Best Online Banks in France: Fees, Exchange Rates, Usability, Features, and More

N26 in Short

N26 offers several paid accounts and one free account, 'N26 Standard', which in our opinion is a very capable and complete online banking package in and of itself (especially considering it doesn't cost a cent in monthly fees). 'N26 Standard' is a fully-fledged current account available online and in the N26 app. It allows mobile payments and includes a transparent debit Mastercard which arrives with no delivery fee.

While very cheap, there are some costs to consider when using the 'N26 Standard' account. For example, the account is free up to three ATM withdrawals per month in the Eurozone, after which it costs €2 per withdrawal. And, as mentioned above, cash withdrawals at ATMs outside the Eurozone (e.g. Switzerland, Norway, UK, US, etc.) come with a fairly steep 1.70% commission on the total amount withdrawn.

N26 Advantages

• Integrated with Wise for international money transfers;
• A secure current account with a licensed bank;
• Instant transfers to most other SEPA bank accounts;
• The standard plan is practically free for everyday use.

N26 Disadvantages

• A 1.70% fee for foreign currency ATM withdrawals;
• No interest, loans, joint account, or multi-currency functionality;
• Upgrade needed for unlimited, fee-free cash withdrawals.

Final Word

Upgrading plans with N26 can cost you between €4.90 and €16.90 and will bring you benefits such as comprehensive insurance, spending statistics, and preferential customer support. However, the core banking features of N26 are all available on the free account, and in our opinion, this account should give you everything you're looking for if free basic banking services are what you're after.

Nickel in Short

Nickel is a current account that offers a fully-functional banking experience, not only to ordinary French residents but also to people excluded from the traditional banking system (e.g. non-French tax residents or those who face bank bans). However, while good for day-to-day needs, some banking services are not available with Nickel, meaning it's not suitable for everyone. Services not available on Nickel include checkbooks, overdraft, credit, savings accounts, joint accounts, and integration with Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Nickel offers four account plans, depending on your needs:

1. The Nickel Classique account comes in at €25 per year, with the option of the MyNickel card (billed at €30 more for 3 years).
2. The Nickel Chrome premium offer at €50 per year;
3. The top-of-the-range Nickel Metal offer at €100 per year;
4. A youth account for 12 to 18-year-olds at the cost of €20 per year.

Nickel Advantages

• You can get a credit card straight from the tobacconist.
• Multiple options are available to fund your account.
• Integrated with Ria for international money transfers.
• You can open an account even without being a tax resident in France.
• A large number of customers.

Nickel Disadvantages

• No access to a chequebook, overdraft, savings, or credit.
• €0 to €2 per transaction fee for overseas spending.
• Fees for recharging their account by card, cash or cheque.
• You cannot connect your Nickel account to a mobile payment application.

Final Word

The Nickel account is particularly suitable for those who want an easy-to-use bank account, without specialised banking needs and who want to have their bank card immediately. Nickel has attractive rates for everyday use, but the system of fixed fees charged for payments can make the account pricey, especially if you make a lot of transactions abroad.

Yuh in Short

Swiss neobank Yuh is an excellent online account that gives you an app-based account and a debit card. Together, they make a savvy and capable spending tool, although it lacks card and cash top-up methods, direct debits, interest, and overdraft.

Yuh Advantages

• Clean and well-designed mobile app.
• Backed by PostFinance and Swissquote.
• Excellent in-app investment features.
• Nifty 'Pay a friend' feature for instant transfers between users.
• A small and simple 0.95% fee on currency exchange.

Yuh Disadvantages

• Only possible to fund the account by bank transfer.
• Few customers and reviews to date.

Revolut in Short

Revolut is a powerful fintech company that comes with a multi-currency account, checking account, debit card, foreign exchange services, and much more. It's versatile app makes it an attractive alternative to high-street banks due to its unique ability to offer low fees and impressive scope of service.

Opening up a 'Standard' account with Revolut is completely free, but the delivery of the first debit card will set you back around €5. While ATM withdrawals are also free, a 2% fee (at a minimum of €1) will be charged on all withdrawals after the first €200 or five withdrawals every month. What's more, transferring money to other Revolut users is not only free but instant. This makes the service a reliable choice if those you most frequently send money are also Revolut users themselves.

