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SpareBank 1 alliance 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

SpareBank 1 alliance suits Norwegian savers who want an easy-access account, a Visa debit card and insurance from the same alliance. Its cost score of 3.4 out of ten puts it behind cheaper options, so it fits local banking rather than travel spending.

Key facts

Best for
Easy-access saving, a Visa debit card and home, car or travel insurance under one Norwegian alliance.
Currency conversion fee
2%↗
Free ATM withdrawals
NOK 0↗
Card type
Debit↗
Card network
Visa↗
Legal entity
SpareBank 1 Gruppen AS↗
Headquarters
Norway↗
Founded
1996↗
Support channels
Phone, Email, Chat, Help-centre↗
Audience
Kids, Students
Official website
sparebank1.no

Personal insurance

Premium from
NOK 159↗
Insurance types
Auto, Home, Renters, Life, Health, Travel, Pet, Motorcycle, Critical-illness, Income-protection, Gadget↗
Provider type
Broker↗
Monthly payments
Yes↗
Excess from
NOK 2,000 to NOK 15,000↗
Cover limit
Unlimited sum insured on home contents (innboforsikring)↗
Claims channels
Online-form, Phone, App, Bank-branch↗
Age range
Under 34 for the youth home contents and travel package↗
Pricing model
Monthly

Mortgages

Initial rate
5.59%↗
APRC
5.81%↗
Fixed period
3 years↗
Maximum loan to value
85%↗
Product fee
NOK 2,650 to NOK 6,000↗
Purpose
Purchase, Remortgage↗

Savings

Rate type
Variable↗
Access terms
No binding period; money available on demand, rate rises with balance held↗
Account kind
Easy access↗

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App Store
Elsewhere
Wikidata

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Access terms carry no binding period, money is available on demand and the rate rises with the balance held.
  • Customer support covers phone, email and chat.
  • The alliance also brokers auto, home and renters cover, with premiums from NOK 159 and monthly payments available.
  • Home contents cover carries an unlimited sum insured, and claims run through online form, phone and app.

Cons

  • Currency conversion of 2% is dear next to Starling Personal Account Debit Card at 0% and Wise at 0.1%.
  • The free ATM withdrawal allowance is NOK 0, and the card ranks 44 of 124 brands on that measure.
  • Home lending tops out at a maximum loan to value of 85%, which can rule out buyers with smaller deposits.
SpareBank 1 alliance

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Scored 9.0 / 10 by SumCue.

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Who it suits

  • Norwegian households holding spare kroner in an easy-access account.
  • Customers in the kids and student segment who want everyday spending on one Visa debit card.
  • People buying or remortgaging who can fix a mortgage at 5.59% for 3.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Frequent travellers, since 2% on conversion leaves Wise at 0.1% and Starling Personal Account Debit Card at 0% ahead on travel money cost.
  • Cash-heavy customers, since the free ATM allowance is NOK 0 and the card sits 44 of 124 on that measure.

How SpareBank 1 alliance compares

Where SpareBank 1 alliance is available

Available
Norway

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What kind of savings account is this?+

It is an easy access savings account: there is no binding period, money comes out on demand and the rate rises as the balance held grows. The rate type is variable, so the return is set by the bank rather than locked when the account opens.

How do I get help if something goes wrong?+

Savings customers reach the bank through phone, email and chat. Insurance claims have their own routes, online form, phone and app, so a home contents claim can start in the app, online, by phone or at a branch.

What does the card cost to use abroad?+

Currency conversion runs at 2% on the Visa debit card, which is the main cost trap for anyone paying in another currency. That sits far above Wise at 0.1% and Starling Personal Account Debit Card at 0%.

Are cash withdrawals free?+

The free ATM withdrawal allowance is NOK 0, so plan for a cost on each withdrawal rather than assuming it comes at no charge. On that measure the card ranks 44 of 124 brands.

Who is the account aimed at?+

The listed audience is kids and student, so younger customers and students are the named groups. A separate condition, Under 34 for the youth home contents and travel package, applies to the youth home contents and travel package rather than to the account itself.

What insurance can I buy through the alliance?+

The alliance acts as a broker for auto, home and renters, with premiums from NOK 159 and monthly payments available. It is a broker, broker, so an insurer sits behind each policy, and home contents cover carries an unlimited sum insured plus an excess of NOK 2,000 to NOK 15,000.

Does the alliance lend for a home?+

Yes, for purchases and remortgaging. The fixed period runs 3 at an initial rate of 5.59%, the representative rate is 5.81%, and lending stops at a maximum loan to value of 85%.

What card and network do I get?+

The card is a debit card on the visa network, so it works as an everyday bank card rather than a credit product. The alliance runs from Norway as SpareBank 1 Gruppen AS, founded in 1996.

Sources

Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Monthly fee, Protection.

SpareBank 1 alliance

SpareBank 1 alliance

Easy-access saving, a Visa debit card and home, car or travel insurance under one Norwegian alliance.

9.0/10See alternatives