Traditional Banks
AIB
Allied Irish Bank (AIB) was formed in 1966 following the merger of three long-standing Irish banks. It is one of the largest retail banks in the country, with a valuation of around €19 billion. AIB has over 170 physical branches across Ireland.
Reading time: 15 min
Last updated: March 31, 2026
Table of Contents:
Written by:
Dan Malone
At a Glance:
One of the largest banks in Ireland, with over 3 million customers.
Known for offering no-fee daily banking to its mortgage customers.
AIB Card Reader gives customers an extra authentication tool.
Is AIB Safe for Irish Customers in 2026?
AIB is a fully regulated Irish bank making it perfectly safe for use. The bank is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland. The AIB Group manages over €110 billion worth of deposits for its 3.3M+ customers. Deposits are protected up to €100,000 per depositor under the Irish Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
How Secure Is AIB?
| Security Feature | Available on AIB? |
|---|---|
| Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) | Yes |
| Biometric Login | Yes |
| Freeze Card | Yes |
| SEPA Instant Limits | Yes |
| Selfie Check | Yes |
| Online Purchases Password | Yes |
| Unregister Device | Yes |
| Personal Access Code (PAC) | Yes |
| Quick Balance | Yes |
| Auto Logout | Yes |
| Verification of Payee (VoP) | Yes |
The first device that you use to log into the AIB app becomes your registered device. When logging into mobile banking, you’ll be asked to enter your Personal Access Code (PAC). Your PAC is a five digit code that you set up. If want to login without entering your PAC you’ll need to enable biometric logins (i.e. Face ID). When in the AIB app, go to the ‘Settings’ tab and click ‘Security and Access’. You’ll see a toggle to enable Face ID.
When making online purchases, you will receive a push notification on your registered device to authenticate the transaction. If you’re not using the AIB app, you can authenticate transactions by entering your Online Purchases Password and confirming a one-time passcode that will be sent to your phone. Your password for online purchases can be managed within the ‘Security and Access’ section of the app. If you need to freeze your card, this can be done within the ‘Cards’ section of the app.
Certain online banking services with AIB require an ‘AIB Card Reader’ to complete. Such services include:
- One-off bank transfers
- New international payments
- Setting up a payee
- Setting up or amending a credit card bill
- Setting up a new standing order
- Removing a stop on a cheque
- Setting up a new utility bill
- Changing a PAC
- Changing an address
- Changing a phone number
The AIB Card Reader is a hand held device that’s used along with your AIB debit card and PIN to generate codes that are used to authenticate the above services. There are three important buttons on the device:
Identify: this button is used to activate the card reader profile and register for or access additional functions
Respond: this button is used to apply for products online or change credit card address
Sign: this button is used to set up or make new third party payments and change third party details
For example, when adding a new payee on AIB Internet Banking, after you’ve entered their account details, you’ll be asked to insert your AIB debit card into your AIB Card Reader. Then, you’ll need to click the ‘Sign’ button on the device and enter your PIN. Once that’s done, you’ll need to enter the last 8 digits of the payee’s account number into the device, confirm the amount as ‘€0.00’ and enter the 8-digit code that’s displayed on your Card Reader into the relevant box on AIB Internet Banking. The process will be different depending on the service you’re authenticating, but guidance will be provided by AIB.
To order an AIB Card Reader, log in to AIB Internet Banking, click ‘Services & Settings’ and select ‘Card Reader’. You can order your device here. Your first AIB Card Reader is free, but there is a €5.50 fee for any additional or replacement device that you order. It will arrive in 3-4 business days. When you receive it, you’ll need to go back to the ‘Card Reader’ section on AIB Internet Banking and click ‘Select your Debit Card’ to activate it. As the AIB Card Reader is a shareable device, you only need one per household. The device uses your AIB debit card to generate authentication codes that are unique to you.
For mobile, AIB now has ‘Selfie Check’ which allows you to use biometrics (i.e. Face ID) to authenticate once-off payments up to €10,000 on the AIB app. You can enrol for Selfie Check within the ‘Security and Access’ section of the app.
What Are The Buttons On The Device?
