Best Bank Accounts for Expats in the Netherlands

Getting a Dutch bank account is one of the first things to sort after you arrive — you need a Dutch IBAN to receive your salary, pay rent, and set up almost every Dutch direct debit. The fastest route is bunq, which opens fully online in minutes and lets you add your BSN within 90 days; among the traditional banks, ABN AMRO now also lets you start before your BSN arrives. Expect a basic account at one of the big banks to cost €3.60–4.30 a month in 2026 — they all raised fees this year, and there is no longer a genuinely free current account among them. This guide covers how to open one, what you need, what it costs, and which bank fits your situation.

Why you need a Dutch bank account

Your employer will want a Dutch IBAN to pay your salary. Your landlord will want one for rent and the deposit. Most Dutch direct debits — health insurance, utilities, your phone, the gym — only work smoothly with a Dutch account. International accounts like Wise and Revolut technically give you a European IBAN, but a lot of Dutch institutions specifically require a Dutch NL IBAN, so the practical answer is to open a proper Dutch account and keep a fintech account alongside it for transfers.

How to open a Dutch bank account

The process is more flexible than it used to be, and the single biggest question — whether you need your BSN first — now has a better answer.

The BSN question. Banks are legally required to report account data to the Dutch tax authority using your BSN, so every account needs one eventually. What changed is the timing: bunq and ABN AMRO now let you open an account before your BSN comes through — you start with a foreign tax number and add your BSN within 90 days. Miss that window and the account is blocked. ING and Rabobank generally still want your BSN upfront.

What you'll need:

• A valid passport or national ID card — a driving licence is usually not accepted.
• Proof of a Dutch address — a tenancy agreement, or a utility or bank statement from the last three months.
• Your BSN — or a foreign tax number if it has not been issued yet.
• If you are from outside the EU: your residence permit, and often a registration extract (uittreksel) from the municipality, which you get when you register your address.

Online or in person. bunq and the traditional banks' online flows verify your identity with a photo of your ID and a selfie, so most people never visit a branch. Some situations still need an appointment — notably US citizens (for FATCA reporting) and more complex setups at ABN AMRO.

Order of operations. Finding somewhere to live comes first, because registration needs an address and most accounts want proof of one. If you need banking sorted before all that, open a bunq account on arrival and upgrade your details as your BSN and address fall into place. The full sequence is in our Amsterdam moving checklist.

The main banks compared

bunq — best for new arrivals

Who it's for: anyone who wants an account immediately, before their BSN and sometimes before they land.

bunq is app-based, opens fully online in minutes, and requires no Dutch credit history. You get a Dutch IBAN, a Mastercard debit card, and genuinely good app features (sub-accounts, shared accounts, automatic savings). It is the most flexible option for newcomers, and the one to use if you need an account before you arrive. Plan prices change and bunq runs several tiers, so check the current figures on bunq's pricing page rather than trusting an old number.

ABN AMRO — best traditional bank for arrivals

Who it's for: those who want a big, established bank but can't wait for their BSN.

ABN AMRO now lets you open an account using a foreign tax number and add your BSN within 90 days — a real advantage over the other traditional banks. English-language service is good, with dedicated advisers for internationals. The basic current account (BasisPakket Betalen) is €4.30 a month in 2026 (up from €3.70), and the student account is free.

ING — the most-used traditional bank

Who it's for: people who prefer the largest bank and a straightforward app.

ING is the biggest bank in the Netherlands and widely used by expats. The app and website are in English and branch staff generally speak it. You'll normally need your BSN to open. The basic account (OranjePakket) is about €4.00 a month in 2026, and ING also offers a free student account.

Rabobank — the cheapest of the big three

Who it's for: those who want a traditional account at the lowest standard fee.

Rabobank's basic account, Rabo Standaard (formerly the DirectPakket), is €3.60 a month as of 2026 — the cheapest standard current account among the big banks. Service in English is available, and you'll generally need your BSN to open.

Wise and Revolut — for transfers, not as your main account

Who they're for: anyone sending money across borders or earning in more than one currency.

Neither is a Dutch bank, and both give you a European (non-Dutch) IBAN that some Dutch organisations won't accept for salary or rent — so don't rely on one as your primary account. Where they shine is international transfers: the exchange rates are far better than a traditional bank's, which matters a lot when you move your deposit and first months' rent over, or send money home regularly. Open a Dutch account for daily life and keep one of these beside it.

What it costs in 2026

The headline change this year: the big banks all raised current-account fees, and the cheap-or-free basic account is gone.

Two honest notes. First, if you are a student, take the free student account rather than a standard one — it is the same bank, at €0. Second, the monthly fee is small money against what a bad exchange rate costs you: moving a €3,000–5,000 deposit over at a traditional bank's FX rate can quietly cost more in one transfer than a year of account fees, which is the real argument for keeping a Wise or Revolut account for transfers.

If a bank turns you down: your right to an account

If a bank refuses you an ordinary account, you are not stuck. You have a legal right to a basic payment account (basisbetaalrekening), provided you have a genuine connection to the Netherlands — living, working or studying here. Banks can still refuse on anti-money-laundering grounds, if you already hold an account, or for a relevant criminal conviction within the past eight years. A basic account comes without an overdraft, credit card or savings account, but it gives you a working Dutch IBAN, which is what everyday life here requires. The official rules are on Rijksoverheid.

Recommendation by situation

Once your account is open, it unlocks the rest of the admin — your BSN if you don't have it yet, your rent and deposit, and your share of what living here actually costs, which we break down in the cost of living in Amsterdam guide.