By: Money Navigator Research Team
Last Reviewed: 12/02/2026
FACT CHECKED
Quick Summary
Tide ATM withdrawals can involve more than one cost layer:
- Tide’s own withdrawal fee
- A cash machine operator surcharge at some ATMs
- Currency conversion costs (especially abroad, or where an ATM offers Dynamic Currency Conversion).
The reason “some ATMs cost more” is usually operator business model and location economics, not something Tide sets.
This article is educational and not financial advice.
The three layers of cost in a Tide ATM withdrawal
1) Tide’s own withdrawal fee (issuer fee)
Tide publishes a standard fee for ATM withdrawals on its pricing page (for example, “ATM withdrawals” listed within plan pricing) on Tide’s plans and pricing. This is a Tide-set fee for using your Tide card to withdraw cash.
Separately, Tide also explains that additional charges can apply when you withdraw in a non-GBP currency, including plan-dependent foreign currency fees, on Tide’s “Can I use my card abroad?” help page. That matters because an overseas ATM withdrawal can trigger both a cash withdrawal fee and FX-related costs.
2) The ATM operator’s own surcharge (pay-to-use ATMs)
Some UK ATMs are “free-to-use” and some are “pay-to-use”. Pay-to-use machines add an operator charge (sometimes called a surcharge) because the ATM owner is charging you directly for convenience, placement, or operating costs.
The LINK scheme sets transparency rules for when charges apply across the LINK network. LINK explains that it does not set charges, but it requires rules including on-screen disclosure of operator charges, displaying issuer charges where applied, and giving the option to cancel without incurring the charge on LINK’s “Charges for cash” page.
3) Currency conversion costs (including DCC)
When withdrawing abroad, an ATM may offer Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) – presenting the withdrawal in GBP (or your “billing currency”) instead of the local currency. DCC can change who performs the conversion and which exchange rate is applied.
Card schemes describe DCC as a choice that merchants/ATMs should present transparently. Visa outlines that merchants and ATMs should provide a clear choice to accept or decline conversion on Visa’s Dynamic Currency Conversion explainer.
Mastercard also explains the two-path mechanics (local currency conversion by issuer rate vs billing currency conversion by the acquirer’s rate) in its Dynamic Currency Conversion Performance Guide PDF.
For the Tide-specific angle on “what DCC screens mean” and how FX pricing typically shows up around card use, see our internal guides on dynamic currency conversion and Tide card FX pricing.
Why some UK ATMs are free-to-use and others charge
A simple way to understand the pricing split is that someone has to pay to run the machine.
For many free-to-use ATMs, the operator is compensated via an interchange fee paid between banks and ATM operators.
The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) describes this interchange model and notes that, alternatively, ATM operators can charge consumers directly (and then they cannot claim interchange) on PSR’s UK ATM network overview.
In practice, pay-to-use ATMs are often found where footfall and convenience can support a surcharge (for example, small retail settings, late-night locations, or areas with fewer free-to-use options).
The key point is that the ATM operator surcharge is a commercial decision by the ATM owner, separate from Tide’s pricing.
Summary Table
| Scenario | Outcome | Practical impact |
|---|---|---|
| UK free-to-use ATM | No operator surcharge; Tide fee may still apply | Total cost is usually “Tide fee only”, subject to account/card conditions |
| UK pay-to-use ATM | Operator surcharge disclosed; you accept or cancel | Total cost can be “Tide fee + operator surcharge” depending on how the ATM charges |
| Overseas ATM without DCC | Conversion typically happens via the card issuer route | Costs can include Tide withdrawal fee + FX-related charges depending on plan/currency |
| Overseas ATM with DCC offer | ATM offers conversion into billing currency | Total cost can vary because the conversion may be done by the acquirer at its rate |
| Withdrawal declined/failed | Cash not dispensed; authorisation may appear temporarily | Temporary entries can affect available balance until reversed/expired |
How charges tend to appear in-app and on statements
ATM withdrawals are card transactions that usually move through authorisation (a real-time check and hold) and posting/settlement (final accounting entry). This matters because the number you see immediately after using an ATM is not always the final settled picture, especially where a surcharge or FX conversion is involved.
Where an operator surcharge applies, LINK’s rules focus on transparency: on-screen messaging, disclosure of the charge amount where required, and the ability to cancel without incurring the charge. That disclosure happens at the ATM, while the statement view is the “after the fact” record.
Cash withdrawals vs purchases: why fees and controls can differ
Many providers treat ATM withdrawals differently from normal card purchases because cash is a distinct risk and processing category. That is why it’s common to see separate cash limits, separate fees, and separate “cash-like” handling in card terms and fee schedules.
For the broader “what counts as a fee-triggering card event” view (not just ATMs), see our guide on Tide card fees and what triggers charges.
