Online banks are capturing an increasing share of French banking customers. Low fees, often free cards, management from a smartphone: the arguments are well-known. However, comparing these offers requires going beyond marketing promises to examine the actual differences between institutions, particularly regarding conditional fees, the range of services, and transaction security.
Online banking fees: what the pricing tables reveal
The advertised free services from most online banks hide variable access conditions. Some require a minimum monthly income to unlock a free card, while others charge a fixed monthly subscription without income conditions.
| Online Bank | Free Card | Income Condition | Fees Abroad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortuneo | Yes (3 ranges) | According to the chosen card | No fees for payments and withdrawals |
| BoursoBank | Yes | According to the chosen card | No fees for payments, withdrawals according to the offer |
| Monabanq | No (from 3 to 18 euros per month) | None | According to the subscribed offer |
| Hello bank! | Yes (2 free offers) | No conditions on the basic offer | Free withdrawals and payments according to the plan |
| Revolut | Yes (standard offer) | None | No fees for payments, limited withdrawals |
The most visible gap concerns low-income profiles. Monabanq remains accessible without income conditions, but charges a monthly subscription. In contrast, Fortuneo or BoursoBank condition access to their premium cards on a level of income or balance.
The comparators available on the takethecapital.net banking site allow users to cross-reference these criteria to identify the offer suited to a given profile.
Online bank and neobank: a regulatory status that changes customer protection
The distinction between online banks and neobanks is not limited to the interface. It concerns legal status, and therefore the level of protection for deposited funds.
First-generation online banks (Fortuneo, BoursoBank, Hello bank!, Monabanq, BforBank) are subsidiaries of traditional banking groups. They have a full banking license, and their deposits are covered by the Deposit Guarantee and Resolution Fund (FGDR).
Not all neobanks hold a banking license. Some operate under a payment institution or electronic money status, which changes the rules for fund protection. Deposits do not automatically benefit from FGDR guarantees.
- Online bank with banking license: deposits guaranteed by FGDR, access to mortgage credit, regulated savings products (Livret A, PEL)
- Neobank with payment institution status: segregated funds but no FGDR guarantee, service range often limited to current accounts and cards
- Neobank with European banking license (like N26): deposit guarantee according to the regime of the licensing country
This point is rarely highlighted in consumer comparisons. The range of products directly stems from this: credit, savings, life insurance, and stock market services are only offered by institutions with a full license.
Security of online transfers: manipulation fraud on the rise
The report from the Payment Security Observatory 2025, published by the Banque de France on September 9, 2026, highlights a shift. Manipulation fraud now accounts for over 40% of the total amount of payment fraud.
This type of fraud (fake bank advisor, IBAN substitution, president fraud) does not rely on a technical flaw in the online bank. It exploits the customer’s trust, often via phone or email.
The same report indicates that fraud initiated from personal client spaces has significantly increased between 2024 and 2025, while the total number of fraudulent transactions declined. Transfers triggered from an online banking space have become a major vector.
Beneficiary verification: a recent protection
Since October 9, 2025, banking institutions must verify the consistency between the beneficiary’s name and the IBAN before executing a SEPA transfer. This measure is free for the affected transfers.
This measure reduces the risk of diversion through IBAN substitution, but it does not protect against a client who themselves validates a transfer to a fraudster posing as a legitimate contact. Individual vigilance remains the last line of defense.
Criteria for choosing an online bank based on profile
Not all clients benefit equally from an online bank. Pricing and service discrepancies make some institutions more relevant than others depending on the situation.
- Frequent travelers: Fortuneo and Revolut eliminate fees for payments abroad, a cost that can amount to several dozen euros per year with a traditional bank
- Low or irregular income: Monabanq imposes no income condition, but its monthly subscription remains a fixed cost to consider
- Need for a physical contact: Hello bank! benefits from the BNP Paribas agency network for certain operations, an advantage absent among purely online competitors
- Wealth management (stock market, life insurance, mortgage credit): only online banks backed by a banking group offer this complete range
Opening an account takes just a few minutes and requires very few documents. An initial deposit is not always required. The free banking mobility assistance service, regulated by law, simplifies the transfer of direct debits and recurring transfers.
The choice depends less on the name of the bank than on the alignment between the offer and actual use. A secondary account at a neobank for payments abroad can complement a primary account at a full-service online bank. Examining the actual pricing conditions, beyond the promise of free services, remains the most reliable factor for making a decision.
