Free bank card (2023): the best card at 0 €

If you want to know more, you can consult our full review regarding Monabanq.

Which bank card to choose ? Free or paid ?

Between prices, services, advantages and disadvantages, not always easy to choose your next bank card. Here is an overview of the best cards by categories to answer this question: which bank card to choose ?

The bank card is still the most widely acclaimed in France today. Banks know this well and the banking offer is so plethoric that it is difficult to know what type of payment card to choose, whether for a main or secondary account. Depending on the needs, the desires for freedom or control of your budget and the banking products to be taken out, making a choice is far from being a breeze.

So which bank card to choose ? Several elements are to be considered as the type of card (physical or virtual), the price of annual or monthly contributions, the range and the body of the card, but also the type of speed or the authorized ceilings, etc. If you are looking for a virtual card, discover everything there is to know.

In this article, we will list the types of offers, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the bank cards that we recommend.

Free blue cards, a good idea ?

If, a few years ago, talking about free bank cards was not yet a subject, today, most of the online banks and even traditional banks have greatly taken the plunge. It must be said that the commercial argument has a lot of impact in addition to creating an ideal calling product.

The best free market credit cards on the market

So inevitably, in the batch of questions that can be asked: are these payment cards really free ? Can I use this card anywhere ? Will I be restrained in my purchases ? Are there clauses to be observed under penalty of paying ? We have selected the three best free market payment cards so that you can make your choice better.

Hello Bank: Hello One, the reference !

In the radius of free bank cards, the Hello One card from Hello Bank is a reference. This is perfectly thought out for daily use or secondary use for small expenses. Be careful however, if there are indeed no accounts or commission costs on operations, costs may take place in the event of inactivity (up to 3 euros per month) and free payments to the foreigner are only outside exchange rate and third -party establishment costs and via BNP distributors and those of the Global Alliance network. Also note that the Hello One card is available in a duo offer for a joint account.

If you want to know more, do not hesitate to consult our full opinion on Hello Bank.

Boursorama Bank: Welcome and Ultim, Outsiders

Boursorama Banque is one of the most popular online banks in France with more than 4 million customers. Its success is also explained by its offer of payment cards, especially free with the Welcome and Ultim offers. Nevertheless, they are not 100 %free, it is necessary to rely on account holding costs at 0 euro, provided you use your card at least once a month. There are other conditions to take into account, such as the amount of income or a compulsory initial deposit. These are not the only advantages since even payments and withdrawals are free of charge abroad (in the euro zone) and that we are entitled to a free withdrawal (1.69 % of the amount beyond) outside the euro zone.

If you want to know more, you can consult our full Boursorama Banque review.

Fortuneo: the free gold card !

You have read correctly, a free gold bank card and it is at Fortuneo that it happens. With the upcoming stop of the CB Mastercard, it is the Gold that takes over. It benefits more or less from the same advantages, namely the total absence of costs on all payments and withdrawals by bank card, all over the world as well as the premium insurance guarantees of the MasterCard organization. However, if it is well accessible for free, some elements must be taken into account like the 1800 euros of monthly income to justify for registration and having to use the payment card at least once a month under penalty of undergoing costs. It is therefore aimed at a easier audience wishing to make a fortuneo a main account. The Fosfo Mastercard is less advantageous if it is compared to the above offers.

If you want to know more, do not hesitate to read our full review on Fortuneo.

The Lydia card: the simple payment card

This is the basis of Lydia’s banking offer, it is also proposed basicly dematerialized to promote mobile payment. Outside, this is a very classic offer: you can follow your expenses in real time with the Lydia application, which also allows you to divide invoices with your friends and family. There are still some elements to take into account such as withdrawal and payment costs abroad and a maximum ceiling of 20 cash withdrawals per month, which may have an impact if you use your payment card in this perspective. The means to secure your account are the same, the whole being compatible Apple Pay, Google Pay and even Samsung Pay. Perfect for a secondary head account. Beware, however, of the hidden costs which can be invited to dance, in particular concerning transfer or overdraft operations. It is also available in virtual card.

For more information, you can consult our full review on Lydia.

Standard and premium cards, a good pickaxe ?

Today, online banks or neobancs have largely inspired traditional banks to add more advanced advantages to their offers than a simple bank. We can think of banking products such as credits, savings booklets or insurance, all at more affordable prices and much less strict conditions than before. The so -called “standard” and/or “premium” card offer have also evolved in this sense and for once, you will see that it is mainly the neobancs who are doing well.

Which standard and premium cards to choose ?

