bunq vs Monzo
Side-by-side comparison — pricing, features, ratings, use cases. Find which Neobanks fits you best.
🔍 Independently researched ·
📊 Data-driven
46/100
Free tier
Eco-conscious EU/EEA residents who want a modern mobile bank with multiple sub-accounts, automatic budgeting, and visibl
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
Free tier includes 1 IBAN, basic features, ATM limits (€500/month EUR and €200/month foreign), and no travel insurance.
Starting at $3 (freemium)
Fee notes:
- FX markup: 0.5% above interbank rate for currency conversions.
- Additional IBAN: €0.99 per month each.
- Card replacement fee: €10.00 (free for Metal plan).
- Out-of-network ATM fee: 1% of withdrawal amount (if exceeding monthly limit) for EUR, 2% for foreign currency.
- International transfer via SWIFT: €10.00 per transfer (fee waived for Metal plan).
⚠ Watch for:
- Easy Bank plan requires at least 3 transactions per month; otherwise a €9.99 fee applies.
- ATM withdrawals above monthly limits incur a 1% (EUR) or 2% (foreign) fee.
- Foreign currency withdrawals are subject to a 2% fee after the first €200/€750/€1,500 depending on plan.
- SWIFT transfers cost €10 each on all plans except Metal.
🔧 Features
✓ Free Tier✓ Mobile App✓ Multi Iban✓ Green Focus✓ Joint Accounts✓ Auto Sort
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Sustainability is genuinely built into the product. Every time you spend, bunq plants trees — one tree per €100 across all your card transactions. The app tracks your impact in a dedicated 'Green Card' section, showing your forest and the number of trees planted. This isn't a marketing afterthought; it's woven into the core experience, and you can see exactly how your spending affects the planet.
- Multiple IBANs and unlimited sub-accounts allow for exceptional financial organization. You can create separate accounts for bills, groceries, travel, or anything else, each with its own IBAN and card. This means you can set up direct debits for different purposes, keep budgets clean, and even accept payments into specific accounts. It's a powerful tool for freelancers or anyone who wants to separate personal and business finances without opening multiple banks.
- Auto-sorting is a standout feature that saves time and reduces manual effort. You can set rules (e.g., 'round up to the nearest euro and save') or let bunq automatically categorize incoming and outgoing payments. Funds are moved into designated sub-accounts based on your spending patterns, making budgeting nearly effortless. It's like having a personal accountant that works 24/7.
- As a fully licensed Dutch bank, bunq provides strong regulatory protection. Your deposits are guaranteed up to €100,000 under the EU deposit guarantee scheme, which is a critical safety net. This gives peace of mind, knowing your money is backed by a government-mandated insurance program, unlike many fintechs that only offer pass-through protection or none.
- The app experience is smooth and modern. Transaction viewing is intuitive, with instant notifications and real-time spending insights. You can also use contactless payments via Apple Pay or Google Pay, and virtual cards are available for online shopping. The app learns your habits and offers 'Spendz' — virtual prepaid cards that auto-convert to your local currency when you travel, eliminating foreign transaction fees.
⚠ Watch out for
- There is no free tier. Even the most basic bunq account costs €3/month, and to access the full feature set — multiple IBANs, sub-accounts, and auto-sorting — you need to pay at least €8.99/month for the Premium plan. This is a significant barrier if you're used to fee-free banking from Revolut or N26, and the cost can quickly add up for those with multiple accounts.
- Bunq is only available to EEA residents (plus a few adjacent countries). This means if you live in the UK, US, or anywhere outside Europe, you cannot open an account. This severely limits its appeal for non-Europeans, and even for Europeans, moving outside the EEA will cause your account to be closed.
- No physical branches or cash deposit network. If you ever need to deposit cash or speak to someone in person, you're out of luck. Everything is done through the app or online support. For a fully digital bank, this is expected, but it's a drawback for users who rely on occasional cash handling.
