A list of the top banks in Slovenia

Moving to Slovenia for work, study or to set up a business? Whatever your reason for spending time in this beautiful European country, you might find it useful to open a local bank account there.

The first step to opening a Slovenian bank account is to research banks. In this guide, we’ll run through a list of the top banks in Slovenia, along with info on the current accounts each offers. This should help you compare options and choose the right bank for your needs.

But first, a quick look at what the banking sector is like in Slovenia.

Banking in Slovenia (an overview)

The Slovenian banking sector is relatively small and highly concentrated, made up of mostly domestic universal banks. However, there are a handful of foreign-controlled banks, which are mainly owned by financial groups in neighbouring countries such as Austria, Italy and Hungary.

Opening a bank account in Slovenia is pretty straightforward. You’ll usually need just the following:¹

• Your passport or other accepted form of photo ID

• Slovenian tax number - this is known as davčna številka and can be obtained through application to the tax office

• Foreign tax number - if you’re not a resident of Slovenia.

You can expect some fees attached to your account, such as account maintenance fees. However, the government has capped these, so banks aren’t allowed to charge more than a few euros a month.¹

You can also expect charges for using out-of-network ATMs, and for sending money overseas.

If you need to manage your money internationally and want to save money, check out Wise instead.

Learn more about Wise 🚀

Top 10 banks in Slovenia

Now, here’s an at-a-glance look at the biggest and most popular banks in Slovenia, so that you can start to compare options.

Read on for more info on each below.

Bank name	Operational HQ
NLB Bank	Ljubljana
BKS Bank	Ljubljana
Nova KBM	Maribor
SKB Banka	Ljubljana
Banka Intesa Sanpaolo	Koper
UniCredit Banka Slovenija	Ljubljana
SID Banka	Ljubljana
Gorenjska Banka	Kranj
Delavska Hranilnica	Ljubljana
Bank Sparkasse	Ljubljana

NLB Bank

Nova Ljubljanska Banka or NLB Bank is a Slovenian-owned bank, part of a financial group with a focus on south-eastern Europe. It’s the biggest bank in the country, and serves both personal and business customers.

Its range of current accounts includes the useful NLB Basic Account, which comes with online and mobile banking and a debit card. It has no monthly fees for under-27s, and can even be used by entrepreneurs for business purposes.²

For businesses, NLB offers packages, accounts, cards, credit, insurance, investments and more.

BKS Bank

Part of the 3-Banken Gruppe based in Austria, BKS Bank started life in 1922 as Kärntner Kredit- und Wechselbank Ehrfeld & Co.

Today, it primarily serves personal customers and small businesses, but also offers private banking and wealth management services.

For everyday banking, a popular choice at BKS Bank is the Starter Pack. It’s a bundle of basic banking services, including a debit card, online/mobile banking, an account and even some investment services if you need them.

BKS Bank’s services for businesses include company accounts, business financing, payments, cards and leasing.

Nova KBM

Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor (Nova KBM) has roots in Slovenia dating back more than 150 years. It’s one of the country’s biggest universal banks, and offers a full suite of financial products to individuals, businesses, sole traders and legal entities.

One of the most popular choices for everyday banking at Nova KBM is the Personal Plus Account. It comes with a debit card, overdraft and online banking.

For businesses, the bank offers dedicated solutions for sole traders, micro-enterprises, SMEs, large companies and public sector organisations. It can also help with project financing.

SKB Banka

Formerly part of the French-owned Societe Generale Group, SKB Banka has been operating in Slovenia since 1965. It is now owned by OTP Bank, based in Hungary.

SKB Banka serves personal, business, corporate and private banking customers.

Among its range of accounts and plans is the MOJ S Package, a bundle which includes a debit card, digital banking and limited free payment transactions. It even has a small overdraft.³

The bank also has accounts, credit cards, payment services, POS terminals, trade finance and investment services available for businesses.

Banka Intesa Sanpaolo

Banka Intesa Sanpaolo Slovenia is part of the Italian-owned financial group of the same name. It started life in 1955 as Istrska komunalna banka and then Banka Koper, before being renamed in 2016 when Banka Intesa Sanpaolo took over the bank.

