Account holding costs: definition, prices and advice

The account holding fees pay the daily management of a bank account (joint or individual). What do these costs collected by most banks correspond to? Are they regulated? How can they be reduced? How not to pay? Here is everything you need to know about the account holding costs.

Capital video: account holding costs: definition, prices and advice

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What are account holding costs?

Definition

Account holding costs are part of bank charges. These charges are taken by banking establishments to ensure the administrative management of the bank account held by customers. They allow to pay the bank and cover in particular:

• Transactions monitoring,
• the provision of bank statements,
• Access to basic services (such as customer service).

They generally concern current accounts and may vary depending on banks and types of accounts.

Main account holding fees

Here are the main categories of costs related to account holding:

• The fixed monthly or annual costs are taken periodically (on January 1, monthly or per quarter) for account management.
• The costs for additional services correspond to options such as SMS alerts or paper statements.
• Specific management fees apply to professional accounts or accounts with banking overdraft authorizations.

How to know the pricing applicable to my current bank account (individual or joint)?

Compulsory mention of banking costs

The account holding costs must be mentioned in the tariff brochures of the banks. As soon as the account is opened, they must be accessible to customers, either in paper form or on the bank’s customer area. Only the costs mentioned in the tariff documentation can be legally billed.

Obligation to inform the customer of any modification of the tariff conditions

The bank is obliged to inform the account holder of any modification of the tariff conditions at least two months before their application. The account holding costs appear on the monthly account statement which traces all the banking operations carried out.

Is it normal to pay account holding costs?

Account holding costs are used to cover the costs related to the infrastructure and the organization of banks. They are justified by certain charges imposed by the management of the account. For example :

• IT systems maintenance (necessary to guarantee the security and reliability of transactions).
• Customer service (access to agency and/or telephone advisers).
• Operational costs (such as publishing and sending bank statements or postal costs).

What is the maximum amount of account holding costs?

In France, account holding costs are regulated and monitored by the control authorities. They are not capped and their amounts vary depending on each bank. According to Anna Meylacq, spokesperson for panorabanques, most customers must pay average 22.10 euros under the management of their account, i.e. 1.40 euros more than in 2024.

Some traditional banks can charge more than 50 euros per year for high -end accounts offering extensive services. In 2025, the Palatine bank invoices for example 78 euros account holding costs per year.

Online banks and neo-banks often offer reduced or non-existent fees.

Under what conditions can account hold costs be reduced?

These costs can be reduced by respecting certain conditions or choosing suitable services.

Use of digital services

Opt for electronic readings rather than paper.

Presence of a minimum amount on the account

Some banks exempt customers who permanently present a high balance. On the other hand, an inactive account is generally punishable by often higher costs.

Membership of group offers

Banking packages include several services (bank card, insurance …) at a reduced rate. This is for example the case of Société Générale Sobrio which is a group offer of banking services (a payment card) and non -banking (insurance and assistance) whose monthly cost varies from 7.5 euros per month depending on the bank card (3 formulas). Without the Sobrio option, the customer will pay his basic bank card 36 euros and will be invoiced 7.20 euros in account holding costs per quarter.

Customer status

If you are a loyal customer or a young man or a student, you can hope to benefit from an advantageous price.

How not to pay account holding costs?

To completely avoid these costs, here are some effective strategies.

Opt for an online bank

Most online banks (but there are exceptions), such as Hello Bank, Boursobank or Fortuneo, do not charge any account holding fees.

Choose an unconditional offer

Some banks offer free accounts without a minimum income or deposit conditions.

Negotiate with his bank

In some cases, a discussion with his advisor may be enough to obtain an exemption.

Change bank

Compare the offers regularly and do not hesitate to go to a more advantageous bank. You can usefully consult the CCSF (Committee Advisory Committee of the Financial Sector) which indicates the costs of accounting for banking establishments. By applying these tips, it is quite possible to minimize, or even delete account holding costs while benefiting from a quality service.

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