Do You Really Need a French Brick & Mortar Bank? Why Online Banks are Better & Cheaper than Physical Banks in France
Discover why you don’t need a physical bank in France. After 20 years with online banks like Fortuneo, I’ve paid €0 in fees. Learn how to save hundreds a year.
FRANCEBANKINGMOVING TO FRANCE & FRENCH ADMINFRANCE
Timothy D.
12/9/20251 min read
Do You Really Need a Physical Bank in France? My 20-Year Experience Says No
I recently came across a forum where someone claimed you must have a brick-and-mortar bank in France. After 20 years of using Fortuneo without ever needing a physical branch, I can confidently say this is outdated advice.
In two decades, I’ve had a checkbook, deposited checks by mail, used a free Mastercard World Elite, and paid €0 in banking fees. Meanwhile, traditional French banks continue charging families hundreds of euros a year.
On a recent episode of Capital, one family discovered they were spending €35/month in bank fees—that’s €420 a year they could save simply by switching to an online bank.
Online banks like Fortuneo and BoursoBank offer:
Free debit and premium cards
Free Checkbooks
No account fees
Fast online management
Secure, regulated banking
Welcome bonuses up to €130
Most people just don’t realize how much money they’re wasting. You do require a French RIB in order to open an account at Fortuneo or Boursobank. For this I recommend Revolut, where you can sign-up and receive a French RIB in minutes. You can see my article on the different Revolut packages here:
and you can sign-up with my referral code here: https://www.revolut.com/en-FR/referral/?referral-code=timmer007
While Revolut is great for most things, it isn't a full-service bank like Fortuneo or Boursobank and thus doesn't offer a check-book, Assurance Vie, or a Livret A. So while I recommend it to get started, I would definitely open an account at Fortuneo or Boursobank after you open your Revolut account.
Best Online Banks in France (With Bonuses)
Fortuneo – Up to €130 Bonus
Free Gold or World Elite Mastercard
Free Checkbook
No FX fees on transactions with Gold or World Elite Credit Cards
No account fees
Excellent long-term option
French RIB
👉 Referral code: 12516129
🔗 https://www.fortuneo.fr/parrainage/cartes-bancaires
BoursoBank – Up to €130 Bonus
Free Visa Ultim card
Free Checkbook
Great budgeting tools
Ideal for beginners
French RIB
👉 Latest offer:
https://www.boursobank.com/landing/parrainage?code_parrain=LUBA3556&origine=868&gad_source=7&dclid=COCc3fz_r5EDFYQUnQkdTk0utQ
Compare Fortuneo vs BoursoBank vs Monabanq
Full comparison here:
👉 https://www.mybestmoneylife.com/best-online-bank-in-france-2025-boursobank-vs-fortuneo-vs-monabanq
Final Word
If you’re paying tens or hundreds of euros a year in banking fees in France, it’s time to switch. Online banks offer everything a physical branch does—minus the cost. People will still insist that they need
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