Compare best demand & savings accounts in Belgium in October 2024
Best interest rates, lowest maintainance fees, cashbacks
FREEDOM24
Cyprus
5.34%
Free
Yes, see details
Annual fee
Free
Cashback
Yes, see details
3.63% per annum for EUR deposits and 5.34% per annum for USD deposits
No limit on the maximum deposit amount
Daily income accruals
You can transfer money to your trading account at any time
Best offers from our partners
Bunq
Netherlands
3.36%
Free
No
Annual fee
Free
Cashback
No
No fees associated.
Weekly interest payouts.
Free and straightforward account setup. It can be done within 5 minutes via mobile phone.
For 🇪🇺 EEA residents who joined bunq on or after July 1, 2024: Since you had no savings balance from January 1 to June 30, 2024, your threshold is set to €0. You’ll earn a variable bonus interest rate (currently 3.36%*) on all savings up to €100,000 until December 31, 2024.
For those who joined bunq before July 1, 2024: Your threshold is based on your highest savings balance between January 1 and June 30, 2024.
From July 1 to December 31, 2024: Earn 2.16% variable interest up to your threshold. Earn 3.36% variable bonus interest on any amount above your threshold.
For 🇳🇱 Dutch and 🇮🇪 Irish Resident: If you’re a 🇳🇱 Dutch or 🇮🇪 Irish resident and signed up on/after May 27, 2024 but before July 3, 2024, you’ll continue receiving a fixed 2.46% (annual rate) for your first 3 months. Once your promotional period is over, your rates will change to the ones mentioned above. Your threshold will be based on the highest savings balance that you reached between January 1 and June 30, 2024.
For 🇺🇸 USD and 🇬🇧 GBP savings accounts: Earn a 3.71% annual variable interest rate.
Wise Europe SA
Belgium
2.00%
Free
Yes, see details
Annual fee
Free
Cashback
Yes, see details
The account is opened by the Payment Institution Wise Europe SA, Belgium.
Not covered by the deposit insurance system.
Electronic money institutions are obliged to secure their customers' funds with licensed banks.
Wise pays balance cashback each month based on the EUR, GBP and USD you hold in your Wise account.
You agree that the cashback rate is variable and that we may change the rate and/or stop paying cashback at any time.
2.00%
Free
No
Annual fee
Free
Cashback
No
The base rate of 1,60% is provided from day one, and a loyalty bonus of 1,80% will be paid to you on any amount that remains in the account for 12 consecutive months.
Other products available in Belgium
Argenta Spaarbank
Belgium
3.00%
-
No
ING BELGIUM
Belgium
3.00%
-
No
CKV Spaarbank
Belgium
2.50%
-
No
ING BELGIUM
Belgium
2.25%
-
No
ING BELGIUM
Belgium
2.25%
-
No
Europabank
Belgium
2.10%
-
No
Annual fee
-
Cashback
No
Tax 15% is paid on the amount exceeding 980 EUR. The account is intended for children and teenagers.
Europabank
Belgium
2.10%
-
No
Annual fee
-
Cashback
No
Tax 15% is paid on the amount exceeding 980 EUR. The account is intended for children and teenagers.
MeDirect Bank
Belgium
2.00%
-
No
About savings accounts
What is a savings account?
A savings account is a type of interest-bearing account where you can earn interest while keeping your funds accessible for use. It operates similarly to a checking account, allowing investors to access their funds at any time without fixed terms or notice periods. However, the terms and conditions for savings accounts vary significantly depending on the bank. Many banks offer the option to open a savings account directly online.
Since savings accounts are not designed for day-to-day transactions, you'll need a separate transactional account for deposits and withdrawals. Typically, your existing checking account at your primary bank suffices for this purpose. To utilize the balance in your savings account, you'll need to transfer funds to the reference account.
Who should consider opening a savings account?
A savings account is primarily suitable for individuals looking to set aside funds for short-term expenses while also earning interest. It provides a safety net for emergencies where a larger sum of money is unexpectedly needed, such as for an unplanned move, car repairs, or loss of employment. Additionally, a savings account is beneficial if you're planning a major purchase in the near future, like buying a car.
Savings accounts versus other investment options
While a savings account is ideal for keeping readily available funds, it's not advisable to leave too much money permanently in the account due to the continuous loss of value caused by high inflation rates. As a general guideline, it's recommended to maintain approximately three net monthly salaries as a liquid reserve in your savings account. For further information, you can refer to the provided link. The remainder of your savings should be invested in options offering higher return prospects, such as a combination of fixed deposits and ETFs.
Fixed deposits typically offer higher interest rates but entail less flexibility in managing liquidity. Unlike savings accounts where interest rates can fluctuate daily, fixed deposits lock in the interest rate for a specific term. During this period, access to your funds is limited, but in exchange, banks usually offer significantly higher interest rates, especially for longer terms. Savings accounts are particularly suitable for short-term investments. For instance, if you're planning a major purchase in six months, you can open a savings account for that duration and earn interest on your money. However, if you can afford to do without your savings for two or three years, a fixed deposit investment may be a viable option. You can explore various offers using a fixed deposit calculator.
Savings accounts and fixed deposits interest rates in 10/2024 in Belgium
What to consider when comparing Savings account accounts
Deposit insurance
For banks in Belgium and all across EEA, there's a minimum statutory deposit insurance of 100,000 euros per customer per bank (or equivalent in local currency). Savings accounts are covered by deposit guarantee protection schemes.
What type of saver are you?
When comparing Savings account accounts, savers should consider whether they are looking for a permanent Savings account interest rate or if they want to regularly open a new account to take advantage of limited-time offers.
Shopping around for interest rates brings higher returns
Often, opening a particularly high-interest Savings account account pays off doubly. Many banks sweeten the deal for switching by offering a bonus. Others grant new customers particularly attractive interest rates for a few months. Agile investors can take advantage of such special conditions and regularly switch their Savings account provider whenever a promotional interest rate ends (interest rate shopping). If you prefer not to switch Savings account accounts too often, you should look for a bank with a consistently high or stable interest rate for existing customers after the promotional period expires.
Shifting your money to the current top offer can increase your returns. However, this interest rate shopping requires some effort. Regular comparison and switching are more worthwhile for investors who can invest some time in managing their Savings account accounts.
There are many banking products comparison resources in various european countries, for instance Verivox and Finanztip in Germany, Seguggio and Sostariffe in Italy, elEconomista in Spain, and Independer in the Netherlands.
However, PickTheBank is the only financial marketplace comparing savings products all across EU.
Regularly compare and switch interest rates
When transferring your Savings account to another bank to benefit again from new customer conditions, make sure to completely close the bank connection with the previous provider. You should not only cancel the investment but also any checking account and other products from the bank. By doing so, you can become a new customer again after one year and enjoy high Savings account interest rates. This way, your money is always invested at the best current conditions. However, you'll need to go through the account opening formalities anew each time.
Investment amount
For some banks, the possible investment amount is unlimited. Others set a maximum and minimum deposit or tier their Savings account interest rates.