The bank provides retail and business banking, with products including the Digital package. It’s a fully online account with a debit card, mobile banking, free cash withdrawals and an overdraft (subject to approval).⁴

Services for businesses include accounts, packages, payments services, financing, cards, investment and insurance.

UniCredit Banka Slovenija

Another Italian-owned bank, UniCredit Banka Slovenija is part of the global financial giant UniCredit Group.

It’s a large commercial bank serving nearly all customer groups, from individuals and entrepreneurs to large international corporations.

If you need a solution for day-to-day banking, the Relaxed package is worth a look. It’s an everyday account with a debit card, online and mobile banking, and an overdraft.

UniCredit Banka Slovenija also has tailored solutions aimed at entrepreneurs and small businesses, medium and large companies, and other financial institutions.

SID Banka

SID-Slovenska Izvozna In Razvojna Banka (Slovenian Export-Import Bank) was founded in 1992. It was set up to provide financing and insurance for export businesses based in Slovenia.

It has broadly the same focus today, offering services to SMEs, larger companies, municipalities, public sector organisations and other financial institutions.

This means however that it doesn't have any current accounts available for personal customers.

Gorenjska Banka

Gorenjska Banka was founded in Slovenia in 1996 and is owned by the Serbian agro-industrial commercial bank AIK Banka. It provides a wide range of products and services, including both retail and business banking solutions.

For everyday banking, one option worth checking out is its Personal bank account. This has all the basics, including a debit card and online banking.

Business customers can choose from the following at Gorenjska Banka - accounts, financing, investments, insurance, savings and digital banking services.

Delavska Hranilnica

Delavska Hranilnica is a savings bank based in the capital of Ljubljana. While it specialises in savings and investments, it also has everyday banking products available.

This includes the DH Package Easy, a simple plan which bundles together an account, debit card, credit card and limited numbers of free transactions - all in exchange for a monthly fee.⁵

The bank also has services available for businesses, such as accounts, cards, payments, financing and insurance.

Bank Sparkasse

Part of the Erste Group based in Austria, Bank Sparkasse was founded in 1999. It specialises in retail banking, offering a wide range of products including accounts, cards, credit, savings and insurance.

Bank Sparkasse has both current accounts and account packages available, including the Convenient Account. This comes with a card, online and mobile banking, and everything else you need for everyday money management.

Business customers can choose from accounts, financing, savings, insurance and cross-border business solutions.

Best online bank accounts and money management alternatives in Slovenia

Want a different way to manage your money overseas? A bank isn’t your only option. You could also try using a money app or digital account.

Here are some of the most popular choices in Slovenia:

• Revolut - an all-in-one financial app with a debit card and banking services.

• N26 - a fully digital bank offering an app-managed bank account and debit card.

• Vivid Money - a German mobile banking platform available across the EEA. It offers accounts and cards for personal and business customers.

• Bunq - a mobile-first bank licensed in the Netherlands offering personal and business accounts.

Wise – Money for here, there and everywhere

If you want to send money internationally, or use your debit card when you travel, you’re probably looking for the most cost-effective way.

The good news is that there’s a money-saving alternative available from the money services provider Wise. Open a Wise account online, and you can send money worldwide in 40+ currencies for low fees and great exchange rates. It’s not a bank account but offers many similar features.

You can even get an international debit card for spending in over 150+ countries, including Slovenia. It automatically converts your money to the local currency at the mid-market exchange rate, adding only a low, transparent conversion fee*, whenever you spend.

This makes it ideal for travellers, expats, overseas students and anyone else living an international life.

Sign up with Wise today 💰

---

And that’s our list of the top banks in Slovenia, including some of the country’s biggest and most popular current account providers.

With this info, you should be all set to compare options, choose a bank and get your new account open. Good luck with your move!

---

Sources used for this article:

1. N26 - How to open a bank account in Slovenia

2. NLB - NLB Basic Account

3. SKB Banka - Packages

4. Intesa Sanpaolo Bank - Digital package

5. Delavska Hranilnica - DH Package Easy

Sources last checked on 07-May-2024.