ATMs can be found at banks, convenience stores, in many nightclubs, at the Saturday Market, at festivals (portable machines), and other locations around the city. Expect to pay a $1.50 service charge if you use an ATM that is not affiliated with your own bank, in addition to what your home bank charges. The most common ATM networks are Star, Cirrus, PLUS, Accel, and the Exchange.

ATMs have made traveler's checks all but obsolete. Although they're generally accepted at most restaurants, hotels, and shops in neighborhoods frequented by tourists, such as downtown and Nob Hill, they're not nearly as widely accepted as credit cards.