HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BANK FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A COMPARATIVE OVERVIEW OF BUSINESS ACCOUNTS FOR COMPANIES IN ROMANIA
Choosing a bank for a commercial enterprise is a long-term relationship that directly affects operational efficiency, monthly expenses, access to financing, and the ability to adapt to market changes.
In Romania, the banking market for legal entities has matured significantly in recent years. Banks have developed structured packages, comprehensive digital platforms, and integrated payment acceptance solutions. However, the differences between these offerings remain substantial, and the real cost of a banking relationship depends on numerous variables: the volume of interbank payments, the need for foreign currency operations, the frequency of cash deposits, the complexity of internal authorization procedures, and the desired degree of digitalization.
This article provides a comparative analysis of five major banks in Romania—Banca Transilvania, BCR, Raiffeisen Bank, UniCredit Bank, and CEC Bank—through the lens of elements that define the relationship between a company and a banking institution. The information presented is derived exclusively from official documents published by each bank: tariffs, account terms, digital platform features, and payment acceptance solutions.
Banca Transilvania structures its offering for legal entities around the "Nelimitat" (Unlimited) concept, but with four different variants reflecting a company’s need to make payments to other banks. This segmentation is useful because it makes transparent the additional cost of interbank operations—an element often hidden in other tariff structures.
The basic "Unlimited within BT network" package costs 29 lei per month and includes only incoming interbank transfers without commission, access to the BT Go platform, and a Visa Business Silver card. This is a viable option for companies that work predominantly with partners who have accounts at the same bank, or that can anticipate a small volume of external payments. The next tier, Nelimitat & 10, at 46 lei per month, adds an important element: ten interbank operations (both in lei and foreign currency) without commission. Here appears the first real differentiation—for a company with 15-20 different suppliers, this limit may become restrictive.
The Nelimitat & 25 package at 76 lei per month increases the number of included operations to 25 and mentions preferential commissions on card acceptance services (POS). This is a relevant element for retail or services frequently accepting payments through terminals. At the top of the range, Nelimitat All Inclusive (129 lei per month) eliminates any restrictions on interbank operations and maintains the same preferential terms for POS. For a company with more than 50 monthly payments to third parties from different banking systems, this option becomes more cost-effective than paying individual commissions for each transaction.
Regarding account opening, Banca Transilvania offers the possibility of online opening, but with strict admission criteria. The company must be structured as an SRL, SRL-D, or PFA, registered in the Trade Register, and the person applying for the opening must simultaneously be the sole founder and legal representative, a Romanian resident with a locally issued identity card. This requirement in practice excludes companies with multiple shareholders or complex shareholding structures, which will need to go through the classic process with a branch visit.
The BT Go digital platform functions as a unified ecosystem for account management, payments, and payment acceptance solutions. From the app, one can manage physical POS terminals, a phone-based POS app, and an e-commerce gateway—a clear advantage for companies with multiple points of sale or combining physical and online channels. The platform’s technical documentation is publicly available, making it easier to assess compatibility with the company’s internal processes.
Regarding card payment acceptance, Banca Transilvania presents a solution comparison page on its website with differentiated transaction commissions (here).
For a correct cost assessment, the official tariffs document for legal entities (available in PDF format on the website) remains the reference tool. Here all commissions appear—from current operations to rarer situations (urgent payments, currency conversions, multiple account management). The real monthly cost consists of a combination of the package subscription fee, possible overages of included operations, cash commissions, and tariffs for specific card acceptance services.
BCR approaches relationships with legal entities through a fully documented tariff system that provides clear cost visibility. The commission tariff for legal entities is published in PDF format and covers virtually every type of operation a company can perform: account maintenance, internal and external payments, cash operations, digital services, loans, guarantees.
Current account maintenance costs 20 lei per month per account—a fixed amount regardless of transaction volume. This model differs from the "all-inclusive" packages of other banks, being closer to a "pay-as-you-use" system with an additional maintenance fee. For cashless operations in lei, the structure is segmented by amount ranges: electronic interbank payments have different commissions depending on whether the amount is less than or greater than 50,000 lei. Instant payments in lei ordered through George (the digital platform) have special tariffs, also differentiated by value ranges.