There are three important buttons on the device:
- Identify: this button is used to activate the card reader profile and register for or access additional functions.
- Respond: this button is used to apply for products online or change credit card address.
- Sign: this button is used to set up or make new third party payments and change third party details.
When you add a new payee on AIB, first enter their account details. You’ll need to insert your AIB debit card into your AIB Card Reader. Click the ‘Sign’ button on the device and enter your PIN. Once that’s done, enter the last 8 digits of the payee’s account number into the device, confirm the amount as ‘€0.00’ and enter the 8-digit code that’s displayed on your Card Reader into the relevant box on AIB Internet Banking. The process varies by the service you’re authenticating, but AIB will give guidance.
To order an AIB Card Reader, log in to AIB Internet Banking, click ‘Services & Settings’ and select ‘Card Reader’. You can order your device here. Your first AIB Card Reader is free, but there is a €5.50 fee for any additional or replacement device that you order. It will arrive in 3-4 business days. When you receive it, you’ll need to go back to the ‘Card Reader’ section on AIB Internet Banking and click ‘Select your Debit Card’ to activate it. As the AIB Card Reader is a shareable device, you only need one per household. The device uses your AIB debit card to generate authentication codes that are unique to you.
Key Insight: For mobile, AIB now has ‘Selfie Check’ which allows you to use biometrics (i.e. Face ID) to authenticate once-off payments up to €10,000 on the AIB app. This removes the need for an AIB card reader. You can enrol for Selfie Check within the ‘Security and Access’ section of the app.
Customer Support
AIB Mobile & Internet Banking support is available from Monday to Sunday (excluding public holidays) from 9am-5pm. In addition, the AIB social media team is available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 9am-8pm and from Saturday to Sunday from 9am-5pm.
Lost or stolen cards as well as fraudulent or suspected fraudulent activity can be reported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. AIB also offers an AI digital assistant called ‘Abi’ where you can quickly get answers to your questions. If you wish to speak with a real person via the chatbox, simply type ‘Agent’.
How To Open An AIB Account (Est. Time: 1-2 Weeks)
To open an AIB current account, download the AIB app from the App Store. From here, you can select the option to ‘become an AIB customer’. To do this you will need:
Proof of Identity: A valid passport, passport card, EU/EEA driving license or EU National Identity Card
Proof of Address: A utility bill, bank statement or correspondence from a Government Department issued within the last 6 months. Your proof must have your full name and address on it
Proof of Personal Public Service Number (PPSN): A P60, P45, P21, payslip including employer’s name or tax number, drug payment scheme card, european health insurance card, tax assessment, tax return form, PAYE notice of tax credits, child benefit award letter or pension book. This is required to apply for AIB credit.
AIB will ask you to verify your email address. You’ll then need to complete a live video call with an agent to confirm your identity so you’ll need to have your photo ID readily available. Once you’ve completed the signup process, AIB will send a letter to your registered address that contains a unique identifier code. You’ll need this code to activate your account. This could take 3-4 working days to arrive. The AIB debit card will be issued within 5 working days of entering a valid identifier code. Then, to receive your registration number and Personal Access Code (PAC) for online banking, you’ll need to call AIB directly. For that reason, it can take a week or longer to fully set the account up.
AIB Current Account Fees
Please note: AIB will be moving from its quarterly fee model to a monthly charge of €6 per month from July 2026. This table will be updated when the change is applied.
