How to pay BPAY bills with Amex in Australia

Last updated 6 Oct 2026. Fees and rules checked against primary sources on 6 Oct 2026.

You can't pick an Amex in your bank's BPAY screen, but a bill payment service can charge your Amex and pay the biller by BPAY. The fee depends on your card type and the biller's industry.

Pay bills with Amex on Sniip ↗pay.com.au (ABN holders) ↗

Fees apply and are shown by the provider before you pay. Card The Bill may receive a referral reward from providers we link to.

Why your bank won't let you BPAY with Amex

BPAY payments are made through your own bank's online banking, from an account that bank holds. An American Express card issued by American Express isn't an account at your bank, so it isn't an option. Many billers have also chosen not to take credit card BPAY payments at all. See BPAY by credit card at the big four banks.

Your options

Sniip: Sniip says it is an official Amex partner and accepts personal, business and corporate Amex cards on BPAY bills and on bills paid by BSB and account number. No ABN needed for BPAY bills.
pay.com.au: accepts Amex for businesses with an ABN. Free plan: 2.10% + GST for payments under $100,000.

Which Amex rate will I pay on Sniip?

Sniip's rule is card type first, then biller industry (as at 6 Oct 2026):

Business or corporate Amex: business rate, 1.99% + GST (2.19%) under $100,000 per payment, falling to 1.75% + GST over $1 million.
Personal Amex, eligible industry: flat 1.29% incl. GST.
Personal Amex, any other biller (including the ATO): business rate.

The 21 eligible industries for Sniip's 1.29% personal Amex rate

Utilities (electric, gas, water)
Telecommunications
Cable and pay TV
Real estate rentals
Insurance
Parking
Hospitals
Doctors and physicians
Medical and health services
Primary and high schools
Colleges and universities
Trade and vocational schools
Business and secretarial schools
Correspondence schools
Other educational services
Child care
Dance halls and studios
Membership clubs
Court costs (including child support)
Fines
Government services (not elsewhere classified; excludes the ATO)

Steps

In Sniip, add the bill: scan the BPAY code, forward the bill from your email, take a photo, or type in the biller code and reference.
Choose your Amex. Sniip shows the exact fee before you confirm.
Pay or schedule. Before 5pm AEST on a business day, Sniip pays a BPAY biller the next business day.

Biller codes Sniip lists for popular billers: ATO 75556, Urban Utilities 112144, Origin Energy 314534. Always check the code on your own bill.

Worked example: $2,000 insurance premium on a personal Amex

Insurance is an eligible industry, so Sniip charges 1.29%: a fee of $25.80. On a card earning 1 point per $1 you'd get about 2,026 card points, plus 200 Qantas Points if you link Qantas Frequent Flyer. At 1 cent a point that's about $22.26, a net cost of about $3.54. Break-even is about 1.16 cents a point. The same bill at the 2.19% business rate would cost $43.80.

Is the fee worth the points? Plug in your own card and bill in the fee vs points calculator. It shows the fee, the points, their value and your break-even cents per point.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pay BPAY with Amex through my bank?

Generally no. BPAY is paid from an account at your own bank or credit union, and an American Express card issued by American Express isn't one of those accounts. A bill payment service such as Sniip or pay.com.au charges your Amex and pays the biller by BPAY or bank transfer.

When do I get Sniip's 1.29% Amex rate?

Only on a personal Amex, and only when the biller is in one of 21 eligible industries such as utilities, insurance, rentals, schools and child care. Any other biller, and the ATO, uses Sniip's business rate: 1.99% + GST (2.19%) for payments under $100,000.

Do I earn Amex points on the fee?

Sniip says your card is charged the full amount including the fee, and your card earns its usual rate on that full amount, subject to your card's terms. Sniip's own Qantas Points are calculated on the payment amount only.

Can I pay a DEFT bill with Amex?

Through Sniip, only if the bill shows the biller's BSB and account number. Sniip says that without them you can't pay a DEFT bill with Amex, so use another card.

Can I pay the ATO with Amex?

Directly with the ATO, only until 30 November 2026, when it stops taking credit cards. Through Sniip, ATO payments on any Amex use the business rate.

Does the surcharge ban mean no fee?

No. The 1 Oct 2026 changes stop merchants adding card surcharges. Sniip and pay.com.au charge their own processing fee for their service, and both still list fees as at 6 Oct 2026.

Sources

Checked on 6 Oct 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the source before you pay.