Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
Bank of Ireland vs Kiwibank
Bank of Ireland
Higher score in this comparison
Kiwibank
Where Bank of Ireland and Kiwibank differ
| Compare | Bank of IrelandReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | KiwibankReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | €30 | NZ$0 |
| APR | 22.1% | 12.9%Lower |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.25%Lower | 2.5% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 7 monthsHigher | 6 months |
| Rewards type | Not confirmed | None |
| Balance transfer fee | Not confirmed | 1% |
| Perks | Not confirmed | 55 days interest free on purchases |
Same on both: Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- Founded is lower at Bank of Ireland: 1783 vs 2001.
- APR is lower at Kiwibank: 12.9% vs 22.1%.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Bank of Ireland: 2.25% vs 2.5%.
- Balance transfer intro period is higher at Bank of Ireland: 7 months vs 6 months.
- Support channels: only Kiwibank offers Email, Chat.
Our verdict on each
Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland suits residents of the Republic of Ireland who want savings, loans and a rewards card from a single long standing bank, with deposits covered by EU DGS up to EUR 100,000. The catch is holding the Classic credit card, at €30 a year and 22.1% APR.
Kiwibank
Kiwibank suits New Zealand bank customers who want a plain everyday card, with a NZD 0 monthly fee on the Visa debit card and rewards listed as none. Costs stay light at home, but a currency conversion fee of 2.5% makes overseas spending the trade-off to weigh.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5Personal loans carry 0 EUR - no arrangement fee as the arrangement fee, while the card costs €30 a year. | 8.9HigherAPR 12.9% on the credit card and a balance transfer fee of 1% for 6. |
| Offer | 8.7The card lists rewards among its features, plus a 7 balance transfer offer, while SuperSaver pays 3%. | 9.9Higher |
| Trust | 10.0Higher | 9.1 |
Pick Bank of Ireland if, pick Kiwibank if
Pick Bank of Ireland if trust, currency conversion fee, and balance transfer intro period matter most.
Pick Kiwibank if cost and apr matter most.
A third option
DKB has apr at 6.99%, against 22.1% for Bank of Ireland and 12.9% for Kiwibank.
DKB reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Savings | 251 of 1492 | 292 of 1492 |
| Loans | 390 of 2043 | 441 of 2043 |
| Personal loans | 347 of 1317 | 392 of 1317 |
| Mortgages | 168 of 853 | 191 of 853 |
| Credit and debit cards | 288 of 1594 | 325 of 1594 |
| Credit cards | 96 of 421 | 106 of 421 |
| Balance transfer cards | 9 of 32 | 11 of 32 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards | Not confirmed |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Legal entity | The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank Limited |
| Headquarters | Ireland | New Zealand |
| Founded | 1783Lower | 2001 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Phone, Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more |
Loans
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | €2,000 to €75,000 | Not confirmed |
| Term | 12 months | Not confirmed |
| Arrangement fee | 0 EUR - no arrangement fee | Not confirmed |
| Credit check | Hard | Not confirmed |
| Funding time | 24-48 hours after signed credit agreement | Not confirmed |
| Representative example | Personal loan of EUR20,000 over 5 years at 6.9% variable, 7.1% APR, monthly repayment EUR394.71, cost of credit EUR3,682.60 | Not confirmed |
| Rate type | Fixed | Not confirmed |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Direct lender |
| Free early repayment | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Eligibility | 18 years of age or over, resident in the Republic of Ireland, and an existing Bank of Ireland current account customer registered for 365 online to apply online | Not confirmed |
| Origination fee (%) | 0% | Not confirmed |
| Loan types | Personal, Car, StudentCovers more | Personal |
Savings
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 3% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum deposit | €5 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit protection | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 | Not confirmed |
| Access terms | Save monthly by Direct Debit only, minimum €5, maximum €2,500; lump sum lodgements are not allowed; after 12 months the account defaults to the Standard Regular Saving variable rate (currently 2% AER) | Not confirmed |
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | NZ$0 |
