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TOOL · BANKING

Bank Comparison Tool for Expats

See how classic Dutch banks, app-first banks, and money-transfer services line up with how you live — salary, rent, sending money abroad, fees, freelancing, family life, and day-to-day spending.

  • Compare banks for your situation, not a one-size-fits-all “best” list
  • See whether a classic bank, an app bank, or both might suit you
  • Spot extra costs such as transfers, exchange rates, cards, cash abroad, and paid plans
  • Get a short checklist before you open an account
Start comparisonRead best banks guide
Photograph of a professional at a bright desk comparing banking options on a laptop — planning context for the Netherlands bank comparison tool, not live fees.
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Answer five short steps. We mix what matters to you with our simple 1–5 ratings for each bank on everyday topics. You can see how much each topic counted. Partner deals do not change the math, and we do not pull live prices from bank websites.

Read the score as a planning hint — not as the single “best” bank.

Before you start

This page is for planning only — not legal, tax, immigration, or personal financial advice. Scores are rough guides; prices and product names change. Always read each bank’s own documents before you open an account or send money. Partner relationships do not change how we score banks here.

Bank comparison

Progress

Step 1 of 5 — 20%

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Your situation

A few quick choices to start — the defaults are fine. You can add banking needs, international use, and filters in the next steps.

You are closest to
Dutch BSN
Expected stay

How scoring works

What we count from your answers

Each answer gently shifts how much we care about topics such as everyday Dutch banking, getting the account open, cost, sending money abroad, freelance or business use, family accounts, help from the bank, apps, and long-term use. The shares add up to 100% and appear in your results so you can see what moved the order.

Which banks and how we rate them

  • We keep a fixed short list with a simple 1–5 score per topic for each bank, plus yes / no / “depends” notes for things like iDEAL, joint accounts, and business accounts.
  • ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank, bunq, Revolut, and N26 match the names we use elsewhere on the site; Wise is included mainly for sending money abroad.

Not live prices

The “typical fees” lines in your results describe patterns — they are not price quotes. Check every euro on the bank’s own price list or calculator before you decide.

When we hide a bank

  • If you tick a need a bank clearly cannot meet, we drop that bank from the list so you are not misled.
  • If something is marked “depends”, we may nudge the score down a little when you said that need is strict — your own read of the terms still matters more.

Planning context for Dutch banking

How we rank servicesAffiliate disclosureEditorial policy

How this tool compares banks

The number you see is a planning score from 0 to 100. It shows how closely a bank matches what you said matters, using our fixed simple ratings per topic. It is not a “best bank in the Netherlands” list, not live prices, and not a promise that your employer or landlord will accept a given account.

The percentages in your results come only from your answers (needs, how long you stay, BSN timing, how you feel about cost, how you like to get help, and so on). They show what moved the list — you can disagree and still use the shortlist as a reason to read each bank’s own pages.

What to check before opening an account

Use this as a checklist on each bank’s site — especially if salary, rent, or your business depend on the account.

  • Fees: monthly packages, new cards, cash machines abroad, quiet accounts, and upgrades — read the price list for the week you apply.
  • iDEAL and local payments: check the exact account name works for your shops, landlord, and employer — not only words like “EU account” on a poster.
  • Papers to open the account: ID, proof of address, job or school letters, and BSN timing — lists change; save a copy of the checklist you used.
  • Sending money abroad: compare how much money really arrives (fee plus exchange rate), not only “free transfer” headlines — see our international transfers guide.
  • Help from the bank: English chat versus phone hours, how complaints work, and whether you can walk into a branch for your type of account.
  • Business or shared accounts: read business prices, export rules, joint packages, and extra-card fees before one account carries all household bills.

Traditional, digital, or hybrid?

Classic Dutch banks are the big names most landlords and employers know. They often offer phone or branch help and many products — usually as a monthly package.

App-first banks are built around your phone. They can be quick to open and handy in English or with several currencies — but you should still check iDEAL, direct debits, and employer rules on the exact Dutch product.

A hybrid setup means a normal Dutch account for daily life plus a second account or app for travel, other currencies, or invoices abroad. Many expats do this — it is not automatically right for your contract or taxes.

Read the Traditional vs digital banks guide for a fuller picture, then return to the tool above to choose which types of bank you want in your short list.

Frequently asked questions