sniip: Terms and conditions (Prohibited Payments) (opens in a new tab)
- Sniip: Product Disclosure Statement (opens in a new tab)
- Sniip: Financial Services Guide (opens in a new tab)
- RBA: Surcharging and interchange FAQs (no surcharges from 1 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- DEFT: changes to card payments from 1 Oct 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Finder: billers that stopped taking cards (RentMate) (opens in a new tab)
- PICA Group: StrataPay card payment changes (opens in a new tab)
- National Debt Helpline (opens in a new tab)
- Card The Bill: Major Australian billers that take BPAY (with each biller's own source)
This is general information only, not financial or tax advice. It doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Check your card's terms and the biller's current payment options before you pay.