| Fee | Description |
|---|---|
| Quarterly Fee | €4.50 (€1.50 monthly) |
| ATM Withdrawal Fee | €0.35 per withdrawal |
| Cash & Cheque Lodgement Fee | €0.35 per lodgement |
| Non-Cash Lodgement Fee | €0.20 additional fee per lodgement |
| Debit Card Transaction Fee | €0.20 per transaction |
| Direct Debit Fee | €0.20 per transaction |
| Standing Order Fee | €0.20 per transaction |
| Automated Direct & Credit Transaction Fee | €0.20 per transaction |
| Contactless Transaction Fee | None |
| SEPA Bank Transfer Fee | None |
| Non-Euro Bank Transfer Fee | €15 plus foreign exchange margin |
| Staff Assisted Transaction Fee | €0.39 per transaction |
| Foreign Exchange Fees | 1.75% of euro value (€0.45 minimum, €11.00 maximum). No minimum for contactless transactions. |
| Non-Euro ATM Withdrawal Fee | 2.50% of euro value |
| Non-Euro ATM Withdrawal Commission | 1.00% of euro value (€2.00 minimum, €6.00 maximum). |
| Buying/Selling Foreign Bank Notes Fee | 1.00% of value (€1.27 minimum, maximum €6.25) |
| Unpaid Direct Debit, Standing Order & Cheque Fee | €10 per failed transaction |
AIB Current Account Features
| Feature | Available on AIB? |
|---|---|
| SEPA Instant Transfers | Yes |
| Direct Debits | Yes |
| Standing Orders | Yes |
| Apple Pay/Google Pay | Yes |
| Mobile Top Ups | Yes |
| No Fees Mortgage Benefit | Yes |
AIB now facilitates SEPA Instant Credit Transfer which allows you to send money to another bank account in ten seconds. SEPA Instant works 24/7 365 days a year and comes at no additional cost to you. To transfer using SEPA Instant, after your payee has been selected, enter the transfer amount and ensure that ‘Payment Type’ is set to ‘Instant’.
There is no reason to use ‘Standard’, which is a regular SEPA Credit Transfer, unless SEPA Instant isn’t accepted by the receiving bank account. This may be the case where you’re transferring money to a non-payment account such as a mortgage, loan or savings account.
AIB allows you to top up your mobile phone directly from the app. To do this, go to the ‘Pay & Transfer’ tab and click ‘Mobile Top Up’. You can select a top up amount from €10 to €40 and can choose from the following providers: Vodafone, Meteor, Three, Eir Mobile and Tesco Mobile.
If you have a Private Dwelling House (PDH) mortgage with AIB and you pay for that mortgage by direct debit from your AIB personal current account, AIB will waive the maintenance and transaction fees on the account. This includes the quarterly fee of €4.50 and the account transaction fees i.e. ATM withdrawals, debit card purchases etc. It doesn’t include fees for foreign currency transactions or international transfers.
If you finish paying off your mortgage or close your mortgage loan account, the waiver will be lost. The waiver does not apply to Buy to Let mortgages as PDH means a home located in the Republic of Ireland that the AIB customer lives in. If you don’t have an AIB current account at the time that you get an AIB mortgage, you can still get the waiver if you later set up an AIB account, provided you pay for the mortgage by direct debit from the AIB account.
You can add payees to AIB Quick Pay for an easier transfer process. On the ‘Accounts’ tab, click the ‘+’ icon within the ‘Quick Pay’ section. A list of your payees will appear. You can select up to 10 payees to be displayed in Quick Pay on the Accounts tab.
You can use the AIB app to navigate to a number of different AIB product applications including personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, insurance, pensions, investments, savings accounts and more. In the AIB app, simply click the ‘Products’ tab to access these.
Once you’re an AIB customer, you can open an Online Saver Account within the AIB app. Simply click the ‘Products’ tab, ‘Savings’ and then ‘Online Saver’. The variable AER on this account is 3.00%, but you can only deposit a maximum of €1,000 per month. However, you can have up to four Online Saver Accounts, meaning you can technically deposit up to €4,000 per month.
The 3.00% AER will only apply to the cumulative maximum balance permitted each month:
| Month | Maximum Balance Eligible for 3.00% Interest | Maximum Balance Eligible for 3.00% Interest (4 Accounts) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | €1,000 | €4,000 |
| 2 | €2,000 | €8,000 |
| 3 | €3,000 | €12,000 |
| 4 | €4,000 | €16,000 |
| 5 | €5,000 | €20,000 |
| 6 | €6,000 | €24,000 |
| 7 | €7,000 | €28,000 |
| 8 | €8,000 | €32,000 |
| 9 | €9,000 | €36,000 |
| 10 | €10,000 | €40,000 |
| 11 | €11,000 | €44,000 |
| 12 | €12,000 | €48,000 |
After Month 12, the maximum balance eligible for the 3.00% AER resets to the Month 1 maximum of €1,000. Any excess deposits over the maximum eligible for 3.00% AER will earn a lower variable AER of 0.25%.
