Overview of Fortuneo
Fortuneo is an online bank owned by Credit Mutuel Arkea, one of the most financially solid banking groups in France. Since its founding in 2000, Fortuneo has established itself as France's second-largest online bank with approximately 1.5 million customers. It stands out for its premium yet accessible offering and some of the best savings products on the market.
Originally specialising in online brokerage, Fortuneo has gradually expanded its range to become a full-service bank.
Bank Cards
Fortuneo offers 3 Mastercard cards with attractive terms:
| Card | Price | Requirements | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fosfo | Free | None | Mastercard with systematic authorisation |
| Gold | Free | 1,800 euros/month or 10,000 euros in savings | Mastercard Gold, deferred debit available |
| World Elite | Free | 4,000 euros/month or 80,000 euros in savings | Mastercard World Elite, concierge service |
The free Gold Mastercard is one of Fortuneo's major assets: it offers comprehensive travel insurance, high spending limits (3,000 euros withdrawal/week), and deferred debit -- a rare advantage among French online banks. Deferred debit means all card transactions for the month are settled at once at month-end, rather than being debited immediately from your account.
Fees Abroad
- Foreign currency payments: free (all cards)
- ATM withdrawals abroad: free (minimum 1 free withdrawal/month, then 1.50 euros)
- Gold travel insurance: medical repatriation, trip cancellation, lost luggage
Savings Products
Assurance Vie Fortuneo Vie
The Fortuneo Vie contract, underwritten by Suravenir (a subsidiary of Credit Mutuel Arkea), is a market benchmark. Assurance vie is France's most popular tax-advantaged savings wrapper, combining insurance and investment features:
- Fonds euros Suravenir Rendement (guaranteed capital fund): 2.50% in 2025
- Fonds euros Suravenir Opportunites+ (higher-yield guaranteed fund): 3.40% in 2025 (requires at least 50% in unit-linked funds)
- Entry fees: 0%
- Management fees: 0.60% (fonds euros) and 0.75% (unit-linked)
- Over 700 unit-linked funds available
The Opportunites+ fonds euros is one of the top performers on the market, thanks to its diversified real estate and bond portfolio.
Worked Example
Claire invests 80,000 euros in Fortuneo Vie with a 40% Opportunites+ fonds euros / 60% unit-linked allocation:
- Fonds euros return: 80,000 x 40% x 3.40% = 1,088 euros
- Unit-linked return (assuming 7%): 80,000 x 60% x 7% = 3,360 euros
- Gross total return: 4,448 euros, or 5.56%
- Annual management fees: approximately 520 euros
- Net return after fees: approximately 4.9%
PEA at Fortuneo
The PEA (Plan d'Epargne en Actions) is France's tax-advantaged equity savings account. Fortuneo has deep roots in brokerage:
- Zero brokerage fees on orders under 500 euros (1 free order/month)
- Standard fees: 0.35% per order (Optimum plan), minimum 1.95 euros
- No custody fees
- Wide selection of ETFs and shares (Euronext + international markets)
- Advanced trading tools: charts, alerts, order book
For a DCA (dollar-cost averaging) investor placing 1 order of 500 euros per month, the annual cost is 0 euros with the Starter plan (1 free order/month). This makes it the most economical PEA for small regular orders.
Mortgage
Fortuneo offers competitive mortgages:
- Fixed rate: starting at 3.05% over 20 years
- Application fee: 0 euros
- Guarantee: via a surety organisation (less expensive than a mortgage lien)
- Borrower insurance: option to use an external provider from the outset
For a 200,000 euro loan over 25 years at 3.05%, the monthly payment is 950 euros, with a total credit cost of 85,000 euros. With insurance at 0.10% (external provider), the additional monthly cost is 17 euros.
Day-to-Day Services
Payment Methods
- Apple Pay, Google Pay: compatible with all cards
- Instant transfers: free and unlimited
- Chequebook: free, sent by post
- Electronic statements: free (paper: 2 euros/month)
Mobile App
- Rating: 4.5/5 on app stores
- Features: account aggregation, spending categorisation, card management, custom alerts
- Biometrics: Face ID, Touch ID, fingerprint
Customer Service
- Phone: Monday to Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-6pm
- Chat: available within the app
- Average response time: 2-3 minutes by phone
Strengths
- Free Gold Mastercard with deferred debit -- unique among French online banks
- Suravenir assurance vie with the Opportunites+ fonds euros among the best performers
- Highly competitive PEA with free orders for small amounts
- Zero fees abroad on payments
- Financial strength of the Credit Mutuel Arkea group
- Competitive and accessible mortgage
Weaknesses
- Income requirements for the Gold card (1,800 euros/month): excludes students and early-career professionals
- No cash deposits available
- Customer service: narrower hours than Boursorama
- App: functional interface but less modern design than competitors
- Consumer credit: less developed than at Hello Bank or Boursorama
Our Verdict
Fortuneo excels where it matters most for savers: a top-tier assurance vie, an economical PEA, and a free Gold card with deferred debit. It is the ideal online bank for customers seeking a balance between day-to-day banking and savings optimisation. If you meet the income requirements for the Gold card, Fortuneo is a first-rate choice.
Overall rating: 4.4/5