Which are the best ATMs in Burkina Faso for foreigners - free & high limits?

Withdrawing cash in Burkina Faso usually means handling multiple fees-your home bank and local ATMs both take a cut. Daily withdrawal limits vary but are generally around 100,000 CFA francs per transaction, which means several withdrawals if you need a lot of cash. ATMs accept Visa more than Mastercard. A good tip is to check withdrawal limits with your card issuer and consider alternative methods like sending money to yourself online and picking it up locally for larger sums without ATM fees.

Most ATMs in Burkina Faso will charge a usage fee on top of whatever your bank might charge. The common daily withdrawal limit is usually set by the local bank but expect maxs of around 100,000 XOF per transaction. Visa cards are accepted more often than MasterCard here, so plan accordingly. If you want to avoid big charges, consider using a Wise card for better rates and low fees. Since cash is king in smaller towns, make sure to have enough with you.

I used an international Visa debit card in Ouagadougou, and while the ATMs accepted it fine, each withdrawal charged a local fee plus my bank’s international fees. Withdrawal limits aren’t huge-usually you’ll hit limits around 100,000 CFA francs per transaction. If you want to take out a lot, you may need to do multiple withdrawals, so fees add up. Check with your bank about daily limits and fees before you travel. Sending money to yourself via services like World Remit to pick up locally can be a good backup.

If you need a good amount of cash from Burkina Faso ATMs with a foreign card, Visa works better than Mastercard here. Fees are charged both by local ATMs and your home bank, so watch out for double fees. Withdrawal limits depend on the bank’s machine, but generally you can make about 4 to 8 transactions daily, sometimes with caps around 100,000 XOF (approx $170). I found using debit cards from Wise or Revolut helped save on conversion and transaction fees.