My French Bank: an ideal first account

If my French Bank is a neobank centered on young people, it does not mean that its offer remains competitive. The account ideal Accessible at € 6.90/month proves this thanks in particular to accessibility to some banking products such as subscription to a consumer credit or a cashback offer directly activated on the account and which is growing more and more. The “ideal” account also requires no costs on payments and withdrawals abroad, whatever the account chosen, even excluding the euro zone, which is rare enough to be underlined.

To find out even more, do not hesitate to read our full review on my French Bank.

Monabanq: a unique card, and even more

Monabanq is an online bank that tends to be forgotten in front of other more prestigious brands. However, it benefits from the know-how of a traditional bank being a subsidiary of the Crédit Mutuel Alliance Group. But it is above all via its card offers that the bank is doing well and in particular the UNIQ offer +. For a relatively low monthly rate (9 euros), it offers premium services that certain online banks reserves for their most advanced cards. First, it offers free payments and withdrawals, whatever the area, which is a definite advantage. But it also includes high insurance levels such as internet purchases or on a phone, but also the implementation of an authorized overdraft in addition to adjustable payments depending on income.

If you want to know more, you can consult our full review regarding Monabanq.

Which standard and premium cards to choose ?

Used as a term by bank card organizations as a visa or mastercard, Platinum designates so-called “high-end” cards generally aimed at a easier audience capable of spending more than the average. Inevitably, online banks and neobancs have for some type of payment card in their offers. Beyond the luxury of having one, the advantages can be diverse as specific services and insurance or discounts during purchases in partner shops, etc. Let’s see what are the credit or payment cards in the field which are likely to crack the interested parties.

The best premium cards

N26: Metal for your money

The Metal card from N26 is first of all an object. This payment card entirely made of stainless steel has its small effect after leaving the wallet. This has a price: € 16.90 per month, or nearly € 203 per year. Its main asset concerns its payment and withdrawal ceilings which are particularly high and above all customizable since the application. It also offers the best in terms of insurance and possible coverage, especially for travel, mobility and health, much more than any other premium card. The card also gives access to telephone assistance 7 days a week, regardless of the world where you are. Of course, payments and withdrawals in and out of the euro zone are free and unlimited with a limit for withdrawals in euros (a maximum of eight free operations per month).

Click on the link to discover our full opinion on N26.

Revolut: ultra premium, ultra expensive ?

To position yourself on the high -end market, Revolut launched last spring its soberly called Ultra card. This card condenses a maximum of advantage for those concerned, that is to say a rich and Soihiatant population to benefit from the best services that a online bank can offer: no payment ceiling or withdrawal (up to 2000 euros in the whole world), free international transfers and unlimited number, transfers at advantageous exchange rates on weekdays, unlimited exchange operations in around thirty currencies, up to € 10,000 per year of protection for purchases for Sample or stolen items within the year following acquisition and also assistance by chat 7 days a week and 24 hours a day and a telephone recall service. Note, however, that it has a cost: 45 euros for the first 3 months then 55 euros thereafter. We are frankly in the high -end register.

If you want to know more about Revolut, you can refer to our full opinion.

Free bank card (2023): the best card at 0 €

Many customers are tempted by the online bank with free costs. Indeed, the free bank card is a standard in the same way as the current account. In most establishments, you can therefore have a completely free account. This also allows you to experience the service without financial obligation.

Boursorama Bank, Hello Bank! or Fortuneo are all recognized players who offer a free bank card to their customers. The first two also offer a higher -end version for a contribution. Most of the customers of these online banks, however, opt for the free option. It is always sufficient for standard use of the bank.

Apple Pay Google Pay Pay

Gold Mastercard free

Black Card available

Abroad: 100% free

Excellent ass-life

Annual costs: 0 € • Initial deposit: 300 €

Check deposit: ✔ • Specific deposit: ✘

Monthly card cost: 0 €

Euro zone withdrawals: Free • Payments EURO Zone: Free

Currency withdrawals: free • Invitation payments: free

Apple Pay Google Pay Pay

Apple Pay Google Pay Pay

Bank less expensive

Apple Pay, Google Pay

Premium card free

Free abroad payments

Conditions: without income condition – Welcome and Ultim cards

Annual costs: 0 € • Initial deposit: 300 €

Check deposit: ✔ • Specific deposit: ✘

Monthly card cost: 0 €

Euro zone withdrawals: Free • Payments EURO Zone: Free

Currency withdrawals: 1.69% • Invitation payments: free

Apple Pay Google Pay Pay

Apple Pay

Offer free and unconditionally

Zero costs abroad

Best booklet savings

Prime : € 1 per month / 6 months

Conditions: without income condition

Annual costs: 0 € • Initial deposit: 10 €

Check deposit: ✔ • Specific deposit: ✔

Monthly card cost: 0 €

Euro zone withdrawals: Free • Payments EURO Zone: Free

Currency withdrawals: free • Invitation payments: free

Apple Pay

There is an important point to note concerning free bank cards: they are not all accessible without income condition. If Boursorama Banque, Hello Bank! or Fortuneo does not ask its customers to justify a minimum monthly amount, it is different for BforBank. This online bank requires to prove at least 1,200 euros per month to offer a free account and card.

