The short answer
The short answer
ExpatMoneyEU verdict: pick ING for the most digital, English-first everyday bank; pick ABN AMRO if you want a dedicated International Client Desk with free English advice on savings, investments and pensions. Both give you a Dutch NL IBAN, branches, the Geldmaat ATM network and English apps — so the decision comes down to how you bank, not where. Either way, pair your Dutch bank with a transfer specialist for money leaving the eurozone.
ING and ABN AMRO are the two giants of Dutch retail banking, and for expats the choice between them looks harder than it is. Both issue Dutch IBANs, both support iDEAL, both run in English, and both let many newcomers start the application before the BSN arrives. The real differences are in digital experience, the quality of international-client support, and the fee structures — which this guide compares round by round, with fee figures kept generic and every claim sourced so you can verify on ing.nl and abnamro.nl.
→ Best Bank Account for Indians in the Netherlands — October 2026 Guide
Head-to-head: ING vs ABN AMRO at a glance
| Criterion | ING Netherlands | ABN AMRO | Winner for expats |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBAN | Dutch (NL) | Dutch (NL) | Tie |
| Monthly fee | Monthly current-account packages — fee schedule on ing.nl | Monthly Basic Payment Package — fee schedule on abnamro.nl | Check both |
| Digital app & English onboarding | App and online banking available in English; strong digital platform | App available in English; online opening in under 10 minutes (per ABN AMRO) | ING (more digital-first) |
| International client support | English-speaking International Clients support | International Client Desk — 25+ years serving internationals, free English appointments | ABN AMRO |
| Branches | 170+ locations nationwide (reported) | Branch network + local offices | ING (reported larger) |
| ATMs & cash | Geldmaat network, free NL withdrawals; cash deposits at branches | Geldmaat network; cash deposits at branches | Tie |
| Onboarding without BSN | Generally requires BSN + registered Dutch address | Dutch address required; reported BSN leeway (verify on abnamro.nl) | ABN AMRO (more flexible) |
| iDEAL | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| International transfers | Own FX margin — check ing.nl | Own tariffs + FX margin — check abnamro.nl | Neither — use a specialist |
| Student / youth accounts | Student options available — check ing.nl | Student options available — check abnamro.nl | Check both |
| Deposit protection | €100,000 (Dutch DGS) | €100,000 (Dutch DGS) | Tie |
| Overall for expats | 8.1/10 | 7.9/10 | ING (narrowly) |
Both banks revise their fee schedules regularly (typically each January) and fees differ by package. We keep fee figures generic here on purpose — verify the current monthly fees, card fees and transfer tariffs on ing.nl and abnamro.nl before applying.
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The expat combo: bank + transfer specialist
Whichever Dutch bank you pick, most expats pair it with a free fintech app for daily English banking and Wise for international transfers.
→ bunq vs ING Netherlands — the neobank vs traditional-bank showdown
ING — the most digital Dutch bank
ING current account
ING is the largest Dutch retail bank and the most digital of the traditional banks — the one most expats reach for when they want a "real" Dutch bank that still feels like an app. Onboarding takes about 10 minutes online, the app and online banking are available in English, and you get the full high-street package: 170+ reported branch locations, cash deposits at branches and service points, free withdrawals across the shared Geldmaat ATM network, and a physical debit card by post.
ING's account structure runs on monthly current-account packages rather than a free tier, with several tiers adding extras like travel insurance or credit cards — check the current fee schedule on ing.nl, because package prices move and are typically revised each January. ING also runs English-speaking support for international clients, which smooths the early months. International transfers carry the bank's own FX margin, so — as with every traditional bank on this page — keep a transfer specialist alongside for money leaving the eurozone.
→ Best bank accounts in the Netherlands for expats — the full country guide
ABN AMRO — the international-clients specialist
ABN AMRO Basic Payment Package
ABN AMRO is one of the three large Dutch banks and the one that has courted the international community longest: it describes itself as helping internationals with Dutch banking for 25+ years, runs a dedicated International Client Desk with English-speaking advisers, and offers free appointments for questions about savings, investments and pensions. Hundreds of thousands of internationals bank with ABN AMRO — the bank says over 340,000 internationals choose it for everyday banking.
