Bank Options in Ireland

BailMeOut

I want to switch from AIB to another bank. I live in a small town and it has a BOI and and AIB and I also do not want to use BOI. I pretty much never need to visit a branch so having a local bricks and mortar bank is not important.

Are there any "virtual" bank options in Ireland. i.e. a bank that you can correspond with using post or online who will provide debit card, ATM and cheque book services? Can Rabo provide normal current account services?

thanks!

Ogham

Ulster Bank

You will probably have to visit a branch to open the account - but after that you can do online banking and my branch accept cheques by post.
Fee free until July 2013 at least.

BailMeOut

Ogham wrote: »

Ulster Bank

You will probably have to visit a branch to open the account - but after that you can do online banking and my branch accept cheques by post.
Fee free until July 2013 at least.

Trying to avoid UB and all the main ones if I can.

So the only choice an Irish consumer has for retail banking are these five. Not much of a choice really.

(1) AIB
(2) Bank of Ireland
(3) National Irish Bank
(4) permanent TSB
(5) Ulster Bank

are there any other options?!!

Ogham

BailMeOut wrote: »

Trying to avoid UB and all the main ones if I can.


are there any other options?!!

No

JTMan

BailMeOut wrote: »

are there any other options?!!

No, not until Eurozone SEPA rules for direct debits comes into place in February 2014. Then internet based Eurozone wide current account competition will arrive.

For the moment, there are 5 choices.

BailMeOut

looks like Danske is doing what I am looking for. They are branchless now with 100% ebanking so I think I am going to switch to these folks.

wonski

BailMeOut wrote: »

looks like Danske is doing what I am looking for. They are branchless now with 100% ebanking so I think I am going to switch to these folks.

You do realize Danske is one of those five banks mentioned before (former NIB...) If you are looking for a bank that has no branches then it is the one. Not sure what is their advantage over banks who have branches since they do charge for accounts???

ibebanging

BailMeOut wrote: »

looks like Danske is doing what I am looking for. They are branchless now with 100% ebanking so I think I am going to switch to these folks.

I'm going to give them a go also, seems like they make things easy even without branches !

JTMan

BailMeOut wrote: »

(1) AIB
(2) Bank of Ireland
(3) National Irish Bank
(4) permanent TSB
(5) Ulster Bank

are there any other options?!!

For current accounts:
There is also AIB owned EBS who offer a separate current account product. Also, AccBank offer a highly restrictive current account.

For deposit accounts, there are plenty of other options such as KBC, Leeds, NationwideUK and RaboDirect.

JTMan

ibebanging wrote: »

I'm going to give them a go also, seems like they make things easy even without branches !

Why pay fees with branch-less Danske when you can get free banking with Ulster?

ibebanging

Fungus wrote: »

Why pay fees with branch-less Danske when you can get free banking with Ulster?

Don't you watch the news ? There incompedant !