In this guide
bunq and Wise are affiliate partners of this site, and this review contains affiliate links; see our affiliate disclosure. Prices and features below come from bunq’s own pages (checked 8 October 2026 unless stated), not from our own testing.
💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026.
What Is bunq?
bunq is a Dutch digital bank. bunq says its founder Ali Niknam set out to build it in 2012 and that the app launched in 2015 (bunq.com). It is licensed by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), so your deposits are covered by the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme (DGS) up to EUR 100,000, as at ING or ABN AMRO.
For expats the key facts are: accounts opened in the Netherlands get a Dutch NL IBAN, bunq is on iDEAL’s list of issuers, and you can start without a BSN and provide it within 90 days. There is a free plan (bunq Free, EUR 0.00 per month) and paid plans from EUR 3.99.
bunq Plans: What You Get
bunq retired the old “Easy Bank / Easy Savings / Easy Money / Easy Green” plan names, so any guide still using them is out of date. The current personal plans, per bunq.com/nl and bunq Help (checked 8 October 2026):
| Plan | Monthly price | What bunq lists |
|---|---|---|
| bunq Free | EUR 0.00 | Up to 3 bank accounts (Money Pockets), each with its own IBAN; 1 digital card; no physical card |
| bunq Core | EUR 3.99 | Up to 5 bank accounts, each with its own IBAN; 1 physical and 1 digital card |
| bunq Pro | EUR 9.99 | Up to 25 bank accounts, each with its own IBAN; 3 physical and 25 digital cards |
| bunq Elite | EUR 18.99 | Up to 25 bank accounts; 3 physical and 25 digital cards; more features, see bunq’s plan page |
| bunq Pack | EUR 28.99 | Group plan: 4x Pro Personal, or 3x Pro Personal plus 1 Pro Business |
Business plans run alongside these: bunq Free Business EUR 0.00 (for sole proprietors), Core EUR 7.99, Pro EUR 13.99 and Elite EUR 23.99 per month.
bunq Free: EUR 0.00 per month
You get up to 3 bank accounts (bunq calls them Money Pockets), each with its own IBAN, and one digital card. There is no physical card on this plan. bunq says you can spend up to EUR 1,000 a year in foreign currency at the standard exchange rate; after that, 1.5% applies to each further card transaction in foreign currency (bunq Free plan page).
bunq Core: EUR 3.99 per month
The cheapest paid plan: up to 5 bank accounts and one physical plus one digital card. At EUR 3.99 it is close to ING Go (€4.00 per month) and below ABN AMRO’s Basic Payment Package (€4.30).
bunq Pro: EUR 9.99 per month
Up to 25 bank accounts, each with its own IBAN, 3 physical cards and 25 digital cards. If the reason you are looking at bunq is budgeting across many pots, this is the plan with the most accounts.
bunq Elite: EUR 18.99 per month
The top personal plan: up to 25 bank accounts, 3 physical cards and 25 digital cards (bunq Help). Check bunq’s plan comparison for the other features before paying for it.
bunq Pack: EUR 28.99 per month
A group plan: four Pro Personal plans, or three Pro Personal plus one Pro Business. bunq Help gives EUR 7.25 per person. Four individual Pro subscriptions would cost 4 x EUR 9.99 = EUR 39.96 per month.
Money Pockets: Up to 25 Accounts
Most banks give you one current account. With bunq you can open several bank accounts, each with its own IBAN, in one app: 3 on bunq Free, 5 on Core and 25 on Pro and Elite.
For expats this can help to separate money: you can create an account for rent, one for bills and one for a holiday, and move money there when your salary arrives. This is sometimes called the envelope method. bunq makes it possible inside the bank rather than alongside it.
iDEAL in the Netherlands
iDEAL is a Dutch online payment method that links directly to your bank account (ideal.nl). bunq is on iDEAL’s list of issuers, so you can pay with iDEAL from the bunq app. Revolut Bank UAB and N26 Bank SE are on the list too, so iDEAL is not a reason on its own to choose bunq over them. Wise is not on the list.
Dutch NL IBAN
bunq gives accounts opened in the Netherlands a Dutch NL IBAN.
By comparison, Wise’s EUR account details use a non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and address), and N26 says accounts opened in the Netherlands get a German IBAN. For Revolut, check the IBAN shown in your own app.
Under EU rules (SEPA Regulation), a payer must accept a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country (De Nederlandsche Bank). Even so, some services still ask for a Dutch IBAN, and an NL IBAN avoids the discussion.
Sustainability Features
bunq says it is planting 30 million trees with its partner veritree across Kenya and Madagascar (bunq.com). Which sustainability features belong to which plan changed when bunq renamed its plans, so check the current plan pages for details. If sustainability is your main reason for choosing a bank, read bunq’s published information and compare it with other banks.
