AIB (Allied Irish Banks) review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Our verdict
AIB suits anyone who wants saving, borrowing and a debit card from one Irish bank rather than separate apps. An easy access saver pays 3% from a €10 deposit, and personal loans run at 8.95% over 12 to 60 with free early repayment and a decision within hours.
Key facts
Loans
- APR
- 8.95%↗
- Loan amount
- €1,000 to €75,000↗
- Term
- 12 to 60 months↗
- Credit check
- Hard↗
- Funding time
- Decision within 3 hours; money paid into your Current Account↗
- Representative example
- AIB standard personal loan: €1,500 over 1 year at 8.65% variable interest rate and 8.95% APR, 12 monthly instalments of €130.48, total cost of credit €65.76, total repayable €1,565.76↗
- Rate type
- Variable↗
- Lender type
- Direct lender↗
- Free early repayment
- Yes↗
- Eligibility
- Over 18s only, subject to approval; Irish residents need a PPSN, residents outside Ireland a PPSN or non-Irish TRN↗
- Loan types
- Personal, Car, Student, Credit-line↗
- Use cases
- Home-improvement↗
- Pricing model
- No monthly fee
Savings
Pros and cons
Pros
- A single provider covers an easy access saver, personal loans and a Visa debit card, with loans sized at €1,000 to €75,000.
- Loans come with free early repayment and a decision within hours, on terms of 12 to 60 at 8.95%.
- Savings deposits sit under the EU guarantee scheme, listed as EU DGS up to EUR 100,000.
- Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so help comes by phone, live chat and a help centre.
Cons
- The debit card account carries a monthly fee of €6, where bunq lists €0 and Wise lists £0.
- The personal loan is variable, so the 8.95% is a starting point rather than a price held for the whole term.
- Applications run a hard credit check and are subject to approval.
Who it suits
- Savers who want access on demand: the account is easy access and money can move to a current or demand deposit account at any time.
- Borrowers funding home improvement, with a hard credit check and free early repayment on the personal loan.
- Homebuyers, with an initial rate of 3% fixed for 3 and a maximum loan to value of 90%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone set on a free monthly card fee: bunq lists €0 and Wise lists £0, both under €6 at AIB.
- Borrowers who need the price fixed for the whole term, because the AIB personal loan is variable.
- Applicants rebuilding credit, since AIB runs a hard credit check, while Varo Believe Secured Credit Card is a different route for building credit.
How AIB (Allied Irish Banks) compares
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.6
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.4
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.6
9.1 vs 8.3
9.1 vs 9.5
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.4
9.1 vs 8.0- 9.1 vs 8.0
Frequently asked questions
How much does the AIB debit card cost each month?+
The card is a debit card on the visa network, and the account carries a monthly fee of €6. For comparison, bunq charges €0 a month for its own account and Wise charges £0.
What rate does the AIB personal loan charge?+
The personal loan runs at an APR of 8.95% on a variable basis, with borrowing from €1,000 to €75,000 and terms of 12 to 60. Early repayment is free, so clearing the balance early costs nothing extra.
How long does a loan decision take and where does the money go?+
AIB states that a decision comes within a few hours, and any money is paid into your Current Account. Applicants should expect a hard credit check as part of the process, and the decision remains subject to approval.
Are savings deposits protected?+
Deposits are covered by the EU deposit guarantee scheme. AIB lists its deposit protection as EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, and the easy access account pays 3% while savings can be moved out at any time.
Can I take money out of the savings account whenever I want?+
The account is listed as easy access, and savings can be moved to a current or demand deposit account at any time. The headline rate is 3% and the minimum deposit is €10.
What does AIB offer on mortgages?+
The listed initial rate is 3%, fixed for 3, with an APRC of 3.6% and a maximum loan to value of 90%. The stated purposes cover purchase, remortgage, first time buyer, buy to let and home equity.
What kinds of loan does AIB lend on?+
AIB lists personal, car and student across its loan range, with a credit line as well. The stated use case is home improvement, and AIB is a direct lender rather than a broker, so the decision sits with the bank.
How do I get help from AIB?+
Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so you can reach the bank by phone, in a live chat or through the help centre. The same pages explain the hard credit check that a loan application triggers.
Sources
- aib.ie checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Lender type
“AIB and AIB Group are registered business names of Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. ... Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.”
- aib.ie checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Deposit protection, Legal entity
“AIB and AIB Group are registered business names of Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. Registered Office: 10 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.”
- aib.ie/central-credit-register checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Credit check
“The Central Credit Register (CCR) collects information from lenders on credit applications and credit agreements of €500 or more.”
- aib.ie/contact-details checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“AIB Phone & Internet Banking 0818 724 724 ... Social Media Customer Support For general banking queries: Chat to us via WebChat”
- aib.ie/our-products/loans checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Loan types
“A Personal Overdraft gives you an extra balance on your current account that you can use temporarily.”
- aib.ie/our-products/loans/personal-loan checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Loan amount, APR, Eligibility, Free early repayment, Funding time, Rate type, Representative example, Term, Use cases
“To borrow between €1,000 and €30,000, online applications take a few minutes ... To borrow between €50,000 and €75,000, call us on 0818 724 725”
- aib.ie/our-products/mortgages checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Purpose
“First time buyer / Switching your mortgage / Moving homes / Building a home / Top-up your mortgage / Buy-to-let mortgage”
- aib.ie/our-products/mortgages/Home-Mortgages-Regulatory-I... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Maximum loan to value
“You can borrow up to a maximum of 90% of the purchase price of the property.”
- aib.ie/our-products/mortgages/mortgage-interest-rates checked September 26, 2026
Backs: APRC, Fixed period, Initial rate
“GreenA 3 Year LTV Fixed <=50% - Interest Rate 3.00%, APRC 3.60% (Over 20 Years term)”
- aib.ie/our-products/savings-and-deposits/Deposit-Rates checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Minimum deposit
“Online Saver Online Regular Saver Rate, Minimum EUR 10, A.E.R. 3.00%”
- aib.ie/our-products/savings-and-deposits/online-saver checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Access terms, Account kind, Headline rate, Pricing model
“Move your savings into your current account or demand deposit account anytime you like.”
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_Irish_Banks checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters
“Founded 21 September 1966”
- aib.ie/Fees-and-Charges checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Monthly fee, Card network
“A Debit Card, which is accepted anywhere you see the Visa logo”
Compiled from 13 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Currency conversion fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Related by the facts
AIB (Allied Irish Banks)
Irish savers and borrowers who want saving, loans and a debit card under one roof.