I wanted to earn more interest on my savings: here’s what I chose

Now my savings can grow 🪴

Life in the Netherlands is great, but it’s also expensive. I’m doing whatever I can to try and save money, and one important way to do that is by making sure my savings continue to grow. 

So no, I’m afraid my new-found hack to saving money isn’t as simple as cancelling my HBO subscription or freezing cash. It’s by finding banks with better interest rates for my savings. 

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That’s where Trade Republic comes in

Trade Republic is an online broker based in Germany, and I first heard about it after we published an article about their interest rates.

I’m not going to lie: talking about interest rates is usually the best way to make me mentally slip out of a conversation, find a nice cosy corner in the back of my brain, and fall into a deep sleep of dissociation — *snaps fingers* — but stay with me. 

photo-of-woman-smiling-at-phone-while-using-Trade-Republic-app-in-Netherlands-to-get-good-interest-rates-for-savings
I signed up for Trade Republic’s interest rates on savings. Here’s what I found. Image: Freepik

The most important thing you need to know about Trade Republic is that they offer a 4% interest rate on savings to residents in the Netherlands. 

This means that if you open a savings account with Trade Republic, you can store your money in an account that accrues 4% interest per year.

Let’s compare that to the average rates at the big banks in the Netherlands. Here’s what your balance could be after 12 months:

Your depositABN AMRO (1.50%)Trade Republic (4.00%)
€5,000€5,062€5,203
€10,000€10,125€10,407
€20,000€20,251€20,814
€50,000€50,628€52,037

I like to think of this extra cash as the cushion that protects me from the €15 increase I’ve seen in my health insurance this year

My experience signing up

I’m quite a noob when it comes to banking jargon, so I was worried that once I tried to create an account, I’d be faced with options that I didn’t understand. However, I found the process was quite intuitive — and entirely in English. 

After downloading the app, I was asked for my details, such as my name, date of birth, and address. I then had to verify my identity by taking a picture of my government ID and sending a very unflattering video of myself for verification. 

While I did have to wait until the next morning to get approved, setting up was relatively simple.

photo-of-man-on-Dutch-canal-looking-at-phone-while-using-Trade-Republic-app-to-help-grow-his-savings-with-best-interest-rates
Trade Republic is a great option for people who want better interest rates on their Dutch savings. Image: Freepik

It’s worth noting that my colleague, Abuzer, also signed up for Trade Republic, and he was approved within five minutes.

The only moment where I struggled a bit was when I had to provide my ‘Belastingnummer’ or, as the app will say if you’re using it in English, “Tax number.” I had no idea which one this was. 

Turns out, they meant my good ol’ BSN number. If this isn’t burned into your brain, you can likely find this in your email from when you registered at your Dutch address. 

Tip: Don’t have a BSN number but still want to open a bank account in the Netherlands? There are a number of banks that will allow you to open a bank account without a BSN

👍 What I like about Trade Republic

By opting for an account with Trade Republic, I now have somewhere to keep my savings without feeling like they’re gathering dust and losing value. 

I am also a risk-averse girlie — especially when it comes to money. So another big selling point for me was that since Trade Republic is based in Germany, it is covered under the European Deposit Guarantee Scheme

This means that should anything happen to Trade Republic (for example, if they were to go bust), any savings I had with them are guaranteed up to €100,000. 

READ MORE | Dutch savings accounts: Best interest rates in the Netherlands January 2024

Additionally, when choosing a bank to open a savings account with, I found that many other banks which offered similar interest rates, required me to keep my savings in that account for a fixed term. 

So, while I could opt for a Swiss bank with the same interest rates, unlike Trade Republic, I wouldn’t be able to withdraw anything from that account for two years. 

You should note that with Trade Republic, there is no minimum fixed term, and I can withdraw my money as and when I need it. 

photo-of-person-paying-for-coffee-in-cafe-while-barista-smiles-after-growing-Dutch-savings-using-Trade-Republic
My money is easily accessible. Image: Freepik

What I also like about Trade Republic is how easy it is to use. 

I open the app, type in my passcode, hit the big button that says cash, and voila, there’s my money. 

If I want to know how much interest I have earned, I just scroll down, tap the interest button, and there it is. (I like to tap this particular button when I’m in need of a dopamine hit).

The interest is also deposited into my account on a monthly basis, so I can reap the benefits as I go. No need to wait for a year!

I’d also like to point out that the app does offer other features, such as the opportunity to invest. So, while it’s simple, this app does have a lot of functions (I just haven’t tried them yet!). 

👎 What could be improved

Of course, nothing is perfect. There were also a few things that I felt could be improved when using Trade Republic. 

One handy feature that I came across when setting up my account was that I could put money into the account by selecting Apple Pay as the payment method — but I can’t use it. 

photo-of-woman-looking-at-phone-while-growing-savings-using-Trade-Republic-four-percent-interest-rate
There were, of course, some cons when it comes to using Trade Republic. Image: Freepik

When I went to select this option to send money from my Dutch card to my Trade Republic account, I was met with a message saying this card wasn’t accepted. 

I’ve never had this issue before with Apple Pay and my Dutch bank card, but given that Dutch cards tend to be a bit awkward in every country other than the Netherlands, I’m not entirely sure this one’s on Trade Republic. 

It’s also worth noting that unless you want to have major anxiety, you shouldn’t try to transfer your beloved savings between bank accounts on a weekend. 

Trade Republic operates during the working week, so your money won’t show up in your account until after the weekend. 

This was just a rookie mistake by me, but it certainly had me stressing when I transferred money on a Saturday, and it didn’t show up until Monday. 


I want to see for myself, how can I sign up? 

That’s my two cents! What you want to do with it is up to you. Interested in signing up? Nice! The process is clear and simple. 

Want to share your experience with Trade Republic with us? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image:Freepik
Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
Before becoming the Senior Editor of DutchReview, Sarah was a fresh-faced international looking to learn more about the Netherlands. Since moving here in 2017, Sarah has added a BA in English and Philosophy (Hons.), an MA in Literature (Hons.), and over three years of writing experience at DutchReview to her skillset. When Sarah isn't acting as a safety threat to herself and others (cycling), you can find her trying to sound witty while writing about some of the stickier topics such as mortgages and Dutch law.

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