Alpian Bank Review 2026

Updated: March 29, 2026

Alpian is a Swiss digital bank with a FINMA license. Since 2022, Alpian has offered a free multi-currency account (CHF, EUR, USD, GBP) with attractive conditions for foreign currency payments. In December 2025, Alpian announced the acquisition of the discontinued neobank Radicant. In this review, I’ll look at who Alpian is suitable for and where its limitations lie.

Alpian Conditions

The Alpian account is free and offers the following conditions:


Multi-currency account	Free (CHF, EUR, USD, GBP)
Virtual Visa debit card	Free
Physical Visa metal card	CHF 60 (on request), free with the Signature programme
Card payments in CHF/EUR/USD/GBP	Free if balance is available in the currency
Card payment: overdraft from CHF	0.2% on the amount covered from CHF (including weekends)
Card payments in other currencies	Visa reference rate with no Alpian surcharge
Manual currency exchange	0.2% (weekday) or 0.5% (weekend)
Cash withdrawals CHF in Switzerland	CHF 2 per withdrawal
Cash withdrawals EUR/USD/GBP in Switzerland	EUR 5 / USD 5 / GBP 5 per withdrawal
Cash withdrawals abroad	2.5% per withdrawal
Free cash withdrawals	None

Transfers:

CHF domestic transfers: free
EUR SEPA (Eurozone and Switzerland): free
CHF/USD/GBP within the currency zone: free
Transfers outside the currency zone: CHF/EUR/USD/GBP 7 per transfer
Additional currencies (AUD, DKK, NOK, PLN, SEK, CAD, CZK, HUF, RON, SGD): 2 within, 7 outside the zone

Interest on foreign currency balances (private account):

EUR: 0.75% between EUR 10,000 and EUR 500,000 (0% below and above)
USD: 1.00% between USD 10,000 and USD 500,000 (0% below and above)
GBP: 0%

The interest on EUR and USD is attractive, but only for balances of at least 10,000 in the respective currency.

Alpian Advantages

Multi-currency account

Alpian’s biggest plus: you can hold CHF, EUR, USD, and GBP in a single account. If you regularly pay or receive money in these currencies, you avoid exchange fees entirely. Incoming transfers in these four currencies are free.

Attractive conditions for card payments

Card payments with Alpian are generally free of any foreign currency surcharge, regardless of the currency. Payments in CHF, EUR, USD, and GBP are debited directly from the respective balance. Payments in other currencies use the Visa reference rate with no additional Alpian markup. The only time a surcharge applies is if a card payment in EUR, USD, or GBP exceeds your balance in that currency and the shortfall needs to be covered from CHF. In that case, a 0.2% surcharge applies to that overdraft amount, including on weekends. The higher weekend surcharge of 0.5% only applies to manual currency exchanges in the app.

This makes Alpian one of the cheapest options for card payments abroad.

Standard banking features

Since November 2025, Alpian supports eBill and standing orders. This means Alpian can technically be used as a primary account. LSV isn’t supported, but it’s being phased out across Switzerland by September 2028 anyway.

Wealth management and pillar 3a

Alpian offers integrated wealth management from CHF 2,000 (Essentials) with management fees of 0.50% to 0.75% per year depending on volume and plan. On top of that comes an average product TER of around 0.25%, plus any applicable stamp duties and market-related fees. The effective total cost is therefore higher than the stated management fee alone.

Since 2025 there’s also a pillar 3a solution at 0.60% per year. For the first 1,000 customers, the management and foundation fees incurred up to 31 December 2026 will be refunded at the end of 2026. Not refunded are VAT, stamp duties, the product TER (approx. 0.15%), and any subscription/redemption spreads. It’s not entirely free, but the effective costs in the first year are significantly lower than the regular 0.60%.

The integrated wealth management is convenient if you want everything in one app. However, in terms of costs it can’t compete with low-cost ETFs on a broker like IBKR or a specialised pillar 3a solution like VIAC.

Modern app

The app feels modern and clean with clear navigation. Subjectively one of the better-designed banking apps in the Swiss market.

Alpian Disadvantages

No free physical card (for most people)

The virtual card is free, but the physical Visa metal card costs CHF 60. It’s free as part of the Signature programme, which requires either a salary domicile of at least CHF 7,000 per month, recurring investments of at least CHF 1,000 per month, or assets of at least CHF 150,000 held at Alpian. Anyone who doesn’t meet one of these conditions pays CHF 60, which is quite expensive compared to Neon (CHF 20) or Bank WIR (free).

Expensive cash withdrawals

CHF 2 per withdrawal in Switzerland, EUR 5 / USD 5 / GBP 5 for foreign currency withdrawals in Switzerland, and 2.5% abroad, with no free withdrawals at all. That’s worse than Neon Free (CHF 2.50, free withdrawals at supermarket checkouts), Yuh (1 free withdrawal per week), and significantly worse than Bank WIR (24 free withdrawals worldwide per year). If you regularly need cash, Alpian isn’t the right choice.

Limited TWINT usage

Like Neon, Alpian doesn’t have its own TWINT app. You’re reliant on TWINT Prepaid: top-ups are done via QR payment from the Alpian app and are typically credited the next calendar day according to Alpian. Money received goes into your TWINT balance first and has to be manually transferred back.

No web banking

Like Neon, Alpian is a smartphone-only bank. There’s no web interface for desktop use. If you prefer managing your finances on a computer, you’ll need an alternative.

