Online comparators without commercial links can shed some light.

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IStock / City Presse

If having a bank account is essential, its daily use can entail many costs which end up being heavy.

This is why the State has regulated the prices of certain services and introduced an offer dedicated to fragile customers.

But, apart from these situations, the free prices of the banks can vary from single to double.

Rising prices

The Banking Tariff Observatory (OTB) is responsible for publishing an annual inventory of market price trends.

The year 2019 was marked by a decrease in these costs (-1%), in accordance with the commitments made by the sector to reduce the bill.

Likewise, 2020 was not a bad year, since the Observatory noted a slight variation in prices (+ 0.2%).

On the other hand, the first estimates tend to show that bank prices are on the rise again for 2021. As of December, the comparator MoneyVox raised the alarm by announcing an increase of 4% on a standard customer profile.

Less alarmist, the study by the comparator Panorabanques covering 146 establishments and published on January 12 reported an increase of 0.6% on average in fees compared to early 2020, to reach an annual management bill of 216, 70 euros.

Take the lead

In a very competitive sector, statistical averages necessarily hide differences.

And this is all the more true when we look at the details of the various banking services.

If you find that you are paying too much for using your account, it might be time to take a look at the competition.

Many online comparators allow you to get an idea of ​​bank prices.

That said, it is generally necessary to take with a grain of salt the results of the sites which are paid by the compared establishments.

For more objectivity, two platforms without commercial links with the sector exist.

The State offers a free official tool that allows you to compare the main fees invoiced by the different banking establishments on Tarif-bancaires.gouv.fr.

The free access comparator of the UFC-Que Choisir consumer association is accessible on its Quechoisir.org site.

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  • Bank

  • Competition

  • Purchasing power

  • Bank charges