European Neobanks and Digital Banks

A neobank is a bank that runs almost entirely through a smartphone app, without a branch network. The European neobanks below are headquartered in Europe and hold European or British banking licences, so deposits fall under a national deposit guarantee scheme. They suit people who want a current account, cards and savings in one app, or a business that needs an account without paperwork at a counter.

Neobanks compared

Neobank	Headquarters	Good to know
N26	Berlin, Germany	Full German banking licence since 2016, plans Standard, Smart, You and Metal, available in 24 countries
Revolut	London, United Kingdom	Lithuanian bank licence for the EEA, UK banking licence since March 2026, trading and crypto in the same app
bunq	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Dutch bank since 2014, up to 25 Pockets with their own IBAN, paid plans from Core upwards
Monzo	London, United Kingdom	More than 16 million customers, mainly UK market, Irish licence granted in December 2025
Starling Bank	London, United Kingdom	Personal, joint, business and euro accounts, owns the Engine banking platform
Qonto	Paris, France	Business accounts for freelancers and SMEs with invoicing and bookkeeping tools

Which neobank fits which need

A main account in the euro area: N26 and bunq are euro-area banks with a deposit guarantee of 100,000 euros per customer.
Travel and many currencies: Revolut is built around foreign currency balances and cards, and also covers investing.
Living in the UK: Monzo and Starling Bank are UK banks and serve mostly UK residents.
Self-employed and companies: Qonto is made for business accounts, bunq and Starling Bank also offer them.

What to check before opening an account

Licence and deposit protection: Check which bank holds your money and which guarantee scheme applies. Investments and crypto assets are not covered.
Fees by plan: Many features sit behind paid plans. Compare the current price list, not the headline of the free plan.
Country availability: Not every neobank accepts residents of every country, and UK banks are limited outside the UK.
Support: Support runs through the app or chat. Find out what happens when a card is blocked abroad.

What Europe does not offer

US apps like Chime are not banks themselves but work with partner banks, and Europe has no direct counterpart to that model. The European neobanks here are licensed banks or, like Qonto, regulated payment institutions, and they work with SEPA transfers. They also differ in reach: N26, Revolut and bunq serve consumers across many EEA countries, while Monzo and Starling Bank focus on the United Kingdom and Qonto on businesses.