The short answer: BBVA for most expats, ING for savers
The short answer — ExpatMoneyEU verdict
DEFAULT PICK: BBVA's Cuenta Online Sin Comisiones — €0 a month with no conditions, a Spanish IBAN, a free debit card, Bizum and 4,500+ free ATMs, once you hold a NIE/TIE. FALLBACK PICK: ING's Cuenta Naranja + Cuenta Nómina combination — also effectively free, with a stronger savings rate and a polished app, but its best terms reward salary domiciliation and its branch network is far smaller. If you want one account and zero conditions, pick BBVA. If you keep a meaningful savings balance and live happily without branches, ING's savings rate can be worth more than BBVA's branch network. Both are Spanish-licensed, both carry the €100,000 EU deposit guarantee, and neither opens without a NIE — so newcomers should still open N26 first (see below) and choose between ING and BBVA once the TIE arrives.
ING and BBVA are the two names every expat in Spain hears first, and for good reason: both offer genuinely free day-to-day banking, both issue Spanish IBANs, and both support Bizum. The differences are subtler than the marketing suggests, and they matter more the longer you stay. BBVA's free account has no conditions at all — no salary requirement, no minimum balance, no usage traps — while ING's free tier is cleanest when your salary lands there. BBVA has branches and ATMs everywhere; ING is digital-first with a small branch footprint and a savings account that actually pays. This page compares them on the criteria expats feel every month: fees, cards, ATMs, English support, savings, and the NIE question that decides whether you can open either one at all. Answer first: BBVA if you want simplicity, ING if you want savings yield — and N26 before either if you have no NIE yet.
→ How to open a bank account in Spain without a NIE — the N26-first route
Head-to-head: ING vs BBVA at a glance
| Criterion | BBVA Cuenta Online | ING Cuenta Nómina / Naranja | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | €0, no conditions | €0 with salary domiciliation; conditions otherwise | BBVA |
| Spanish IBAN | Yes (ES) | Yes (ES) | Tie |
| NIE needed? | Yes (TIE for digital onboarding) | Yes | Tie — neither opens without one |
| Debit card | Aqua Debit, €0 | Free debit card with salary account | BBVA (no conditions) |
| ATMs in Spain | 4,500+ BBVA ATMs free | Free at ING and partner networks; smaller footprint | BBVA |
| Bizum | Fully supported | Fully supported | Tie |
| English support | Good app and web | Good app and web | Tie |
| Savings rate | Standard savings products | Cuenta Naranja pays a competitive rate | ING |
| Branches | Thousands across Spain | Small branch network | BBVA |
| Expert Score | 9.4/10 | 9.0/10 | BBVA |
Scores are the editorial judgment of the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team, weighted for expats in Spain: monthly cost (25%), Spanish IBAN (15%), NIE-free opening (10%), English support (15%), ATM and branch access (15%), savings value (10%), card terms (10%). Fees and savings rates cited are illustrative figures from November 2026 comparisons — always verify current terms with the provider, because savings rates move with ECB rates.
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Open the comparison winners
Open Wise Account → Open N26 Account → Open Revolut Account →
→ Best bank account for Moroccans in Spain — BBVA as the default pick, in context
BBVA in depth: the €0 account with no conditions
BBVA (Cuenta Online Sin Comisiones)
BBVA's Cuenta Online Sin Comisiones is the simplest free account in Spain: €0 account maintenance with no conditions — no salary domiciliation, no minimum balance, no usage traps — plus a free Aqua debit card, free online SEPA transfers and a proper ES IBAN. BBVA publishes in English, its app is widely rated the best among Spain's traditional banks, and Bizum is fully supported. The branch network is the practical difference: when a landlord, employer or public office wants paper, a BBVA branch is nearby in almost every Spanish city, and its 4,500+ ATMs make cash free almost everywhere. The honest caveat is onboarding: the fully digital version asks for a DNI or TIE residency card, so a bare NIE number is not enough, and without a TIE you open in-branch with passport, NIE and supporting documents. For transfers home, BBVA charges ordinary bank pricing — keep Wise for the corridor, BBVA for Spanish life.
→ Sabadell vs CaixaBank for expats — the other Spanish branch-bank showdown
ING in depth: the digital account that pays you to save
ING (Cuenta Nómina + Cuenta Naranja)
ING's pitch is different: a clean digital account whose best terms reward domiciling your salary, paired with the Cuenta Naranja savings account that actually pays interest — a real advantage while ECB rates stay above zero, and the reason ING wins for savers. The app is polished, English support is good, and Bizum works fully. The trade-offs are conditions and footprint: the free tier is cleanest with a salary landing there, so a freelancer with irregular income or a student without a salary should read the fee schedule rather than assuming €0, and the branch network is small compared with BBVA's thousands of branches. ATM access is free at ING and partner networks, but in a small town the nearest free ATM may be a BBVA one — which is free for BBVA customers and not necessarily for you. For transfers home, ING charges ordinary bank pricing, so Wise stays the corridor tool either way.
→ Best bank accounts in Spain for expats — the full scored comparison
Fees, cards and ATMs: where the money actually goes
On headline fees both accounts are €0 for most readers, so the real comparison is the conditions and the edges. BBVA's €0 has no conditions: a student, a freelancer between contracts and a salaried employee all pay the same €0. ING's €0 is tied to salary domiciliation on Cuenta Nómina, so a reader without a regular salary should check what the account costs without it before switching. On cards, both issue free debit cards on their headline accounts, and both support Apple Pay and Google Pay. On ATMs, BBVA wins outright in coverage: 4,500+ of its own machines, free, across Spain. ING's free ATM network is smaller and partner-dependent, so cash withdrawals need a little planning outside big cities. On transfers, both offer free online SEPA transfers within the EEA and both charge ordinary bank pricing for transfers outside it — neither is the tool for sending money home, and that is fine, because Wise exists for exactly that job and costs less than either bank on every corridor we have compared.