In the area of foreign currency operations, BCR very clearly details the difference between SEPA payments (to European Union countries in euros) and non-SEPA or SWIFT payments (to other destinations or in other currencies). The latter involve percentage commissions with minimum and maximum thresholds. There is also an OUR option, whereby the company guarantees that the beneficiary will receive the full amount without deduction of intermediate commissions—useful in commercial contracts stipulating net payment. An urgent foreign currency payment carries an additional commission of 35 euros, making it an expensive option for use only in exceptional situations.
Regarding cash, deposits to own accounts are free (except for some specific situations related to metal coins in large volumes), while withdrawals are charged 1% if they are scheduled and within the limit, or 1.5% if they are unscheduled or exceed the established limit. For companies actively working with cash—for example, retail or HoReCa—these commissions must be included in calculating the total cost of banking relationships.
Digital platforms—MultiCash, e-BCR, Business 24 Banking—have a maintenance cost of 20 euros per month, to which is added the token cost (10 euros for replacement). These fixed costs should be weighed against operational benefits: time saved by avoiding trips to the bank, the ability to make payments outside business hours, the ability to delegate operations with authorization levels. For a company with a constant flow of payments, the investment quickly pays for itself.
BCR provides a dedicated phone line for legal entities (0800.801.002) for support related to digital platforms.
Raiffeisen Bank structures the offering for SMEs into a series of packages that correspond to a specific operational profile. This segmentation allows a company to position itself relatively quickly in a category based on the volume of interbank payments and the need for foreign currency operations.
The Smart Start entry package costs 29 lei per month and includes a single current account in lei and one in foreign currency (euro or dollar), a Mastercard Business Standard debit card, access to the Smart Mobile and Smart Business platforms, and five interbank payments in lei without commission. It’s a minimalist configuration, useful for a startup or a company with very predictable and limited payment circuits.
Smart Clasic (49 lei/month) increases the number of included operations to 10 in lei and 5 in foreign currency, while Smart Plus (79 lei/month) offers 20 interbank payments in lei and 10 in foreign currency. At the top of the range, Smart Premium (119 lei/month) includes 50 operations in lei and 20 in foreign currency. This progressive structure makes it easier to estimate costs: if a company consistently exceeds the limit of a lower package, the upgrade becomes justified.
An interesting aspect of Raiffeisen's approach is the emphasis on cash management: all packages include a certain number of lei cash deposits without commission (5 in Smart Start, 10 in Smart Clasic, and so on). For companies working with cash—whether shops, services, or B2C businesses—this is a relevant cost.
Raiffeisen’s digital platforms—Smart Mobile and Smart Business—offer standard functionality (account statements, payment orders, scheduled transfers) plus the ability to configure multi-level authorizations. For companies where approval procedures involve multiple people (for instance, the finance manager initiates the payment and the general manager approves it), this feature automates internal control without manual email exchanges or printed documents.
In the payment acceptance area, Raiffeisen offers three main solutions: SoftPOS (POS app on phone), ePOS (classic physical terminal), and eCommerce. The eCommerce solution accepts payments in lei, euros, and dollars, and settlements, as mentioned, occur within one business day—a competitive timeframe important for merchant cash flow.
The official "Standard Tariffs and Commissions for SMEs and Liberal Professions" document (updated in November 2025) covers companies with turnover under 5 million euros and provides full breakdown by each service category. As always, the real cost should be calculated based on the basic package with the addition of commissions for operations exceeding the included limit, or for specific services (currency exchange, cash, credit products).
UniCredit Bank structures the offering for companies around the BusinessNet digital platform and a set of cash management services. The focus seems to be on companies with complex reporting needs, multinational operations, or needs for group-level cash flow optimization.
BusinessNet is described as a digital solution for companies, integrating standard payment functions, statements, and account management, but extending to more complex areas: consolidated reporting, multiple user management with different roles, automatic notifications, integration with ERP systems. In the cash management area, UniCredit offers services aimed at companies with complex structures: liquidity concentration, centralized surplus management, short-term investment tools for temporary balances.
