I’m pretty sure I’m not the only international in the Netherlands who lived through the embarrassing moment of trying to pay in a supermarket with a MasterCard — and then packing everything back to the shelves after the card was not accepted.
My lesson was learned. After this incident, I started hunting for the closest bank to set up my first Dutch bank account. Turns out it’s pretty handig to have one!
In the Netherlands, Willem Alexander is King and cash is not! So you’ll find that life is much easier when you have a Dutch bank card.
Not sold? (Pun intended). We’ve got seven reasons that will convince you to open a Dutch bank account.
1. Send and receive Tikkies
First and foremost, there’s Tikkie. This is your best tool to collect all those little debts from your friends after a Friday night — shamelessly.
Tikkie is an online payment app that allows you to forward payment requests to people via WhatsApp or pay through a QR code.
READ MORE: Tikkie etiquette: the do’s and don’ts of asking for money in the Netherlands
It’s super handy to have it on your phone because sooner or later, someone will send you a Tikkie for 87 cents because you spent an hour in their house when the heating was on — and, trust us, you’re gonna want to be able to pay it.
Fun fact! Did you know 10,000 Tikkie payments for under €2 are sent per month in the Netherlands? If you don’t have a Dutch Maestro card, you can’t use this app, and we all know that you will need (or want) it at some point!
2. Actually pay for your food at Albert Heijn
If you live in the Netherlands, you have also been to an Albert Heijn. That’s just a fact. And if you’ve been there, you also know that having a Dutch bank account is quite, well, essential.
Albert Heijn is one of the biggest supermarkets; you can find their store everywhere in the country.
However, they only accept Maestro cards, meaning that you can try to play Russian Roulette with your international card, but it’s very likely that you’ll be standing there like a fool with a stack of food you can’t pay for (cue flashbacks).
READ MORE | The ultimate guide to the cheapest supermarkets in the Netherlands
And we know what you’re thinking: there’s a little something called cash — but nee! You can’t even pay by cash in some of their stores.
If we don’t have you convinced now, then think about self-checkout. If you want to skip the queuing, just use their self-checkout terminals and pay with your Dutch bank account!
3. Easily top up your OV-chipkaart
If you often travel in the Netherlands, you probably already have an OV-chipkaart. If you want to look (and act) more local, you might even have a fancy personal (yellow) OV-chipkaart.
Did you know that if you connect your Dutch bank account to your card, you can automatically top up? This means you never have to worry about having enough time to top up at the ticket machine during your frantic rush to the train.
4. Take out an NS subscription
Speaking of the OV-chipkaart: it’s not only great for getting you on the train but also for travelling at a discounted rate.
READ MORE: These are the best banks for expats in the Netherlands
If you have a personal public transport card linked to your Dutch bank account, you can also choose a subscription for yourself, and you can save up to 40% on your travels! If the strikes didn’t scare you out of public transport, that is.
5. Use iDEAL when shopping online
If you sometimes do online bank transactions while shopping on Dutch webshops, you probably already bumped into our little friend, iDEAL.
This platform is ideal (see what we did there?) for safe checkouts while online shopping if you don’t want to share your bank details.
The Dutch are also crazily in love with this method of online payment. You only transfer the amount of money you need for your Bol purchase (socks for your cat) without sharing any card information.
READ MORE | The best Dutch webshops for clothing, tech, supplies, and more
The appeal of iDeal is undeniable — but if you have an international bank card, it’s going to be noDeal. In order to use this payment system (which is often the only option when online shopping in the Netherlands), you have to have a Dutch bank account.
6. Rent a car in the Netherlands
If you are one of those people who doesn’t want to have a car or motorcycle in the city but do know how to drive, shared mobility apps can be an option for you.
You can pay for them per minute, so you never have to spend your time and money on any maintenance issues (unless, of course, you crash your moped into a canal, then perhaps you’ll have some costs to cover.)
READ MORE: Shared mobility in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide
With a Dutch bank account, you can easily create an account and start to zoom all over the Netherlands on two or four borrowed wheels. If you don’t have a Dutch account, however, in most cases, you’ll either have to hike it or bike it.
7. Avoid transfer costs with a Euro account
Last but not least, one of the most important reasons to get yourself that Dutch bank account: if you come from a country with a different currency to the euro, you’ll find it very expensive to use that card.
If you get yourself a Dutch card, you can use it without paying the transfer price — just y’know, the normal price (€3.95 for Fluffy’s socks).Â
READ MORE | Dutch savings accounts: banks with the best interest rates
For many internationals, this is the main reason to have a Dutch bank account. Need we remind you of how expensive life is without needless costs… inflation, people!
You will undoubtedly benefit from having a local bank card while living in the Netherlands — and it’s super easy to set one up!
All the big Dutch banks provide English information for their customers, so you won’t need to practise your Nederlands in their offices. Now, what are you waiting for? Get your bank account sorted, and enjoy life in the Netherlands!
Do you already have a Dutch bank account? What is your ultimate tip for people who just received their cards? Let us know in the comments!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2022, and was fully updated in August 2023 for your reading pleasure.