Check out our Savings Comparison Tool to find and compare the best instant access and fixed term savings accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
On the ‘Accounts’ tab, click ‘Payment Logs’. This will show you recent outgoings, such as direct debits and standing orders, as well inbound receipts from bank transfers.
Yes, you can transfer up to €1,050,000 per day between your AIB accounts. To do this, when on the ‘Accounts’ tab, click ‘Between Accounts’ underneath the ‘Quick Pay’ section.
You can transfer up to €10,000 to other bank accounts each day through AIB Phone & Internet (P&I) Banking. This includes transfers to both SEPA and non-SEPA bank accounts. If you’re not registered for P&I, the maximum you can transfer is €5,000.
If you’re enrolled for AIB Selfie Check, you can transfer up to €10,000 in a single day to a new payee on the AIB mobile app. If you’re not, then the maximum is €1,000.
Pay a Bill is a feature that allows you to set up a payment to one or more service providers. You must include information such as your bill reference number, payment amount and date of payment. An AIB Card Reader is required for ‘Pay a Bill’.
To set up a direct debit with AIB, give the merchant (i.e. utility provider) your bank details (i.e. IBAN, BIC etc.) and they will send the request to AIB for you. The direct debit will then appear in your AIB app within the ‘Pay & Transfer’ menu under ‘Direct Debits’.
To cancel a direct debit with AIB, go to the ‘Pay & Transfer’ menu in the AIB mobile app and select ‘Direct Debits’. Within the ‘Active’ tab, find the direct debit that you wish to cancel, select it and click ‘Cancel Direct Debit’.
To set up a standing order with AIB, log into AIB Internet Banking, select ‘Pay & Transfer’ and then ‘Standing Orders’. You’ll need your AIB Card Reader to set up a new standing order or amend an existing standing order amount.
To view your active and inactive standing orders on the AIB app go to the ‘Pay & Transfer’ tab click ‘Standing Orders’.
To cancel a standing order with AIB, go to the ‘Pay & Transfer’ section on AIB Internet Banking and select ‘Standing Orders’. Select the standing order that you wish to cancel. Cancellations can take up to a maximum of 3 business days to process.
Yes, you can open a joint account with AIB. To do this, you must complete AIB’s electronic application form and visit a branch to confirm both of your identities. If you require a joint account with more than two customers, you must visit a branch.
Yes, AIB offers two types of student accounts. The AIB Student Account is for those aged 12-18 in second level education. The AIB Student Plus Account is for those enrolled in third level education.
An AIB Student Plus Account has no standard maintenance or transaction fees. Other benefits include interest free overdrafts, reduced interest rates on credit cards and commission-free transacting in foreign currency notes.
An AIB Graduate Account is available to anyone who has graduated from full time third level education in the past two years. If you’re a new AIB customer, the course must have been at least three years in duration. This account comes with no standard maintenance or transaction fees and is valid for two years from the date of opening.
AIB allows you to withdraw up to €1,000 from ATMs each day. A further daily withdrawal of €1,500 is permitted from AIB’s Cash & Cheque Lodgement (CCL) Machines in-branch, bringing the total allowable withdrawal to €2,500.
No. AIB previously had a policy whereby customers who maintained a balance of €2,500 in their current account wouldn’t be charged for maintenance and transaction fees. This was removed in November 2020.
No, you can’t bypass AIB’s daily SEPA limit of €10,000 by setting a daily SEPA Instant Limit greater than €10,000. SEPA limits can be set in the ‘Settings’ tab by clicking ‘Account Management’ and then ‘Set a SEPA Instant Payment Limit’. You can set both a daily and per transaction limit.
Yes, go to ‘Pay & Transfer’, ‘Pay Another Account’ and select ‘Contacts’. You must allow AIB access to your contacts. The recipient must be an AIB customer. You can also set up ‘Pay a Contact’ and link your AIB current account so that you can receive money from other AIB customers who have your contact information.
