Zürcher Kantonal Bank (ZKB) Review 2026

Cantonal Banks

Before we delve into the Zürcher Kantonal Bank, we should discuss cantonal banks.

I have not yet discussed these banks much. The reason is that these banks are, by definition, local to each canton. This means they do not have offices for private customers in other cantons. As a result, people very rarely use a cantonal bank from a canton apart from where they live.

If I review a cantonal bank, this only impacts one canton. Therefore, I prefer to talk about national banks. However, some of these cantonal banks have very interesting features and fees and should not be dismissed.

I will not review all 24 cantonal banks in this blog, but I will review these in the future.

Zürcher Kantonal Bank

The Zürcher Kantonal Bank (ZKB) is Zürich’s cantonal bank. It is the largest cantonal bank and the fourth-largest bank in Switzerland. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) considers it a bank of systemic importance.

The bank was founded in 1870 under the name “Bank of the Citizens of Zurich.” To this day, the ZKB is still wholly owned by the canton of Zürich. Like all Swiss banks, it is regulated by the FINMA.

The ZKB is especially interesting because it is so large. It is also interesting to note that you can open an account online even if you are not living in Zürich. However, ZKB only has offices in Zürich, so you will have to use the app only. Individual accounts can be opened online without issue. And you can merge two accounts into a joint account on the phone. Some other accounts may only be opened in person in Zürich.

The ZKB accepts non-residents, but only from a limited set of countries.

ZKB Features

Now, we look at ZKB’s banking features.

Fortunately, ZKB has a very simple system with a simple banking package. This banking package offers:

• A private account
• A savings account
• A Visa debit card

With this account, you can deal with the mobile and online applications and directly in ZKB offices. You can do all the operations you need:

• See your balance and transactions
• Pay your bills
• Transfer money internally or to other accounts
• Pay electronic bills

You can also use your card directly with the ZKB TWINT app. And if you want to pay from your phone, ZKB has excellent support! Indeed, they support Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. You can even pay with your watch with Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay, and SwatchPay!

You get a 0.15% interest rate up to 25’000 CHF on your savings account and nothing after that.

You can also get credit cards in addition to the basic banking package. However, these credit cards are generally not what you want. The best credit cards are not coming from banks.

Of course, ZKB offers many additional features, such as mortgages, vested benefits, 3a accounts, and more. However, this article only focuses on the retail banking package.

The ZKB’s primary language is German. However, the apps and website are available in English. Unfortunately, there is no support for French or Italian. In addition, you can generally find someone who speaks English in their offices.

Overall, ZKB has excellent features.

ZKB Fees

Of course, we need to look at the fees for the banking packages. This is often the main thing that will differ from one bank to the other.

A great thing about ZKB is that its banking package is free! In January 2024, they removed all account management fees, so holding a ZKB account is now free of charge.

This price is excellent because you do not need any minimum to get a free account, as many other banks do.

All basic actions are included in the price:

• Send and receive wire transfers in CHF
• Pay your bills and electronic bills
• Pay in Switzerland and CHF with your Visa debit card
• Withdraw CHF in all cantonal banks ATMs (not only ZKB)
• Withdraw EUR in all ZKB ATMs

If you withdraw CHF from an ATM from a non-cantonal bank, you will pay 2 CHF per withdrawal. If you withdraw money abroad in a foreign currency (at a non-ZKB ATM), you will pay 5 CHF per withdrawal.

If you pay abroad or in foreign currency with your card, you will be charged a 1.25% surcharge (maximum of 1.50 CHF). While it is not the cheapest available, it is cheaper than most major Swiss banks. There appears to be a hidden surcharge of 1.25% on top of the exchange rate. This would give us a total fee of 2.50%. It is not cheap, but compared to many banks, it is not too bad either. In any case, you should use another alternative abroad.

Overall, ZKB fees are excellent. They are really good for a traditional bank and even compare well with many digital banks.

It is important to note that if you are a non-resident, you will have to pay 90 CHF per quarter for your account. Additionally, if you are a US citizen, you will also have to pay this fee even ir you live in Switzerland. So, this makes this account expensive for US citizens and non-residents.

User reviews

We should also look at what users think of a bank before we use it.

The apps themselves are very highly regarded. The app gets 4.8 stars out of 5 from about 11’000 reviews on Google Play. And the app gets the same score out of more than 80’000 reviews on the App Store. People are very happy about the simplicity of the app and the fact that it works well. Some people are unhappy about the app’s latest version, which apparently removed several features.

