How much does a current account cost in Italy?
According to Banca d'Italia's 2025 survey, a traditional current account costs EUR 101.10 a year on average, an online account EUR 30.60 and a postal account EUR 71.60; the overall weighted average is EUR 85.30.
Verifiable answer
According to Banca d'Italia's 2025 survey, a traditional current account costs EUR 101.10 a year on average, an online account EUR 30.60 and a postal account EUR 71.60; the overall weighted average is EUR 85.30.
- How much does a current account cost in Italy?
- €85 / year
- €31 – €101
- Italy
- 23 July 2026
- Confidence: High
- Annual account management spending; Actually applied fees and charges; Difference between traditional, online and postal accounts; Observed account usage during the year
- Interest on overdrafts and loans; Taxes or fiscal costs not attributable to ordinary account management; Linked products such as premium cards, trading or insurance; Temporary promotions for new customers
- Account type: traditional, online or postal; Number of yearly operations; Branch usage; Cards included or charged separately; Age of the relationship and expired promotions
- 1 source
Short answer
The cost of an Italian current account is not just the advertised monthly fee. Banca d'Italia measures actual management spending, including commissions and real account usage.
A current account looks simple because banks advertise it with a monthly fee, but the real cost lives in the conditions applied over the year: debit card, transfers, withdrawals, branch transactions, messages, overdrafts and usage profile. That is why an average based on advertised tariffs is less useful than one based on what customers actually paid. Banca d'Italia's survey published in 2025 looks at 2024 costs and separates traditional accounts, online accounts and postal accounts. The result is clear: the average online account costs about one third of the traditional one, while postal accounts sit in the middle. The channel matters almost as much as the bank.
What is included
- Annual account management spending
- Actually applied fees and charges
- Difference between traditional, online and postal accounts
- Observed account usage during the year
What is not included
- Interest on overdrafts and loans
- Taxes or fiscal costs not attributable to ordinary account management
- Linked products such as premium cards, trading or insurance
- Temporary promotions for new customers
How the price breaks down
| Item | Type | Frequency | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branch-linked accountAverage management cost measured by Banca d'Italia for accounts linked to bank branches. | Optional | per year | €101 |
| Online accountAverage cost measured for online accounts not linked to branches. | Optional | per year | €31 |
What the price depends on
- Account type: traditional, online or postal
- Number of yearly operations
- Branch usage
- Cards included or charged separately
- Age of the relationship and expired promotions
Hidden costs
- Branch-operation charges that erase the saving from a low monthly fee
- Debit card fee if not included
- Fast investigation fee after an overdraft
- Monthly fee rising after a promotional period
Three realistic scenarios
Online
€31
Annual average for online accounts not linked to branches.
Weighted average
€85
Overall average across the account types in the survey.
Traditional
€101
Annual average for branch-linked bank accounts.
How to spend less
- Compare annual cost, not only the advertised monthly fee.
- If you mostly operate online, consider an online account: the survey shows a much lower cost.
- Check transfers, withdrawals and debit card terms because they change with real usage.
- Review the account every year: old relationships often remain on less convenient terms.
- Avoid unauthorised overdrafts, which can make a cheap account expensive.
Frequently asked questions
Why is an online account so much cheaper?
In Banca d'Italia's survey, online accounts have lower unit prices and lower fixed costs than traditional accounts. The saving remains real only if the operations you use often are included or cheap.
Is the monthly fee enough to know what I pay?
No. The fee is only one item. Real annual cost depends on cards, withdrawals, transfers, branch operations, communications and occasional charges. That is why the survey measures actual spending.
When is it worth switching current account?
It is worth reviewing when you pay much more than the average for your usage, when a promotion expires or when your frequent services are charged one by one. Compare total annual cost.
Sources and methodology
How we worked it out
We use Banca d'Italia's survey on current-account costs in 2024, published in 2025. The source says management spending is calculated from actual customer behaviour over a full year and from conditions concretely applied, not hypothetical baskets. The guide's main figure is the overall weighted average of EUR 85.30; to support decisions we also show the three account families: traditional EUR 101.10, online EUR 30.60 and postal EUR 71.60. Interest and extraordinary non-management costs are excluded.
Why this confidence level
Confidence is High because the source is Banca d'Italia and measures actual costs, not promotional price lists. The limitation is time: the data describes 2024 and should be reviewed with the next survey.
Average cost of EUR 101.1 for branch-linked accounts, EUR 30.6 for online accounts and EUR 71.6 for postal accounts
Indagine sul costo dei conti correnti nel 2024 (opens in a new tab)
Banca d'Italia · Research · Verified on 23 July 2026
Survey conducted in 2025 on actual costs incurred in 2024; used to avoid theoretical price lists and estimate real cost.
Authority4/5
Revision history
First published on 2026-07-23 with Banca d'Italia 2025 survey checked.
- 23 July 2026
- 23 July 2026
- 23 January 2027