No joint account

Alpian doesn’t offer a joint account. Couples looking for a shared account should consider Neon Duo or Bank WIR instead.

Still a young product

Alpian has only been on the market since 2022. The app is continuously being developed, but features like sub-accounts with their own IBAN are still missing.

Alpian Alternatives

Since the announced acquisition of Radicant’s customer base, Alpian has gained visibility. But how does the multi-currency account stack up against the competition? Here’s an overview:

Alpian vs Bank WIR (Bankpaket top)

Bank WIR offers what I consider the best overall package among Swiss bank accounts: free account management, 0% foreign currency fee at the interbank rate, 24 free cash withdrawals worldwide per year, TWINT support, and a free joint account.

No foreign currency surcharge on card payments at both, but Bank WIR uses the interbank rate. Alpian uses the Visa reference rate, and a 0.2% surcharge only applies if a EUR/USD/GBP payment needs to be covered from CHF
24 free withdrawals worldwide at Bank WIR, none at Alpian
Physical card free at Bank WIR, CHF 60 at Alpian (free from Signature tier)
TWINT app at Bank WIR, Prepaid only at Alpian
Alpian has a multi-currency account (CHF, EUR, USD, GBP), Bank WIR doesn’t
Alpian offers integrated wealth management and pillar 3a

For everyday banking, Bank WIR is the clear winner. Alpian only makes more sense if you regularly hold balances in EUR, USD, or GBP and want to use the integrated wealth management. More on that in our comparison of the best free bank accounts.

Alpian vs Neon

Neon has been on the Swiss market since 2019 and has around 240,000 customers, a significantly larger user base than Alpian.

Card payments abroad: no surcharge at Alpian in principle (0.2% only on CHF overdraft), 0.35% at Neon Free on all foreign currency payments
Cash withdrawals in Switzerland: CHF 2 at Alpian, CHF 2.50 at Neon Free (free withdrawals at supermarket checkouts with Neon)
Cash withdrawals abroad: 2.5% at Alpian, 1.5% at Neon Free
Physical card: CHF 60 at Alpian, CHF 20 at Neon
Multi-currency account at Alpian, CHF only at Neon
Joint account (Neon Duo) at Neon, not at Alpian
Wise integration for cheap international transfers at Neon

Alpian is cheaper for card payments in foreign currencies but loses out on cash withdrawals abroad and card costs. For purely digital payments in EUR/USD/GBP, Alpian is the better choice. If you need a joint account or regularly withdraw cash abroad, Neon is the better option.

Alpian vs Yuh

Yuh has been fully owned by Swissquote since July 2025 and had around 400,000 accounts at the end of 2025.

Multi-currency account at both: Alpian with 4 currencies (CHF, EUR, USD, GBP), Yuh with 13 currencies
Card payments: no surcharge at Alpian (0.2% only on CHF overdraft), 0.95% at Yuh for every currency conversion
Physical card: CHF 60 at Alpian, free at Yuh
1 free withdrawal per calendar week at Yuh, none at Alpian
Fractional trading at Yuh, not at Alpian
Alpian offers wealth management, Yuh offers self-directed trading

Alpian is significantly cheaper for foreign currency payments, especially if you hold a balance in the target currency. Yuh counters with more supported currencies, a free physical card, and fractional trading. If your main goal is cheap payments in EUR/USD/GBP, Alpian is the better fit. If you want to trade yourself or need more exotic currencies, go with Yuh.

Alpian vs Wise

Wise isn’t a direct competitor. It’s more of a complement to a Swiss primary account.

Multi-currency account at both, Wise with over 40 currencies
Wise card: payments at the interbank rate with a small surcharge (approx. 0.3-0.6% depending on the currency)
Wise isn’t a Swiss bank and doesn’t offer Swiss deposit protection
Wise isn’t suitable as a full Swiss primary account

If you regularly make international transfers, Wise is hard to beat. The combination of a Swiss primary account (e.g. Bank WIR) and Wise for international transfers is the optimal setup for many people. Alpian can partially replace Wise if you’re mainly dealing in EUR, USD, and GBP.

Alpian vs Revolut

Revolut is operated by the Lithuanian Revolut Bank UAB and is popular with Swiss travellers.

Revolut has offered a Swiss IBAN since 2025 (via PostFinance), but in the name of Revolut Bank UAB. Transfers require a reference number, which is impractical for salary payments and direct debits
No Swiss deposit protection
Weekend surcharges on exchange rates at Revolut
Only CHF 200 per month free at ATMs with Revolut
Alpian offers Swiss deposit protection and a genuine Swiss IBAN

Alpian is the more sensible choice for Swiss customers: FINMA-regulated, Swiss deposit protection, and no reference number complications. Revolut remains a useful travel app but isn’t suitable as a Swiss primary account.

Alpian Conclusion

Alpian isn’t a traditional everyday bank. It’s more of a combination of multi-currency account and wealth management. Its strength clearly lies in foreign currency conditions: card payments are generally surcharge-free, and the interest on EUR/USD balances is a nice bonus. The integrated wealth management and the 3a launch offer make Alpian additionally interesting for people who want everything in one app.

For pure Swiss everyday banking, though, there are better options. The lack of a free physical card, expensive cash withdrawals, and no web banking make Alpian impractical as a sole primary account. The TWINT situation (Prepaid only) is just as cumbersome as with Neon.

My recommendation: Alpian is worth it as a secondary account for people who regularly pay or receive money in EUR, USD, or GBP. If you’re looking for a primary account with better everyday conditions, Bank WIR or Neon are the better choices.