Do You Really Need a French Brick & Mortar Bank? Why Online Banks are Better & Cheaper than Physical Banks in France

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 After 20 years of using Fortuneo without ever needing a physical branch, I can confidently say this is outdated advice.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:

https://www.mybestmoneylife.com/revolut-packages-compared-best-plan-for-students-expats-and-travelers-in-france-2025

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