Bunq, What's That? Easy Banking Explained to You

Let's get straight to the point: you're probably wondering, what is bunq? Simply put, it is a new app which will make easy banking possible for all you students and new graduates out there. In order to combat your growing skepticism, we've broken down the reasons why bunq is as great as it is. Here at College Life, we always keep it 100 percent real!

So, what is it?

Before we can get into all the details and crazy features this easy banking app has to offer, we should start by explaining what it is. Bunq was founded in 2015 by its CEO Ali Niknam (That's him up there) and is a true Dutch invention. With its headquarters in Amsterdam and about 100 people working for the firm, it is safe to assume that bunq is already quite a big deal.

Simply put, bunq is a banking app which allows you to have total control over your money through your phone. You will no longer have to go through one million steps and wait for hours in the waiting room of some bank. You can simply transfer, pay, order your card and much more through this one, simple app. For young adults who crave efficiency, this sounds like a dream come true.

Easy banking, but how?

So you may have read "easy banking" about four times by now but what do we mean by that? As mentioned before, everything can be done through the app. And when we mean everything, we actually mean every thing. Not only can you create an account through the app and sign up for all the features, you can even order your cards without having to leave the comfort of your home.

Bunq is ideal because you can set up your account in just 5 minutes. No hassle and no long administrative processes. First, the app will ask you to provide basic information such as an email address and your first and last name. Moving on, it will ask you to agree with the terms and conditions and provide a phone number to which they can text a security code. Even better, bunq doesn't require you to have a BSN when making an account. You can still add that up to 90 days after creating your bunq account, which is incredibly handy when you've just moved to the Netherlands. This means you can already start organizing your money, savings, and payments without having to wait for your BSN from the government. See? Easy banking at its finest.

Moreover, you will be able to set up not just one or two, but 25 accounts (included in premium membership) for any utility. This will allow you to easily have an overview of your expenses over for example, utilities (electricity, water, gas etc.), clothes shopping, groceries, rent and more. No more calculating with pen and paper, bunq has the answer for you!

Sharing is caring

On top of being able to manage your accounts and set everything up through the app, you are now able to open as many joint accounts as you want with as many as 10 people in each. Imagine this: you live in a student house with about nine other fellow students. You would like to easily sort out things such as rent and groceries. You can new set up a specific account on bunq titled "groceries" and add your nine other housemates. Everyone will be able to send money to the account and make transactions. You'll never be late for your rent again.

But is it safe?

A big feature we all consider when thinking about placing our money somewhere is safety. The last thing you would want is to wake up one day and notice that your hard-earned money has disappeared. Bunq thought this all through and came up with some game changers.

First, you no longer have to think about hiding your CVC code if your card ever gets stolen. Your card no longer has one! bunq removed the CVC code from its cards and placed it in your app. This ensures no one else could have access to it but you. You can then decide to have a CVC code that changes every five minutes or remains unchanged.

Another added value of bunq: not a single penny of your money is used for shady investments. Unlike other banks, bunq does not touch your money in order to invest it left and right. Everything in your accounts remains there, safe and sound.

Some last bits and bops

Still wondering how bunq is different from your current bank? Here's a list of some extra features:

• • You can have up to three different physical cards: either Maestro or Mastercard, and up to 25 virtual cards
  • Receive real-time notifications of any transactions that are made with your cards, instantly
  • Instantly switch between the linked accounts that are linked to your card
  • Up to two pins connected to one card, meaning that depending on the pincode you type, money will be debited from a specific account

Would you like to give bunq a try after reading this honest breakdown of the service? Make sure to hit up bunq's website and give it a try, today!

Make sure to stay tuned for more articles on bunq, ranging from honest reviews by users, an interview with bunq and many more!

In the meantime, if you can't get enough of College Life, make sure to check out our magazine and read up on interesting topics such as housing, career and much more.