Free bank cards in 2023:

• Boursorama Ultim
• Boursorama Welcome
• Hello One
• Fortuneo Mastercard Gold (subject to income)
• Fortuneo Fosfo
• BforBank Visa Premier (income condition)

Lower on this page, we have returned to the details of each of the free bank cards presented above. We give you the essential details to choose well between the different options. Depending on your needs and your profile, they will be more or less suitable.

1) Ultim and Welcome cards (Boursorama)

Boursorama Banque is by far the largest online bank on the French market with more than 4.5 million customers at the beginning of 2023. It has developed a range with 3 bank cards for maximum clarity. The Boursorama Banque Ultim card is the most popular and represents a majority of account openings: free, without income condition and without commitment.

The Welcome card is more limited to the ceilings and the absence of an overdraft. She has not really been right to be since updating the Ultim card. That said, if you absolutely want to master your budget and never go into the red, it can do the trick. Finally, the metal card has the advantage of being metal (for the flashy side) and even more flexible internationally but it is paid. It represents only a tiny part of the Balance Banking Customers.

Free Buyrama Bank Bank Bank Cards:

Breast -based bank paying bank card:

• Metal (€ 9.90 per month)

If the old Visa Classic and first cards required a minimum monthly income, Boursorama Banque refused its range in 2020 to respond to a wider audience: the Ultim card is a free card and without condition of domiciliation of income income. The bank simply asks to use it at least once a month so that it stays free of charge.

The Ultim card has completed the range in 2020. It is similar to a first visa on the insurance and guaranteed part – and yet it is free and without condition. No other bank, online or physical, offer such a promise. The Ultim card is that which represents almost all of the accounts of the first online bank in France.

The Ultim bank card has a big hit to all neo-banks: it offers free and unlimited payments all over the world (whatever the currency) and withdrawals are also free and unlimited everywhere in Europe. In foreign currencies, the first three withdrawals are free – then you will have to pay 1.69% of the amount. That said, Boursorama Banque is much more flexible than N26 and Revolut which almost systematically charge costs.

Boursorama Banque has been elected the cheapest bank for 15 years. If you have standard use of your bank, it will not cost you absolutely nothing. On average for 2021, customers paid 7.79 euros in fees. For comparison, a Frenchman pays on average 219 euros in bank charges per year in his bank. Boursorama Banque is a very good choice to optimize this expense post.

2) Hello One (Hello Bank!))

Hello Bank! is the online subsidiary of the BNP Paribas group and it is one of the establishments that knows one of the strongest growth. Beyond having a wide range of products, the online bank also offers a free bank card associated with hello one account.

In the range, the most popular Hello One card, and it is without income and free condition. It will also be necessary to use it at least once a month so that it remains free. In parallel, Hello Bank! Also has a higher -end CB, Hello Prime. Only this one is not free (5 euros per month) and is conditioned by a level of income of 1,000 euros net per month at least.

In detail, here is what to remember on the first free bank card: Hello One requests a systematic authorization, of immediate speed and it does not allow you to have an overview. On the other hand, payments are free and unlimited and withdrawals are free throughout the BNP Paribas network (in France and around the world).

The Hello Prime card offers unlimited free on payments and withdrawals, whatever the distributors. The overdraft is also authorized. Another notorious difference between the two cards is that the hello prime formula is equivalent to a first visa card on the insurance and guaranteed part. The Hello One is of Visa Classic type. If you travel a lot, it may be more wise to choose the Prime option. If you are mainly in France, the Hello One free card will be sufficient.

3) Fortuneo Gold and Fosfo cards

Fortuneo is the only online bank to have no paid bank card in its range: you have the Fosfo card, the Mastercard Gold and even the Mastercard World Elite. They are all free. The Fosfo formula does not request any proof of income, while the other two will ask you to justify 1,800 euros per month for the first and domicile 4,000 euros per month for the World Elite.

