A reader asks:
I live in the UK and want to open a normal current account in Euros. I want a debit card and no monthly charges for the pleasure of having an account. Any ideas?
You’re not alone. There are more people than ever looking to have the convenience of a euro account, but traditional high street bank branches aren’t normally to accommodating of customers looking for this type of service.
Banks
Barclays and HSBC, for instance, both require you to have a sterling account before you can open a euro account.
Lloyds does offer a euro account with a debit card, but charges £7.50 a month, and requires a deposit of at least £25,000 or a gross annual income of £50,000.
Santander offers a euro account through its private bank Cater Allen. Santander also offers free multi-currency, including euro, services to holders of its Gold Account, who must have a balance of more than £75,000 with the bank.
Fintechs
There are also a range of challenger banks and digital platforms which could meet your needs, although they’re not normal current accounts in the traditional sense.
You typically won’t get an overdraft and your money may not be covered by the usual protections, such as the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) guarantee on deposits up to £85,000 at specific banks.
They’re mainly free multi-currency accounts available through apps on your phone from the likes of;
You can transfer money through their apps and use the cards as payment or to withdraw cash.
It is important to make yourself aware of the specific terms of each provider’s subscription plans. Revolut, for example, only offers up to five fee-free withdrawals from cash machines (up to £200) per month on its free Standard plan.
It is also essential to be wary of hidden fees in exchange rates. That’s because most providers don’t use the mid-market rate for currency conversions, but instead use their own less-attractive exchange rate.
Depending on how often you plan to use the card, falling foul of a bad exchange rate could be a really costly mistake.
Below is a list of providers that offer euro accounts in the UK and their associated costs (updated 14/01/2025)
| Provider | Euro account costs | Provider type |
| Carter Allen | Free | Banks |
| Santander | Free but minimum £75,000 deposit to qualify | |
| HSBC | Free, but must already have a qualifying active HSBC current account | |
| Barclays | Free but minimum £100,000 deposit across accounts, or annual income of £100,000, to open International Bank Account | |
| NatWest | Free multi-currency cash management account. £8 monthtly fee for international bank account | |
| Lloyds | £7.50 per month, £25,000 minimum deposit or £50,000 gross yearly income | |
| Bank of Ireland (non-resident) | €6 per month | |
| Standard Bank | £60 per quarter or minimum balance of £5,000 | |
| Handelsbanken | Dependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open | |
| Wise | Free | Fintechs |
| Revolut | Free (terms depend on subscription plan) | |
| Airwallex | Free | |
| Monese | Free (terms depend on subscription plan) | |
| Plutus | Free | |
| PayPal | €0.35 for receiving euros | |
| Fair Everywhere | £12.50 per month, £55 application fee | |
| Citi Bank | No longer offers retail banking in the UK | Former providers |
| Co-Op | No longer offers euro bank accounts | |
| Starling | New accounts currently unavailable | |
| Holvi | No longer available in UK |
- Related guide: Compare the best bank account switching deals here
Robin has more than six years of experience as a financial journalist, most of which were spent at Citywire, and covers the latest developments in the investing, trading and currency transfer space. Outside of work, he enjoys reading literature and philosophy and playing the piano.
You can contact Robin at robin@goodmoneyguide.com
