mBank vs ING vs PKO — Best Traditional Bank in Poland 2026

Choosing a bank is one of those financial decisions you make once and live with for years. In Poland, the three biggest players in traditional banking are mBank, ING Bank Slaski, and PKO Bank Polski. Each has different strengths, different fee structures, and a different approach to customer service.

In this comparison, we break down every key aspect: account fees, mobile app quality, savings rates, loan offerings, and additional services. At the end, we'll tell you straight which bank is best for which type of customer.

Personal Account — Fees and Conditions

mBank (eKonto)

• Account maintenance: PLN 0 (no conditions)
• Debit card: PLN 0 with at least 1 card transaction/month, otherwise PLN 7
• ATM withdrawals: free at all ATMs in Poland (Planet Cash, Euronet, and others)
• Instant transfers (Express Elixir): PLN 0
• SWIFT transfers: from PLN 20
• Online banking: advanced, one of the best in Poland

ING Bank Slaski (Konto Direct / Mobi)

• Account maintenance: PLN 0 (with min. PLN 1,000 monthly inflow, or for customers under 26)
• Debit card: PLN 0 with at least 1 card transaction/month
• ATM withdrawals: free at ING and Planet Cash ATMs; PLN 3.50 at others
• Instant transfers: PLN 0
• SWIFT transfers: from PLN 20
• Google Pay / Apple Pay: yes

PKO Bank Polski (Konto za Zero)

• Account maintenance: PLN 0 (with min. PLN 1,000 monthly inflow)
• Debit card: PLN 0 with min. PLN 300 card turnover/month
• ATM withdrawals: free at PKO network; PLN 3.50 at others
• Instant transfers: PLN 0 (via IKO app)
• SWIFT transfers: from PLN 20
• Largest branch network in Poland (~900 locations)

Fee verdict: mBank wins — truly free account and ATM withdrawals with no conditions whatsoever. ING and PKO require minimum inflows or card spending.

Mobile App

App quality is now one of the most important criteria when choosing a bank. Here's how they compare:

mBank

The mBank app is consistently one of the highest-rated in Poland (4.7/5 on the App Store). It offers full banking capabilities, budget management, quick BLIK payments, spending categories view, and an intuitive interface. The "Savings Goals" feature lets you set aside money for specific targets.

ING

Moje ING app (4.6/5 on the App Store) is clean and fast. It stands out with "Your Finances" — automatic spending categorization and trend charts. Supports BLIK, contactless payments, and phone number transfers. Slightly less customizable than mBank.

PKO BP

IKO (4.5/5 on the App Store) is the pioneer of BLIK — PKO created this payment standard. The app is solid, though the interface can feel less intuitive than competitors. Supports full banking, BLIK, NFC contactless, and government service integration (mObywatel).

App verdict: mBank leads, ING close behind. PKO is solid but the interface needs a refresh.

Savings Accounts and Term Deposits

Interest rates (as of early 2026, NBP rates ~5.75%):

Savings verdict: ING wins — highest promotional savings account limit and competitive deposit rates. mBank is close behind. PKO offers the lowest rates.

Loans and Mortgages

Loan verdict: ING has the lowest mortgage margins. mBank stands out with a fully digital loan process. PKO compensates for slightly higher margins with the largest network of in-branch advisors.

Additional Services and Integrations

• mBank: Best online banking, Paynow integration (business payments), transaction history export in MT940/CSV — making it easy to import into financial tools like Freenance
• ING: "ING for Business" program with free business accounts, ING Business Banking, online accounting integration
• PKO BP: Largest branch and ATM network, mObywatel integration, treasury services (government bonds via iPKO), traditional service for older customers

Which Bank Should You Choose? Summary

Choose mBank if you:

• Value a genuinely free account with no conditions
• Want the best app and online banking experience
• Prefer fully digital contact with your bank
• Export transactions to financial tools (MT940/CSV)

Choose ING if you:

• Want the best savings rates and lowest mortgage margins
• Like a solid app with automatic spending categorization
• Run a business and need a good business account

Choose PKO BP if you:

• Need physical branches and in-person service
• Buy government bonds and want to do it through iPKO
• Value the stability of Poland's largest bank
• Use mObywatel and want government service integration

Regardless of which bank you choose, it's worth monitoring your finances in one place. Freenance lets you connect accounts from mBank, ING, and PKO (via MT940/CSV import) and automatically calculates your Financial Freedom Runway — how many months you could live without working.

FAQ

Is mBank safe?

Yes. mBank is regulated by KNF (Polish Financial Supervision Authority), covered by the Bank Guarantee Fund (deposit guarantee up to EUR 100,000), and regularly undergoes security audits. It's one of Poland's 10 largest banks by assets.

Can I have accounts at two banks simultaneously?

Absolutely — there's no limit on the number of bank accounts you can have in Poland. A popular strategy is keeping your main account at mBank (daily transactions, free ATM withdrawals) and a savings account at ING (better interest rates). Both accounts can cost PLN 0 if you meet the conditions.

Which bank has the best customer service?

mBank and ING lead in online support — chat, 24/7 helpline, fast responses. PKO BP wins in in-person service thanks to ~900 branches. In 2025 customer satisfaction rankings, mBank ranked 1st in digital banking, ING 2nd, and PKO 4th.