- Customer support can be slow and is primarily app-based. While there is a chat function and email support, response times can be up to a few days. There's no phone support, so urgent issues may be left unresolved. For a paid product, this lack of immediate assistance may be frustrating.
- The pricing structure is confusing. There are multiple tiers (Easy, Easy Money, Premium, Metal) with different benefits, and the most attractive features are often locked behind higher prices. This makes it difficult to choose the right plan, and you may end up paying for features you don't need just to get the ones you do.
🎯 Best for
Eco-conscious EU/EEA residents who want a modern mobile bank with multiple sub-accounts, automatic budgeting, and visible sustainability impact.
🚫 Who should skip
People outside the EU/EEA, users looking for a free bank account, or anyone who needs physical branches and extensive cash-handling features.
📚 Learning curve
Moderate — the app is intuitive, but understanding plan tiers, sub-account settings, and auto-sort rules takes some initial setup time.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Bunq is an excellent choice for EU-based professionals and freelancers who want a feature-rich, digital-only bank with a strong sustainability focus. However, the lack of a free tier and the limited geographic availability mean it's not for everyone. If you value multiple IBANs, auto-sorting, and tr
68/100
Free tier
UK residents who are comfortable with mobile-only banking and want a free, feature-rich current account with smart budge
★ Best
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
Free tier includes unlimited UK transactions, fee-free spending abroad, and limited free cash withdrawals: £250/day in UK and Europe (then 3% fee), £200/month outside Europe (then 3% fee).
Fee notes:
- FX markup: 0% – Monzo uses the interbank exchange rate with no markup (for all personal accounts).
- ATM fee outside free limits: 3% of the withdrawal amount.
- ATM fee in over 40 countries: 0% if within the free limit.
- International transfer fee: from £5 (free for Plus and Premium, £5 for Standard, Ultra includes 0.35% fee for transfers over £500)
- Card replacement fee: Standard – £5 for standard delivery, £25 for express; Plus/Premium – free; Ultra – free (even via express).
⚠ Watch for:
- ATM fee after free limit: 3% of withdrawal amount, applies for all plans.
- Cash deposit fee: 1% is free each month on Standard, then 0.45% fee for deposits over £100; for Plus/Premium/Ultra, 0.45% fee after £1000 free.
- International transfer: Standard users pay a fee of 0.4% (min £5) on top of the interbank rate; Plus and Premium have no fee but may include a spread.
- Premium and Ultra benefits include insurance, but check age and eligibility criteria to avoid claiming issues.
🔧 Features
✓ Free Tier✓ Mobile App✓ Savings Pots✓ Overdraft✓ Joint Accounts✓ Business Accounts
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Instant spending notifications are a standout. Every transaction triggers a real-time push notification with merchant name and amount, helping you catch fraud or accidental spending immediately. This feature has saved many users from unauthorised transactions and helps maintain tight spending discipline.
- Pots are a simple but powerful tool for organising savings. You can create multiple pots for different goals (e.g., holiday, car repairs) and allocate money to them in seconds. Automated monthly transfers and round-ups make saving effortless. For example, you can set a rule to save 50 per month into a 'Christmas' pot without thinking about it.
- The mobile app's interface is consistently clean, intuitive, and reliable. Navigating between your home screen, transactions, and pots feels fluid, with no confusing menus. The app loads quickly, and the design is minimal yet effective, making daily banking feel pleasant rather than a chore.
- Salary Sorter is a gem. Once your salary lands, Monzo automatically splits it into predefined spending, bills, and savings amounts. This ensures that rent, utilities, and subscriptions are covered before you get a chance to overspend. It's a practical, no-nonsense approach to budgeting.
⚠ Watch out for
- No physical branches or video banking means you must handle everything through the app. For complex issues like disputed transactions, probate, or fraud that requires human intervention, the in-app chat can feel inadequate. It might be frustrating for less tech-savvy users who prefer face-to-face support.
- The free account has hidden fees for 'non-standard' activities. Depositing more than £1,000 in cash within a year incurs a 3% fee, and using your card outside the EEA costs 3% plus a fixed fee. These charges make Monzo less cost-effective for frequent international travellers or those who handle cash regularly.
