Compare Bank Accounts in France

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29 live offers compared from 18 providers, from €1 /month. Updated daily.

What are bank accounts in France?

A current account (compte courant or compte de dépôt) is the everyday account used to receive income, pay bills and hold a debit card. Everyone legally resident in France has a droit au compte — a right to a basic bank account. The market ranges from traditional branch banks to online banks and app-based neobanks, differing widely on fees, service model and included features.

How the French market works

Traditional banks such as Crédit Agricole and Caisse d'Epargne offer branch relationships and full product ranges but often charge account-keeping fees. Online banks like BoursoBank and Hello bank! (BNP Paribas) provide low or no-fee accounts with French IBANs. European neobanks — Revolut, N26, bunq — and retailer-backed Cdiscount Banque compete on slick apps, multi-currency features and quick onboarding, though some issue foreign IBANs and fewer local services such as cheque handling. France still uses cheques more than most of Europe, and some administrations and landlords expect a French RIB (relevé d'identité bancaire), so a local IBAN remains practically important for a main account. Every resident also benefits from the droit au compte, meaning no one can be left without at least a basic banking service (services bancaires de base) even after a refusal.

Benefits

Low or no fees — Online banks and neobanks frequently waive account and card fees under light usage conditions.

Modern app features — Instant notifications, budgeting tools, and multi-currency spending suit frequent travellers.

Fast setup — Neobanks open accounts in minutes with a smartphone.

How to choose

Decide how much you value branches and advisers versus low cost and app features. Check for account-keeping fees, card fees and conditions (such as a minimum monthly inflow), whether you get a French IBAN — useful for salary, direct debits and taxes — and foreign-transaction charges if you travel. For a main account, cheque and cash handling and a local IBAN often matter.

Leading providers in France

BoursoBank and Hello bank! lead the low-cost online-bank segment with French IBANs. Revolut, N26 and bunq bring feature-rich apps and multi-currency tools. Crédit Agricole and Caisse d'Epargne anchor the traditional branch model, and Cdiscount Banque offers a retail-backed account.

What it costs

Fees on this comparison range from €0 at fee-free online banks to around €45 for premium or packaged accounts. Traditional banks typically charge account-keeping fees plus card fees, sometimes bundled into a convention de compte package. Neobank premium tiers add monthly fees for perks like insurance and higher limits. For a fee-free online bank, the everyday cost of holding the account and card can genuinely be zero if you meet light usage conditions, whereas a traditional bank typically charges account-keeping fees plus a card fee, sometimes wrapped into a packaged offer with insurance you may not need. The fairest comparison is your realistic annual total — account fees, card fees, and any charges for overdrafts, foreign spending or out-of-network cash withdrawals.

Protections and regulation

Banks are supervised by the ACPR, and eligible deposits are guaranteed by the FGDR up to €100,000 per customer per bank. Payments are protected by Strong Customer Authentication under PSD2 (DSP2). Note that some neobanks operate under an e-money or foreign banking licence, so confirm which deposit guarantee applies and whether the IBAN is French.

Common questions

Do I need a French IBAN? — For salary, French direct debits and tax payments it is strongly preferable; some neobanks issue foreign IBANs.

Can I be refused an account? — If refused, the droit au compte lets you request that the Banque de France designate a bank to open a basic account.

Are neobank deposits guaranteed? — Only if held under a banking licence; e-money providers safeguard funds differently.

Bank Accounts in France — FAQ