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French Bank Charges to Rise About 3% in 2026, Consumer Group Says

The rise outstrips projected inflation, reflecting higher account maintenance and card charges.

Overview

  • CLCV’s review of tariff schedules from 107 banks effective 1 February 2026 shows an average 3% increase in retail banking fees.
  • Account maintenance fees jump about 6.4% to €24.64 per year, and card charges rise roughly 2.1% across card types.
  • The increases exceed government inflation projections of about 1.3% and December’s 0.8% annual rate reported by Insee.
  • Average annual costs by profile are €71.71 for small users (+2.98%), €135.47 for typical couples (+3.77%), and €221.16 for heavy users (+3.04%).
  • Pricing varies by institution, with some Crédit Agricole caisses, LCL and Crédit Coopératif ranking cheaper, while Société Générale’s retail network is among the most expensive; CLCV advises considering online banks and notes rising charges for out‑of‑network ATM withdrawals and incident letters.