Switching banks: the complete guide to account mobility

Switching banks in France used to mean weeks of paperwork and forgotten direct debits. Since 2017 and the Macron Act, a free service called bank account mobility lets your new bank handle everything: contacting every biller, moving every recurring payment, transferring your salary. On average, 75% of people who switch save between €60 and €200 per year on account fees, before even counting the welcome bonuses offered by online banks.

1. Why switch banks in 2026?

Reasons to leave your legacy bank are rarely single ones — they usually stack up.

• High account fees: account maintenance, card fees, intervention charges, insurance on payment methods. A traditional French bank costs on average €220/year, versus €0 to €60 for an online bank.
• Underwhelming customer service: closed branches, advisors that change every six months, a clunky mobile app.
• An attractive welcome bonus: several banks now offer between €80 and €220 for a first account opening.
• A specific need: joint account, better savings rate, fee-free card abroad, freelance-friendly offer.

Before you move, spend five minutes reading our guide on how to spot and reduce hidden bank fees: you'll know exactly what your current bank is costing you, and therefore exactly what you'll get back.

2. What is the bank mobility mandate?

The bank mobility mandate ("mandat de mobilité bancaire") is a free and mandatory service in every French bank. You sign it when you open your new account, and your new bank then takes care of:

• Contacting every issuer of direct debits (electricity, internet, subscriptions, tax authorities, insurance…) so they debit your new account from now on.
• Contacting the issuers of incoming standing orders: employer, family allowances, pensions, benefits, etc.
• Handing you a full list of recurring transactions detected over the last 13 months, for you to validate.

All you have to provide is a bank statement (RIB) of your old account. The new bank then has a legal maximum of 22 business days to complete the whole thing.

2.1 What the mandate does NOT cover

Mobility has real limits you need to know about upfront:

• Subscriptions paid by debit or credit card (Netflix, Spotify, ChatGPT, iCloud…): you have to update them yourself in each app.
• Unpresented cheques still in circulation.
• Ongoing loans (mortgage, consumer, auto): you have to negotiate their transfer or refinancing separately.
• Regulated savings products (Livret A, LDDS, LEP): only one per person, so the old one must be closed first.

3. The 6 concrete steps to change banks

Here's the sequence, in order, so nothing slips through the cracks:

1. Compare offers (fees, services, welcome bonus, app quality). Plan for 30 minutes.
2. Open the new account online or in-branch, paying the required initial deposit.
3. Sign the mobility mandate and hand over a RIB from your old bank.
4. Validate the list of recurring transactions the new bank sends you, within 5 business days.
5. Leave a buffer balance on the old account for 2 to 3 months, while all direct debits get rerouted.
6. Close the old account by registered letter once every operation has moved over.

4. Take inventory of your direct debits and subscriptions

This is the step most people skip — and the most profitable one. Before you even sign the mandate, spend 15 minutes listing everything that leaves your account each month. It's the perfect moment to declutter: mobility only transfers what already exists, so kill any unwanted direct debit before switching.

ScanCompte saves you serious time here: upload your bank statement as a CSV, and the tool automatically detects every hidden subscription and recurring debit from the last 3 months. You'll know exactly what to transfer, what to cancel before the switch, and what to renegotiate.

5. Pitfalls to avoid

Even with a smooth legal framework, mobility has a few traps if you're not careful:

• Closing the old account too fast: a forgotten direct debit hitting a closed account means a rejection, and an intervention fee (up to €20 in France).
• Forgetting to update card-on-file services: Amazon, PayPal, App Store, Google Play, SaaS platforms… anything paid by card is not covered by the mandate.
• Missing the bonus eligibility window: many welcome bonuses require 3 to 6 months of active use (at least 3 card payments per month, salary directly deposited).
• Ignoring dormant account fees at the old bank: some charge €30/year as soon as the account is no longer fed.

6. How long does it really take?

The law caps the new bank at 22 business days (roughly a calendar month) to complete the mandate. In practice, the full timeline looks like this:

• Day 0: account opened, mandate signed.
• Day 2 to 5: the new bank pulls your 13-month history of recurring transactions.
• Day 10 to 20: notifications sent to billers, who then have 10 days to apply the change.
• Day 30 to 60: all direct debits progressively land on the new account.
• Day 90: you can safely close the old account after a final statement check.

7. Take action

Even before opening your new account, audit your current situation. Scan your bank statement for free and you'll know in 30 seconds what your real bank fees are, the full list of your recurring subscriptions, and which spending categories to watch. You'll then choose your new bank in full knowledge, and only transfer what actually deserves to be transferred.

Conclusion

Switching banks in 2026 has never been easier — as long as you prep the ground. Take inventory of your direct debits, kill what you no longer use, keep a buffer balance on the old account, and let the mobility mandate do the rest. To keep pushing your budget skills further, also read our guide on how to analyze your monthly bank statement effectively: it's the single best habit to build during your first month with your new bank.