Bank Account and Credit Card Advice

[torontogal]

Which bank has the most ATM, the best service and the cheapest fee associated?
Anyone can also recommend a good visa card?
Thank you so much.

[filin]

HSBC probably has the most ATMs.

I find customer service to be subpar in both HSBC and Citibank here (compared to their respective service levels in the US), but I suppose that's subjective.

I like the Octopus Citibank Platinum Visa card (a credit card and an Octopus card in one).

And do search the older Geoexpat forums, there have been many discussions on this subject.

[c1000]

I think the Jetco ATM network (which every bank is on, except for HSBC/Hang Seng) is actually more common. Citibank, Standard Chartered and DBS are also worth considering.

[squid]

Which bank has the most ATM, the best service and the cheapest fee associated?
Anyone can also recommend a good visa card?
Thank you so much.

HSBC gets my vote -- I rarely have a problem finding an ATM, (unless I'm in LKF )

Don't get a credit card - don't pay interest! -- sign up for HSBC's "Spending Card" - basically a cheque card which is "refilled" as you need it...debt-free. I pay no fees as I have a (relatively) large balance each month.

just my opinion...

oops: I forgot to mention service: I do most of my banking online, and things work smoothly. I receive a text message on my phone 5 seconds after a bank transfer. No problems at all. When I do physically enter a branch, I am never treated poorly. My only complaint is the large number of people waiting in line; try to do your banking at odd hours during the week!

[imparanoic]

I think the Jetco ATM network (which every bank is on, except for HSBC/Hang Seng) is actually more common. Citibank, Standard Chartered and DBS are also worth considering.

considering that 65% of hk population uses hsbc/hang seng acc's, there are more atms, but also they have longer queues, eg, more than double than jetco system.

for example, for a busy street at noon, you will wait for at least 5-7 mins for hsbc/hang seng atms, but for jetco system, less than 2-3 mins.

same applies to hsbc/hang seng branches, very long queue, i once (stupidly) done a favour for my friend by depositing a cheque to his hsbc cheque in to his bank via counter in a branch in sheung wan, waited over 35mins, at there are over 50 people queuing, but other banks there are barely more than 10

[imparanoic]

however, hsbc credit card has many discounts on purchases

[PDLM]

Don't get a credit card - don't pay interest! -- sign up for HSBC's "Spending Card" - basically a cheque card which is "refilled" as you need it...debt-free. I pay no fees as I have a (relatively) large balance each month.

Eh? If you just autopay your credit card every month then you don't pay interest, you pay 14-50 days after the event, not prepaying as you seem to do, and you get access to the credit card discount offers. This "spending card" seems suitable only for people with so little self-control that they can't be trusted with a credit card.

[thundacatchergo]

get a hsbc/hang seng account and an 'others' account than you have access to every single atm machine.

we have a hang seng and a dbs account.

[pin]

This topic comes up quite a bit.

Majority of people have HSBC accounts. As others have said you can use Hang Seng and HSBC ATMs for free.

Pretty much every other bank is on the JetCo ATM network allowing free ATM usage between these banks. There are probably more JetCo ATMs around though.

Unlike the UK, where most ATM usage is free if you have a HSBC/HS card and use it in a JetCo ATM you will get charged, and vice versa.

HSBC is generally fine, but they are not the only option.

Also, HSBC/HS do a cheeky thing, if you want to do an online transfer into someone else's account who doesn't bank with HSBC/HS, they will charge you HK$25 for this.

[PDLM]

Also, HSBC/HS do a cheeky thing, if you want to do an online transfer into someone else's account who doesn't bank with HSBC/HS, they will charge you HK$25 for this.

It is still annoying, but the fee has been $10 since 8 March 2009.