Joint account for couples and 2-person flatshares

Apr 23, 2025

Do you live together as a couple or in a shared flat of two and need a joint account? Read on to find out what types of joint accounts there are and what you should look out for when choosing yours.

Which account for the shared household?

Example 1: Andrea and Luis – power of attorney

Andrea and Luis share a flat, so Andrea opens an account and gives Luis power of attorney. This allows Luis to access the funds and update payments, but he isn't an official account owner. When Andrea leaves for a business trip, Luis realises that the rent payment needs updating and takes care of it. Later, after a heated argument, Andrea revokes Luis' access, leaving him locked out of the account. Without ownership rights, Luis has no say in the decision and is left out in the cold.

Lesson learned: power of attorney is convenient but temporary, as it can be revoked at any time.

Example 2: Andrea and Max – full joint account

Now living with Max, Andrea suggests a proper joint account to which both have full access. They compare options and find hidden fees and complicated sign-up processes – until they discover neon duo. With the neon’s joint account, they both get full ownership, have clear fees, and a completely digital sign-up process. Unlike the workaround via power of attorney, a proper joint account ensures equal rights to both account holders, meaning neither can lock the other out. No more uncertainty or dependency on one person’s permissions – just a shared, transparent banking experience.

And as a neon metal user, the advantages of Max’s personal account also apply to his joint account card. For example, he can use one of his 5 free neon metal ATM withdrawals per month to withdraw money from his joint account in Switzerland.

Example 3: Silvia and Anna – joint account abroad

Silvia and Anna test their neon duo joint account during their honeymoon. They use it to pay for flights, hotels, and meals. Every purchase is seamless, with both having full access to the account. When Silvia loses her card, neon’s support quickly provides a replacement, ensuring no disruption. Unlike separate accounts or the solution with power of attorney, a joint account simplifies shared expenses and provides equal financial security for both, making travel stress-free. For Silvia and Anna, this means one less thing to worry about – they can just relax and enjoy their honeymoon.

Cherry on the cake: as Silvia and Anna are both neon plus users, they do not pay any exchange rate fees when paying with their neon duo cards abroad – and all the other advantages of their personal neon plus accounts also apply to their use of the joint account.

Comparison of (free) joint accounts

Does free really mean free?

Tip 1: Watch out for hidden costs

Before choosing a joint account, think about how you want to use it and take a close look at the fees. Sometimes there are no monthly fees, but the cards may cost something. It is also possible that the card is only free for the first few months and a fee is charged afterwards. So it’s best to always read the small print.

Tip 2: Fees for withdrawals or transfers abroad

Also pay attention to the fees for withdrawals or transfers abroad, because they can be very high. If you use the joint account when travelling or making purchases on non-Swiss websites, this can become expensive very quickly.

In general, Swiss joint accounts are held in CHF, which means that costs are incurred if you pay in other currencies. If, for example, you make a Euro transfer (SEPA), you pay for the conversion from CHF to EUR. Many banks seem to offer SEPA transfers free of charge, but there may be hidden fees for the currency exchange. You may also pay fees for non-SEPA transfers abroad.

With neon duo, the fees for withdrawals or transfers abroad are based on the conditions of your personal account. As a neon free user, you pay 0.35% in exchange rate fees when using your neon free or your neon duo card abroad and you pay 1.5% in fees when withdrawing money abroad from either your personal or your joint account.

As a neon plus, neon global, or neon metal user, the conditions of your personal account also apply to your neon duo account: You pay no exchange rate fees when using your personal or joint account card abroad, you pay between 0% and 1.0% in fees when withdrawing money abroad, and you get to benefit from a total of 2 to 5 free ATM withdrawals per month in Switzerland with your personal account or your joint account card.

neon duo: What you get for 6 CHF

Full cost transparency for both account holders
1 login for both private and joint account
Everything in one app
Completely digital account opening without branch visits and paperwork
Deposit protection up to 100'000 CHF per joint account
The same conditions as with your personal neon account (neon free, neon plus, neon global, or neon metal).
The neon customer service team is there for you if you have any questions

At neon, we want to continue changing the Swiss market with great products at low prices. To do this, we have to cover our costs on the one hand and generate a positive product margin with new products on the other hand. We achieve this with the very competitive fee of 3 CHF per month and user.

Developing, operating, and monitoring the joint account involves more effort for both our partner bank and us than is the case with the private account. For example, there are additional checks needed when opening a joint account, there are more clarifications regarding payment transactions, and customer service is more complex.