Scenario Table
| Scenario-level | Process-level | Outcome-level |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-to-use UK ATM | Fee disclosed on-screen before completion | Operator surcharge becomes part of the total cost if accepted |
| Free-to-use UK ATM | Issuer authorises withdrawal, no operator surcharge | Cost tends to be driven by issuer fee and account terms |
| Overseas ATM with DCC offer | ATM/acquirer offers conversion path | Exchange rate source can change, affecting total cost |
| Overseas ATM without DCC | Transaction stays in local currency | Conversion typically follows issuer route plus any plan FX charges |
| Any ATM with partial/failed completion | Authorisation may be placed then reversed | Short-term balance impact can occur until final resolution |
Tide Business Bank Account
Tide’s business accounts combine account features and card controls with a published fee schedule. For a Tide-specific breakdown of ATM withdrawal charges and the most common exceptions (including when “total cost” changes), see our guide: Tide ATM Withdrawal Fees: Typical Charges and Exceptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Tide ATM withdrawal can include issuer fees (set by Tide) and, in some cases, an ATM operator surcharge (set by the ATM owner). These are separate charging decisions and can both exist around the same withdrawal journey.
If the withdrawal is in a foreign currency, additional FX-related charges can apply depending on plan rules and how the transaction is processed. An ATM offering DCC can further change the conversion route and therefore the exchange-rate source.
ATM charging often reflects the operator’s business model. Some machines are free-to-use and rely on interchange economics; others charge a convenience fee directly to the user.
Location and operator type can be the practical drivers: machines in certain retail settings or run by independent deployers may use surcharging where a bank-branch ATM would not. This is a market structure issue rather than something your card provider controls.
It can be possible for your total cost to reflect both an operator surcharge and a provider-side withdrawal fee, because they are not the same charge type: one is levied by the ATM owner, the other by the account/card provider.
However, charging structures can vary by network rules and how fees are presented and applied. The important distinction is to separate “operator charge” (the machine) from “issuer charge” (the account/card terms).
Where an operator surcharge applies, fee disclosure is generally intended to be visible at the ATM before the transaction completes, with an option to cancel. LINK describes charging transparency expectations (including on-screen messaging and cancellation options) within its scheme rules.
That on-screen step matters operationally because it’s the only moment you can see the operator surcharge in-context. The in-app view usually shows the recorded transaction result rather than the decision point that happened on the terminal.
Overseas withdrawals add a currency layer. Even if the withdrawal amount is modest, the conversion and any associated FX fee framework can change the final GBP cost compared with a UK withdrawal.
Overseas ATMs may also present DCC. If DCC is used, the exchange rate applied can come from a different part of the payments chain than if the transaction stays in local currency, which can materially alter the outcome.
DCC is when an ATM offers to convert the transaction into your billing currency (for example, GBP) at the point of withdrawal. This changes how the conversion is performed and which rate and disclosures apply.
In practical terms, DCC matters because the route “local currency processed then converted by the issuer” is not the same as “billing currency applied by the acquirer at the terminal”. That difference can affect the final amount debited and how transparent the rate and markup are.
Card withdrawals can show intermediate states: authorisation, pending entries, and then a final posting. If something goes wrong (timeouts, partial dispense events, or connectivity issues), the timeline between “what happened physically” and “what posted” can diverge temporarily.
Resolution typically depends on the terminal logs and the card network’s correction processes. The practical implication is often short-term balance disruption until the provider receives the final outcome or reversal.
Tide publishes a plan-based pricing structure, and the “headline” withdrawal fee is presented within plan pricing. Separately, plan rules can affect non-GBP card usage costs, including foreign currency withdrawals.
This is why two customers can experience different total outcomes on otherwise similar withdrawals: the ATM can add surcharges, and the account plan can change FX treatment, even where the base withdrawal mechanic looks identical.
Refundability depends on what the charge is and why it occurred. A provider-set fee and an operator surcharge are different charge types, with different dispute paths and evidence requirements.
If a withdrawal failed, reversals can occur as part of the card scheme process (for example, a hold dropping off or a reversed entry), but that is not the same as a discretionary refund of a validly-applied surcharge. The practical takeaway is to treat “reversal/correction” and “refund” as separate concepts.
ATM withdrawals are often treated as cash movements rather than expense items, because the withdrawal itself is just moving funds from account balance into cash-on-hand. The expense categorisation typically happens when that cash is later spent and evidenced.
The operational edge case is where you incur fees (issuer fee or operator surcharge) at the point of withdrawal. Those fees are expenses tied to banking services and may need to be separated from the cash withdrawal line for clean reconciliation.
ATM pricing is best understood as a stack, not a single fee. The card provider sets its own tariff and FX rules; the ATM operator may add a separate surcharge; and the currency conversion pathway can be chosen (or influenced) at the terminal.
When people experience “random” ATM costs, it’s usually the interaction between these layers rather than a hidden change in the base withdrawal fee.
The practical constraint is that the only part fully controlled by Tide is Tide’s published tariff. Operator surcharges and DCC mechanics sit outside the issuer’s direct control, which is why two ATMs in the same street can legitimately produce different total costs for the same withdrawal amount.
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