ActivoBank Reviews 

I wanted to open the free bank account with their app. I went through every step of the process and completed it. Then I got a message that "something unexpected happened" without any details. So I opened the app again and it looked like the app never sent the photo of the passport and other attachments. So I uploaded them again and got confirmation everything was ok. A few minutes later I got a notification that "something unexpected happened". Then I decided to call them using their internet calling functionality built into their app. The customer service person told me there was a problem with my passport, but could not tell me what it was. So he was on the other phone with the right department. Finally I convinced him to talk to them directly. What I found out before I got disconnected due to errors in the app, was that they did nto like the date of issue of my passport. They did not tell me why. There was also no information in the app during the application process that the passport date of issue must be after a specific date. Then I told them I have a fresh UK passport, so they told me to use it and appcrashed again and I got disconnected. I tried to go through the process again with the UK passport, but the app finds unfinished application and only let's me continue with that one. But that one already expects a passport from another country. So I called them again using a phone. Exactly the same phone number I gave them. They told me they tried to call me about the process, but clearly it was a lie. They could not explain how it was possible that they had called my number and no one answered... Anyway, I told them to reset the application, so I could start again. They told me to wait, because the person dealing with it is already on a lunch break and would come back in 2,5 - 3h. Apparently there was no one else to do do it at the bank... So I am wondering whether it actually makes any sense to open an account with them...

I did need to open an account and although i could not open it online due to a technical issue, after a quick call to their customer service, it was possible to have an appointment in person.
I was very well looked after as soon as i arrived. Of course i went with all the pre required paper works.
Beatrice took care of it all in a very efficient and friendly manner.
I left the bank with my new account, cards attached to it done as well.
The app is well functionning and i was able to use my card immediately.
Well done and thank you.

So incredibly difficult to open an account online that I’ve given up. They won’t accept my US passport and then said they regard my UK passport is an invalid form of identification because it was not issued on/after 2019. They recommend using my residence card which I did but then they said no! - because I have dual nationality. They said go to a physical branch but appointments were near impossible for the next 2-3 weeks because of various national events. It’s crazy how they can stay in business.

Very uncomfortable banking. There is a confirmation for a 20 eur transaction with codes and multichannel code but at the same time you can send 1000 eur just with an SMS code. Very complicated interface and it's impossible to contact customer support. If you have a problem and cannot go to the bank, you are doomed. The only good thing is that they almost don't have fees.

I have been trying to transfer money from my account and they need to verify it with me but whenever I call they refuse to put me through to the right department and the woman was very rude. The English button does not work on the telephone banking and I am not fluent in Portuguese. When I told her this she accused me of lying and said it works perfectly. I've sent two complaint emails snd they still haven't bothered to call. I need my money and this is corporate theft!

I need .csv format to download my transactions.

Lack of transparency.

After providing all of my personal data, documents and making a video call (had to try multiple times because activobank did not respect at least two scheduled appointments) , after sending my salary slip, Activobank denied to open an account for me (I'm a French citizen of Russian origin working and residing in France since 2015) : "After reviewing the documents you submitted, we verified that you do not fulfil the necessary conditions to complete the Account Opening."

What seemed to bother them is "Since you live and work in France, why are you opening an account in Portugal?"

At the same time, on reddit there's a lot of reviews where European (also non-Portuguese!) residents were accepted by Activobank.

Obviously, my documents are perfectly fine.

Fortunately, I wasn't just waiting for that slow buggy Activobank.

Another bank (in Spain this time) opened an account for me in just 1 businesses day. With exact same documents.

The only benefit is that you don't pay monthly fees. With Revolut entering the Portuguese markets, ActivoBank lost all its USP.
My experience with ActivoBank for the last 6 or 7 years has been full of pain. Everything is extremely difficult, since opening a joint account to update the phone number or address. Don't even try to use their online call feature - you can't hear, you can't put the phone next to your ear because it disconnects, you have to always be touching the screen otherwise the phone disconnects... Transferring money if it is more than 1k is another big pain. I have to send money spread for a couple of days because transfers above 1k are blocked - you must provide information in ways that are not possible to do during hours that most of the time I'm working, and I can't spend the time to execute.
Bye-bye ActiBank, Hello Revolut.

I've been a customer for over a decade and in terms of commissions, I can't complain. However, banking services aren't just about fees.

