• Why should a student start using Bunq compared to traditional banks?

Address to all Bunq student customers and Bunq staff members.


I would like to discuss a issue that it is of a high importance to me and I am very anxious to hear you guys thoughts and opinions.

It is therefore I look to the future with a little concern. As with the introduction of the new subscription based model it shocks my that it did not include a separete subscription model for students.

Because as of 1 of august I do not see any reason why students should remain loyal customer using Bunq as there primary bank.


And here Is why.

Many of the advantages that bunq had in the past has been included with app update of the major banks in the Netherlands. For example it use to be an advantage that you could split the amount you paid with friends at a bar and send out money request using Bunq. Similar things are also possible now using Tikkie an initiatief from ABN AMRO. And it usable for all the major banks in the Netherlands that also offers free Student bank accounts. Like ING, RABO, SNS ,ABN, and many more. Also it use to be an advantage of bunq being able to create easy payment request using QR code this is also now largely incorporated with the banks mentions earlier.


As a student your charges with the major banks in the Netherlands get waived away until 27 years old or at some banks until you are 30 years of age.

That means that you basically can do the same things you can do with bunq using different bank for free of charge as a student. You get a bank account with a physical card for free. There is no monthly payment, no withdrawer fees in the Netherlands at the ATM's or Payments with your card.

You may say well at bunq you can get up to 25 bank accounts.

That may be so but at many of the competitors banks in the Netherlands you may create as many as 10 savings account per bank. That functions in similar way as bunq bank account do even more so you get a very small Interest on the amount in you savings account wich at Bunq you do not.

And as student you may also have the benefits to mutliplie bank accounts at different banks for free. So that means that you could actually create more savings account and also physical account than you may using bunq premium account that is capt at 25 bank accounts. Not sure why you would want more then 25 account but it just a possibility that at bunq you don't have.

More over let talk about creditcards if you want a MasterCard as a student you may get one as cheap as 12 euro a year. That will give you the same possibilities you have using bunq premium.

This also include up to 1000 euro of credit you may withdraw mostly using your creditcard as it is no pre-paid creditcard like you get with bunq creditcard some people may consider this a benefit other as a disadvantage personally I consider it to be a benefit.

And it about 83,88 euro cheaper on year basis then getting a prepaid creditcard.

see the math below.

95,88 - 12,00 = 83,88 euro cheaper

7,99 euro * 12 = 95,88 per year for bunq premium subscription

Advantages that you have using physical bank compared to Bunq are still that you can physically top up your account with physical cash bills that at Bunq it still is not possible.

Thank you if you have had the patience to read up to here give yourself a pat on the shoulder. You deserve it. :P

All this being said I think by now you may have an idea of what I am getting at.

I certainly do not hate this bank I love it that why I am a little bit disappointed and would like to know how bunq would like to address this issue looking forward in to the future so that they can remain competitive.

Because the main cones to using Bunq for me use to be that it was in fact cheaper then all the other National banks out there having greate flexibility and innovative application and capabilities. Now that the rest of the banks seems to have catch one and with the costs of bunq have been majorly increased. And the additional benefits being overvalued. I see no reasone for a student to remain using bunq as there primary bank or considering switching from other bank to bunq after he or she is older then 30 years old.

Yours friendly ,

Cihat Kaya

    There is no such thing as a free lunch. We feel bunq is delivering a great service at a great value.


    I'm not here to bash current banks or banking. Their pro's and con's are quite well documented for anyone who digs deeper. If their offering matches your wishes/needs then that's absolutely fine. We're not here to replace them. We're here to be the true alternative.

      All those discussion posts will be removed by bunq. They just don't want you as a customer I think.

        @Ali wat een waardeloos antwoord. En onwaardig. Dit is een STUDENT die de moeite neemt om je te schrijven en zich netjes uitdrukt. En dan geeft CEO Ali een prefab standaard antwoord.

          For example Spotify Premium has student pricing at €4.99 though. Would something similar be a good idea for bunq? I remember the first video I saw explaining bunq was showing a student house, with everyone using the app to sharing the costs of groceries etc. The student "demographic" seems a natural and important part of the customer base for a modern "different" bank, one that should be embraced.

            Thank you for your replay. This definitely put things into prespective when it comes to wich customer base has a higher priority it definitely comes down to that for the moment that is clearlie not the student market.

              I disagree. Many students I know are considerate about the world and make conscious choices. It just depends on what suits you best.

