mBank vs ING Savings Account — Which to Choose in 2026?

mBank vs ING — Battle for the Best Savings Account

mBank and ING are leaders of the Polish digital banking market, offering competitive savings accounts with promotional interest rates. In 2026, both banks compete for clients with aggressive offers — mBank with eSavings Account (5.5%) and ING with Lion Account (5.2%).

Freenance regularly compares both banks' offers and notices that differences in interest rates are only the tip of the iceberg — conditions, limitations, and long-term strategy of each bank are crucial.

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Quick Comparison — Decision Table

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Detailed Offer Analysis (February 2026)

mBank eSavings Account

Promotion parameters:

• Interest rate: 5.5% annually
• Promotion period: 4 months from activation
• Promotional limit: 100,000 PLN
• Conditions: Having eAccount + min. 2,000 PLN monthly inflow
• For whom: New and existing clients (since November 2025)

After promotion:

• Standard interest rate: 2.0% annually
• Capitalization: monthly
• Fees: 0 PLN for maintenance with active eAccount

ING Lion Account — Savings Part

Promotion parameters:

• Interest rate: 5.2% annually
• Promotion period: 12 months from activation
• Promotional limit: 50,000 PLN
• Conditions: Having Lion Account + 1 transaction monthly
• For whom: New clients (since January 2026)

After promotion:

• Standard interest rate: 1.0% annually
• Capitalization: monthly
• Fees: 0 PLN for maintenance when conditions met

Activation Conditions — What You Must Meet?

mBank — Requirements for Promotion

Required products:

• eAccount: Free with 2,000 PLN monthly inflow
• Activity: Minimum 2,000 PLN inflow to main account
• Time: Promotion activation within 30 days of account opening

Additional conditions:

• Funds recognized as "new" (not in mBank for last 6 months)
• No possibility to extend promotion after 4 months
• One-time use of promotion possible

ING — Requirements for Lion Account

Required products:

• Lion Account: Free with 1 transaction monthly (BLIK, card, transfer)
• Activity: Minimum 1 operation per month (very easy to meet)
• Time: Automatic activation when opening account

Additional conditions:

• Promotion available only for new ING clients
• Possibility to withdraw funds at any time
• No definition of "new funds" — can transfer from another bank

Calculations — How Much You'll Earn in Each Bank?

Scenario 1: Maximum Amount in mBank (100,000 PLN)

4 months promotion (5.5%):

• Gross interest: 100,000 × 5.5% × (4/12) = 1,833 PLN
• Belka tax (19%): 348 PLN
• Net interest: 1,485 PLN

8 months after promotion (2.0%):

• Gross interest: 100,000 × 2.0% × (8/12) = 1,333 PLN
• Belka tax (19%): 253 PLN
• Net interest: 1,080 PLN

Total for year: 2,565 PLN net

Scenario 2: Maximum Amount in ING (50,000 PLN)

12 months promotion (5.2%):

• Gross interest: 50,000 × 5.2% = 2,600 PLN
• Belka tax (19%): 494 PLN
• Net interest: 2,106 PLN

Total for year: 2,106 PLN net

Scenario 3: Hybrid Strategy (150,000 PLN)

Optimal distribution:

• 100,000 PLN in mBank (maximum promotion limit)
• 50,000 PLN in ING (maximum promotion limit)

Total net interest for year: 4,671 PLN

Average return: 3.11% net annually

Detailed Cost and Fee Analysis

mBank — Cost Structure

eAccount (required for savings promotion):

• Maintenance: 0 PLN with 2,000 PLN monthly inflow
• Debit card: 0 PLN with active use
• Online transfers: Free (no limit)
• ATM withdrawals: 4 free monthly, then 5 PLN

Savings account:

• Maintenance: 0 PLN with eAccount
• Internal transfers: Free
• Withdrawals: No restrictions and fees

ING — Cost Structure

Lion Account (required for promotion):

• Maintenance: 0 PLN with 1 transaction monthly
• Debit card: Always 0 PLN
• Online transfers: Free (no limit)
• ATM withdrawals: 5 free monthly in Poland, then 6 PLN

Savings part:

• Maintenance: 0 PLN with Lion Account
• Transfers: Free between own accounts
• Withdrawals: No time restrictions

Mobile App and Banking Comparison

mBank mobile — Savings Features

✅ Advantages:

• Clear balance and interest history
• Instant transfers between accounts
• Push notifications about accrued interest
• Integration with budget and financial planning

❌ Disadvantages:

• Sometimes app performance issues
• Complicated interface for beginners
• No dedicated section for savings goals

