Recently a friend of yours told you about the possibility of opening an online current account and, intrigued by what, you decided to deepen the subject by looking for the best online current account for your needs. Well, if so, I’m happy to inform you that you came across just the right article at the right time! In the next few lines, in fact, I will list the best online banks through which to open a current account. In the last part of the tutorial, I will also explain how you can compare the various online accounts found on the web to find the best one for you.
As your friend may have already told you, online current accounts are an excellent tool for carrying out the “classic” operations from home that can be carried out by physically going to the bank: view the account statement, make transfers, top up mobile phone credit or prepaid cards, paying bills, etc. Carrying out these operations from home, thanks to home banking , instead of going to the branch of your bank, offers several advantages: first of all you save a lot of time, since you do not have to physically go to the bank and queue to perform a certain operation. and then, perhaps even more importantly, usually online current accounts have zero expenses or very low expenses.
Are you still willing to find out which online current account is best for you? Perfect, then make yourself comfortable, take all the time you need to carefully read the next paragraphs and you will see that at the end of the reading you will have found the online current account that is right for you!
Index
- Best online checking accounts
- HYPE
- N26
- illimity
- Crédit Agricole
- buddybank
- Widiba
- Webank
- What a bank
- Qonto
- Compare online checking accounts
Best online checking accounts
As promised, in the next paragraphs I will talk to you about what are currently the best online current accounts with the main proposals coming from some Italian banks. Carefully analyze the various offers and freely choose which one, in your opinion, can best satisfy you.
HYPE
Among the first solutions I would like to offer you in this guide dedicated to the best online current accounts, there is certainly HYPE : the electronic money account associated with a physical and virtual Mastercard circuit card through which you can manage your own savings directly from smartphones and computers, which can be used by those aged 12 or over.
HYPE does not provide for any activation costs and provides the card totally free of charge and without costs related to the operations that can be carried out on your account. However, I would like to clarify that the free plan of HYPE, called HYPE Start , has some limitations: it is possible to load up to 2,500 euros into your account per year, it is not possible to make daily top-ups that exceed the threshold of 1,000 euros and not it is possible to withdraw more than 250 euros per day at ATMs.
If desired , it is possible to break down these limits by subscribing to the HYPE Plus plan at a cost of 1 euro per month (with a 15 euro bonus on the first top-up using the PLUS15 code during registration): by doing this it will be possible to load up to 50,000 euro per year to your account, top up up to a maximum of € 10,000 per day and withdraw up to € 1,000 per day at ATMs.
Alternatively, there is the HYPE Premium plan which adds, to the advantages of HYPE Start and HYPE Plus, a complete travel insurance (medical and for delay / cancellation of flights), payments and free withdrawals all over the world, the World Elite Mastercard debit, zero commissions on card top-ups, bills and bulletins and priority assistance (also via WhatsApp). It has a monthly fee of 9.90 euros (with 25 euros bonus on the first top-up using the PREMIUM25 code during registration).
If you intend to open a HYPE account, I suggest you go to the website of the service and also consult the guide in which I illustrate how it works.
The account and card can be easily managed via apps for Android and iOS . The card is compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay for payments via smartphone and smartwatch in physical stores. It also offers the ability to get cashback on over 500 online stores, set goals to save day by day, send and receive money , send and receive wire transfers for free, withdraw from ATMs, pay bills / bulletins , buy and sell Bitcoins , execute phone top-ups and much more.
More information on HYPEMore information on HYPE PlusMore information on HYPE Premium
N26
Among the accounts that can be opened directly from the app and include a debit card to be used both online and in physical stores (also via Google Pay and Apple Pay ), there is also N26 : it is a direct bank based in Germany which allows you to open an account in a few minutes and to obtain a MasterCard debit card that can be used all over the world, without surcharges on exchange rates.
It offers solutions for both private and business customers. There are three proposals relating to personal accounts: N26 basic 0-fee with MasterCard debit card, free ATM withdrawals in euros and free payments in any currency; N26 You which for 9.90 euros / month offers all the advantages of the basic account, plus free withdrawals all over the world and an Allianz insurance package. Finally, there is the N26 Metal account which, for € 16.90 / month, offers all the benefits of the N26 You account with dedicated customer support and exclusive partner offers.
As already mentioned, to open the account and receive the card directly at home, just download the N26 app for Android or iOS and follow the procedure illustrated on the screen. For more information about it, I invite you to read my guide dedicated to N26 and the official website of N26 .Learn more about N26 accounts
illimity
Another account that I recommend you to consider is the one offered by illimity , a completely cloud-based “made in Italy” bank made up of over 300 people who come from more than 100 companies, 10 business sectors and 10 different countries. It combines the convenience of an online account with the services and completeness of the accounts offered by traditional banks.
With illimity it is possible to make payments (wire transfers, transfers, bulletins, MAV / RAV, F24, telephone top-ups, transfer money for free and instantaneously with other people who have an illimity account and more), access mortgages , loans , insurance ( three functions available soon), allocate a budget for your projects (with a 0.50% help from illimity) and open deposit accounts with a rate of up to 3.25% (for activations made by 11/15 / 2019). The account also includes a MasterCard international debit card compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay, which allows you to make purchases online and in physical stores (even abroad).
It is important to underline the possibility of using illimity connect , which transforms illimity into a hub from which to monitor the movements, balance and information of the accounts and / or cards of other financial institutions (eg. Fineco , Unicredit , HYPE , Sella , Banca Intesa , BPM , Creval and Bper ), in order to have an aggregate view of the whole. More info here .
