N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel is a comparison of three non-traditional French accounts for newcomers, N26 and Revolut, both free neobanks with French IBANs, and Nickel, a payment-institution account opened at a tobacconist.
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel operates in the French Banking segment.
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel: Core Facts
- What is compared
- N26 (German-licensed neobank, French IBAN since 2023) vs Revolut (Lithuanian-licensed neobank, French IBAN for new sign-ups since 2024) vs Nickel (French payment institution, BNP Paribas-owned)
- Verdict
- Nickel for the fastest, most document-light opening (ID only, no credit check); N26 for French-language support; Revolut for the lowest everyday FX fees within its monthly limits
- Standard tier price
- N26 Standard: free (physical card €10). Revolut Standard: free. Nickel Standard: €25 a year (about €20 a year for under-18s)
- Credit file check
- Nickel performs no FICP or FCC check, so it accepts interdits bancaires; N26 and Revolut do standard KYC identity checks but this is not the same as a French credit-history requirement
- Cash deposits
- Nickel accepts cash deposits at participating tobacconists for a 3% fee; N26 and Revolut do not accept cash deposits
- What none of the three offers
- No cheque book, no consumer credit, no French regulated savings products (Livret A, LEP) directly on the account
- Status
- Active Definition
- Verified
How N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel compares
This comparison covers three accounts that do not require a French credit history: N26 (German bank, BaFin-licensed, FR IBAN since June 2023), Revolut (Lithuanian bank, Revolut Bank UAB, FR IBAN via its French branch), and Nickel (Compte-Nickel, a French payment institution owned by BNP Paribas, opened at a bureau de tabac). It is NOT a comparison with a full French retail bank current account, and Nickel is NOT a bank, it holds funds as a payment institution rather than under the FGDR deposit guarantee.
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N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel: Frequently Asked Questions
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel: which is easiest to open as a newcomer?
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel usually favours Nickel for speed: you can open it at a bureau de tabac in about 10 minutes with ID and a French mobile number, no proof of address and no credit check, while Revolut is the only one of the three you can open from abroad before you arrive.
Which of the three has the lowest fees abroad?
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel points to Revolut for everyday spending abroad, with free withdrawals up to €200 a month before a 2% fee applies, versus N26's 1.7% non-euro ATM fee and Nickel's €1 plus 2% on each non-euro transaction (October 2026).
Are N26, Revolut, and Nickel covered by deposit insurance?
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel differs here: N26 and Revolut deposits are protected up to €100,000 under their home country's deposit guarantee scheme (Germany and Lithuania respectively), while Nickel is a payment institution, not a bank, so its funds are safeguarded rather than covered by a deposit guarantee.
Do I need a French address to open any of these?
N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel differ here: Revolut accepts a foreign address, Nickel needs no proof of address at all (ID and a French mobile number), while N26 asks for EU residence and proof of residence, so in temporary housing Nickel or Revolut are the safer first accounts.
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Where N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel is mentioned on How to France
Guides and reference pages on this site that mention N26 vs Revolut vs Nickel:
Banking
Maintained by Jules (How to France). This page follows the Grounding Page Standard v1.5. Last verified: 2026-08-24.