Zimbabwe, a country of dramatic landscapes, ancient ruins, and world-famous waterfalls, offers a rich and varied travel experience. Whether you’re visiting Victoria Falls, exploring the Great Zimbabwe ruins, or game-viewing in Hwange National Park, managing your money is crucial. The country uses a mix of currencies, including U.S. dollars, and while cards are accepted in some hotels and tourist areas, cash remains the most reliable payment method. This guide covers everything you need to know about cash and ATMs in Zimbabwe, including withdrawal fees, transaction limits, exchange rates, and card usage, ensuring a well-prepared and stress-free journey.
Where to find ATMs in Zimbabwe?
In cities like Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, and Victoria Falls, ATMs can be found at shopping centers, near universities, and outside major banks such as CBZ, FBC Bank, and Standard Chartered. However, ATM reliability is highly inconsistent due to frequent cash shortages. Even when machines are functioning, withdrawal limits are typically very low, and queues can be long.
Tourist Spots:
In Victoria Falls town, ATMs are located near the main tourist strip, hotels, and the airport. These machines usually dispense Zimbabwean dollars (ZWL) and occasionally U.S. dollars (USD), depending on government policy at the time. Many hotels, tour operators, and high-end restaurants prefer or even require payment in USD – which may not be available at ATMs.
Rural Areas:
In rural Zimbabwe, ATM access is extremely limited or nonexistent. Even where available, cash supplies are often restricted. Travelers heading to national parks, small towns, or heritage sites should carry sufficient USD cash, as both local currency availability and card payment options are unreliable.
Best ATMs to use in Zimbabwe for foreigners
The best ATMs for foreigners to use in Zimbabwe are those owned by popular banks such as:
- Ecobank,
- Stanbic Bank,
- Steward Bank, and
- First Capital Bank.
Don’t accept conversion at ATMs and withdraw only in local currency
In Zimbabwe, some ATMs may ask – Accept OR Decline Conversion (also known as With or Without Conversion, or Charge in USD).
– If you ‘Accept’ – ATM converts your money at ATM’s set exchange rate and you pay an extra % fee to the ATM for currency conversion also.
– If you ‘Decline’ – ATM will convert at exchange rate of the bank/card logo (Visa, Master, etc.).
So, to avoid extra fees, select ‘Decline/Without’ Conversion or ‘Charge in USD’.
If you’d like to understand more, read ATM fees abroad: Charges to use cards at foreign ATMs explained.
Can I use a foreign debit or credit card at an ATM in Zimbabwe?
Yes, many foreign debit and credit cards are widely accepted at ATMs in Zimbabwe. ATMs commonly accept Visa and Mastercard. However, some of them accept only Visa and some of them only Mastercard so better to carry one of each at least. Only a handful of the ATMs here accept Plus, Cirrus, CUP, JCB, or Maestro cards. Others like American Express, Diners, Discover and Rupay cards are generally not accepted.
What are the ATM opening hours?
ATMs in Harare, Bulawayo, and other major cities typically operate 24/7, but due to Zimbabwe’s ongoing currency and cash challenges, many machines are can run out of cash, can be offline, or be limited in functionality.
What are ATMs called in Zimbabwe?
They are often referred to as “ATMs” or “Cash Machines”. Signage usually includes the word ATM alongside bank names like CBZ, FBC, or Ecobank.
Language options at ATMs
ATM interfaces are primarily in English, the country’s official language. Some machines may also include options in Shona or Ndebele, but English is standard and easy to navigate.
You can use Google Translate App’s camera function to translate the ATM screen if you don’t understand these languages, but be cautious as the translations may not be entirely accurate.
What currencies can I withdraw from ATMs in Zimbabwe?
ATMs in Zimbabwe primarily dispense U.S. dollars (USD), which have become the de facto currency for most ATM networks. While the local “Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)” currency has been introduced, it is not yet widely issued via machines. USD remains the most reliable and widely available ATM withdrawal currency in the country.
