Best savings accounts in the Netherlands for expats

Key takeaways

• The best savings account in the Netherlands depends first on access, not just yield.
• Easy-access accounts can carry promo periods, withdrawal limits, or delayed payouts.
• Cross-border EU banks can still offer eligible €100,000 deposit cover, but the scheme usually follows the bank’s home license.
• Dutch tax on savings usually sits in Box 3, the tax on wealth, so headline interest is not your true return if you are above the allowance.
• Only ordinary deposits are ranked below. Investment cash products and multi-currency accounts are different product types.

Methodology: We ranked only ordinary savings deposits, not investment-based cash products or safeguarded e-money balances. Rates, caps, access rules, and guarantee details were checked against provider or regulator pages. Always confirm current conditions directly with the provider before opening.

If you are still getting used to banking in the Netherlands, start by separating easy-access savings from fixed-term deposits. This guide flags deposit protection, the BSN or citizen service number, Dutch IBAN, and residency checks, then shows where a separate currency account can fit without being confused with a protected savings deposit.

Easy-access savings accounts

Fixed-term deposits

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When moving money into or out of Dutch savings accounts from abroad, conversion costs can eat into your interest. A Wise account allows expats to hold, convert, and transfer money across 40+ currencies at the mid-market rate, avoiding high bank fees.

Open a Wise account

1. bunq

If local deposit protection matters most, bunq is one of the simpler places to start. Its euro savings account, a spaarrekening, sits under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme, or Depositogarantiestelsel, which generally protects eligible deposits up to €100,000 per person, per bank.

The headline savings rate is variable, and bunq says it depends on your plan and thresholds. Personal savings accounts come with two free withdrawals a month, rising to three after a year, and interest is paid weekly.

bunq also offers term deposits from €1,000 to €100,000 for 3, 6, 12, or 24 months. If you want a Dutch-licensed option with a fixed rate and a familiar app, that can be easier than switching your full day-to-day banking setup.

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2. Openbank

The eye-catching number at Openbank is 3.10%, but it only lasts six months. After that, the welcome savings account converts into the standard Open Savings Account, and the public ongoing rate is lower, currently 1.80% up to €300,000.

Openbank also opens a current account alongside the savings product. That may be fine if you want both, but it adds friction if your only goal is parking cash at a higher rate.

Interest is paid monthly and the money stays accessible. Deposit protection follows Spain’s scheme, not the Dutch one, and Openbank says coverage is up to €100,000 per account holder and bank license.

Its Dutch spaardeposito keeps things simple on term length, with 3, 6, or 12 months at 1.90%. Break the term early and the return falls sharply, so this works best if you are reasonably sure you will not need the money.

3. Bigbank

Higher rates often come with more setup, and Bigbank shows that clearly. Its flexible savings account currently pays 3.00% for new customers for six months, then 2.00% variable, with interest paid yearly on December 31.

Before you apply, check the access mechanics. You need your own Dutch counter account, called a tegenrekening, with a Dutch IBAN, and Bigbank says it serves customers living in the Netherlands. Withdrawals are free, but payouts can take up to three business days.

The interest cap and the guarantee limit are not the same thing. Bigbank pays interest on flexible savings up to €250,000, but the guarantee sits with Estonia and usually covers eligible deposits up to €100,000 per saver under the bank’s license. Its flexible savings product is single-name only, not joint.

For anyone comparing fixed-term deposits in the Netherlands, Bigbank is the stronger option. It starts at €1,000, uses fixed rates by term, and keeps most rules easy to scan.

4. Raisin

Readers chasing the best savings interest rates in the Netherlands often end up at Raisin, but the platform changes what you are actually opening. Raisin is a marketplace, not the bank that holds your deposit.

That distinction matters. Your money sits with the partner bank, so check the bank name, the home-country guarantee scheme, the minimum deposit, and the maturity rule before you sign anything. Raisin’s Dutch site currently shows fixed terms from one month to ten years, with rates up to 3.45% for one year and 3.36% for two years at the time of checking.

This route can work well if you are comfortable with cross-border savings and want more choice than ABN AMRO, ING, or Rabobank usually offer. It is less suitable if you want one familiar local bank relationship and the simplest possible claims path.

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5. ABN AMRO

Readers who already bank with ABN AMRO may accept a lower rate in exchange for less friction. That is the main reason to keep it on a shortlist, even if other providers top the rate tables.

Its Spaar Deposito, also called a termijndeposito or spaardeposito, currently offers 1 year at 2.00%, 2 years at 2.15%, 3 years at 2.20%, 5 years at 2.50%, and 10 years at 2.90%. The minimum opening amount is €500, and the deposit stops automatically at maturity, with principal and interest paid back to your linked ABN AMRO account.

For terms longer than one year, ABN AMRO pays interest yearly. Early withdrawal usually means a penalty, so it suits money you will not need during the chosen term. As a Dutch-licensed bank, eligible deposits fall under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme.

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