- Useful features are locked behind paid subscriptions. For instance, interest on Pots (up to 4.6% AER on balances up to £2,000) is only available with Plus or Premium. Travel and phone insurance, as well as a premium metal card, are also exclusive to paying tiers. If you want these extras, the monthly cost adds up.
🎯 Best for
UK residents who are comfortable with mobile-only banking and want a free, feature-rich current account with smart budgeting, savings Pots, and real-time notifications.
🚫 Who should skip
If you frequently deposit cash in large amounts, travel extensively outside the EEA, or prefer in-person branch support, Monzo's free tier may be less convenient than a traditional bank.
📚 Learning curve
Minimal – the app is designed for first-time digital bankers with straightforward navigation, and all setup and day-to-day management is guided by clear on-screen steps.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Monzo is an excellent choice for UK-based individuals who are comfortable managing their finances entirely from a smartphone and value real-time control, automated savings, and a sleek, reliable app. It's especially strong for everyday budgeting and goal-based saving. However, if you heavily use cas
📊 Use Case Suitability
Higher score = better fit. Scores from editorial review.
Use CasebunqMonzo
Everyday Spending in the Eurozone95—
Bunq provides a Dutch IBAN, a Mastercard, and instant payment notifications, mak
Sustainable Banking and Carbon Tracking92—
Tree planting per transaction and visible sustainability metrics are core featur
Managing Multiple Budgets and Sub-Accounts90—
Auto-sort rules and unlimited sub-accounts allow users to separate rent, groceri
Joint Money Management for Couples or Partners85—
Shared accounts, multiple cards, and real-time activity feeds make it straightfo
Travelers within the EU80—
Bunq's multi-currency support and EU-wide ATM/card acceptance are useful, though
Personal Daily Banking and Spending Tracking—95
Monzo's app gives instant spending notifications, category breakdowns, and an in
Saving for Multiple Financial Goals—90
Pots allow you to set aside money into separate virtual buckets with custom savi
Joint Account for Shared Household Expenses—85
Monzo joint accounts give both partners full visibility and control, plus shared
🧭 Which One Should You Pick?
Choose bunq if...
- You are: Eco-conscious EU/EEA residents who want a modern mobile bank with multiple sub-accounts, automatic budgeting, and visibl
- 👍 Sustainability is genuinely built in: tree planting is tied to your spending and visible in the app,
- 👍 You can create multiple IBANs and unlimited sub-accounts, making it easy to compartmentalize spendin
- 👍 Bunq is a fully licensed Dutch bank, so your deposits are covered by the EU deposit guarantee scheme
- 💰 From $3/mo
- ⚠ Trade-off: There is no free tier; even the most basic account requires a monthly subscripti
Choose Monzo if...
- You are: UK residents who are comfortable with mobile-only banking and want a free, feature-rich current account with smart budge
- 👍 Instant push notifications for every transaction help you catch fraud or accidental spending immedia
- 👍 Pots are a simple but powerful way to organise savings for different goals, with easy automated tran
- 👍 The mobile app is consistently clean, intuitive, and reliable, making everyday banking feel quick an
- 💰 Free tier available
- ⚠ Trade-off: No physical branches or video banking – you must handle nearly everything throug
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does bunq offer a free account?
No, bunq does not have a permanent free tier. All plans are subscription-based, though they offer a 30-day free trial so you can test the features before paying.
Can I use bunq if I live outside the EU/EEA?
Bunq is designed for EEA residents and requires an EU/EEA address to open an account. Availability for UK, US, or other non-EEA residents is very limited.
How does bunq's tree planting work?
Bunq links transactions to tree-planting projects and shows the estimated number of trees planted in the app. It is a core part of their sustainability focus, though the actual planting is handled through certified partner organizations.
Is my money protected by EU deposit insurance?
Yes. Bunq is a licensed Dutch bank, so deposits are protected under the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme up to €100,000 per customer.
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