Keeping your savings has always been one of the primary needs for all Italian families. Between choosing a good classic bank or relying on the banking services offered by the Italian Post, many Italians in recent years have preferred to save on management costs by relying on one of the many banks that operate purely online, with low expenses, with services dedicated to those who mainly uses the PC or smartphone to manage their banking operations.
If we are also looking for a new bank that allows you to save and that allows you to keep your savings under control, in this guide we will show you the best online checking accounts that you can activate often without even going to a counter (with the procedures of online activation).
Here we will find only the best online banks that offer current accounts at very low costs (or even with zero management costs) and that have valid mobile apps.
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The best online checking accounts
1) What a bank!
One of the best online banks that we can turn to for a current account with zero management fees is Che Banca !, whose homepage can be reached here -> Che Banca!
By choosing to activate the Digital Current Account service we will have an account with zero management costs if we carry out all operations online from the site or from the app, no stamp duty even if we exceed the 5, 000 euros of average stock, unlimited operations online and on the phone, a free debit card (Maestro and Bancomat circuits) and free withdrawals from any ATM in Italy and worldwide (no commission applied by the bank).
By activating this current account we will have free SMS notifications for withdrawals and online transactions (for amounts over € 50), email alerts and push notifications from the app for any amount (obviously free) and the option to pay online bills, RAV, MAV, F24 and make top-ups by phone.
What a bank! it also offers branches throughout Italy, but in this case, making operations in the branch costs € 3 for each operation; if we do not have any kind of problem, just use the online account (via Web browser or app) to pay nothing or subscribe to the Branch Assistance option at a cost of € 2 per month (remember that this option is not mandatory).
2) ING Direct
Another excellent online banking service that we can view with very low management costs is ING Direct, whose homepage can be reached at the link here -> ING Direct .
By choosing to activate the Orange Current Account service we will have an online account with zero annual fee with a free debit card (VPay circuit), one or more virtual prepaid cards to be used for online purchases (MasterCard circuit), free withdrawals from all ATMs in Italy and Europe and unlimited and free operations from the Web, from the app and in the branch.
Among the additional services, you can request the Visa Oro credit card for free (after financial evaluation), activate the Mondo option for € 10 one-time to use the VPay debit card online and to withdraw worldwide with the VISA circuit, make 5 top-ups to prepaid cards for free every year (the subsequent ones cost € 1 per top-up), activate the free email alert service for incoming and outgoing transfers and activate SMS notifications for all withdrawals and debit card operations (each SMS costs 20 euro cents, charged to the account at the end of the month).
If we do not activate the SMS Alert service for the debit card and if we do not make more than 5 top-ups per year for the prepaid offers offered by the bank, the management costs for the Orange Current Account are zero (except for stamp duty if they are exceeded the € 5, 000 per year of average stock).
3) Fineco Bank
Among the best online banks for functionality and services offered, Fineco certainly stands out, whose homepage can be visited here -> Fineco Bank .
By activating the Fineco current account service we will be able to have an account with zero opening costs and zero fees to manage the account, the free Fineco Card Debit card (with VISA Debit and Bancomat), free withdrawals over € 99 on the ATM circuit, purchase anywhere in Italy, abroad and online, maxi-withdrawal from € 3, 000 in UniCredit-enabled ATMs, payments by check and cash at UniCredit ATMs, SMART withdrawal with the smartphone app (bring the QR code to the UniCredit ATM and withdrawals quickly without entering PIN and card), unlimited operations (transfers) in Italy, payments for utilities and RAV, MAV and F24.
Among the options offered by the account we find the VISA Credit card (obtainable after financial evaluation), obtaining a check book, paying fines and bulletins by taking a photo and many other services normally obtainable only with traditional banks (securities, liquidity diversification, account feeding, Telepass etc.).
If our average stock is less than € 5, 000 per year and we only make withdrawals of € 100 or more, the account is void (for withdrawals of less than € 99 the commission is € 0.80 per operation).
4) Webank
Among the online banks that we can view there is also Webank, reachable here -> Webank .
By activating the Webank Account service at the bank, we will have an easy-to-manage and zero-cost account in which there is a free debit card (Maestro and Bancomat circuits), a free prepaid card for online purchases (MasterCard circuit), a credit card (MasterCard) with free fee, unlimited online transactions (from the app and from the site), SEPA transfers and abroad, cash payments and checks at BPM banks, payment of any type of user (including RAV, MAV and F24) and the possibility of making top-ups directly from the app or from the site.
Numerous ancillary services, quite similar to those available in a classic bank: loans, trading, deposit accounts, insurance and credit lines can be requested both online and in BPM branches.
The Webank app is one of the few that allows you to get information and to do operations via voice commands, so that you never use your hands even when we are engaged in something else.
Webank is one of the few banks that does not charge management fees or fees, whatever the use of the account.
5) IWBank
Another bank to consider among the best online checking accounts is IWBank, whose home is available here -> IWBank .
By activating the IW Account service we will have the opportunity to use an online current account equipped with a free debit card suitable for withdrawing and paying in Italy and abroad (Maestro and Bancomat circuits), free withdrawals from the ATMs of the UBI Banca Group ATM (with ATM circuit) ), withdrawals with a resettable commission to withdraw from other ATMs or with the Maestro circuit, unlimited online transactions, the possibility to pay utilities and bulletins online or through the app plus numerous branches and consultants ready to help you in case of need or request for new services.
Among the ancillary services, the innovative trading platform stands out, as well as credit cards and prepaid cards that can be obtained on request and a 360 degree personal funds management system.
The IWBank account is offered with the payment of an annual fee of € 5, easily resettable under one of the following conditions: make a monthly incoming transfer equal to or greater than € 1, 000, credit your salary or pension, maintain an average monthly value of the assets of at least 20, 000 euros or join a consultancy service.
All easily respectable conditions that allow you to get the account at no cost.
Other online checking accounts
There are obviously many other online banks that you can view to open an online account, but on this page we have tried to show you only the best for management costs, services offered and ease of use.
If we want to view the online current accounts offered by other banks or view the online account offers of the most famous banks, below you will find a complete list:
- BancoPosta account
- Hello Bank!
- Widiba
- Intesa San Paolo
- BPER
- IBL Banca
- UBI Banca
- Banca Medionalum
- Unicredit
Many of these banks offer excellent and cutting-edge online services, although the running costs can be higher than the services we have shown in the guide.
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