What Is the Best Bank Account for Frequent Travellers in Portugal? (2026)
The verdict
Updated August 2026. You live in Portugal but spend abroad often: the FX margin and foreign ATM fees decide this ranking, because they tax every trip. Conta Simples ActivoBank leads this ranking at no monthly fee. Most travellers pair a full Portuguese account for salary and bills with a low-FX account for the trips; the pairing costs nothing when both are free.
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Which bank account is best for frequent travellers?
Banco ActivoBank
Conta Simples ActivoBank
Zero fees for maintenance, debit and MB WAY
- Zero fees for maintenance, debit and MB WAY
- The Classic credit card also has no annual fee
- No interest on the current balance
- Monthly fee
- Free
- IBAN
IBAN
A Portuguese IBAN starts PT50. Some Portuguese employers and utilities still refuse foreign IBANs, which is unlawful under EU rules and reportable to Banco de Portugal.
- Portuguese (PT50)
- Card included
- n/a
- English support
- App and support
- Opening time
- Same day with CMD
More details
- Fee waiver
- No maintenance fee, no conditions
- Free ATM network
- Multibanco nationwide; unlimited free debit withdrawals
- How to open
- Chave Móvel Digital (needs Cartão de Cidadão), video call (CC, Portuguese residence permit, or passports of DE/ES/FR/IT/NL/UK/PL + address and employment proof), or Ponto Activo
- Branches
- n/a
- Deposit protection
- EUR 100 000 guarantee
- Contracts
- Portuguese only
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Best for Frequent travellers who want the strongest overall fit.
Revolut
Revolut Standard
A Portuguese PT50 IBAN with MB WAY since 2025
- A Portuguese PT50 IBAN with MB WAY since 2025
- Opens in minutes with no registered address
- Deposit protection is Lithuanian, not the Portuguese FGD
- Monthly fee
- Free
- IBAN
IBAN
A Portuguese IBAN starts PT50. Some Portuguese employers and utilities still refuse foreign IBANs, which is unlawful under EU rules and reportable to Banco de Portugal.
- PT (desde 2025; licença e garantia de depósitos Lituânia) (foreign)
- Card included
- n/a
- English support
- App and support
- Opening time
- Minutes
More details
- Fee waiver
- No maintenance fee, no conditions
- Free ATM network
- Unlimited free EEA ATM withdrawals for PT-IBAN customers (per DECO); fair-use elsewhere
- How to open
- App KYC with passport/ID; NIF requested for PT IBAN features
- Branches
- 0
- Deposit protection
- EUR 100 000 guarantee
- Contracts
- Portuguese only
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Best for Frequent travellers who need a different bank or setup.
Bankinter
Conta Bankinter Online
No maintenance fee
- No maintenance fee
- A promotional 2,5% gross rate (1% base afterwards)
- The promotional 2,5% falls to 1% after the campaign (15/09/2026)
- Monthly fee
- Free
- IBAN
IBAN
A Portuguese IBAN starts PT50. Some Portuguese employers and utilities still refuse foreign IBANs, which is unlawful under EU rules and reportable to Banco de Portugal.
- Portuguese (PT50)
- Card included
- n/a
- English support
- App and support
- Opening time
- Same day online (citizen card holders)
More details
- Fee waiver
- No maintenance fee; no conditions
- Free ATM network
- Multibanco nationwide; free debit withdrawals
- How to open
- Online requires valid Cartão de Cidadão (Portuguese citizen card) + CMD or videoconference; foreigners typically need branch
- Branches
- n/a
- Deposit protection
- EUR 100 000 guarantee
- Contracts
- Portuguese only
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Best for Frequent travellers who need a different bank or setup.
Compare two accounts
Already down to two? Each comparison declares a winner on every criterion that decides the purchase.
Ranked by: Free accounts only, English app first, then the catalogue's short-stay and travel fit score; each account's FX pricing sits in its record and More details.
Which Other Accounts Did We Compare?
The three above are picked from 49 current accounts in the catalogue. The full set lives on the bank and fintech overviews.
See the best bank accounts comparedFees, IBAN, English support and opening time side by sideFrequently Asked Questions
Is a travel account enough as my only account?
It can be, but some Portuguese billers still reject foreign IBANs. The safe pattern is a Portuguese account for bills plus the travel account for trips.
What does the FX margin cost?
An above-1% margin on EUR 2,000 of yearly non-euro spend is EUR 20 or more each year, before ATM fees. The record's FX fields carry each account's pricing.
Do these accounts insure my deposits?
Bank accounts carry the EUR 100,000 deposit guarantee of their licence country; e-money accounts safeguard funds instead. The deposit-protection row states which applies.
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