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English support, apps and the expat experience
Both banks publish in English and both apps are well rated, but neither is a fully English bank in the way N26 or Revolut are. BBVA's app is widely rated the best among Spain's traditional banks, with English onboarding in-branch for international clients, while ING's app is cleaner and more digital-first, with English support that suits readers who never visit a branch. The practical expat test is not the app's language but what happens when something goes wrong: a blocked card, a failed direct debit, a mortgage question. There BBVA's branch network is a genuine advantage — a human, in person, in your city — while ING's support is phone and chat, which suits digital natives and frustrates everyone else. Neither bank is wrong; the choice is about how you like to solve problems.
→ Spanish banks with English support — 2026 expat guide
Scenario framework: which one fits you?
- New arrival, TIE just issued, want one simple account. BBVA — €0 with no conditions, branches everywhere, done.
- Salaried employee with a savings balance. ING — domicile the salary, sweep the surplus into Cuenta Naranja, and let the savings rate pay for the smaller branch network.
- Freelancer with irregular income. BBVA — no salary condition means no surprise fees in a quiet month. Run the autónomo calculator on this site for the net-income maths.
- No NIE yet. Neither — open N26 today for a Spanish IBAN, then choose between BBVA and ING once the TIE arrives.
- Best of both. Open both — they are both free — use BBVA for salary, bills and cash, and ING's Cuenta Naranja for savings. There is no rule that says one bank.
→ Spain autónomo net income calculator — if you plan to freelance in Spain
How we compared: the methodology
How we compared
Fees and features checked: provider price pages — BBVA's Cuenta Online terms, ING's Cuenta Nómina and Cuenta Naranja terms, plus 2026 expat banking comparisons. Criteria and weights: monthly cost (25%), Spanish IBAN (15%), NIE-free opening (10%), English support (15%), ATM and branch access (15%), savings value (10%), card terms (10%). Scores are the editorial judgment of the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team — not financial advice, and never ranked by commission. Savings rates move with ECB policy, so the ING savings advantage should be re-checked at the time you open. Worked examples are illustrative figures; verify current fees with the provider first.
Fees and savings rates are re-checked against provider price lists whenever pricing changes — scores are updated, never backdated.
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Practical tips: switching, Bizum and joint accounts
- Switching is free: open the new account first, move direct debits one by one, then close the old account. Never close the old account before the new one works.
- Bizum follows your number: one active Bizum registration per mobile number. Switching banks takes seconds in-app, but remember to re-register after the switch.
- Joint accounts: both banks offer joint accounts for couples; BBVA's branch network makes joint onboarding easier when one partner's documents are still in progress.
- Keep N26 as backup: even after BBVA or ING opens, a free N26 account is a useful second IBAN for travel, budgeting and emergencies.
- Transfers home stay with Wise: neither BBVA nor ING beats a transfer specialist on corridor pricing. Compare the total received, not the headline fee.
→ Best bank account for Pakistanis in Spain — the same Spain playbook, another corridor
What to watch in 2027
Banks publish revised tariffs each January, so re-check both fee schedules at the new year. ING's savings rate will move with ECB policy — the advantage it holds today is not guaranteed for 2027. BBVA's TIE-based digital onboarding may loosen or tighten. The first Modelo 174 declarations (covering 2026 transactions at foreign-IBAN providers) will be filed in January 2027 — another reason to hold your salary at a Spanish-IBAN bank, which both BBVA and ING are. None of this is a reason to wait: both headline accounts are free to open once your TIE arrives.
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Get the comparison winners
Open Wise Account → Open N26 Account → Open Revolut Account →
ING vs BBVA FAQ
BBVA for most expats: its Cuenta Online Sin Comisiones is €0 a month with no conditions, a Spanish IBAN, a free debit card, Bizum and 4,500+ free ATMs. ING wins for savers: its Cuenta Naranja pays a competitive savings rate, but its best free terms reward salary domiciliation and its branch network is far smaller.
Yes, with no conditions: no salary domiciliation, no minimum balance, no usage traps. The Aqua debit card is free, online transfers within the EEA are free, and BBVA's 4,500+ Spanish ATMs cost nothing. You need a NIE/TIE — the digital account expects a DNI or TIE card.
ING's Cuenta Nómina is €0 with salary domiciliation; without a salary landing there, check the current fee schedule before assuming €0. The Cuenta Naranja savings account pays a competitive rate that moves with ECB policy — re-check the rate at the time you open.
Yes, both. BBVA's digital account expects a DNI or TIE card, and ING requires Spanish identification documents. Without a NIE, open N26 (Spanish IBAN, passport alone) first, then choose between BBVA and ING once the TIE arrives.
Both publish in English with well-rated apps. BBVA's app is widely rated the best among Spain's traditional banks and its branches serve international clients in person; ING's app is cleaner and more digital-first, with phone and chat support. Neither is a fully English bank like N26.
ING, while ECB rates stay above zero: the Cuenta Naranja pays a competitive rate on savings, while BBVA's standard savings products pay less. The advantage moves with ECB policy, so compare the live rates on the day you open, not last year's figures.
Yes — both headline accounts are free, and many expats hold both: BBVA for salary, bills and cash, ING's Cuenta Naranja for savings. There is no rule that says one bank, and a second IBAN is a useful backup.
Neither. Both charge ordinary bank pricing for transfers outside the EEA. Use Wise for the corridor — it charges the mid-market rate plus one transparent fee and typically beats either bank on the total received.