                Hi Cihat, good questions. You could argue that bunq is more expensive then all the other banks. The prise certainly raises a eyebrow with me at first!


                But let's see it from another perspective...

                Let's say - just for argument's sake - that bunq is €5 more expensive per month. But for those 5 bucks you will be part of... let's call it a movement that has the goal to reinvent banking. Just the sheer fact that bunq doesn't invest you money in anything you don't wants to be associated with.. is just an example of that new perspective. bunq takes a totally different approach and that is why it's hard to make a comparison based on prise.


                At the end it is you choice of course. You can save yourself few bucks and buy an extra beer, orrrr do something cool :)

                  As a student I recently ditched my free ABN bank account for Bunq Premium. Primarily because I want to boss of my own money without it being spent on things I don’t support.

                    Another thing I noticed, some of my fellow students stopped using bunq because "It became expensive".


                    However, some months back here in the Netherlands we had to vote, and all of them voted for "Groenlinks". One of the statements Groenlinks has is "more tax for a better world".


                    So, some people want to pay more money for a better world. But €7,99 is to expensive?

                      Hij heeft ergens toch wel minstens een klein ietsje beetje gelijk toch?

                      De standaard banken geven gratis rekeningen aan studenten voor toekomstige klantbinding: om geld te verdienen aan hun later met hypotheekjes, leningen en spaargeld. Bij bunq wordt er geen geld aan jou verdient op die manier (mark *their* words). Je moet dus bij bunq direct betalen voor wat je gebruikt en niet voor wat je later als je 40 bent voor betalen met rentes en beleggingen.

                      Ik kan het ook helemaal verkeerd zien natuurlijk. En je hebt gelijk dat een meer personal/empathisch antwoord leuker is om te lezen/krijgen. But alas 🙈

                        Good point 👍

                          Wellicht dat Groenlinksers geen bunq gebruikte?

                            @Wouter

                            Let me clarify myself I don not mind paying for Bunq. For comparison sake I compared Bunq premium feature with free or other paid services alike that competitors offer to benchmark Bunq.

                            As you might have seen the topic Is "Why would student choose for Bunq instead of traditional banking systeem?

                            According to You and few of the replay's I have been getting so far the reasons being for choosing Bunq is that:

                            You want to be in control of your own money. And would not like it to be spent on things that you do not believe in.

                            I completely agree with you on that. But why do you think that Bunq can manage not to invest into shady business? And why do you think that traditional banks won't do the same? Why does it seems like you trust Bunq more then your old bank ABN compared when it come's down to investing your money.

                            Because to me it seems similar to the US election when Donald Trump actually manage to get elected as the President of the United states simple because of many Americans that where fed up with the current political systeem and they wanted someone that wasn't born into the political systeem to Change it for the better or so they believed at the time.

                            My friendly advice you should have a look at bitcoin.

                              Aaaah ik ben niet de enige die een link legt met groenlinks.

                              Zonde als bunq die kant op wil!

                                @Ali

                                Without making this into a big argument that will go on and on for days on end. I think that you misunderstood what I said because In fact I do believe that what you say to be true.That is the main reasons why I wrote this article in the first place so that students can make a conscious choice. But I don't understand why you might think that I disagree as what I said earlier come's down to: Bunq being focus on different market and does't seem to care that much about the student because that is not being reflected in there latest subscription models as the first of august, nor does your earlier reply inspire confidence into Bunq being focused onto the student market.

                                  @Jelle

                                  How is paying for Bunq equals for a better world?

                                  And if the mer promise to you that bunq won't invest your money into shady businesses. Is any justification for paying one of the highest bank premiums in the Netherlands .For basically the same things you could get for less or free as a student you should go right ahead buddy. But for some of us that just won't cut it. I mean if that really your thing why don't you use digital currency it not manage by any financial institution. Disclaimer: I am not encouraging you to do that.

                                    Bunq is daarmee natuurlijk niet de enige. ASN, om er een te noemen, belegt ook niet in "shady businesses".

                                      Maar belegt wel en soms is het niet even makkelijk om een goede scheiding te maken tussen "shady" en "niet-shady" businesses. Indien je helemaal niet belegt in ondernemingen hoef je je dan ook helemaal niet bezig te houden met dergelijke selectiecriteria.

                                        And correct my if I'm wrong.. bunq also don't have to deal with noisy stockholders... besides Ali that is :)