That said, yesterday I considered a personal loan to obtain liquidity, since last year I bought a property outright and therefore became short of capital. However, the APR is higher than that of a competing bank, so I tried to negotiate the APR at Activobank to 1% to 1.5%, so as not to take my "business" (interest to be paid) to the competition.

Well, here's where the problems arose:
1) First, I was informed that it wasn't possible to negotiate;
2) Then, when I countered with "everything can be negotiated", I was informed that to negotiate the APR, I would have to make a fixed-term deposit for the same amount as the desired personal loan. If people don't understand the ridiculousness of this information, then there's no point in reading any further.

3) I requested to speak with the supervisor, who proposed the following:
3.1) First, provide a real guarantee, which I refused... I will not provide a guarantee, with all the time and expenses that this would entail, just to negotiate the APR at 1% to 1.5%. I emphasize, Activobank requires a real guarantee to NEGOTIATE the APR, not to actually reduce the APR, but to negotiate the APR!!! In any case, such a requirement is totally absurd, as we are talking about 1% to 1.5% of the APR, we are not even talking about values.
3.2) Then, withdraw my Savings Certificates Cat. E, which I refused... this suggestion is incomprehensible. If I were to withdraw my Savings Certificates Cat. E, I wouldn't request a personal loan.
3.3) Knowing that I have 2 fully paid-off properties, Activobank suggested obtaining a mortgage loan, with all the consequences that come from it, namely time and associated expenses, expenses that I know are higher than the interest on the personal loan I intend to take out.

3.4) Last year, before buying a second property, I intended to make a fixed-term deposit of one hundred thousand euros. At the competitor, I found a gross rate of 4% and tried to negotiate the same rate with Activobank, which was refused by the bank, which is why I transferred that amount to the competitor where I made the fixed-term deposit with that gross rate of 4%.

What is evident here, repeatedly, is a total lack of reasonableness and I would even say a lack of management capacity on the part of Activobank, which makes this bank incompatible with the simplicity and modernity that it claims to have.

And I ask: is it worth keeping my salary account at Activobank, since in things as simple as term deposits and personal loans, the bank complicates things instead of simplifying them, demonstrating a total lack of reasonableness when trying to negotiate, or is it better to switch to a competitor's bank where it's not even necessary to negotiate because it's more competitive?

All started ok. No account fees, online service, call center. so far so good.
Then it happened once I tried to call the call center and it just didn't even make a connection .. later that day there was the iberian blackout. So I thought maybe it was some server problem that one day.
Today I want to call again. Still non of the 24h hotlines works. I get info "this number does not exist"
Also my online banking does not allow my to withdraw the money from my savings account. For that I need the app. The app is locked, for unlocking I need the call center. So basically I can not access my money.
And the interest on the savings account that was due yesterday was not payed out not even one day after the deadline.
Very disappointing. A Bank needs to be trusty and my money needs to be available any given moment, otherwise I can not trust this bank.

Unfortunately, I had to give up opening an account.
The onboarding process is full of bugs. It doesn't work if VPN is turned out (but doesn't tell this--you have to guess and turn it off). It also often goes blank for no reason and has to be restarted.
I upload all the documentation required after many tries but I get stuck in the processes because the system only gives two countries as options for residence (none of which is where I live).
Customer support isn't empowered to solve the problem so they can't help. All they can do is talk to you.
First they tell me the system won't accept a country of residence that's not my country of citizenship (What?????).
Then they tell me, I need to delete the app and reinstall it. I do this four times. I also try to complete the process on my computer with the same result.
They tell me again to reinstall the app. It doesn't work.
Then they tell that I am "being impatient". I can't just delete the app, reinstall it and expect it to work. I need to "wait" for an indeterminate length of time. I wait for ten hours. I go through the same process with the same result.
Their onboarding process has a serious bug but they won't admit it and their customer service representatives don't seem to have the required access to manually sort out it out.

Update: I had another go at customer service to sort this out and they admited that the online onboarding process will only offer the country that issued your passport or ID and Portugal as options of country of citizenship.
They suggested uploading a ID from the country where I reside, which is impossible because:
1. Their system won't let you go back and upload a different document
2. I can't get an ID from the country where I reside because I am NOT a citizen of that country.
They go on to suggest that I give me an alien resident ID card, which is impossible because the country where I live doesn't issue them to Europeans.