Savings
On its savings page bunq advertises up to “3,01%* jaarlijkse rente”, paid out weekly, with an asterisk that refers to the terms of the savings account. Rates can change at any time, and tax applies to the interest you earn (bunq.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026). Check bunq.com for the live rate and conditions before you plan around it. Your deposits are covered by the DGS up to EUR 100,000.
International Transfers and Multi-Currency
bunq is a euro account that also supports other currencies. On the Netherlands expat page bunq says that, depending on your plan, you get up to 10 free foreign-currency transfers per month, and that you can pay abroad at the real exchange rate with ZeroFX (see the Free plan limit above). Compare bunq’s fees and exchange rates for your own currencies with Wise, which says it uses the mid-market rate and lists its fee for each transfer, starting from 0.2% depending on the currency (wise.com/nl/pricing, checked 8 October 2026).
Many expats use a Dutch account for daily payments and a second provider for international transfers. If you want to try Wise for that: Use Wise for international transfers →
bunq vs ING
| Feature | bunq Core / Pro | ING Go |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | EUR 3.99 / EUR 9.99 | €4.00 |
| NL IBAN | Yes | Yes |
| iDEAL | Yes | Yes |
| Bank accounts included | 5 / 25 | See ING |
| Deposit guarantee | EUR 100,000 (DNB) | EUR 100,000 (DNB) |
Choose ING if you want a bank with a physical presence, or a bank where you can arrange a mortgage in the same place. Choose bunq if you want several bank accounts with their own IBANs in one app. bunq also lists mortgages on its website (bunq.com); check the conditions if you plan to buy a home.
See our detailed ING vs ABN AMRO comparison if you are comparing traditional Dutch banks.
bunq vs ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO charges €4.30 per month for its Basic Payment Package (abnamro.nl, checked 8 October 2026). Compare that with bunq Core at EUR 3.99 (up to 5 bank accounts, 1 physical card) and Pro at EUR 9.99. ABN AMRO also has branches and a wider product range; bunq is app-based. Both are on iDEAL’s issuer list.
bunq vs Wise
Wise is not a bank: it serves EU customers through Wise Europe SA, a payment institution authorised by the National Bank of Belgium.
| Feature | bunq | Wise |
|---|---|---|
| NL IBAN | Yes | No (non-Dutch euro IBAN) |
| iDEAL | Yes (on the issuer list) | No (not on the issuer list) |
| Dutch deposit guarantee | Yes, up to EUR 100,000 | No (payment institution) |
| Monthly fee | EUR 0.00 (Free) to EUR 18.99 | No subscription; fees per use |
| Start before BSN | Yes, provide it within 90 days | Wise’s sign-up steps do not list a BSN |
Many expats use both: bunq for day-to-day Dutch banking, Wise for international transfers. Read our Wise vs Revolut comparison for more on the international transfer options.
bunq vs Revolut
What to know when you compare Revolut with bunq in the Netherlands:
- IBAN: check the IBAN shown in your own Revolut app (bunq’s standard IBAN is Dutch)
- iDEAL: Revolut Bank UAB is on iDEAL’s list of issuers, like bunq
- Direct debits: a Dutch company may not refuse a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country (De Nederlandsche Bank)
For a main Dutch account, compare the IBAN and features in your own Revolut app with bunq’s NL IBAN and Money Pockets. Our full Revolut review for expats in the Netherlands covers this in detail. See also our bunq vs N26 comparison.
Using bunq for Dutch Payments
Toeslagen and tax refunds: benefits (zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag) and tax refunds are paid to the bank account you give the Belastingdienst. A euro IBAN from the EU/EEA is a valid IBAN under SEPA; check on the Belastingdienst pages which account details you can register.
The 30% ruling: the ruling concerns your tax treatment, not your bank choice. Your salary can be paid to any valid euro IBAN. See our 30% ruling guide.
How to Open a bunq Account as an Expat
- Download the bunq app (iOS or Android).
- Choose your plan.
- Verify your identity with an ID document bunq accepts; the accepted documents depend on your nationality, so check bunq Help first.
- Enter your address; you can add your tax ID (the BSN for Dutch residents) within 90 days.
- Once bunq has approved your account, you get your NL IBAN.
bunq is app-based. Read our step-by-step guide to opening a bank account in the Netherlands for the full sequence.
Points to Weigh
Price. bunq Pro at EUR 9.99 per month is EUR 119.88 per year. ING Go is EUR 48.00 per year (€4.00 per month), so Pro costs EUR 71.88 more. bunq Core at EUR 3.99 (EUR 47.88 per year) is level with ING Go on price. Rabobank’s Rabo Standaard is EUR 3.60 per month (rabobank.nl, checked 6 October 2026).
No branches. bunq is app-based. If you need in-person banking, for example for a mortgage, check which bank offers that.
Support. bunq says it offers 24/7 support in your language (bunq.com/nl). Check which channels are available for your type of question.
App-dependent. You use bunq through the app, so check what happens if you lose your phone before you rely on it as your only account.
