How to get cash from a credit card at the ATM
Cash advance fees
First, your bank will charge you a cash advance fee every time you use a credit card at the ATM. Since ATM fees are already higher than ever, paying an additional cash advance fee on your ATM transaction is an extra expense that you should try to avoid whenever possible. The exact fee you will be charged varies by issuer.
Cardholders can find this information in their card’s terms and conditions. Be sure to read those carefully before accepting your fate with a cash advance withdrawal.
High interest rates
Cash advance interest rates can be much higher than the interest rate your credit card issuer charges for purchases — and since cash advances don’t come with grace periods, that interest starts accruing right away. Interest charges on a cash advance can seriously add to your debt, especially if you carry a balance on your credit card from month to month.
Negative effects on credit scores
The third drawback of a cash advance has to do with your credit score. Taking out a cash advance will lower your available credit, so be prepared for your credit score to go down. In other words, if the balance is not paid off and interest begins to accrue immediately, your credit utilization rate will go up and your credit score will go down. You can also expect lenders to view you as more of a credit risk, since people generally only request cash advances when they don’t have enough money in their checking account to cover an expense that requires cash.
Alternatives to a cash advance
If you need cash but don’t want to pay the extra expenses associated with a cash advance, you have a few options. If you have a debit card, you can withdraw money from an ATM without having to pay a cash advance fee, as long as you use an ATM in your bank’s network. You can also visit a bank branch and cash a check in person.
If you need to use your credit card to make a cash payment because you don’t have enough money in your checking account to cover the cost, see if there are other ways to transfer the money. Peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo or Square Cash (often called the Cash App) allow you to send money to friends and family. This means that if you were hoping to get cash to pay back a friend or relative, you might be able to Venmo or Cash App them instead.
Be aware that Venmo and Square Cash both charge a 3% fee for credit card transactions. Also, some credit card issuers code peer-to-peer payments as cash advances. So, it’s still best to use a debit card or a linked checking account with Venmo and Cash App whenever possible.
Lastly, you might want to consider a personal loan. If you need cash quickly but don’t want to deal with the high cost of a cash advance, a personal loan can get you the money you need at a much more reasonable interest rate. As of January 2026, the average personal loan interest rate is under 13%. When you take out a personal loan, you’ll receive a lump sum of money that you can use to pay rent, pay off medical bills or cover other types of expenses that require cash.
One exception to consider
Don’t confuse a cash advance with a “cash back credit card.” The latter is a rewards card that offers you cash back in the form of rewards you can redeem into an eligible account or for statement credit. However, some Wells Fargo cards allow cardholders to redeem their cash back as a withdrawal at a Wells Fargo ATM. In that case, you aren’t taking a cash advance. Instead, you’re redeeming your cash-back rewards. There won’t be a cash advance fee or interest rate to consider.
Bottom line
Remember, a cash advance should always be viewed as a last resort. It is important to exhaust all of your other options before you decide to get cash from a credit card at an ATM, such as using a debit card, a payment app or a personal loan. You could even borrow cash from a friend if the opportunity presents itself. Interest rates for cash advances tend to run higher than for regular purchases, so keep in mind the financial consequences if you are not able to pay off your account balance quickly.
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