I was robbed in Brazil and had my phone stolen. The criminals got into my ActivoBank account and cleaned it out with over 50 irregular transfers in two days! The bank did not manage to detect any fraud, email me or reach out to my husband who’s a co-owner of the account. I only discovered the fraud 2 days after the robbery and upon our return to the U.S. What’s even more egregious is that the bank allowed more illegal transactions to go through even after I called them. We have been waiting now for a week to get more information. The bank does not update us. When we try to call, we never get past the frontline service reps who can’t do anything (and often offer contradictory statements). You would think a proper bank would be sending us daily updates to keep us in the loop. We have no choice but to hire a Portuguese lawyer to pursue the bank. Portuguese Decree Law 91/2018 requires a bank to restore a depositor’s money after it’s been fraudulently removed within 1 business day of learning about the fraud. ActivoBank actively engages in non-compliance with the law.

ActivoBank is definitely the worst banking service I've ever used and I have used a few over the year, including bad ones. Their customer service is often not helpful, and even unfriendly. In one occasion they even lied straight to my face. Two incidents of interest: When I opened my bank account in person at their service center, I was asked if I wanted to stay on the free plan or if I wanted an upgrade to a paid plan. The paid plan offered benefits, like a discount on fuel in a specific brand of gas stations. The person I was talking to assured me that the monthly discounts amounted to the same as the monthly fee, so I agreed. It turns out that the discount is kind of a scam (5 cents per litre over fillings up to 40l, on five different occasions). Are we kids collecting football stickers? ActivoBank seems to think so and their employees are so desperate to sell that they won't even tell you how this works. Absolutely ridiculous.
Another incident: I had to make an urgent payment the same day, usually it is an instant operation. This time it didn't go through immediately, but I didn't expect it to take longer than that day. I had done it at noon approximately, on a Friday. Just shortly before the end of the day I get a phone call from them, asking me to confirm some security details about the operation. I got suspicious and declined. They even agreed that many customers feel uncomfortable with this practice but it was necessary if I wanted it to go through that same day. They offered me to call the bank so be certain that I was actually talking to them and not some fraudster. So I did that immediately but the bank told me they would close in about 5 min and they couldn't put me through to the initial caller anymore because they were out of office already. I had to repeat the procedure on the following Monday before my transaction was finally executed. So I was almost three days late on that payment thanks to this completely unusual and unnecessary security requirement (I have done thousands of transaction with other banks I never had to answer some security questions speaking to some random person calling me).
Bottomline: Look for alternatives, this bank is just hassle

I got scammed paying for the rental of an appartement. 1 transaction was with my parents account in Slovenia, the other 2 with my ActivoBank account. When i noticed, that it was a scam, i went to the police and then with the report to the bank.
My father could manage to ask the Slovenian bank to require the Portuguese bank (scammers account) to return the money free of charge (on the international level, with a PORTUGUESE police report), while ActivoBank wants to charge me 75€ per transfer (2 trasnfers) fort the same service (on the national level). Making money with a victim - such an honorable work you do! Makes me sick to the stomach.

Best of the banks in Portugal.

They also can provide everthing in English (including customer service) which is a massive plus for someone learning the language.

The app is also decent and always improving

If I could give minus points I would. I have had two separate time periods of being blocked out of my account or not having access to my funds and it taking weeks, phone calls, ATM visits, and a three-hour round trip to a bank who could do nothing to unblock my access to my money because another department don't work on Saturday so I have to come back again because your SMS, bank in-person visit and their access to their department on the phone plus an ATM visit all had to happen simultaneously. I am not even exaggerating. It was not believable how stressful or circular and illogical it was and how little anyone cared. Now this time my SMS notifications just suddenly stopped working and so I could not pay for a vehicle because all forms of transfer or payment online or in app or over phone including all instant transfers ALL require SMS verification or push notifications. The 'system' wouldn't let anyone change my account to push notifications so it defaulted to SMS. No one knew why. When my SMS notifications stopped working suddenly I was informed the issue must be my phone (it wasn't). I phoned three different people over 72 hours none of whom would escalate or try anything to fix it. Finally the fourth mysteriously did something they said they wouldn't tell me what it was at the 'backend' of their system (their word, but honestly appropriate) and push notifications suddenly mysteriously worked. The department who were apparently fixing it still have not called me for over 72 hours because it was Saturday I first had issue (apparently the call centre could only send messages to them but not put me through to nor talk to them themselves). It randomly works right now for no clear reason but I am told the system could automatically choose SMS again for any transaction at any time based on mysterious calculations by the system in which case it will be blocked again. How is this even legal? It has taken me weeks of stress on two separate occasions now to regain access to my own money. This is apparently not considered urgent or unusual by bank staff. Do NOT use this bank. Especially if you are an immigrant without full integration into Portuguese systems yet (like Portuguese SIM). You will lose all autonomy over your own money.

