'/%3e%3cpath%20d='m711.6%20144%2036-36-36-36a71.9%2071.9%200%200%200-62.3%2036%2071.9%2071.9%200%200%200%2062.3%2036z'%20class='st2'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M44.5%2063c11.3%200%2021.2%205%2026.5%2017.1%205.8-11%2016.9-17.1%2029-17.1%2022%200%2031.9%2015.7%2031.9%2034.7v52.9H115v-47.3c0-13.9-4.1-26.1-18.9-26.1-15.5%200-21.6%2014-21.6%2027.4v46.1H57.4V99.9c0-13.3-4.5-22.7-18-22.7-12.4%200-21.8%2011.2-21.8%2028.1v45.4H.7v-67c0-4.5-.2-12.8-.7-18.4h16c.4%204.3.7%2010.4.7%2014h.5C21.6%2070.4%2031.5%2063%2044.5%2063zM200.7%20153c-26.1%200-45.9-18.9-45.9-45.2S174.6%2063%20200.7%2063c26.1%200%2046.1%2018.5%2046.1%2044.8s-20%2045.2-46.1%2045.2zm0-76c-18.2%200-28.4%2014.6-28.4%2030.8%200%2016.2%2010.3%2031%2028.4%2031%2018.4%200%2028.4-14.8%2028.4-31S219.1%2077%20200.7%2077zM285.5%2065.3c.4%204.3.7%2010.4.7%2014h.5c4.1-9.2%2015.5-16.4%2027.7-16.4%2022%200%2031.9%2015.7%2031.9%2034.7v52.9h-16.9v-47.3c0-13.9-3.8-26.1-19.4-26.1-13.3%200-22.9%2011.2-22.9%2028.1v45.4h-16.9v-67c0-4.5-.2-12.8-.7-18.4h16zM383.6%2045.4c-6.1%200-11.2-4.9-11.2-10.8%200-6.1%205-11%2011.2-11s11.3%204.7%2011.3%2011c0%206.1-5.2%2010.8-11.3%2010.8zm8.4%20105.3h-16.9V65.3H392v85.4zM463.3%2079.2h-22.7v44.5c0%2010.3%203.6%2014.4%2012.1%2014.4%203.1%200%207-.7%209.9-2.2l.5%2013.9c-4%201.4-9.2%202.3-14.4%202.3-16%200-24.8-9-24.8-26.6V79.2h-16.4V65.3h16.4V40.9h16.7v24.5h22.7v13.8zM521.1%20153c-26.1%200-45.9-18.9-45.9-45.2S495%2063%20521.1%2063c26.1%200%2046.1%2018.5%2046.1%2044.8s-20%2045.2-46.1%2045.2zm0-76c-18.2%200-28.4%2014.6-28.4%2030.8%200%2016.2%2010.3%2031%2028.4%2031%2018.4%200%2028.4-14.8%2028.4-31S539.5%2077%20521.1%2077z'%20class='st3'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Diogo Palhais on Unsplash Byron Mühlberg
Guide
When it comes to the fees you'll be paying for maintenance, spending, and transferring money, high-street banks in Ireland aren't cheap. Ordinary current accounts at major Irish banks (including AIB and Bank of Ireland) cost between €4 and €6 per month in maintenance fees.
For this reason, many customers are interested in online banks instead, which can cost you much less monthly. By offering low fees, easy application, and convenient web and mobile apps, several EU-based online banks have risen rapidly in Ireland in recent years, going even so far as to challenge traditional banks for a new tech-savvy generation of customers.
In 2024 — as both the popularity and the market share of Ireland's online banks continue to rise — you might find yourself wondering which of the many options available offers the most comprehensive service to suit your needs. In this guide, we whittle down the top online banks in Ireland to the prominent contenders and explore which one might make sense for you.
We recommend Revolut if you're looking for a smart digital alternative to traditional banks since it's probably the most complete online account in Ireland. Click on our exclusive link below to get three months of Revolut's paid plan, Revolut Premium, for free!
To determine which online banks scored better than others in the Irish and EU/EEA markets, we used a consumer-first framework to analyse several key factors. To begin with, we weighed a number of concrete metrics relating to factors such as fees and rates, ease of use, credibility, service and coverage, transparency, and customer satisfaction to piece together a reliable all-around picture of which top digital banks offer the savviest solutions to Irish residents.