Onboarding is fully online in the app in under 10 minutes (per ABN AMRO), with an international passport accepted as ID. You need an official Dutch address, and the bank publicly says you can open an account while still waiting for your BSN — reported leeway is longer than most traditional banks, but confirm the current rule on abnamro.nl before you apply. The monthly Basic Payment Package covers a current account, debit card and online/mobile banking; extras like a credit card are add-ons. International transfers carry the bank's own tariffs and an FX margin, so pair it with a specialist for transfers outside the eurozone.
→ Best money transfer services in Europe — send money home cheaply
Round by round: where each one actually wins
Digital experience and English onboarding. Both apps run in English, but ING's platform is the more polished digital product — online account opening in ~10 minutes, a mature English app and online portal, and the payment-request features Dutch users love. ABN AMRO's app is English too and opens accounts fast, but ING is the bank you pick when the app is the product.
International client support. ABN AMRO, and not close. A dedicated International Client Desk, 25+ years of serving expats and international organisations, and free English appointments for savings, investments and pensions beat ING's general English-speaking support. If you want advice in English from a human, ABN AMRO is the pick.
Cash and branches. Both use the shared Geldmaat ATM network and both accept cash deposits at branches. ING's reported 170+ locations give it the larger physical footprint; in practice either works — pick whichever has a branch near your home.
Opening before the BSN arrives. ABN AMRO is more flexible here: it publicly says you can open an account while waiting for your BSN, provided you have an official Dutch address. ING generally expects the BSN and registered address up front. New arrivals who need a traditional bank early should check ABN AMRO's current rule first.
International transfers. Neither bank wins — both apply their own FX margins and transfer tariffs, and both are beaten by specialists. Run anything leaving the eurozone through Wise at the mid-market rate and compare the total received in the destination currency.
Students and young expats. Both banks offer student-oriented options — compare the current student packages on ing.nl and abnamro.nl, since these change most often and sometimes carry real discounts.
→ bunq vs ING Netherlands — the neobank vs traditional-bank showdown
The verdict by persona
- Digital-first, app-only banker: ING — the best app among Dutch traditional banks, fully in English.
- Wants advice in English: ABN AMRO — the International Client Desk with free appointments is the deciding feature.
- New arrival, BSN still pending: ABN AMRO — more flexible on the BSN timeline (confirm the current rule on abnamro.nl); or open a neobank like bunq first and add either later.
- Branch near home matters: pick whichever has a branch on your commute — both use Geldmaat ATMs.
- Sends money outside the eurozone: either bank + Wise — the transfer specialist saves more than the bank choice ever could.
- Best combined setup: ING or ABN AMRO (Dutch IBAN, branches, cash) + Wise (international transfers) + a free English app like N26 or bunq for daily spending. One bank, one specialist, one app.
→ Best Bank Account for Pakistanis in the Netherlands — October 2026 Guide
How we compared: the methodology
How we compared
Fees and features checked: ing.nl and abnamro.nl product and fee pages as published in October 2026, plus 2026 expat banking comparisons for the Netherlands. Criteria: Dutch IBAN access, monthly cost, digital app quality and English onboarding, international-client support, cash handling, branch networks, BSN/onboarding flexibility, transfer costs and student options. Scores are the illustrative editorial judgment of the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team — not financial advice. Fee figures are deliberately generic here: both banks revise fee schedules regularly, so always verify the current monthly fees and transfer tariffs on ing.nl and abnamro.nl before opening an account. Any worked examples on this page are illustrative figures showing our comparison method.
→ bunq vs ING Netherlands — the neobank vs traditional-bank showdown
What to watch in 2027
Both banks typically revise price lists each January — re-check your package fee at the new year. SEPA Instant transfers becoming free-by-default across the eurozone narrows the speed gap with fintechs. And if your needs grow into mortgages or investments, both banks offer free advisory appointments — ABN AMRO's International Client Desk in particular is worth booking once you are settled.
→ Best Bank Account for Indians in the Netherlands — October 2026 Guide
Set up the expat combo today
Pick your Dutch bank for branches and the NL IBAN, then add N26 or bunq as your free English app and Wise for international transfers.
→ Best bank accounts in the Netherlands for expats — the full country guide