| Account kind | Fixed | Not confirmed |
Mortgages
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 3.1% | Not confirmed |
| APRC | 3.8% | Not confirmed |
| Fixed period | 4 years | Not confirmed |
| Maximum loan to value | 90% | Not confirmed |
| Product fee | €150 to €250 | Not confirmed |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage, First time buyer, Buy to let, Equity release | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 22.1%highest quarter | 12.9%above the median | 11.635% |
| Currency conversion fee | 2.25%above the median | 2.5%above the median | 1% |
| Balance transfer intro period | 7 monthslowest quarter | 6 monthslowest quarter | 12 months |
| Balance transfer fee | Not confirmed | 1%below the median | 3% |
Median across 486 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Bank of Ireland
Pros
- Deposits sit under the EU deposit guarantee scheme, EU DGS up to EUR 100,000
- Personal loans fund 24-48 hours after signed credit agreement, with free early repayment
- The SuperSaver account pays 3% at a fixed rate with a minimum deposit of €5
Cons
- The Classic credit card charges €30 a year on 22.1% APR
- Currency conversion on the card costs 2.25%
- The SuperSaver account takes savings by Direct Debit only, and after 12 it reverts to the standard regular saving variable rate
Kiwibank
Pros
- The Visa debit card carries a monthly fee of NZD 0 and ranks 1 of 422 on that measure.
- Support covers phone, email and chat, so you can reach a person in the way you prefer.
- Purchases on the credit card can run interest free, with 55 days interest free on purchases.
Cons
- Spending abroad is costly: the currency conversion fee is 2.5%, which ranks Kiwibank at 196 of 258.
- The credit card has a rewards type of none, so spending earns nothing back.
- The debit card is aimed at business customers, so personal shoppers get less from it.
Who each suits
Bank of Ireland
Who it suits
- Residents of the Republic of Ireland who already hold a Bank of Ireland current account, since online applications need an existing account
- People who save a set amount each month by Direct Debit rather than in one go
- Borrowers who want a direct lender offering personal, car and student loans
Who should look elsewhere
- Card holders who want no annual fee, where bunq charges €0 a year
- People who need a secured card to start a credit file, where Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges $0
- Card holders who want to avoid 2.25% on conversion, where Wise charges £0 a year
Kiwibank
Who it suits
- New Zealand bank customers who want an everyday Visa debit card without a monthly charge.
- People who want a credit card with an interest-free purchase window and an annual fee of NZD 0.
- Borrowers moving an existing balance who can use the 6 introductory window.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, if you convert currency often, because a currency conversion fee of 2.5% pushes Kiwibank down the fee ranking.
- bunq, if your spending sits outside New Zealand, since bunq's monthly fee is €0 while Kiwibank's card serves a single market.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if you want the card secured, since Kiwibank offers a debit card and a credit card instead.
Country by country
| Country | Bank of Ireland | Kiwibank |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | Yes | No |
| New Zealand | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Bank of Ireland
What rate does the SuperSaver account pay?+
SuperSaver pays 3% at a fixed rate, held for 12 from the day you open it. The minimum deposit is €5, and the rate is fixed for the whole term. Once that term ends the balance moves to the standard regular saving variable rate.
How do I pay into the SuperSaver account?+
Savings go in by Direct Debit only, starting from €5. The account is set up for a habit of regular monthly saving, and it defaults to the standard regular saving rate once 12 has passed.
Kiwibank
What does the Kiwibank debit card cost each month?+
The Visa debit card has a monthly fee of NZD 0, which is why Kiwibank ranks 1 of 422 on that measure. The card is a debit card on the visa network, so the monthly charge is the only regular cost listed.
What does it cost to spend in another currency?+
The currency conversion fee is 2.5% on the debit card, and Kiwibank sits at 196 of 258 on that measure. Spending in New Zealand on the card avoids that cost, so the card suits local use. Travellers who convert often should weigh the fee before applying.
Other options to compare
Bank of Ireland
Kiwibank