Next, we explored these results and presented our findings in the form of a series of key takeaways that we believe you should know about the three digital banks ranked highest.
In our definition of "online bank," we only consider online-first banks and not traditional legacy banks that have pivoted to digital banking in recent years while still maintaining a brick-and-mortar infrastructure.
While we ranked these online banks on an overall list, remember that this list does not mean that our choice for the EU's best digital bank is necessarily the best choice for you. As you'll see, each online bank has its unique set of pros and cons that may impact its overall relevance to you.
Without further ado, let's go through our rankings for the top online banks in Ireland in 2024 —
Arguably the best-known mobile bank, N26 is a widely-used and much-loved German online bank with around 200 thousand customers in Ireland and seven million across the EU. N26 is also partnered with Wise's money transfer service, allowing in-app international money transfers at some of the best exchange rates on the market. Because of its complete current account offering, we recommend N26 to just about anybody interested in low-cost banking.
Account name: N26 Standard
Account type: Current (German bank details).
Total cost: €0 per month.
Noteworthy features: Instant social payments, overdraft facilities.
More info: See our full N26 review.
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.
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.
Tomorrow is a fintech company affiliated with German bank Solarisbank striving for positive impact and claiming to put sustainability before profit. Customers can choose between three sustainable current accounts, the first two coming with a plastic Visa debit card, and the premium tier coming with a wooden Visa debit. We particularly think Tomorrow's basic 'Now' account is the ideal choice for sustainability-oriented customers due to its low all-around costs and pro-sustainability investments.
Account name: Now
Account type: Current (held by Solarisbank, German bank details).
Total cost: €3-€9 per month (depending on how much you withdraw).
Noteworthy features: Climate contributions, savings pockets
More info: See our full Tomorrow review.
All three of Tomorrow's paid account models (which range from €3 to €15 per month) create sustainable investments. This is achieved using transaction costs and user deposits, which are partly invested in projects such as afforestation, sustainable energy production, or drinking water purification in poorer regions of the world.
Even with Tomorrow's base account, the CO2 footprint of the account holder is compensated, and with its premium 'Zero' account, the package comes with a debit card made of wood, which is a unique perk that allows your card to stand out visually from the rest.
Aside from its focus on sustainability, Tomorrow also has a lot to offer functionally. The platform enables free payments worldwide and offers currency conversion at the mid-market exchange rate with both account models. Cash withdrawals abroad on the free account cost 1.5% of the withdrawal amount.
We are particularly interested in the fact that Tomorrow offers an excellent user experience despite its sustainable approach and stands out with attractive fees for use at home and abroad. Thus, you won't have to compromise when receiving a sustainable current account with excellent functionality and low transaction costs.
A major name in the digital finance sphere, Revolut has stood at the forefront of Europe's low-cost online financial services sector in recent years. With over 12 million users, the London-based fintech is available not only in Ireland but also across the world. However, because it's not yet a bank in Ireland, we think Revolut is best used as a spending tool next to a main bank account, as opposed to in place of it.
Account name: Standard
Account type: Current (Lithuanian bank details).
Total cost: €0 per month.
Noteworthy features: UK bank account details, multi-currency balances.
More info: See our full Revolut review.
Revolut is a fully-fledged bank (licensed by the Bank of Lithuania and offering deposit insurance and products such as loans and credit cards) in parts of the EU/EEA, including France, Italy, Portugal, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Romania, and a few others. However, in Ireland, Revolut carries only an e-money institution license, meaning it doesn't offer deposit insurance.
Opening up a 'Standard' account with Revolut is completely free, but delivering 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. (Third-party ATM fees may also apply.) Moreover, transferring money to other Revolut users is free and instant. This makes the service a reliable choice if those you most frequently send money to are also Revolut users themselves.
In addition, Revolut offers low fees on international money transfers, making the service an attractive choice for those who frequently send money across borders. 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.
Here's a full overview of Revolut's different account offerings:
In the end, Revolut is among the best bank-like 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 banking 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 online bank in Ireland.
