The Slovak banking sector is entering a phase of significant review of service costs. The country's leading financial institutions — Slovenská sporiteľňa, Tatra banka, and UniCredit — have announced changes in their fees, which will take effect at the end of March and April 2026. Banks are encouraging customers to switch to digital banking by making physical cards and branch visits as expensive as possible.
Paid Cards and Entering the Virtual World
The most discussed news is the end of free plastic card issuance.
Slovenská sporiteľňa will introduce a fee of 10 euros for each new plastic card starting in April (even if the old card has expired). The alternative is a virtual card on your smartphone, which remains free.
A similar policy is already in place at 365.bank, where you will have to pay 12 euros for a plastic card.
Tatra banka will also increase the monthly fee for using classic cards by 50 cents starting March 31.
Branch Transactions Will Double in Price
Banks continue their policy of discouraging in-person branch visits. Cash transactions and paperwork are becoming a luxury:
At Tatra banka, cash withdrawals at the counter will jump in price from 6 to 10 euros.
UniCredit Bank will double the cost of services provided in person starting in June: for example, changing a regular payment through a manager will cost 20 euros instead of the current 10. This same service remains free through the mobile app.
New Fees for Debtors
UniCredit is introducing a specific fee for customers whose accounts are blocked due to debts. The bank will charge 10 euros per month for servicing an account that is subject to enforcement proceedings (exekúcia).
The cheapest way to manage your finances remains full digitalization. Using mobile apps for payments and Apple/Google Pay instead of physical cards allows you to avoid most of the new fees.