Finding reviews related to the bank is more difficult because it has many officers. Searching on Google, we can find very different ratings, from 2.6 to 4.5, depending on the office’s location. The average seems to be about 3.5 stars.

On the positive side, people seem to be very happy about the competence of the staff. They also like the short waiting times and friendliness.

On the negative side, people mention that it is sometimes difficult to get cash because not all counters are available for cash withdrawals. Some people also complain about offices closing and users having to go farther to get service. I could also find some complaints about unfriendly or unhelpful staff.

Overall, it looks like some offices have a much better reputation than others. Since the apps have excellent ratings, this should only concern people planning to go to the offices often.

Is the ZKB safe?

If you are considering depositing a significant amount of money in any bank, you should ensure this bank is safe.

Like most cantonal banks (except for 3), the ZKB has an unlimited state guarantee. This means the canton of Zürich is entirely responsible for all customer deposits. This guarantee covers the following deposits:

• Savings accounts
• Third pillars
• Vested benefits
• short-term deposits
• certificate of deposits

This guarantee already makes the ZKB a very safe bank. It is also regarded as one of the safest banks in the world. Indeed, it is rated AAA (the best rating) by the main rating agencies, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s. This means these three agencies consider the bank very unlikely to fail.

So, overall, the Zürcher Kantonal Bank is very safe.

Alternatives

It is essential to always compare a bank against alternatives before choosing.

ZKB vs Neon

Great App to Pay, Save and Invest

Neon

4.5

All the services you need to pay, save and invest, in a neat package, with extremely good prices!

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Pros:

• Invest with great fees

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We should also compare ZKB with Neon, a good digital Swiss bank.

Neon itself is not a bank but rather a bank account implemented in partnership with the Hypothekar Lenzburg Bank. It does not make any difference in practice, but it is important to know that.

ZKB has an advantage in terms of guarantee since it has an unlimited guarantee from the canton. On the other hand, Neon has a standard guarantee of 100,000 CHF. If you do not plan on holding a lot of cash, this will not matter.

In terms of features, both banks are very comparable. The main difference is that Neon is only available on mobile while ZKB is available on phones, computers, and in their offices.

Both offers are very comparable in terms of fees. They are both exempt from account fees. With Neon, you always pay 2 CHF per withdrawal, while with ZKB, you can withdraw for free at any cantonal bank ATM.

The main difference is when paying abroad or in foreign currencies. ZKB will have a 1.25% surcharge, while Neon only has a surcharge of about 0.75%. Without even considering the hidden conversion rate surcharge of ZKB, Neon is already cheaper. This is an advantage of Neon if you pay abroad or often in foreign currencies.

Overall, both banks are very interesting. If you are looking for a traditional bank, ZKB will be a good banking account. If you are looking for a digital bank account, Neon is excellent. And if you want to use this often abroad or in foreign currencies, Neon will be better than ZKB.

If you would like to know more about Neon, you can read my review of Neon.

Zürcher Kantonal Bank FAQ

Zürcher Kantonal Bank Summary

ZKB Review. We analyze the fees and accounts of Zürcher Kantonalbank, the largest cantonal bank, to see if it is a good choice for private clients.

Editor's Rating:
4.5

Zürcher Kantonal Bank Pros

Let's summarize the main advantages of Zürcher Kantonal Bank:

• No account management fees
• Unlimited state guarantee
• Very good reputation for safety
• Can be used on mobile, computer and in the offices

Zürcher Kantonal Bank Cons

Let's summarize the main disadvantages of Zürcher Kantonal Bank:

• No support for French and Italian
• Not great at foreign currency transactions

Conclusion

The Zürcher Kantonal Bank (ZKB) is a great cantonal bank, for retail users. It offers simple banking packages with excellent pricing. It has many features and an excellent reputation for being very safe.

The ZKB should be a great fit for your main account if you live in Zürich. It has all the features you need at a great price.

It could even be interesting if you do not live in Zürich, since you can open an account online as a non-Zurich-resident. However, if you ever have to do something in-person, you will need to go to Zürich. Therefore, it is less convenient if you live far from Zürich.

If you want to learn about another example, you can read my review of the Freiburger Kantonalbank. If you are seeking other alternatives, read my article about the best Swiss banks.

What about you? What do you think of the ZKB? Would you like me to review another cantonal bank?