The Best Banking Options for Digital Nomads
You’re going to need some form of banking as a digital nomad. Here’s what to consider, and the best banking options for digital nomads out there.
You probably haven’t opened a banking account in years or even really thought about it. But digital nomads have some unique banking needs.
Here’s something to consider: Most people who use banks don’t travel outside of their home country. Or, if they do, it’s just for short periods of time. When you’re a digital nomad, travel is your life. Most banks aren’t equipped to handle that.
That said, there are some banks out there that know how to cater to the needs of digital nomads. They won’t charge you high fees, they’re easy to reach, and they won’t make it tough for you to access your funds.
Looking for better digital nomad banking? Here are a few options to consider:
Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Account
If you’re a U.S. resident and you open an investment account with Charles Schwab, they’ll give you a checking account for free. This account has all kinds of digital nomad-friendly options, like no foreign transfer fees, no monthly maintenance fees, and fully refundable fees on all foreign ATM withdrawals, a feature that’s pretty crucial when you’re traveling the globe.
Revolut
Revolut was practically made for digital nomads. You get to hold five different currencies in your account and you can interconvert them with no additional fees. In addition to your bank account, you get a MasterCard that you can use to withdraw money around the world, (mostly) fee-free. Here’s the caveat: If you get a standard account, you can withdraw up to €200 a month. If you go over that, you have to pay extra. If you get a premium account (which is €7.90 a month), you can withdraw up to €400 a month.
TransferWise
Need to send money to someone? Check out TransferWise. It’s easy to use and fast (transactions usually happen within 48 hours). The company has bank accounts in 38 countries so they can easily send money to a person in the country you’re in, verses having to send it from another country, where it’s subject to regulations and fees. It’s also much cheaper than similar services: You’ll typically end up paying between 0.5% and 0.7%.
RELATED: Planning to visit Portugal? Check out these language resources to get you up to speed.
N26
This is a virtual bank that’s available to all residents of the EU. N26 has some really great, practical features, like the fact that all of your finances are managed on your phone with an app. N26 has different accounts (some are free; some are paid) but you can usually do everything you need with a free account. If you go the free route, there are no foreign transaction fees, no currency exchange markups, and not ATM fees around the world for up to five withdrawals a month (so many those withdrawals count). If you opt for a paid account, though, you’ll have unlimited no-fee ATM withdrawals.
Citibank Plus
Citibank has branches around the world, which is definitely a perk of you have a banking emergency while you’re traveling. Citibank’s Plus account has great options like no overseas fees when you use your debit card (for purchases or while using an ATM) and no transfer fees to send or receive money.
Simple
Simple.com just requires a social media profile to open an account. There aren’t any fees and, if you lose your card, you get a new one for free. Simple also has more than 60 million stations from affiliate banks where you can withdraw money for free. All other banks will only charge their percentage.
If you’re looking for the best banking options for digital nomads, contact one of these banks about opening up an account. Just be sure to ask questions when you do. These things are always subject to change, and you definitely want to make sure you lock down banking that best fits your lifestyle.
Read also: How Do Digital Nomads Make Money?
ABOUT NOMADX
NOMADX is a real estate technology platform developed to meet the needs of the rapidly growing global community of location-independent remote workers, or “Digital Nomads”.
As Digital Nomads ourselves, we know what the market is looking for: trusted, affordable accommodations in highly-attractive locations worldwide at 45% less than AirBNB. We also offer educational masterclasses to help master the lifestyle as well as community events to help foster new friendships.
Please join our community of Digital Nomads and remote workers from around the world:
Instagram: nomadx.experience
Facebook Group: Support Community for Remote Workers
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Williams is the CEO and Co-founder of NOMADX with his base in Lisbon, Portugal. Dave is a US pioneer in the digital marketing, advertising, and ad tech industries as a serial digital entrepreneur over the past 20+ years with multiple exits in the early formative stages of the search engine marketing, social media, and ad tech industries.