The Fosfo card is the most basic, and it will be sufficient in many cases: it allows you to pay and remove funds, have an authorized overdraft and it is with immediate debit. It is similar to a standard mastercard on insurance and guarantees, although it offers better coverage internationally. Note that it has no costs all over the world, neither for payments, nor for withdrawals. The Mastercard Gold card comes with reinforced insurance and guarantees compared to the first, and it is also free.

We can also cite the presence of higher ceilings, the possibility of choosing between immediate and delayed flow, etc. As for the Mastercard World Elite card, it is the highest -end of the American Mastercard group. It comes with a concierge service included, access to all lounges in airports or VIP services intended for very premium customers. Among online banks, Fortuneo is the only one to offer a bank card of such a standing for free.

4) Bforbank cards

For a long time, Bforbank was the most elitist online bank on the market. She offered her customers a free Visa type bank card for the justification of 1,600 euros in net income per month. The basic version of the group, the Classic, was not available. As for the infinite version, it has always been offered in the range for a financial supplement.

Since 2020, Bforbank has changed eligibility rules to make them more accessible: it is also possible to obtain a free Visa Classic bank card in the bank. Customers need to justify a net income of only 1,200 euros per month to obtain an account and a CB at no cost.

For those who want to have a first visa model, it will always be necessary to justify 1,600 euros in monthly income (or deposit a minimum of 10,000 euros on your savings book). In these two cases, the customer will then receive a free visa. As for the Classic Visa, it will be necessary to use it a minimum of 3 times a quarter without which costs will be taken.

The last bank card of the bank is the prestigious infinite visa but it is paying: 200 euros per year. Beyond having paid and withdrawal levels even higher than the first visa, this payment solution gives access to the high-end visa concierge service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It includes practical insurances and guarantees for those who travel quite often. Hello Bank! In Aboli The Infinite Visa, Hello Bank! therefore remains the only online bank to offer it.

Where to find an American Express ?

In addition to offering free Mastercard Classic, Gold and World Elite, Fortuneo card has joined the American Express card in its range in its range. It is today the only French online bank to have made a partnership with the American payment giant. The first year, the CB is free for the customer (whether it be the Green version or the Gold), and in the following years it can always be under certain conditions.

What about mobile payment as Apple Pay ?

Mobile payment is developing exponentially in recent years and the pandemic has further strengthened this trend. Banks no longer hesitate to highlight their compatibility with Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay to attract the general public.

If the neo-banks were the first to offer cards compatible with mobile payment by smartphone, online banks have gotten there for almost all. OUR Free bank card comparator takes this option into account to judge the competitiveness of the product.

It is all the more important that the pandemic has been there, and that contactless payment makes it possible to avoid the transmission of bacteria. Boursorama Banque is the most advanced on this point. It is compatible with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay. It is the only one in France to offer compatibility with all these solutions.

For those who do not know mobile payment technology, this is a solution that allows you to record your bank card on your smartphone (iPhone, Android or Samsung) and which allows you to settle with the latter thanks to technology NFC. It is contact without contact with the telephone on the same principle as the paymentless payment by card. The customer then no longer needs to take out their credit card and only contact with the smartphone is enough to trigger a payment.

Additional security by a fingerprint identification system or thanks to facial recognition is necessary to ensure the triggering of payment. The latter is without amount of amount. This is an appreciated solution in order to avoid physical contact (enter the PIN code) in times of health crisis. This is a strong argument, knowing that the bank card is free and with zero costs for the customer as part of this use.

Today, large online banks have taken the plunge. This is the case of Boursorama Banque, Hello Bank!, Fortuneo, Monabanq or Bforbank who are all compatible with Apple Pay. Google Pay and Samsung Pay are a little less popular, but they are still found almost everywhere.

Where to get a free bank card ?

Because the account and the card are free, a majority of customers of online banks have no costs. A study by Boursorama Banque proved that 60% of customers had no bank charges last year. In the full year, the average cost for a Boursorama customer was 7.79 euros. The amount is ridiculously small compared to the cost in other traditional banks.

A bank takes an average of more than 219 euros in bank charges per year, a bank card included. In general, the card itself represents a good part of the costs invoiced. Simplified accounts like Revolut or N26 took advantage of these costs to position themselves on payment. Unfortunately, they do not offer a complete banking offer that allows the French to migrate completely at home. Online banks followed with even more attractive, cheaper and more complete offers.

At the start, online banks selected their customers according to their income. In 2023 it changed. Boursorama Banque accepts everyone without income and free of charge. The same goes for Hello Bank! which has a free formula hello one. Its paid formula hello prime comes with a card similar to the first visa and it is conditioned by an income of 1,000 euros per month. Fortuneo is always free, subject to using it.

