N26

You open an N26 account in the app or on n26.com, which according to the bank takes a few minutes. You need a smartphone and a valid ID, which is verified during a short call held in English, German, Spanish, Italian or French. N26 issues Mastercard cards, and you can use the virtual card before the physical one arrives.

N26 holds a full German banking licence issued by BaFin (Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority). Customer funds are protected up to 100,000 EUR by the German deposit protection scheme. Residents of Poland can open an N26 account.

N26's website for European customers lists four personal account plans: Standard (free), Smart (4.90 EUR a month), Go (9.90 EUR a month) and Metal (16.90 EUR a month). N26's offer varies by country, so it is best to check plan availability and terms for residents of Poland in the app before opening an account.

No. Residents of Poland get an N26 account held in euros with a German IBAN. You can pay in zloty with the Mastercard card, and N26 advises choosing the local currency when paying or withdrawing cash to get the best exchange rate. According to its help pages, the bank charges a 1.7% markup on cash withdrawals in currencies other than the euro.

The main way to contact N26 is the chat in the app (or in the browser after logging in), available every day from 7:00 to 23:00 CET, including Sundays and public holidays. Phone support is available only to holders of Premium plans (Go, Smart or Metal). People who cannot log in can use the visitor chat.