Who Might Choose bunq?
bunq may suit you if you:
- Want several bank accounts with their own IBANs in one app (up to 25 on Pro)
- Want an NL IBAN and iDEAL without a traditional bank
- Want a free plan to start with
Another option may suit you better if you:
- Want the cheapest basic account: compare ING Go (€4.00), Rabo Standaard (EUR 3.60) and ABN AMRO (€4.30) with bunq Core (EUR 3.99)
- Need physical branch access
- Need low-cost international transfers: compare Wise’s fees with bunq’s
bunq Pricing Summary
| Plan | Monthly Fee | Annual Cost | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| bunq Free | EUR 0.00 | EUR 0.00 | Up to 3 bank accounts, 1 digital card, no physical card |
| bunq Core | EUR 3.99 | EUR 47.88 | Up to 5 bank accounts, 1 physical + 1 digital card |
| bunq Pro | EUR 9.99 | EUR 119.88 | Up to 25 bank accounts, 3 physical + 25 digital cards |
| bunq Elite | EUR 18.99 | EUR 227.88 | Up to 25 bank accounts, 3 physical + 25 digital cards, more features |
| bunq Pack | EUR 28.99 | EUR 347.88 | 4x Pro Personal, or 3x Pro Personal + 1 Pro Business |
Prices checked 8 October 2026 on bunq.com/nl and bunq Help (What plans are available).
Our Verdict
bunq Free costs EUR 0.00, and Pro, the plan with up to 25 Money Pockets, is EUR 9.99 per month, about two and a half times ING Go (€4.00). Start with the best bank account overview for expats to compare all your options. If you want several accounts with their own IBANs and an NL IBAN, bunq is one to consider; if you want the lowest monthly fee, compare the traditional banks above. If you need international transfers, you can add Wise for international transfers →.
For further comparisons, see our breakdown of the best finance apps for expats in the Netherlands and use our bank account chooser tool.
bunq and Rabobank
| Feature | bunq Core / Pro | Rabo Standaard |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | EUR 3.99 / EUR 9.99 | EUR 3.60 |
| IBAN | Dutch NL | Dutch NL |
| iDEAL | Yes | Yes |
| Deposit guarantee | EUR 100,000 (DNB) | EUR 100,000 (DNB) |
Rabo Standaard is EUR 3.60 per month and includes contactless payments and cash withdrawals at a Geldmaat without extra costs (rabobank.nl, checked 6 October 2026). Rabobank says its app is available in English and that it has English-speaking staff (rabobank.nl/en/personal/expats).
bunq for Short Stays
If you are here for 12 months, the annual cost of the plans above is EUR 0.00 (bunq Free), EUR 47.88 (bunq Core), EUR 119.88 (bunq Pro) and EUR 48.00 for ING Go. bunq Free has no physical card. If you are here for 6 months or less, compare the sign-up conditions of each provider.
A possible setup for short stays is a low-cost Dutch account (ING or bunq Free) plus Wise for international transfers →.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does bunq work without a BSN?
bunq says you can start without a BSN and provide it within 90 days (bunq.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026). You need to live in a country bunq supports. If you need a euro IBAN right away, Wise is another option; see our guide to opening a Dutch bank account without a BSN.
Does bunq support iDEAL?
Yes. bunq is on iDEAL's list of issuers, so you can pay with iDEAL from the bunq app. Revolut and N26 are on that list too; Wise is not.
Does bunq give a Dutch IBAN (NL IBAN)?
bunq is a Dutch bank licensed by De Nederlandsche Bank, and accounts opened in the Netherlands get an NL IBAN. Some Dutch services ask for an NL IBAN, although a payer may not refuse a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country (SEPA Regulation, DNB).
What is the cheapest bunq plan for expats?
bunq Free at EUR 0.00 per month is the cheapest plan (checked 8 October 2026): up to 3 bank accounts (Money Pockets) and 1 digital card; physical and extra digital cards are not available on this plan. The cheapest paid plan is bunq Core at EUR 3.99 per month, with up to 5 bank accounts and 1 physical plus 1 digital card. Above that sit bunq Pro at EUR 9.99 and bunq Elite at EUR 18.99 (bunq.com/nl and bunq Help).
How does bunq compare to Revolut for expats in the Netherlands?
bunq's standard IBAN is Dutch (NL), because bunq is a bank licensed by De Nederlandsche Bank. Revolut says its Dutch branch gives Netherlands residents a Dutch IBAN after migration; check the IBAN shown in your own app. Both bunq and Revolut are on iDEAL's list of issuers, so iDEAL works with either; compare the plans and multi-currency features in both apps.
Can I use bunq as my sole bank account in the Netherlands?
You can. bunq is a bank licensed by De Nederlandsche Bank, gives accounts opened in the Netherlands an NL IBAN and is on iDEAL's list of issuers, so it covers daily Dutch payments. Compare the monthly fee of the plan you need with a traditional Dutch bank, and decide whether you need a bank with branches. You can pair it with Wise for international transfers.