ATM withdrawal limits in Zimbabwe?
ATMs in Zimbabwe have a maximum withdrawal limit per transaction of USD 1,000 per transaction Most banks have do not impose any daily withdrawal limits.
ATM Fees in Zimbabwe
There are no fee-free ATMs in Zimbabwefor foreign card holders. Majority of the bank ATMs in Zimbabwe charge 2% to 3.5% of the transaction amount as ATM Access Fee, with minimum fees being anywhere between USD 2 to USD 5 per transaction.
Apart from ATM Access Fees, there can be other potential charges to withdraw cash in Zimbabwe. These are:
1. Currency Conversion Fees (Accept or Decline Conversion)
2. Your Bank’s currency conversion fee – Some banks charge the card holder a fee to use the card abroad. Cross check with your bank on what the charges are.
How to avoid high fees when withdrawing cash in Zimbabwe
Use the lower fee ATMs in the country.
Use the ATM Fee Saver app to find fee-free or low-fee ATMs.
Opt for “Decline Conversion” or “Without Conversion” during ATM transactions.
Consider getting fee-free cards from your home country.
Avoid using ATMs at the airports, sometimes they have higher fees.
For a detailed guide, read Withdrawing cash abroad? 9 best ways to save foreign ATM fees.
Ways to find fee-free ATMs in Zimbabwe?
Discover fee-free and low-fee ATMs on the ATM Fee Saver mobile app for iOS and Android. This app provides ATM PINs and details of leading bank ATMs such as ATM fees and withdrawal limits for foreign cardholders at ATMs in Zimbabwe. Moreover, its simple fee calculator helps you determine exact withdrawal charges. You can also find cash tips and tricks on the app for 160+ countries including Zimbabwe. Download now from the App Store or Play Store.
Download ATM Fee Saver now.
Safety at ATMs
Zimbabwe has faced periods of economic instability, which can sometimes impact ATM reliability and cash availability. In urban areas like Harare and Bulawayo, petty crimes and scams around ATMs have been reported. It’s safest to use ATMs inside banks, large hotels, or shopping centers during business hours. Be especially cautious of card skimming and fraudulent devices. Always shield your PIN, avoid drawing attention to your withdrawal, and carry a backup payment method as cash shortages or ATM malfunctions can still occur.
FAQs
What to do if an ATM takes your card?
If an ATM in Zimbabwe takes you card, you can contact the bank (if you used an ATM inside a bank branch), they may be able to retreive the card for you if you have proof of identity. You can also contact the bank’s helpline but typically they only retreive and resend new cards for their own customers. In such cases, you will need to contact your own bank and ask them to deliver a card to you at home or abroad.
Fee-free ATMs and possible to withdraw cash free of cost at ATMs in Zimbabwe?
No, its usually not possible.There are no fee-free ATMs in Zimbabwefor foreign card holders. Majority of the bank ATMs in Zimbabwe charge 2% to 3.5% of the transaction amount as ATM Access Fee, with minimum fees being anywhere between USD 2 to USD 5 per transaction.
Foreign cards from US, UK, India, China, Europe, Australia accepted at ATMs in Zimbabwe?
Yes. ATMs in major cities in Zimbabwe and international hotel chains accept many types of international cards.
Bitcoin ATMs?
There are no known Bitcoin ATMs currently operating in Zimbabwe. Earlier reports from 2018 suggested an installation by exchange Golix, but it has since been verified that no crypto ATM network operates there today.
Foreign bank ATMs’ presence in Zimbabwe
- Bank of America: No, there are no Bank of America ATMs here.
- Citibank: No, Citibank does not operate ATMs in Zimbabwe.
- Barclays: No, Barclays no longer exists here – operations were rebranded or absorbed.
- HSBC: No, HSBC does not maintain consumer retail ATMs in Zimbabwe.
- Standard Chartered: Yes, Standard Chartered had ATMs in Zimbabwe until its banking arm sale in 2024; as of early 2025, it no longer operates publicly under that name.
