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Poland (PL)

Poland is the largest country in Central Europe and a dynamic EU member state with one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe over the past two decades.

Capital: Warsaw
Region: Europe
Language: Polish
Currency: PLN (zł)
Cost of living: Affordable (index 43)
Emergency: 112
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Banking in Poland

Recommended banks, payment culture and credit score basics.

Poland has a modern, competitive banking sector. Most banking is digital — mobile apps are excellent and widely used. Blik (Polish instant mobile payment) is ubiquitous and one of the most advanced instant payment systems in the EU. Poland never adopted the euro (uses PLN), but the banking infrastructure is excellent. Expats can open accounts with PESEL — some banks accept foreigners before PESEL is obtained. Traditional banks (PKO BP, Pekao) have wide branch and ATM networks. Neobanks (mBank, ING) lead in digital innovation. Revolut is widely used as a supplement for FX transactions.

Recommended banks

PKO Bank Polski

traditional

Monthly fee: 0 zł (with active use) or 5–10 zł

Requirements: PESEL required. Passport. In person at branch or online with ID verification.

  • + Largest bank in Poland — widest ATM and branch network
  • + Accepted everywhere — important for Poczta Polska registered letters
  • + Strong Blik support
  • + PKO SK (student account) and IKO app are well-regarded
  • + Good for receiving salary, pension, and government benefits
  • - Interface primarily in Polish — English not available in online or mobile banking at standard level
  • - Branch staff English skills vary — service in English not guaranteed at most branches; foreigner service desk rarely exists
  • - PESEL required before account opening — foreigners must register address and obtain PESEL before applying; typically 2–4 weeks after registering address at gmina
  • - International SWIFT fees for non-SEPA transfers: 20–50 zł per outbound wire — Wise is significantly cheaper for remittances outside the EU

mBank

English
online

Monthly fee: 0 zł (with active use) or 9 zł

Requirements: PESEL. Online application with video verification. Passport + address.

  • + Excellent mobile app — English language option available
  • + Free international transfers (SEPA)
  • + Low fees for foreign card transactions
  • + Good Blik integration
  • + Fast online account opening
  • - No physical branches for daily banking — all in-person issues handled by phone or app chat; complex problems difficult to resolve remotely
  • - Some features and customer service menus available in Polish only — English support via chat can have longer wait times
  • - PESEL required before account opening — cannot apply without Polish personal identity number; foreigners must obtain it first
  • - International SWIFT fees for non-SEPA transfers: 20–50 zł per outbound wire — Wise is significantly cheaper for remittances outside the EU

ING Bank Śląski

English
traditional

Monthly fee: 0 zł (with minimum monthly transactions) or 9 zł

Requirements: PESEL. Online or in-branch. Passport required.

  • + English-language support line available
  • + Good app with English option
  • + Wide ATM network
  • + Free SEPA transfers
  • + Popular with international companies and expats
  • - Monthly fee of 9 zł applies if minimum monthly transaction threshold is not met — active use required to waive the fee
  • - Some legacy account management processes slower than digital-native mBank — not all features fully self-serviceable in the app
  • - PESEL required before account opening — foreigners must obtain Polish personal identity number before applying
  • - International SWIFT fees for non-SEPA transfers: 20–50 zł per outbound wire — Wise is significantly cheaper for remittances outside the EU

Santander Bank Polska

English
traditional

Monthly fee: 0–10 zł

Requirements: PESEL. Online or in-branch.

  • + Part of international Santander group — familiar to expats from Spain/UK
  • + English customer service available
  • + Good for international transfers
  • + Wide branch network
  • - Monthly fee of 0–10 zł possible depending on account usage and salary crediting conditions — verify current threshold before opening
  • - Less competitive on FX rates for international transactions compared to Wise or Revolut — exchange rate markup applies to foreign currency card use
  • - PESEL required before account opening — foreigners cannot apply without Polish personal identity number
  • - International SWIFT fees for non-SEPA transfers: 20–50 zł per outbound wire — Wise is significantly cheaper for remittances outside the EU

Revolut

English
neobank

Monthly fee: 0 zł (Standard) or 39.99 zł (Premium)

Requirements: Passport. Selfie verification. No PESEL required.

  • + No PESEL required — can open immediately on arrival
  • + Excellent FX rates (PLN to/from any currency)
  • + Multi-currency accounts (PLN, EUR, USD, GBP, etc.)
  • + Full English app
  • + Instant international transfers
  • + Blik supported
  • - Not accepted for salary payments by all Polish employers
  • - Not ideal as primary Polish account — use alongside a traditional bank
  • - Limited PLN cash withdrawal options
  • - EU bank account (Lithuania IBAN — LTXX) not always accepted by Polish landlords

Bank Pekao SA

traditional

Monthly fee: 0–9 zł

Requirements: PESEL. In-branch with passport.

  • + Second largest bank in Poland — strong branch network
  • + Reliable, established institution
  • + Good for students (konto studenckie)
  • + Strong Blik support
  • - Less English support — interface and most branch staff primarily Polish; English service not guaranteed at most locations
  • - App less modern than mBank or ING — digital banking features and UX lag behind digital-first competitors
  • - PESEL required before account opening — foreigners cannot apply without Polish personal identity number
  • - International SWIFT fees for non-SEPA transfers: 20–50 zł per outbound wire — Wise is significantly cheaper for remittances outside the EU

Payment culture

Blik is the defining feature of Polish payments — a 6-digit code generated from your banking app, valid for 2 minutes, used for in-person payments, online shopping, ATM withdrawals, and peer-to-peer transfers. Universally accepted and free. Contactless card (zbliżeniowe) widely used. Google Pay and Apple Pay supported by most major banks. Cash remains important for older businesses, markets, and small towns. Most supermarkets and restaurants accept cards. Many private landlords and tradespeople prefer cash or bank transfer.

Cash access

PKO BP, Pekao, ING, and Santander have the widest ATM networks. Euronet ATMs are private and charge fees (5–10 zł per withdrawal) — avoid them. Most supermarkets and shops offer cashback at the till for free (wypłata w kasie). Blik ATM withdrawal from any compatible ATM without a card is a popular feature.

BIK Score

biuro informacji kredytowej (BIK) — bik.pl. Register and request your BIK report.

Free annual check: One free report per 6 months at bik.pl under RODO (GDPR) right of access.

BIK (Biuro Informacji Kredytowej) is the main credit bureau in Poland. New arrivals have no BIK history — this can affect mortgage and car loan applications. Building credit history: get a Polish credit card, use it regularly, pay in full each month. BIG InfoMonitor is an additional credit register for utilities and telecoms debts.

International transfers

SEPA transfers (within EU/EEA) are free or low-cost at most banks. Swift (international outside EU): 20–50 zł fee typically. Wise (transferwise) offers excellent rates for transferring PLN to other currencies. Revolut zero-fee for standard amounts. Check your bank's SEPA fee policy — many Polish banks now offer free SEPA.