October 2026 edition · manually verified data
Bank referral bonus barometer — October 2026
Which bank pays the most for opening an account? This barometer ranks 19 banks and neobanks marketed in France by the maximum bonus a new customer can claim (referral and/or welcome offer). Every amount is manually verified — the last verification date is shown in the table.
Highest bonus
€300
Hello bank
Average bonus
€128
across 19 ranked banks
Traditional banks
€122
average branch-network bonus
Theoretical total
€2,440
all bonuses added together
The October 2026 ranking — personal accounts
| # | Bank | Max bonus | How to claim it | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hello bank | Jusqu'à 300€ | Referral link on the brand page | September 19, 2026 |
| 2 | Monabanq | Jusqu'à 280€ offerts | Referral code on the brand page | September 20, 2026 |
| 3 | Bforbank | Jusqu'à 260€ | Referral code on the brand page | September 19, 2026 |
| 4 | CIC banque | Jusqu'à 250€ (parrain) | Referral link on the brand page | September 23, 2026 |
| 5 | Société Générale | Jusqu'à 240€ offerts | Referral link on the brand page | September 20, 2026 |
| 6 | BNP Paribas | Jusqu'à 160€ offerts | Referral link on the brand page | September 20, 2026 |
| 7 | Boursobank | Jusqu'à 160€ | Referral link on the brand page | September 18, 2026 |
| 8 | Fortuneo | Jusqu'à 160€ offerts | Referral code on the brand page | September 18, 2026 |
| 9 | Credit agricole | Jusqu'à 140€ | Referral link on the brand page | September 22, 2026 |
| 10 | Crédit Mutuel | 120€ offerts au parrain | Referral link on the brand page | September 14, 2026 |
| 11 | banque populaire | Jusqu'à 80€ (parrainage) | Referral link on the brand page | September 21, 2026 |
| 12 | caisse depargne | Jusqu'à 80€ en bons d'achat | Referral link on the brand page | September 26, 2026 |
| 13 | LCL banque | 80€ offerts | Referral link on the brand page | September 15, 2026 |
| 14 | La Banque Postale | 50€ + 6 mois offerts | Referral link on the brand page | September 25, 2026 |
| 15 | Banque N26 | 20€ offerts | Referral code on the brand page | September 19, 2026 |
| 16 | Carrefour banque | 20€ offerts | Referral code on the brand page | September 18, 2026 |
| 17 | Revolut | 20€ + carte gratuite | Referral code on the brand page | September 19, 2026 |
| 18 | Bunq | 10€ offerts | Referral link on the brand page | September 22, 2026 |
| 19 | Lydia | 10€ offerts | Referral code on the brand page | September 20, 2026 |
Key takeaways
The October 2026 podium: Hello bank leads with €300, ahead of Monabanq (€280) and Bforbank (€260). Online banks dominate by a wide margin: their branchless model lets them hand back as sign-up bonuses what traditional networks spend running their branches.
Traditional banks trail behind with an average bonus of €122, most often paid through a customer referral scheme. The overall barometer average stands at €128 — which makes the bank bonus one of the highest referral rewards of any sector.
Business and freelancer accounts
Business neobanks run referral schemes too, with bonuses paid out after subscribing to a paid plan or receiving a first incoming payment.
| # | Bank | Max bonus | How to claim it | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qonto | jusqu'à 320€ offerts | Referral link on the brand page | September 20, 2026 |
Methodology
- Scope: banks and neobanks offering a current account marketed in France, with a bonus denominated in euros. Non-monetary perks (free subscription months, percentage cashback) are excluded from the ranking.
- Amount used: the maximum bonus a new customer can claim — referral and/or welcome offer where the bank lets them stack. Most bonuses come with conditions (initial deposit, salary domiciliation, first card use), detailed on each brand page.
- Verification: every offer is checked manually on the bank's website; the last verification date is shown in the table and on the corresponding brand page.
- Updates: the ranking recalculates automatically whenever a bonus changes; an editorial summary is published every quarter.
Figures may be reproduced freely with a link to this page as the source.
Frequently asked questions
Which bank offers the best bonus in October 2026?
Hello bank currently tops the barometer with €300 (referral and welcome offer combined, conditions apply). The average across the 19 ranked banks is €128.
How do I claim a bank referral bonus?
The referral code (or referral link) must be used when opening the account — it usually cannot be added afterwards. Most banks make the payout conditional on a first use: an initial deposit, salary domiciliation or a first card payment. The bonus is then credited within a few days to a few weeks, depending on the bank.
Can the referral bonus be combined with the welcome offer?
It depends on the bank: some stack the referral bonus on top of the current welcome offer, others make you choose. The amounts shown in this barometer are the maximum a new customer can reach; the detailed conditions are listed on each brand page.
How often is this barometer updated?
Offers are re-verified continuously (each brand page shows its last verification date) and the ranking recalculates automatically whenever a bonus changes. An editorial summary is published every quarter.
See also: all the bonus barometers, the life-insurance bonus barometer, the stock-broker bonus barometer, the energy & telecoms bonus barometer, all Finance, Insurance & Crypto promo codes and the best current offers.