Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
N26 vs Qonto
N26
Higher score in this comparison
Qonto
Where N26 and Qonto differ
| Compare | N26ReviewVisitVisit | QontoReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | €0Lower | €19 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%Lower | 0.8% to 1.8% |
| Currencies | from 35 | from 30 |
| Transfer fee | Free: no extra charge for Wise-powered international transfers; MoneyBeam domestic transfers free | 30 SEPA transfers/month included, then EUR 0.20 per extra transaction (Basic plan) |
| Licence type | Not confirmed | Payment institution |
| Free ATM withdrawals | €2 | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Deposit protection (EU DGS up to EUR 100,000), Local account details (IBAN).
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Key differences
- N26 scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.7.
- Founded is lower at N26: 2013 vs 2017.
- N26 is available in 13 more countries.
- Monthly fee is lower at N26: €0 vs €19.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at N26: 0% vs 0.8% to 1.8%.
- Audience: only N26 offers Expats, Travelers, Student.
- Audience: only Qonto offers Business, Freelancer.
- Features: only N26 offers Free ATM, Joint account.
Our verdict on each
N26
N26 suits people who want banking costs to stay flat and who move money across currencies often: the monthly fee is €0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%. It is aimed at expats, travelers, students and teens, and savings sit alongside the everyday account.
Qonto
Qonto suits businesses and freelancers who want their day to day banking in one app and will not chase the highest rate. The monthly fee of €19 is the trade off, and the 1.5% headline rate ranks 350 of 473 brands.
Score breakdown
| Area | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherFees of €0 monthly and 0% to convert sit at position 1 of 500 and 1 of 312. | 8.8A monthly fee of €19 on the standard plan and a minimum deposit of €0, against a site median of €0 |
| Offer | 9.5HigherAimed at expats, travelers and student, holding from 35 currencies, with a joint account, digital-only service and easy-access savings. | 9.1Headline rate of 1.5% is variable and sits at 350 of 473 |
| Trust | 8.5Higher | 8.3 |
Licences and countries
| Country | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| France | Not confirmed | FR_ACPR PSD_PI FR_ACPR!68677 |
| Germany | Not confirmed |
Available in 8 countries for both. Additional countries for N26: 13.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Savings accounts | 22 of 1420 | 8 of 1420 |
| Online banks | 9 of 402 | 5 of 402 |
Cost in a real example
A year with 1,000 spent abroad
N26
€0
12 × €0 + 0% of 1,000
Qonto
€236 to €246
12 × €19 + 0.8% to 1.8% of 1,000
N26 costs €236 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Spending 1,000 abroad
N26
0
0% of 1,000
Qonto
8 to 18
0.8% to 1.8% of 1,000
N26 comes out 8 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Expats, Travelers, Student, Teen | Business, Freelancer |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee, Low FX | Not confirmed |
| Features | Free ATM, Joint account, Digital onlyCovers more | Digital only |
| Legal entity | N26 Bank SE | QONTO |
| Headquarters | Germany | France |
| Founded | 2013Lower | 2017 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 0.3% to 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Rate type | Variable | Variable |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Access terms | 100% flexible: deposit and withdraw any amount, whenever you want | Instant access to the money, no notice period; remuneration activated in the app, calculated daily on the total balance and paid on the 2nd of each month; requires at least 5 eligible payment transactions of at least 1 EUR per month |
| Account kind | Easy access | Cash management |
Money transfer
| Fact | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate markup | 0% | Not confirmed |
| Delivery time | Instant to 1 business day | Not confirmed |
| Payout methods | Bank, Card | Not confirmed |
| Fee to send 1,000 | €0 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | N26 | Qonto | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | €0at the median | €19highest quarter | €0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0.8% to 1.8%above the median | 0.5% |
| Currencies | from 35highest quarter | from 30highest quarter | 5 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | €2above the median | Not confirmed | €1 |
Median across 536 listed accounts.
Pros and cons
N26
Pros
- Deposits are protected through EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, with N26 Bank SE supervised by BaFin in Germany.
- The savings pot is easy access and fully flexible, so deposits and withdrawals happen in any amount, whenever you want.
- Support is broad for an app-based bank, running on email, chat and phone.
Cons
- The savings rate is variable and sits at 0.3% to 1.5%, below the 3% median across savings accounts on the site.
- Local payment details run on iban, so UK sort codes and US ACH numbers are not part of the standard setup.
Qonto
Pros
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without tying up money
- Support runs on chat, phone and email
- Currency conversion of 0.8% to 1.8% suits frequent international invoicing
Cons
- The monthly fee of €19 makes it expensive for anyone holding a small balance
- The account is digital only, so there is no branch to visit
- The 1.5% rate is only paid while the transaction condition is met
Who each suits
N26
Who it suits
- Expats, travelers, students and teens who want spending and savings in the same app, with from 35 currencies to hold.
- Readers who move money across borders, since transfers arrive in Instant to 1 business day and pay out to a bank account or a card.
Who should look elsewhere
- Pixpay FR, because its monthly fee of €3.99 suits readers who will put regular use through the account rather than those who want a fee-free everyday account.
- bunq Spain Bank Account, because a currency conversion fee of 3% suits readers banking mainly in euros and converting rarely.
Qonto
Who it suits
- Freelancers and sole traders billing across borders
- Small businesses paying and receiving in several currencies
- Anyone who wants their accounts, cards and invoices in one app
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone saving mainly for yield, since the 1.5% rate is variable and ranks 350 of 473
- People who want to hold a large balance while paying nothing, given the monthly fee of €19
- Anyone who prefers a branch, as the account is digital only
Current offers
N26
Current offer
Bonus
1% travel cashback: 1% cashback for up to 12 months on qualifying Mastercard transactions outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK
N26 Go and Metal customers only; enrolment required via in-app message, email or push notification; up to 12 months
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Qonto
Current offer
Bonus
Up to 5% AER account remuneration for 2 months for new customers: 5% AER for 2 months, then 1.5% AER on the Smart plan
New customers only, first 2 months of the contract, on plans Smart and above; requires at least 5 eligible payment transactions of at least 1 EUR per month; remuneration capped at 50,000 EUR on Smart and 100,000 EUR on Premium; Account Remuneration currently available in France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
1-month free trial on business account plans: 1 month free
Offered on the Basic, Smart and Premium business account plans, prices excl. VAT
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | N26 | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Yes | No |
| Estonia | Yes | No |
| Finland | Yes | No |
| Greece | Yes | No |
| Iceland | Yes | No |
| Ireland | Yes | No |
| Liechtenstein | Yes | No |
| Luxembourg | Yes | No |
8 of 21 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
N26
What does N26 cost to keep open each month?+
The everyday account is free to run: the monthly fee is €0, and N26 sits at position 1 of 500 brands on that column. Spending, savings and support all sit in the same app, so holding the account costs nothing to maintain.
How much does it cost to convert or send money abroad?+
Foreign currency conversion costs 0%, and the exchange rate margin is 0%. The transfer fee is free: no extra charge is added to Wise-powered international transfers, and MoneyBeam domestic transfers are free. That keeps the cost of moving money abroad close to nothing.
Qonto
How much does Qonto cost each month?+
The standard plan charges a monthly fee of €19. SEPA transfers are included up to a set monthly allowance, and each transfer beyond it carries a small fixed charge. Currency conversion adds 0.8% to 1.8% on converted payments.
Is there a minimum deposit to open a Qonto account?+
There is no minimum, and the stated minimum deposit is €0. The account can therefore be opened and funded with a small balance, which suits a new business or a first freelance invoice.
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