An Post current account review
Want to get rewarded for your everyday spending? The An Post Money Current Account does just that and helps you manage your finances even better.
If you are looking for a new current account that helps you manage your money and rewards you for spending, the An Post Money Current Account is worth considering.
Read on to find out how this account works so you can decide if it’s the right choice for your financial needs.
€5
Maintenance fee
€0.60
ATM transaction fee
3%
Foreign transaction fee
Details
| Product Name | An Post Current Account |
|---|---|
| Fee period | Monthly |
| Maintenance fee | €5 |
| Account Type | Standard |
| Online account only | No |
| More Info |
What's in this review?
Who is An Post?
An Post is Ireland’s state-owned postal service company with close to 1,000 post offices around the country. Aside from its universal postal services, An Post provides insurance and money products such as bank accounts, credit cards and foreign currency.
How does the An Post Money Current Account work?
The An Post Money Current Account works like any other current account you can find at traditional banks, but with a few differences. It enables you to take control of your spending and savings thanks to two wallets that you can use to set aside money, and you can earn money back each month for transactions with An Post’s partners.
With the ability to separate money from your main account for better budgeting and earn some extra cash, this account has been praised by consumer advocates and is classed as a gamechanger among current accounts in Ireland.
What features come with the An Post Money Current Account?
The two main features that make the An Post Smart Current Account stand out against competitors are the “get money back” and the “handy savings wallets”.
Get Money Back
Thanks to An Post’s partnerships with various businesses around Ireland, you can earn money back on a range of purchases including clothing, leisure, holidays, groceries and bills.
You can earn between 5-10% cash back on transactions with:
- Lidl
- An Post insurance
- SSE Airtricity
- Intersport Elverys
- Supermac’s
- Sunway
- Kennys.ie
- OutdoorLiving.ie
There is no need to keep track of what you’ve spent and where, as the An Post Money Current Account calculates a running total of your transactions with these businesses. You’ll receive a credit to your account at the end of the month following the month the transactions were made. For example, if you earn €50 back in June, you’ll get this money on the last working day of July.
Some restrictions apply for certain partners, but there is no limit to what you can earn. An Post advertises on its website that customers have been earning up to €200 back each month.
Handy savings wallets
Rather than having a separate savings account, your An Post Money Current Account comes with two mini savings wallets that you can transfer money to and have better control of your finances. You could use one wallet for savings towards a holiday and the other for your rent and utility bill money. Your wallets are managed either through an app or online, and once money is in a wallet, it is not accessible for withdrawals from your main account. You can set up regular transfers from your main account and even have direct debits set up to be paid directly from a wallet.
The An Post Money Account also has the following features:
- Account alerts. Each time there is a transaction on your account you can receive an alert either by SMS, email or online. You can choose what kind of transactions you wanted to be notified about, such as when you get a credit, a direct debit goes out or if a payment has failed.
- Emergency cash. If your card is lost or stolen, you can stop in at any post office during opening hours and get up to €200 emergency cash as long as your account has credit to this amount.
- Different ways to access your money. You can access your account either online, at an ATM or by visiting one of over 900 post offices across Ireland.
- Mastercard debit card. With a Mastercard debit card, you have the freedom to use your account all around the world at ATMs, stores and for online purchases. You can also make contactless payments making shopping that little bit faster.
- Use the app.Manage your finances from the palm of your hand by downloading the free An Post Money Current Account app.
- Google PayYou’ll be able to use Google Pay, Apply Pay and FitBit Pay to make payments from your An Post Money Current Account.
What fees will I be charged with this account?
Understanding an account’s fee structure can often be complicated, but the An Post Money Current Account keeps things simple. While there’s one monthly fee that covers most of your daily transactions, there are fees and charges to be aware of. Take a look at the table below for more details:
| An Post Money Current Account fees and limits | |
|---|---|
| Monthly maintenance fee | €5 |
| ATM withdrawal fee | €0.60 per withdrawal |
| ATM withdrawal limit in Ireland | €600 |
| Post office cash withdrawals fee | First withdrawal each month is free then €0.60 per withdrawal thereafter |
| Post office withdrawal limit in Ireland | €3,000 |
| Contactless payments fee | Free |
| Mini and quarterly statement fee | Free |
| SEPA credit transfer and direct debit | Free |
| ATM withdrawal outside of the eurozone fee | €0.90 plus 3% of transaction value per withdrawal |
| Overseas card purchase fee | 3% of the transaction value per payment |
| Unpaid cheques charge | €5 |
| Deposit of cash or cheques at Post office | €0.50 per deposit |
| Duplicate statement fee | €5 |
What are the pros and cons of the An Post Money Current Account?
For a quick rundown of what the An Post Money Current Account has to offer, check out the pros and cons.
Pros
- Money back when you spend at An Post partners
- Two mini savings wallets
- Simple fee structure
- Emergency cash if your card is stolen or lost
- Account alerts for account transactions
- 24/7 online access to your account
- Joint account available
- No extra fees for using your card in the eurozone
- Open an account via the app
Cons
- High monthly maintenance fee.
- Higher ATM withdrawal charge than other banks
- A limited number of partners to earn money back from
Verdict
What could be simpler than opening a current account from the comfort of your own home. And that’s exactly what you can do with the An Post Money Current Account using its free to download app. An Post’s offering has some serious benefit in the form of money back from its partners as well as its two mini handy savings wallets. There’s a monthly maintenance fee which covers everyday transactions. However, if you like to deal in cash and regularly withdraw money out of the ATM, beware of the higher than normal fee. You would need to keep this in mind if you tend to take money out a lot.
There are also €0.50 charges for depositing cash or cheques into your account at the post office, but this may not be something you need to worry about if you receive your salary or wages electronically.
The An Post app is also useful for managing your money on the go as you can set up alerts for most transactions and keep track of any payments that might have failed. All in all, the An Post Money Current Account is worth considering to see if it meets your financial needs.
How do I apply for the An Post Money Current Account?
Applying for the An Post Money Current Account is a simple process. You can do it by visiting a local post office or via the An Post Money app. Here’s a step-by-step guide below:
Step 1: Download the An Post app from Google Play or the Apple Store.
Step 2: Choose the option “I’d like to apply for an account”. You’ll need the following documents to hand:
- Proof of name – valid passport or EU driving licence
- Proof of address – recent bank statement or utility bill
- Proof of identity – a selfie
Step 3: Enter in your personal details such as name, mobile number and email address. You’ll also have the option of entering in a promo code if you have one.
Step 4: Provide other details such as your date of birth, country of birth, Eircode and your mother’s maiden name.
Step 5: Next, you’ll need to take photographs of your documents as well as a selfie.
Step 6: After this, provide details of your employment status and the amount of money you plan to deposit every year.
Step 7: Read and accept the terms and conditions if you’re happy to proceed to complete your application.
Step 8: You’ll receive an application reference number while your application is processed.
Step 9: You should receive an email within one business day and then follow the instructions to activate your app and account.
Step 10: Once your new account is open, you’ll receive a debit card in the post, which you’ll need to activate before using.