bunq in the Netherlands: plans, costs, pros and cons

What bunq is

A Dutch bank you use through an app. It started in 2012 and has had a Dutch banking licence since 2014.

• Dutch deposit guarantee. If the bank fails, your money is protected up to €100,000.
• App only. No branches. You open the account and get help in the app.
• Several accounts, each with its own IBAN. Handy for splitting rent, savings and holidays.

Plans and prices

From bunq’s price list of 15 October 2026:

Plan	Accounts and cards	Cash from an ATM
Free €0	3 accounts, digital card only	€2.99 each time
Core €3.99 a month	5 accounts, 1 physical card	First 5 a month €0.99, then €2.99
Pro €9.99 a month	25 accounts, 3 cards	First 6 a month free, next 5 €0.99, then €2.99
Elite €18.99 a month	25 accounts, 3 cards, travel extras	Same as Pro

• Paying in other currencies on Free: the first €1,000 a year at bunq’s rate, then 1.5% per payment. The app shows the rate for your plan.
• Under 26? Pro is free and Elite costs €9 a month.
• New accounts get 30 days of Elite to try. Then you choose a plan.

Savings interest

The same on every plan, paid weekly, on up to €100,000:

• 1.61% a year on savings up to €10,000, 1.51% above that.
• 3.11% bonus rate, but only on money above your highest balance of the past 6 months. It rewards new savings, not money you already had there.

Rates are variable. bunq last changed them on 15 October 2026.

What’s good

• Open it before you have a BSN. You can start without one and add it within 90 days, which helps if you’ve just arrived.
• Many IBANs. Each account has its own number, so you can give your landlord or a direct debit a separate one.
• Joint accounts are free on paid plans, for up to 10 people.
• iDEAL, Apple Pay and Google Pay all work.
• Tax-ready. bunq reports to the Belastingdienst, and you can export your annual overview in the app.

Watch out for

• The free plan has no physical card, and every cash withdrawal costs €2.99.
• Help is in the app, by chat. Some users report slow replies and blocked accounts while bunq checks things.
• DNB fined bunq €2.6 million in 2025 for weak anti-money-laundering checks from 2021 to 2022. bunq is appealing. Stricter checks can mean more questions for you.
• Extra cards cost money: €9.99 per card plus a monthly fee.

The invite reward

There’s no public promo code. A friend can invite you by SMS from their app. The reward depends on bunq’s current campaign. Recent ones included 12 months of Core free for the new person after one €50 card payment, and up to €100 for the inviter if the new person switches their bank to bunq. You can’t have had a bunq account in the last 12 months.

What do I need to open an account?

A smartphone, a valid ID, and an address in a country in the European Economic Area. You must be 18 or older. Opening takes a few minutes in the app.