ING mobile — Savings Features

✅ Advantages:

• One of the best banking apps in Poland
• Intuitive division into accounts and goals
• Excellent notifications and expense control
• "Piggy bank" — automatic small amount saving

❌ Disadvantages:

• Limited long-term analysis capabilities
• No advanced savings calculators
• Some features only available in browser

Security and Guarantees

mBank — Security

Deposit guarantees:

• BFG: Up to 100,000 EUR per person (~430,000 PLN)
• Rating: A- (S&P), stable outlook
• Owner: Commerzbank (Germany) — stable banking group

Technical security:

• Two-step authentication (SMS/app)
• Biometrics in mobile app
• 24/7 transaction monitoring

ING — Security

Deposit guarantees:

• BFG: Up to 100,000 EUR per person
• Rating: A+ (S&P), stable outlook
• Owner: ING Groep (Netherlands) — one of largest European banks

Technical security:

• Mobile token in app
• Push notifications for every transaction
• One-click card blocking

Long-term Analysis — What After Promotion?

mBank — Strategy After 4 Months

Options after promotion ends:

1. Stay at 2.0% — still competitive on market
2. Move to ING — if promotion for new clients available
3. Look for new promotion — Santander, Alior, other banks
4. Switch to government bonds — 5.75-6.25% without bank risk

ING — Strategy After 12 Months

Options after promotion ends:

1. Stay at 1.0% — not attractive long-term
2. Move to competition — look for next promotion
3. Use other ING products — deposits, funds, investments
4. Hybrid strategy — part in ING, part in new promotions

Freenance Recommends: Optimization Strategy

🎯 For Investors with Amounts up to 50,000 PLN

Recommendation: ING Lion Account

• Longer promotion period (12 vs 4 months)
• Simpler activation conditions
• Better mobile app
• Stability throughout the year

🎯 For Investors with 50,000-150,000 PLN

Recommendation: Hybrid Strategy

• 50,000 PLN in ING (maximum promotion for 12 months)
• 100,000 PLN in mBank (higher rate for 4 months)
• After 4 months transfer from mBank to currently best offer

🎯 For Investors Above 150,000 PLN

Recommendation: Diversification

• Use promotional limits in both banks
• Place rest in Santander (6.5%), Nest Bank (5.8%) or government bonds
• Monitor new promotions quarterly

Practical Tips — How to Switch Between Promotions

Action Timeline for Hybrid Strategy

Month 1 (March 2026):

• Opening accounts in both banks
• Transferring funds according to promotional limits
• Setting reminders about mBank promotion end (June)

Month 4 (June 2026):

• Evaluating current market of savings promotions
• Transferring funds from mBank to best available option
• Keeping ING until end of 12-month promotion

Month 12 (March 2027):

• Analyzing new market offers
• Decision about potential transfer from ING
• Planning strategy for next year

Tracking Tools

Financial calendar:

• Reminders about promotion ends
• Monitoring new bank offers
• Tracking condition changes

Comparison spreadsheet:

• Current interest rates of all banks
• Efficiency calculations after tax costs
• History of own decisions and their effects

Alternatives to Consider

Other Competitive Offers (February 2026)

Santander savings account:

• 6.5% for 4 months on 100,000 PLN
• Higher interest than mBank and ING
• Requires personal account and 2,000 PLN inflow

Nest Bank:

• 5.8% for 6 months on 200,000 PLN
• Longer period than mBank, higher limit than ING
• Requires 360° account and 3,000 PLN inflow

Government bonds:

• EDO: 5.75% for 1 year
• TOS: 6.0% for 2 years
• No amount limits, full state guarantee

Summary — Final Recommendations

For most savers, the best strategy will be combining both banks, maximizing promotion benefits while spreading risk.

Freenance recommends:

🥇 First place: Hybrid strategy (ING + mBank)

• Maximizing promotional rates
• Risk spreading across two stable banks
• Total interest ~4,600 PLN net annually at 150,000 PLN

🥈 Second place: ING only (for simplicity)

• One bank, one promotion for whole year
• Excellent mobile app
• No need to switch funds

🥉 Third place: mBank only (for return maximalists)

• Highest promotional interest rate (5.5%)
• Highest limit (100,000 PLN)
• Requires active management after 4 months

Warnings:

• Promotions may change — monitor offers
• Remember Belka tax (19%) on interest
• Don't keep all savings in one bank

Final comparison rating:

• mBank: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) — high promotion, but short
• ING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) — best time/profit compromise

There's no clear winner — success depends on your financial situation and willingness to actively manage savings promotions.