With a SEPA European bank account, you can easily make money and receive transfers in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA Zone). Opening an account is simple but first let us explain what exactly SEPA means.
SEPA Bank accounts are one of the best bank accounts to hold whether you might be located in Europe or in any other country. So you might be wondering if it is possible to open a SEPA bank account online right? Probably yes. SEPA is the suitable payment service that European countries use for transactions such as transfers and payments to other SEPA bank accounts or any other bank account.
The European Commission and European Union made some great advancements on SEPA which let all consumers and members to send payments to other countries that are not located in the SEPA zone without additional fees. That simply means, all SEPA bank accounts can send money to other countries out of the European territory without paying extra fees for cross-border transactions.
SEPA bank accounts can be issued only to European residents and in this article, I will show you how you can easily open a SEPA Bank account online.
Paying attention to the fact that most European banks are connected to each other thanks to SEPA, this will make it easy for us to open a SEPA bank account online.
Did you know you can equally open a Virtual US Bank account online for non residents? Check the link below to get to the complete guide on that.
READ ALSO: How to Open a US Bank Account Online for Non Residents
Also, it is possible for you to get a free virtual bank account that you can use to verify your PayPal US Account.
READ ALSO: How to Free US Bank Account for PayPal Verification
If you don't want to open a SEPA bank account as a European account, you can however open a European bank account online using services such as Revolut, Wise Transfer,
If you want to know more about SEPA, what it really is and which European countries are part of it, you can check this complete guide on SEPA.
READ ALSO: SEPA: What it really is and which countries are involved in it
Table of Contents
Benefits of Holding a SEPA Account
The SEPA bank accounts are ideal for both individual or personal use and for business uses. The advantages are are listed below.
- Simple and Convenient
- Transactions between accounts take about 10 seconds
- All transactions are made in transparency
- Cost-effective and harmonized payment service.
- Transactions to and from other countries out of SEPA zone can be free
How to Open a SEPA Bank Account Online
Traditional banking is good but online banking is even best especially for business persons who travel often and perform transactions in different countries. So we will be seeing how you can open a SEPA Personal and a SEPA Business Account Online.
Here is a complete guide to open a SEPA bank account online as a resident, non-resident or even as an expat.
Below are the requirements to open SEPA personal and business accounts.
Paying attention to the fact that European banks can easily get you a SEPA account running you can do the request from a European bank.
Checkout how to open a business bank account in Europe
Requirements to open a SEPA Personal Bank Account Online:
- A letter from a verified bank or agent
- Company registration number (to extend account services)
- Your Passport photo
- And a valid physical address (usually your residential address)
Requirements to open a SEPA Business Bank Account Online:
- Tax compliance (ITIN) of the established business
- Local address of the company (business)
- Credit check reference
Using an IBAN Service
An International Bank Identification Number symbolized IBAN is an internationally agreed system of identifying bank accounts across national borders to facilitate the communication and processing of cross border transactions with a reduced risk of transcription errors.
All SEPA Accounts come with an IBAN that makes the account an issuer unique. An IBAN has a series of alphanumeric characters. It has 4 sections that categorize it: a country code (2 letters), 2 check digits, a domestic account number and the routing information.
As an example of an IBAN, FR 14 1567 1423 7610 6521 00, FR is the country code (FR = France), 14 the check digits, 1567 1423 the bank identifier and 7610 6521 00 is the account number.
To open a SEPA Account with IBAN, we will use a website that does the job easily.
READ ALSO: How to Get a Free Virtual Cards Without a Bank Account
How to Open a SEPA IBAN Account Online?
- Visit Jeton Website and register Individual/Business IBAN Account (account choice depends on you)
- Fill in the relevant information for the account you want to open.
- Submit the relevant compliance certification materials as required.
- Make mark ID (Face recognition)
- Audit
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However, there are many more Fintech companies that can help us open a SEPA Bank account online. We have Wise Borderless, Revolut, Monese, Bunq. Let's talk a little on them.
Wise Borderless (Average service ratings - 4.2 Stars)
Wise Borderless primarily or previously known as Transfer Wise is one of the best way to open SEPA bank account online. The quality of their services is really to come and see and with you SEPA account, you will be able to send and receive money in over 40+ currencies. One of their amazing feature is they have real time conversion rate which can be really important for business persons.
Additionally, you can apply for a Wise virtual MasterCard (debit) to access your account in any country you might be traveling to.
Opening an account with them is free and generally does not require a lot of time and steps. Once your account is registered, you will need to top it up in order to activate it. If you are registering a business account, you need to make sure that your business is verified.
Specialization
Borderless bank transfers and banking for international businesses.