In addition, Revolut offers low fees on international money transfers, leaving the service an attractive choice for those who send money across borders frequently. They charge no exchange rate margins on weekdays, with users only subject to a flat 0.50% fee on all transfers sent abroad. However, be aware that Revolut charges twice the fee for international money transfers made on weekends — bumping the fee to 1% on Saturdays and Sundays.

Revolut Advantages

• An extensive range of finance and multi-currency options;
• Debit card is well-priced for international spending;
• Includes investment functionality;
• Slick mobile app with many features;
• Foreign transactions up to €1,000 (or equivalent) exempt from FX fees.

Revolut Disadvantages

• Access to some interesting perks is restricted to 'Standard' users;
• Many foreign currency transactions incur a fee;
• Higher currency conversion costs on weekends.

Revolut Plans

Here's a full overview of Revolut's different account offerings:

• Standard: With zero up-front costs, the Standard option offers a digital current account (with a Lithuanian IBAN) with no monthly fee and a free debit card. ATM withdrawals are free up to five withdrawals or €200 per month (whichever comes first). After that, it costs 2% of the value of the ATM withdrawal.
• Plus: Plus accounts cost €2.99 per month, including a debit card. ATM withdrawals are free of charge up to €200 per month, after which a 2% fee applies. 
• Premium: Premium accounts cost €7.99 per month, including a debit card, and there are no fees for ATM withdrawals up to €400 per month. After that, it costs 2% of the value of the ATM withdrawal.
• Metal: Metal accounts cost €13.99 per month, including a debit card. ATM withdrawals up to €800 per month are free, and after that, it costs 2% of the value of the ATM withdrawal.

Final Word

In the end, Revolut is among the best checking account products currently available on the market and provides a capable spending option next to a main bank account. It is ideal if you'd like to cut down on the high fees associated with basic account services at high-street banks and is particularly well-suited for travelling abroad, especially if you plan to spend less than €1,000 (or equivalent) and do most of your spending on weekdays. It's for all these reasons that we rate Revolut as the best all-rounder in France.

Wise in Short

Applying for a Wise Account is fast and easy and can be done using proof of residence in France. Once you're signed up and your card has arrived (which takes up to two weeks in France), you'll be able to take advantage of the following unique features with the account:

• Local bank details in the US, Eurozone, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Romania, Canada, Hungary, and Turkey;
• Hold, exchange, and top-up up to 56 currencies;
• A multi-currency Visa debit card that's handy for paying in foreign currencies without the hidden fees;
• Access to Wise's powerful international money transfer service right from your account balance.

Wise Advantages

• Account details in as many as 10 currencies;
• Hold money in 50+ currencies;
• Send money to 80+ countries from your account;
• Some of the lowest money transfer fees available on the market;
• Pricing is accessible and transparent;
• Mid-market exchange rate offered for currency transfers;
• Wise card can be used to avoid foreign transaction fees;
• No setup fees or monthly charges.

Wise Disadvantages

• Cash or cheque payments aren't supported;
• Overdraft and loans aren't available;
• Negative interest on large Euro account balances;
• Fees to top up the account via debit and credit card;
• Tight limits and conditions to fee-free ATM withdrawals.

How Wise Works

To get a sense of just how useful Wise can be for frequent travellers and expats, let's say that you've just moved from the UK to France and you'd like to spend in Euros before you've got your proof of residence sorted out. With the Wise Multi-Currency Account, you'll be able to:

1. Send British pounds from your bank account to your Wise Euro account;
2. Convert to Euros at a low fee (e.g. if you add €1,000 and pay with British pounds, the total fee will be around 0.35% or £3*);
3. Pay with your Wise debit card, make or receive SEPA (and SWIFT) payments, and set up direct debits.

You'll also have a dedicated set of Belgian bank details to share with an employer in France. Belgian IBANs are fully eligible in France and across the Eurozone, and rejecting the payout or receipt of funds based on the origin of an IBAN is illegal. Note that this account does not offer an overdraft, and you won’t earn interest on any in-credit balances.

Final Word

It's for the above reasons that we think Wise is the best online multi-currency account available in France and a product we firmly recommend for holidaymakers, online spenders, and expats alike.