To open an illimity account at 0 expenses, all you have to do is download the illimity app for Android or iPhone or connect to the illimitybank website from your computer and follow the instructions on the screen. The account is at 0 expenses, on a promotional basis, for the first 12 months; after which it is possible to reset the fee by respecting two of these conditions: crediting of the salary or pension, activation of at least two domiciliations or monthly expenses of at least 300 euros; alternatively, you can choose to switch to the basic version of the account, which includes fewer services but is free of charge. For all the details, I leave you to my tutorial on how illimity works .
Crédit Agricole
Even Crédit Agricole , with its online account , offers a free annual fee solution ideal for younger customers or, in any case, for those who want a lean account, with few expenses and easily manageable from a computer and smartphone.
The Crédit Agricole Online online account offers a free debit card (also usable with Google Pay and Apple Pay ) and free withdrawals (the first 24 also from ATMs of other banks, after which they cost 2.10 euros). Online transfers are free, those at the counter cost 2.50 euros. It is then possible to purchase various insurance products at advantageous prices. For more details, visit the Crédit Agricole website .More information on the Crédit Agricole account
buddybank
Even buddybank , a UniCredit current account designed to run on iPhone (via the dedicated app, available on iPhone and Android ), another solution has to be considered since it has no cost of opening , no monthly fees and no costs in relation to the fees for issuing SEPA bank transfers, UniCredit ATM withdrawals (otherwise the withdrawals cost 2 euros) and the international MasterCard debit card that can be used both for online purchases and on physical POS, also via Apple Pay and Google Pay .
If you want, you can enrich your account by activating the buddybank love module which, for 9.90 euros / month, allows you to have access to the Lifestyle Concierge by Quintessentially, free instant bank transfers (instead of 2.50 euros) and the annual card fee Word Elite MasterCard credit card (if required).
If you intend to open a buddybank account, I suggest you go to the website of the service and consult the in- depth analysis in which I illustrate how it works.
Widiba
Even the Widiba Current Account , like most of the current accounts I have illustrated to you in this article, allows you to have zero expenses (for the first year, then it costs 5 euros every quarter, unless you have an average balance of at least 5,000 euros or do not credit the salary), PEC and digital signature included, free and customizable ATM cards (you can choose from 34 different styles), free withdrawals throughout Italy, the alert service via e-mail and free SMS (in case of suspicious movements on your account) and the possibility to pay with Google Pay and Apple Pay .
By opening the current account during the promotional periods, it is possible to have a 1.60% gross annual rate on 6-month bonds . To find out more, visit the Widiba website .
Webank
By activating the Webank current account , created by the online bank of the same name which is part of the Banca Popolare di Milano group, it is possible to take advantage of numerous advantages. Here are some of them: free annual fee , unlimited free debit card withdrawals (in the euro area), free wire transfers in Italy, free MAV, RAV, F23, and F24 payments . For more information and details on the Webank account, click here .
What a bank
Che Banca , one of the most famous online banks operating in Italy and offers a rather wide choice. Among its most interesting proposals is the Yellow Account which includes free transactions from all channels, promotional rates on the amounts in stock (for average quarterly stocks exceeding 5,000 euros), an e-commerce-enabled debit card and a dossier of free titles . The Yellow Account, however, provides for the payment of an annual fee of 36 euros (resettable) which is charged on the last day of the year. For more information and details, visit the Che Banca website .
Qonto
Qonto is a tailor-made banking solution for SMEs, startups and freelancers. It offers the possibility to open an account in just 10 minutes directly online and to manage it conveniently from a computer or app.
The account includes a free trial month, with no restrictions, after which you have to choose one of the proposed solutions. The cheaper one, intended for professionals, is called Solo and at a cost of 9 euros / month offers a debit card, 20 incoming / outgoing SEPA transfers (which then cost 0.50 euros each) and SEPA direct debits per month, payments with unlimited card, card with MasterCard Business insurance included, upload of receipts and invoices and dedicated access to the accountant / bookkeeper. For more details, see the Qonto official website .Learn more about the Qonto account
Compare online checking accounts
If you want to find out which are the best online current accounts of the moment, or rather, which ones are best suited to you and your needs, I suggest you connect to the SOSTariffe website , which offers a comparison tool that can help you choose. of an online bank.
To compare bank accounts on the SOSTariffe website, you need to outline your profile using the options and control bars you find in the left side menu. Then click one of the buttons under the heading Profiles of use and indicates the type of account you are looking for: Account Young , Account standards , income families or income retirees .
Then select your age by clicking on the button <18 if you are under 18, <26 if you are between 18 and 26, etc. and use the icons located under the heading Features to determine which characteristics your online current account must have by choosing between the Zero expenses , No stamp duty (free for those who have an average monthly balance of less than 5,000 euros on the current account ), Online Account Only , Credit Card , Salary Credit , and Online Trading .
Subsequently, use the appropriate adjustment bars that you always find in the left side menu to indicate the number of operations , the number of transfers , the number of withdrawals you plan to make in a year and the average stock you plan to keep on your account current online. Once you have finished setting all the above parameters, the SOS Rates comparator will update automatically, showing you only the online accounts that match the characteristics you have indicated.
In the table that you will see on the screen you can look at the summary of the characteristics of each account but, to get more info on the characteristics of each account, click on the More information button and click on the item Download the information sheet to read the document containing all the details on the account currently selected. If you are interested in the account in question, you can click on the orange Details button to access the website of the bank that created it and, if you wish, open it.