Accounts
- SEPA - IBAN (BE)
- UK account (account number + sort code)
- US account (ABA ACH)
- AUD account
Fees
- ATM: 2% ($250 free)
- Currency Conversion: Actual mid market range
- Transfer fees: ~0.5%
- Debit Card: No fees (but conversion fees of 0.24 –3.69% if payment is in other currency)
Pros
- Lowest transfer fees
- MasterCard
- Borderless bank account
Cons
- Card cannot be shipped to all countries
- Debit card only (no real credit card)
Revolut (Average service ratings - 4.1 Stars)
Revolut is one of the great options when you want to create a SEPA Bank account online. They are preferred at times over traditional banks due to their effective services. Most of their services are being carried out in a mobile application and Revolut also issues a free virtual credit card to all its users.
Specialization
Banking for Travelers
Accounts
- SEPA (DE)
- UK-account (account no. + sort code)
- US account
Fees
- ATM: £200/month for free; then 2%
- Currency conversion: up to 3.5%
- Debit Card: $29.95 / year
- Transfer fees: 0 - 0.5%
Pros
- Cheap international transfers
- Real money saver for travelers
- No credit check / Schufa-free
Cons
- Only for European residents
- Proof of residency required
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Monese (Average service ratings - 4.1 Stars)
Monese is another service that lets users open a SEPA Bank account online. If you are an individual or if you own a small business and you are looking to open a SEPA bank account for it then Monese is the choice for you. Their fees are usually 0£/month for their accounts and they don't charge additional fees for most transactions.
Specialization
Borderless payments, Modern banking for individuals and small businesses
Accounts
- UK Account (GB) | SEPA - IBAN (BE
- FR Country Codes) | RON Accounts
Fees
- Account Fee: From £0/month
- Debit Card: FREE
- ATM: 2% (FREE limits)
- Foreign currency card spending: 2% (Free limits)
Pros
- 100% customer funds protection
- SEPA - IBAN accounts
- No proof of residency
Cons
- No "real" credit card
- Sign up only for EEA (Europe)
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Bunq (Average service ratings - 4.0)
Bunq is another virtual bank account provider that issues euros accounts starting from €9.99 every month. All countries within the European Union can open a Bunq account. SEPA payments can easily be done with such an account.
Specialization
SEPA transfers and international card payments
Accounts
- bunq e-wallet
- SEPA - IBAN (NL Country Codes)
Fees
- ATM: €0.99
- Card: €9.00 per card + €2 to €3 p/m per card
- Deposits: 1.5%
- No transfer fees from Bunq's side
Pros
- IBAN Accounts
- SEPA / SWIFT transfers
- Credit Cards
Cons
- Support competence should improve
- Monthly account fee quite high
PaySera (Average service ratings - 3.0 Stars
PaySera is another SEPA bank account provider that offers global banking solutions for global payments.
Specialization
- Online banking all-rounder,
- Global payments
Accounts
SEPA - IBAN (LT Country Codes)
Fees
- ATM: €1.00 to €1.50 + 1.80 %
- Card: €3.00 to €5.00
- Card Payments: from 0 to €0.10 + 1.20%
- Different bank transfer fees apply
Pros
- SEPA - IBAN Accounts
- Schufa-free / No credit check
- Cheap currency exchange
Cons
- Card only for EEA (Europe)
- Daily ATM withdrawal limit only €600
READ ALSO: How to Open a US Bank Account for Non Residents
ePayments (Average service ratings - 3.0 Stars)
ePayments is one other SEPA account provider that will issue your account within a laps of time.
Specialization
Borderless internet payments
Accounts
SEPA - IBAN (GBP & LV Country Codes)
Fees
- Bank transfer local: $3
- SWIFT 0.5%
- SEPA EUR: $0.60
- Cards 2.6 to 2.9%
- ATM $2.60 (+ 2.6% MasterCard fee when abroad)
Pros
- IBAN bank accounts
- MasterCard (Prepaid)
- Good App
Cons
- No crypto wallets
- No real credit card
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N26 (Average service ratings - 3.0)
N26 is a convenient online bank for most persons especially if you are a freelancer. Each account comes with an IBAN that you can use to make payments in Europe (SEPA zone). Also, your account will come with a credit card.
Specialization
Cheap money sending to 20+ countries
Accounts
- SEPA - IBAN (DE)
- UK account (account number + sort code)
Fees
- ATM 1.7%
- No added exchange fees
- Regular Plan: €0/mo
- N26 You: €9.90/mo
- N26 Metal: €16.90/mo
Pros
- Cheap international transfer
- Good app
Cons
- No real credit card
- Fees for cash withdrawals in foreign currency
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to open a sepa european bank account in Sweden?
Now it is even possible to open a sepa european bank account online in sweden to receive and transfer money securely. Just pick any of the above providers and apply for a bank account online in sweden
How to Open a sepa european Bank Account in Switzerland?
Switzerland owns the world power bank where assets can be stored securely. Everyone will want to own a bank account in Switzerland and for that, you just need to spot out a provider above and apply for a bank account.
How to open a sepa european bank account in Germany?
Providers such as Wise, N26 will let you own a bank account online in Germany. Just apply from any of these two providers.
How to open a sepa european bank account in Luxembourg?
It is now possible to open a european bank account in Luxembourg online. Wise and N26 offer these solutions so you can check them out and open your bank account online in Luxembourg.