Banca Cler has a new free bank account on a mobile app, it’s called Zak.
It’s the first time that I see a free account here in Switzerland!
On top of that, if you open an account with my referral they give 50chf to both of us
https://www.cler.ch/de/landing-pages/zak/referral/
If interested please send me your mobile number as a PM and I’ll invite you
my postfinance account involves zero costs. i never tried the mobile app, though.
otherwise thanks for sharing!
Postfinance is free because you are “rich”. You must have at least 7500 chf to have it for free 
Raiffeisen on the other hand is “free” if you are partner and if you don’t want maestro/vpay (40chf/y starting next year!)
As CHF has no inflation, I find these 7500 a reasonable safety cushion. Let’s be honest: if you can’t keep this amount of money in cash, that’s unmustachian and you should set your priorities straight. That being said, I remember someone here posting an article about more than half Swiss not ready for an unexpected expense of a few thousand…
I totally agree with you. Actually I suggest to reach the 20k chf thresold and get the best postfinance account for free.
I used to do that, but I changed my mind after CHF got some inflation and I read few articles about emergency funds:
Now, I downscaled to 7k version - I wasn’t using the features of 20k version anyway.
I might do it as well since I opened a Revolut account. I’m not sure if with the 7k version I can still keep the EUR account. Right now I still have way more than just my emergency fund on it though.
Yes, you can. I have EUR account with 7k version and its free of charge:
I also have postfinance, I don’t like to keep 7500 cash and therefore I bought their 3a account which counts to that limit: https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/PFPEN75:SW
Nonethetless I’m switching to ZAK and move the 3a to viac
https://www.cler.ch/-/media/files/bc/zak/zak_factsheet_de.pdf
Postfinance 20k (I forgot the real name, sorry) allow to withdraw from any ATM in switzerland for free. It also allow to withdraw from any ATM in the world for free + their exchange rate (Postfinance EUR ofc doesn’t have the exchange rate thing in EU, as long as you don’t fall on the ATM trap…)
ZAK doesn’t. If you pay 6chf per month you can…in Switzerland. Abroad you have only 4 free withdrawal per year.
Free Credit Card and Maestro card from ZAK. The CC costs 2.5% + exchange rate abroad. A bit expensive. I’d like to know their exchange rate as well. They also say “PIN Code/Exchange PIN” 10 chf. It sounds like you have to pay 10chf the first time you get the card then…
The interest rate is ofc 0%. Which is OK now. Later? Will it change?
I might do it only to get the 50CHF, otherwise I am not sure it makes more sense than postfinance+revolut. Especially if revolut decides to open a g$%$# swiss account/IBAN.
What is the opportunity cost of keeping 20k on Postfinance? Even on a 3a with such TER it is probably around 1%/year. For euro account dkb.de is my choice.
Send me your number in a pm if you plan to open Zak.
I have cash instead of bonds and some it it’s on their e-savings account. I also have some old fund I don’t want to sell yet.
Can you open a new thread about dkb.de? I’m interested to know how good it is. It gives you a prepaid visa, right? with 0.2% interest as well. How do you load it?
edit: apparently you have to deposit at leat 700eur per month on dkb.de to be “Active”, otherwise the transactions abroad costs 1.7% or more.
I have opened an account. Me and my SO use it as an easier way to share our bills, by using “Gemeinsamen Töpfen” (more or less “shared container”) it’s very easy. You pay with your card, assign the payment to the correct “shared container” and the app automatically splits the bill and allow the other person(s) to pay you back whenever they want (you can have more bills together obviously). It’s very good for expenses such as groceries and similar which you can’t plan ahead and regulate with a simple automated direct order.
It saves us from having to keep the bill and make the calculation for the split Every.Single.Time. The alternative would be to have a shared bank account where we each have a debit card, but this would cost us money (having 2x cards).
Since it’s free I think it’s good solution (I pay cashless 95% of the times and everytime for groceries anyway).
It has additional features which are also kinda good for keeping an eye on finances, so I am thinking about using it as 2nd account where I move the budgeted amount for the month and pay all from there.
So far my experience with it has been good.
Anyway if anyone is interested in the 50CHF gift drop me a PM, I’d gladly invite you.
Feel free to use one of the following code when signing up with ZAK to receive CHF 50:
BW1XGL
ZCNBR0
The VISA is not prepaid. You get a 100euro limit by default, but you can have it raised by sending in your salary statement.
Here you get plenty information in English:
https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/dkb/
One can also transfer the money back and forth, e.g., to a PF EUR account, to keep the “Active” status. The 0.2% is paid only the account linked to the credit card.
Hi I would like to open account in Zak. Can I use your link for recommendation? I saw now its 25 gift not 50.
Since beginning of this year the codes apparently give you CHF 25. Please feel free to use mine if you want: 0MA2QM
Another one, since both of my previous ones seam to have been used:
LQV65U (CHF 25)
Contact me by PM you still have 50.- with my code. 25.- given by Zak and 25.- from me because we are here for help people not for take their money without give any explain and spend time with these people.
So I offer my time for explain you everything about Zak and I give you back the 25.- received by Zak.