The official document on commissions and interest rates for legal entities is published in PDF format and covers the full range of services. The structure is similar to other major banks—account maintenance, internal and external operations, cash, currency, digital services—but specific tariff levels and special conditions should be consulted directly in the document.
UniCredit Bank offers not only individual tariffs for separate services but also current account packages for business (MICRO/SME) with a fixed monthly cost and a predefined set of included products and operations. For example, the bank’s website lists MicroStar and Creativ packages, where MicroStar Creativ costs 45 lei/month, and the Creativ package can be free for the first 12 months, after which the standard price of 20 lei/month applies (from the 13th month). MicroStar Creativ includes two current accounts in lei and two foreign currency accounts (EUR and/or USD), a Mastercard Business Gold debit card, access to BusinessNet (Basic/Professional) with Mobile Token and Business Mobile, as well as incoming transactions in lei/foreign currency and payments through BusinessNet, including 10 interbank payments in lei per month; cash withdrawals in lei within 3 operations per month at specified ATM networks are also provided. Additional options are available for the packages, which are connected for a separate fee, such as unlimited interbank electronic payments in lei (55 lei/month) and in foreign currency (65 lei/month), check/bill operations (100 lei/month), unlimited withdrawals at ATMs in Romania on the primary card (120 lei/month), as well as additional current accounts in lei and foreign currency (12 lei/month). Thus, UniCredit's model combines packages with fixed structure and paid extensions, and standard commissions apply to services not included in the package according to the bank's official tariff lists for SME (<1 million EUR turnover) and Corporate (≥1 million EUR turnover).
CEC Bank has published the Tariff of Commissions and Expenses for Legal Entities, effective from January 1, 2026, which provides a very current picture of the cost structure.
Regarding packages for legal entities, CEC mentions zero commission on incoming transfers and a number of included monthly interbank payments, varying by package. The monthly administration fee is listed at 49 lei for one of the packages. The website also mentions a promotional campaign—"a year with ZERO commissions"—which applies under specific offer conditions and can be obtained 100% online. As with all promotional campaigns, it’s necessary to carefully read the admission and benefit retention conditions.
The internet banking platform for legal entities is called CEConline / SmartOffice and includes basic functionalities (viewing statements, payment orders in lei and foreign currency, scheduled payments), as well as more advanced elements relevant for companies with accounting integration or automation needs:
Currency exchange at a firm and agreed rate: the ability to lock in the exchange rate at the time of the transaction or negotiate a specific rate for large volumes.
Upload/import payment files from client applications: a company with accounting or ERP software can automatically generate a file with hundreds of payments (for example, salaries) and upload it directly to the platform without manual entry.
Download statement files to client applications: bank statements can be automatically downloaded and imported directly into the accounting system, eliminating manual entry and reducing the risk of errors.
These functionalities are essential for companies wishing to automate their financial processes. Manual record-keeping or entering payments one by one becomes inefficient beyond a certain transaction volume. Bank-accounting integration saves working hours per month and reduces human errors.
CEC also offers multiple authorization for online payments—useful in companies where internal policy requires that payments above a certain threshold be approved by two or more persons (for example, the financial director and the general manager). This functionality ensures internal control and compliance with corporate governance procedures.
In the payment acceptance area, CEC reports the SmartPhone POS solution, which turns an Android phone into a payment terminal. This is a flexible and low-cost alternative to classic physical terminals, suitable for home delivery, mobile services (taxis, courier services, home repairs), or temporary points of sale (events, fairs).
In conclussion, the real cost of a banking relationship is the sum of all components: the base package, transaction commissions, cash tariffs, digital service costs, card acceptance commissions, and potential financing or guarantee costs.
The Romanian banking market for legal entities today offers a wide range of options, diverse enough to satisfy very different needs. Information transparency has increased—all banks publish detailed tariffs, package terms, and digital platform features. However, direct comparison remains laborious because each bank structures its offering differently.
If you want to analyze in detail which of these offerings best suits your company's specifics, or if you need assistance in opening a corporate account—we are ready to help. Larin Trade Consulting specializes in business support and will help you choose the optimal solution taking into account all the specifics of your activities. Contact us, and we will handle all organizational matters.
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