05/06/2026
I moved to Switzerland and just went with UBS. They had good rates for young professionals at the time, and I signed up and then... completely forgot about it. Autopilot mode for years. Until I actually looked at what I was paying for.
*The hidden fees
I had no idea I was being charged for things I wasn't paying attention to. It sounds small but it adds up, and the worst part is I never noticed because I wasn't checking. Lesson one: read your account statements, even when everything feels fine.
*The "credit card" that isn't
I also had what I thought was a credit card — but it was actually a prepaid card. There is a big difference. A prepaid card means you load money onto it before spending. A real credit card gives you a monthly limit and — more importantly — often comes with actual benefits. Things like travel insurance, car rental coverage, and cashback or points. These can be genuinely useful, but the conditions vary a lot between cards, so always read the fine print before picking one.
*Traditional banks vs. online options
The big Swiss banks — UBS, Raiffeisen, Cantonal banks — are reliable and well established, but they come with fees. Monthly account fees, card fees, transaction fees. It varies a lot, so always check the full fee schedule before signing up, not just the headline offer.
*Neon
After I finally started paying attention, I found neon. It's a Swiss online bank — free account, free card, no monthly fee. The app is clean and easy to use. For everyday banking it does everything I need. There are other similar options too (Yuh, Zak) so it's worth comparing, but neon was the one that worked for me.
In part 2 I will talk about Twint, what to actually compare when choosing a bank, and a few things I wish I had known before signing up anywhere. Make sure to follow so you don't miss it
