Updated September 28, 2026
What is Annual fee?
In short
The yearly charge for holding a card or account, set by the provider and separate from interest.
An annual fee is the set charge for keeping a card or account open, once every year. It sits alongside interest and other costs, and it is not refunded. Cheaper in absolute terms is not always better: 1822direkt charges €36 a year and ABN AMRO Zakelijk €37.50, while Absa sits higher at ZAR 588. Divide the fee by your typical yearly spend to get the real rate, then compare it with any rewards you would earn.
Sources
- regaltribune.com, checked September 26, 2026
- 1822direkt.de, checked September 26, 2026
- abnamro.nl, checked September 26, 2026