I’ve visited Activo Bank multiple times and, overall, most of the service was smooth and efficient. However, my encounters with one staff member named Debora have consistently been disappointing.

Back in April, I had an appointment but was kept waiting for over an hour. After that, I was asked to email my documents, only to be kept waiting another 30 minutes. She then told me I'd be contacted the following week, but I received no response. After following up via email, I was asked to return and resubmit everything again.

A few days ago, I accompanied a friend who had already completed most of the account setup online, except for the video verification. Without even checking the account, Debora stated that my friend had to speak English, which felt dismissive and unfair.

Today, I returned to apply for a credit card. The process was rushed—she took my ID, asked for a signature, and sent me away, simply saying I’d receive an email. No explanation, no clarity.

Sadly, these repeated interactions have made me feel that immigrants are not being treated equally. It’s discouraging to face such treatment, especially when others are receiving much better service.

I tryed to change my verification phone number with them because î'm not in Portugal anymore, i'm abroad. They told me to come especially in an activobank branch in Portugal for doing it, the same process for closing the account. In 2025, these kind of operations can be done online with a serious bank for helping and satisfying the customer. My money was blocked during 6 months, i wrote them a letter without receiving any answer from them..
I clearly would say, if you want to open a bank account in Portugal, This bank is to be avoided without hesitation.
Even reading the other comments, one realizes the widespread dissatisfaction of its users in general. I'm just adding my contribution to drive the point home. Avoid this bank !

Worse bank ever

They made me loose so much time, I couldn't access my bank account for a year or so, I wasn't living in Portugal anymore and didn't get the OTP on the phone. I came back, got a new Portuguese number and they told me that the account was blocked and that they would reopen it. I waited a lot, had to provide my NIF and ID and then I activated a prepaid card at their ATM with the agent who was helpful. Then he told me that I could get a debit card and that I would have to come back the next day to get both cards because they had to wait for the ID control. For me the Filiale was very far, in Almada forum, there are only two in Lisbon as far as I know, and I was loosing my holiday time back and forth there with bad public transportation. The employer told me that he wanted to check if my app was working but that we had to wait until the next day, I asked if I could use my Italian number to receive the OTP and he said yes -the customer care on the phone always gave me different answers, they said yes that they changed the number but was not working, called again and they said it was only possible with a portuguese number. I go back the next day and another employer who didn't know about my case was there, she didn't give me the card I activated, only the debit card and when I told her she left to look for it and came back with a new prepaid card that I would have to activate on the next day..again...I asked about the app and changing the number to the Italian and she said that she sent a code to my Portuguese number, but I didn't had the sim card with me so I couldn't proceed. She told me to call the customer care or come back the next day...I was so pissed. I went home and got no SMS in my Portuguese number. But I got another code on the Italian one, so the issue wasn't my phone. I called the customer care and my user code was not working (probably they changed it with the new account and maybe that was the code I should have received by SMS), the assistant just kept asking me for the code, she knew I reopened the bank account and that I couldn't get a code by SMS, but she just kept telling ne that my code was wrong and that she couldn't proceed. I told her that she was behaving like AI, not helping me, and she said that it was my problem, that I wasn't using the right code....I decieded to close the bank account and I had to pay 7€ to transfer my money to another bank account from another country. The employer made me sign a paper, but she showed me only the second page, but I wanted to see the whole document and I saw that she crossed as a reason for the closure family problems, so I crossed "service" and "dissatisfaction". Very badly organised structure and lazy employees who try to make their work easier, maybe because not paid enough? Zero trust for me if I cannot access my bank account.

This is the worst bank ever. I’ve tried to open an account, but they’ve already rescheduled my appointment five times. When you call the call center, they can’t help you because you’re required to complete the process online