Opening a bank account in 2026 often starts from a specific irritation: rising card fees each year, charged instant transfers, or the inability to pay abroad without commission. The choice of bank depends less on a general ranking than on the concrete constraint one seeks to eliminate.
Account maintenance fees: the gap that makes the choice obvious
The Banking Tariff Observatory of the Banque de France indicates that the average account maintenance fees reach 22.39 euros per year in 2026, an increase of 3.71% year-on-year. This item, which was non-existent ten years ago in most traditional brands, now weighs on every customer who does not monitor their statements.
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In contrast, online banks like Fortuneo, BoursoBank, or Monabanq keep these fees at zero on their standard offers. We are talking about a recurring, effortless saving that adds up to the differences in card fees and everyday transactions.
This fixed cost differential explains why nearly one in four French people now holds an account with an online bank. A comparison of French banks on Absolutis details the pricing gaps item by item, helping to quantify the actual savings based on one’s own usage.
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Free bank card and payments abroad: what really changes in daily life
The free card remains the flagship argument of online banks. Fortuneo offers three plans without fees, BoursoBank includes a Visa or Mastercard with no charges, and Hello bank! has recently made its Hello Prime offer available for zero euros under promotional conditions.
The real differentiating criterion is the cost abroad. A withdrawal from an ATM outside the Eurozone can cost between one and three euros in a traditional bank, plus a currency exchange fee. Fortuneo and Revolut eliminate these fees on payments and withdrawals worldwide (depending on the chosen offer). For someone who travels several times a year or regularly shops on sites billed in foreign currencies, this budget line disappears.
Feedback varies on the quality of customer service at Revolut compared to that of subsidiaries of large banking groups like Hello bank! (BNP Paribas) or BforBank (Crédit Agricole). Access to a human advisor, by phone or in a branch, remains a tangible advantage of banks backed by a physical network.
Mortgage credit and savings products: the weak point of neobanks
We often encounter the same blind spot in comparisons: neobanks (Revolut, N26) do not offer mortgage credit or regulated savings accounts of their own. If one has a purchasing project or wants to centralize savings and current accounts, one must turn to a generalist online bank or keep a foot in the traditional network.
- Fortuneo, BoursoBank, and Hello bank! provide access to mortgage credit, consumer credit, and a range of savings accounts (Livret A, LDDS, life insurance).
- Monabanq allows cash and check deposits via Crédit Mutuel ATMs, a rare advantage for an online bank.
- N26 and Revolut limit themselves to current accounts, cards, and a few investment options, without a traditional credit offer or regulated savings product.
Choosing a neobank as a primary account means accepting these limits or maintaining a second account elsewhere. For secondary use (travel, online purchases, budget management), they fulfill their role perfectly.
Opening deposit and income conditions: filtering by profile
Some free offers require a minimum income or an initial deposit. This filter immediately eliminates candidates if they do not meet the criteria.
- Fortuneo requires a deposit of 50 euros at opening, with no income condition on its basic card.
- BoursoBank conditions access to its premium cards (Ultim Metal, Metal) on a certain level of income or balance.
- Monabanq charges a modest monthly fee but imposes no income condition, making it the most accessible option for small budgets.
Before comparing features, it’s worth checking first if you pass the eligibility filter. A refusal to open after starting the process can waste several days.
BoursoBank, Fortuneo, or Revolut: three profiles, three different answers
BoursoBank now exceeds seven million customers in France. This volume gives it a range of banking services comparable to that of a traditional bank: credit, stock market, insurance, savings. For an all-in-one primary account, it is the most comprehensive choice.
Fortuneo stands out for the total free of its cards (including the Gold Mastercard under usage conditions) and for the absence of fees on international transactions. It is recommended when the priority is to never pay fixed fees.
Revolut caters to those who want a fast app, smooth international transfers, and real-time expense tracking tools. Banking services in the broad sense (credit, regulated savings) are not its domain.
The best bank in France does not exist as a universal answer. It depends on a trade-off between three variables: the actual cost of services used each month, access to credit and savings products, and the tolerance to manage one’s account without a physical branch. Laying these three criteria on the table before comparing offers avoids choosing a bank based on a welcome bonus that will have no impact after six months.