Wise is not a bank but a money transfer operator well-known for offering some of the cheapest international transfers globally. (In fact, according to our rankings, Wise is indeed the best money transfer service of all.) However, money transfers aren't Wise's only game; they also offer the Wise Multi-Currency Account — a low-cost foreign currency spending account and card product that's best in class on the market.
Account name: Multi-Currency Account
Account type: Electronic Money Account (held by Barclays in the UK, Wells Fargo in the US, DBS in Singapore, etc.).
Total cost: €0 per month.
Noteworthy features: International money transfers, multiple account details, multi-currency balances.
More info: See our full Wise Multi-Currency Account review.
Applying for a Wise Account is fast and easy and can be done using proof of residence in the EU/EEA (as well as many countries worldwide). Once you're signed up and your card has arrived (which takes up to two weeks in Ireland), you'll be able to take advantage of the following unique features with the account:
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 Ireland 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:
You'll also have a dedicated set of Belgian bank details to share with an employer in Ireland. Belgian IBANs are fully eligible in Ireland 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.
For the above reasons, we think Wise is the best online multi-currency account available to Irish residents (and non-residents) and a product we firmly recommend for holidaymakers, online spenders, and expats alike.
Dutch neobank bunq doesn't really lift a candle to some of the other contenders on this list in terms of affordability. That's because bunq doesn't offer a free account, and many of its services come with additional fees. However, for those who don't mind paying higher fees every month for an online bank account, then bunq comes packed with many interesting features and perks to take advantage of.
Account name: Easy Bank
Account type: Current (French, Spanish, German, or Dutch bank details).
Total cost: €2.99 per month.
Noteworthy features: Bill splitting, Wise money transfer integration,
More info: See our full bunq review.
Available in Ireland 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 accounts break down into three tiers as follows:
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.
A partner of German bank Solarisbank AG, Vivid Money isn't a bank in and of itself but a fintech company offering a digital account and card. By combining a checking account with cashback features, Vivid Money users can save up to 25% on everyday purchases and easily refinance the account management fees of €9.90 per month that comes with the premium tier (although there is a free tier too offering less cashback). This excellent cashback is the reason we think Vivid Money has the best rewards program of any online bank in Ireland.
Account name: Vivid Prime
Account type: Current (held by Solarisbank, German bank details).
Total cost: €9.90 per month.
Noteworthy features: Cashback program, fractional investment (stocks, ETFs, crypto, precious metals), multi-currency balances, insurances.
More info: See our full Vivid Money review.
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 Ireland. 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 market in Ireland.
As mentioned, the main difference between the paid and free variants 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 in the Irish market — both in its free and paid variants.
To wrap things up, let's take a look at how the product, service, and pricing of a few of the online banks we explored compare to one another in Ireland. We've chosen to compare the standard plan of Vivid Money, Tomorrow, bunq, and N26 because of their similar all-round product offerings:
 |  |  | |
Account | Standard | Standard | Now |
Monthly Fee | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Intl. Withdrawal Fee | 0.017 | 3% | 0.015 |
Intl. Transaction Fee | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Intl. Transfer Fee | 0.3%-2.8% |
| N/A |
Card Delivery Fee | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Contactless | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Google Pay | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Apple Pay | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
3D Secure | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Deposit Options |
|
| SEPA transfer |
Overdraft | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Platforms |
|
| Mobile |
Deposit Insurance | 100000 | 100000 | 100000 |
No. of Customers | 7 million | 15 million + | Approx. 70,000 |
Trustpilot | 3.3/5 | 4.3/5 | 3.4/5 |
Customer Service |
| 24h in-app live chat |
|
| Try N26 ❯ | Try Revolut ❯ | Try Tomorrow ❯ |
Last updated: 26/11/2021
¹ Uses Wise's platform for international money transfers
² First card only
³ Germany, Austria and Italy only
Our recommendations are built on rock-solid experience.
You’re probably all too familiar with the often outrageous cost of sending money abroad. After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services across the globe. Today, Monito’s award-winning comparisons, reviews, and guides are trusted by around 8 million people each year and our recommendations are backed by millions of pricing data points and dozens of expert tests — all allowing you to make the savviest decisions with confidence.
Monito is trusted by 15+ million users across the globe.
Monito's experts spend hours researching and testing services so that you don't have to.
Our recommendations are always unbiased and independent.