At Boursorama Banque, we did not do things by half. Not only is the bank card free, but it is prestigious. By opting for the basic formula, Boursorama Ultim, you will receive a card similar to the first visa. Hello Bank! or Fortuneo ask you to justify an income level to offer you a bank card of this standing.

What differences between cards ?

Whether in the same bank or not, bank cards do not necessarily have the same characteristics and the same flexibility. This is also what justifies that establishments sometimes require high financial guarantees to offer a higher -end card. This is the case for example of fortuneo with his infinite visa.

Beyond the fact that all CB can be used for payments and withdrawals, the amount that can be spent is more or less limited depending on the bank card. Logically, the more premium the bank card, the higher the ceilings. Note that deferred payment, which opposes immediate payment, is available especially for high -end cards – which is logical.

Another differentiating point between free comparison bank cards: insurance and guarantees. If Visa and Mastercard offer very few guarantees on entry -level CB (Visa Classic or Mastercard standard), the first visa and the Carte Noire Visa Infinite, the Mastercard Gold and World Elite have practical insurance for those who travel. This concerns accidents, loss and delay of luggage, or even delays in transport. Having a premium CB provides access to a concierge service.

There are still similarities between all these payment solutions. In general, it is possible to block your bank card or define levels from its personal space with the online bank (whether on the platform on the web or on the mobile application) and mobile payments are by default applied to models in a given bank.

The last point to be discussed on this free bank card comparison concerns the costs that are billed abroad. You should know that all online banks have decided to abolish all costs in the SEPA zone (Euro). This means that where you are withdrawing species or paying your purchases in Europe, there will be no fees that will be billed to you.

Outside the SEPA area, banks have different strategies. Fortuneo, for example, does not charge anything: neither on the Fosfo, nor on the Gold, nor on the World Elite. At Boursorama Banque, the Ultim card offers unlimited payments but not withdrawals. These are free for the first three of the month. Then they are billed 1.69% of the amount. That said, online bank remains excellent compared to the rest of the market.

Do you have to choose the MasterCard or Visa network ?

As you probably already know, there are two major networks for bank card transactions: Visa and Mastercard. From one bank to another, the CB transmitter is therefore not necessarily the same. However, Mastercard and Visa today have offers that are substantially the same and that therefore does not make a difference for the customer of an online bank.

You can use visa and mastercard in more than 30 million points of sale worldwide, and you will have no difficulty with these bank cards. In France, the CB network is equivalent to those of other players. On the other hand, the Carte Bleue network is not available abroad. Be careful to choose MasterCard or Visa if you travel.

In some countries, especially in the Benelux, there are other initiatives such as Ideal or Sfort. Concretely, customers in this country have overwhelming majority of Mastercard / Maestro cards with the SEPA account number instead of embossed card numbers. Traders have access to free card terminals and payments since it is de facto bank transfers. On the other hand, it is frequent that in these countries traders accept neither visa cards nor normal mastercard. To get around the problem it is then necessary to pay as much as possible in cash.

Finally, as you may know, there are different levels of free, more or less high-end bank card that give different advantages at the time of payment. At Visa, we have for example the Electron, Classic, first or infinite visa. On the side of the Mastercard giant, we have the Classic, Gold or World Elite version. Each level offers ceilings and limits of evolving payments and withdrawals, insurance, but also more or less complete services. Each also offers debit cards, for those who fear the overdraft.

Conclusion: which free bank card to choose ?

As you can see, there are many options for obtaining a free visa or mastercard bank, especially among neobancs, sometimes even very premium cards billed 0 € per year. Boursorama Banque offers for example Welcome cards but also Ultim without the slightest additional cost. At Boursorama, only the Ultim Metal card is billed at a high price (€ 9.90 per month).

Hello Bank! offers Hello One and Hello Prime cards: the first is free while the second costs 5 € per month. The difference lies in the quality (Visa Classic versus Visa Premier) and their flexibility. Note that online bank also requests a guarantee of monthly income for the Hello Prime version.

At Monabanq, we always have two free cards, Pratiq and Uniq cards. There is also the Pratiq card invoiced € 5 per month. Bforbank offers all of its customers a free visa card – there are nevertheless income conditions. Finally, only Fortuneo offers the American Express exclusively among online banks.

Overall, most banks allow Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay Contact Payments. As well as advanced features such as the change of PIN code, the blocking/unlocking of the card, or the securing of payments by geolocation.

Apple Pay Google Pay Pay

Gold Mastercard free

Black Card available

Abroad: 100% free

Excellent ass-life