Best Digital Banks for International Students in Austria

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The best digital banks for international students in Austria provide fast online registration, low monthly fees, debit cards, SEPA transfers and useful tools for managing money across different currencies.

The strongest options are Revolut, N26 and bunq. Wise is also valuable for international transfers, although it is a payment institution rather than a conventional bank.

Before opening an account, compare:

Monthly and card fees.
Austrian, German, Dutch or Lithuanian IBAN availability.
Deposit protection.
Foreign-currency costs.
Cash-withdrawal limits.
Whether your passport is accepted.
Whether Austrian residence is required.

Last updated: July 26, 2026

Best Digital Banks for International Students in Austria

Our leading choices are:

Revolut Standard: Best overall for international spending.
N26 Standard: Best free licensed mobile bank.
bunq Free: Best for budgeting with several digital accounts.
Wise Account: Best companion account for international transfers.
Austrian student account: Best backup for local branches and cash services.

1. Revolut Standard

Best overall for international payments and travel

Revolut Standard has no monthly subscription fee and allows students to manage euro payments, foreign currencies, virtual cards and international transfers through one application.

The Standard plan includes:

A free virtual card.
Free transfers to other Revolut customers.
Free local payments.
Free euro transfers within SEPA.
Up to five ATM withdrawals or €200 per rolling month without a Revolut fee.
Currency exchange within a €1,000 monthly allowance.
A 1% fair-usage fee after exceeding the monthly exchange allowance.

A physical card normally requires delivery. Standard local delivery in Austria is currently listed at €7.99. ATM withdrawals exceeding the free allowance cost 2%, with a minimum charge of €1.

Does Revolut provide an Austrian IBAN?

Revolut has established an Austrian branch and is migrating eligible customers to it. Customers migrated to the Austrian branch receive an IBAN beginning with AT, while customers who remain under the Lithuanian entity may continue using an LT IBAN.

Students should check the account details shown in their application rather than assuming that every new account automatically receives an Austrian IBAN.

Why it suits international students

Revolut is particularly useful for students who:

Receive family support from abroad.
Travel regularly within Europe.
Make purchases in several currencies.
Want virtual cards for online shopping.
Split rent and household costs with roommates.
Prefer app-based budgeting tools.

Eligible deposits held with Revolut Bank UAB are generally covered by the Lithuanian deposit-insurance scheme, subject to the scheme’s limits and conditions.

Verdict: The best overall digital option for international spending, especially when an Austrian IBAN is available.

2. N26 Standard

Best free licensed mobile bank

N26 Standard is a free digital bank account available to eligible Austrian residents.

It currently provides:

No opening or monthly maintenance fee.
A free virtual Mastercard debit card.
Two free euro ATM withdrawals per month.
SEPA transfers.
Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Spending notifications and budgeting insights.
English-language mobile banking.
No minimum income or opening deposit.

A physical Mastercard currently costs €10. N26’s paid plans start at €4.90 per month for Smart, €9.90 for Go and €16.90 for Metal.

What IBAN do Austrian customers receive?

N26 provides Austrian residents with a German DE IBAN. The account can be opened digitally using a supported government identity document and a smartphone.

Eligible deposits are protected up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Protection Scheme.

Why it suits international students

N26 is a strong choice for students who:

Want a free full bank account.
Prefer banking in English.
Do not need physical branches.
Mostly pay electronically.
Have no Austrian credit history.
Are comfortable using a German IBAN.

Main limitation

Although a German IBAN is valid for SEPA transfers, some students may prefer an Austrian IBAN for local employers, landlords or administrative procedures.

The free plan also includes only two euro ATM withdrawals each month, making it less suitable for students who regularly use cash.

Verdict: The best option for students who want a free licensed bank and do not require an Austrian IBAN.

3. bunq Free

Best for budgeting with multiple digital accounts

bunq is a Dutch-licensed digital bank available to eligible residents of Austria and other supported EEA countries. Non-EU citizens residing in Austria may also apply if their identity documents meet bunq’s verification requirements.

The bunq Free plan includes:

No monthly plan fee.
Up to three bank or savings accounts.
One digital debit or credit card.
Apple Pay and Google Pay.
IBAN-to-IBAN transfers.
Instant spending notifications.
Mobile support.
No minimum deposit.

A physical card is not included with bunq Free. Customers who need one must select an eligible paid plan.

What IBAN will Austrian students receive?

bunq’s standard account uses a Dutch NL IBAN. Local automatic IBANs are currently offered to residents of Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland and Italy, but not Austria.

Eligible bunq deposits are protected up to €100,000 under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme.

Why it suits international students

bunq Free may appeal to students who want to divide money into separate accounts for:

Rent.
Food.
Tuition.
Travel.
Emergency savings.

Main limitation

The free plan does not include a physical card, and Austrian residents normally receive a Dutch IBAN. Some advanced budgeting, travel and card features also require a paid subscription.

Verdict: A useful free budgeting account, but less suitable as a sole account for students who need a physical debit card.

4. Wise Account

Best companion account for international transfers

Wise allows Austrian residents to hold money in more than 40 currencies without a monthly holding fee. It is designed primarily for international payments and currency conversion rather than traditional branch banking.

Current Austrian card pricing includes:

Free digital card.
€8 for a physical Wise card.
No monthly subscription fee.
Free ATM withdrawals up to €250 per month.
A 2.69% fee on withdrawals above €250.
Currency conversion using the mid-market exchange rate plus a disclosed conversion fee.

Why it suits international students

Wise can be useful for:

Receiving money from parents abroad.
Converting foreign currency into euros.
Paying tuition or deposits internationally.
Receiving account details in supported currencies.
Transferring funds into an Austrian bank account.

Is Wise a bank?

No. Wise Europe SA is an authorised payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium.

Customer money is safeguarded separately in cash and low-risk liquid assets. However, ordinary Wise payment balances are not protected by the Belgian bank deposit-guarantee scheme.

Verdict: An excellent secondary account for international transfers, but not the best place to keep all your tuition or emergency savings.

Documents Needed to Open a Digital Account

International students may need:

Valid passport or EU identity card.
Austrian residence address.
Residence permit or visa where applicable.
Tax Identification Number.
Selfie or video identity verification.
Smartphone and mobile number.
Email address.
Evidence of the source of funds if requested.

Having no Austrian credit history is generally not a problem for a debit account. Credit checks are more relevant when requesting an overdraft, loan or credit card.

Should You Use Only a Digital Bank?

A digital bank may be enough when you mainly pay by card and receive electronic transfers.

A traditional Austrian account can still be valuable when you need:

An Austrian AT IBAN.
Cash deposits.
Regular branch support.
Help with foreign residence documents.
A student credit card.
Administrative certificates from an Austrian bank.

Keeping a second account also reduces the risk of losing access to all your money during an identity review or technical problem.

Final Recommendation

Choose Revolut Standard when international payments, currency exchange and travel features are your priorities.

Choose N26 Standard when you want a free licensed bank with strong English-language mobile banking and do not mind receiving a German IBAN.

Choose bunq Free when you want several digital accounts for budgeting, while Wise works best as a secondary account for receiving and converting foreign currencies.

Students who require an Austrian IBAN and physical branch support should combine one of these services with a free Austrian student account.

Best Digital Banks for International Students in Austria

Best Digital Banks for International Students in Austria