* Conversion made on 05/11/2021

Bunq in Short

Available in France and most EU/EEA countries, bunq offers three different bank account types priced between €2.99 and €17.99 per month. Following a major pricing update in 2021, bunq went from being one of the cheapest neobanks for overseas spending to one of the most expensive. On bunq's most affordable plan, card spending in foreign currencies while abroad incurs a 1.5% commission on the transaction amount as well as a 0.5% network fee, while on the two more premium plans, the 1.5% commission is waived for cashless payments abroad, but the 0.5% network fee remains.

Cash withdrawals are also rather pricey at bunq, regardless of the plan. On the cheapest 'Easy Bank' plan, not only does the €0.99 per withdrawal fee apply for the first four withdrawals per month (after which the fee bumps up to €2.99 per withdrawal), but these come in addition to the 1.5% commission and 0.5% network fee for foreign currency withdrawals. This means that for a $1,000 withdrawal in the US, you'd pay 2.1% in fees, which is comparable to the fees charged by traditional banks.

Despite the pricing update, whether you're an expat, a frequent traveller, or a digital nomad, you'll find bunq to still be, on average, a cheaper option for overseas spending than traditional banks, though, although not quite as cheap as come of its major alternatives such as N26 and Revolut.

Bunq Advantages

• The choice between a Spanish, German, French, or Dutch IBAN;
• Partnered with Wise for international money transfers;
• A licensed bank in the Netherlands;
• Notifications and sub-accounts to manage spending;
• Built-in savings with interest.

Bunq Disadvantages

• No free plan is available;
• Climate contribution on 'Easy Green' plan is usually not worth it;
• Relatively expensive premium tiers;
• ATM withdrawals are pricey on all plans.

Bunq Plans

Bunq accounts break down into three tiers as follows:

• Easy Bank: A low-cost current account with a German, French, Spanish, or Dutch IBAN that comes with a debit Mastercard and money transfer capabilities. The account costs €2.99 per month.
• Easy Money: An account with added features and functionalities, including spending statistics, four free ATM withdrawals per month, budgeting features, unique deals, a metal debit card, and bookkeeping software. The account costs €8.99 per month.
• Easy Green: The premium tier, Easy Green's unique feature allows users to track the progress of the reforestation initiative already linked to other tiers (i.e. a tree planted for every €100 spent). Costing €17.99 per month, we've found in our bunq review that this initiative is not worth it for most users.

Final Word

Because of the costs involved, we think bunq isn't suitable for all kinds of users, especially those looking to cut back on expenses or those who aren't necessarily looking for an eco-friendly solution in their bank. However, suppose you live in Spain, France, Germany or the Netherlands and want an IBAN for one of these countries (and especially if you don't mind paying the €2.99 per month fee for the perks that bunq has to offer). In that case, we'd recommend bunq's 'Easy Bank' plan, which provides an interesting paid online bank account that will probably give you everything you're looking for and more.

Vivid Money in Short

An ideal banking option for those looking for fruitful cashback, Vivid Money's premium plan 'Vivid Prime' provides the best cashback program we've seen from any online account in the France. However, although it offers significantly less cashback, we also highly recommend Vivid Money's free account. This plan comes with a free metal debit card that can be used for payments worldwide free of charge and allows fee-free cash withdrawals of up to €200 per month. This makes Vivid one of the most interesting and attractive neobanks on the French market.

Vivid Money Advantages

• Lucrative cashback on payments.
• Fee-free fractional investments in US stocks and ETFs.
• Free payments at home and abroad.
• The first €200 withdrawn per month is free worldwide.
• Handy in-app tools (e.g. investment, bill splitting, etc.).
• Up to 15 free sub-accounts in up to 100 different currencies.
• Free metal Visa debit card.

Vivid Money Disadvantages

• No phone support.
• No international transfers or cash deposits.

How Does Vivid Cashback Work?

As mentioned, the main difference between the paid and the free variant lies in the type of cashback program. The free Vivid account, 'Vivid Standard', is limited to €20 cashback per month via the so-called Champions program – a loyalty program for various establishments. In 'Vivid Prime', users receive up to €100 cashback per month for shopping at popular retailers, cafes, restaurants, and many other institutions, including up to 10% cashback on brands of your choice.

Ultimately, new users need to decide for themselves which Vivid account best suits them best. In short, however, we see Vivid as one of the best neobanks on the French market — both in its free and paid variants.