What Does Your BBVA Cuenta Eleccion Really Cost?

If you have a BBVA Cuenta Eleccion in Spain and you do not meet the conditions, you could be paying up to 160 euros per year in maintenance fees alone.

BBVA uses a tiered quarterly fee structure (as of January 2025):
- Meet all conditions: 0 euros/quarter
- Partial compliance: 15 euros/quarter (60 euros/year)
- No conditions met: 40 euros/quarter (160 euros/year)

Up to 160 euros

possible annual maintenance fee

BBVA is one of Spain's largest banks. The "Cuenta Eleccion" is their main current account, which can be fee-free for customers who meet certain requirements.

Many BBVA customers do not realize how much they could be paying if they fall short of the conditions.

The conditions you need to meet

To qualify for the full fee exemption on Cuenta Eleccion, BBVA requires you to meet certain conditions (as of January 2025):

Typical requirements

Income deposit (salary, pension, or unemployment benefit) of a minimum amount
Active direct debits or card usage
Other qualifying activities depending on your customer profile

Check your specific account terms for the exact conditions, as these can vary.

Partial compliance may result in the reduced 15 euro quarterly fee rather than the full 40 euros.

How much this costs over time

1 year

160 euros

5 years

800 euros

10 years

1,600 euros

At the maximum tier, you are looking at 160 euros per year in maintenance fees alone. Over a decade, that is 1,600 euros.

A note on per-transaction fees

About per-entry fees

BBVA's general tariff schedule includes per-transaction fees (comision por apunte) for some account types. However, the Cuenta Eleccion fee documentation shows this fee as 0 euros. If you have an older or different BBVA account type, per-transaction fees may apply. Always verify your specific account terms.

If you have a legacy BBVA account or a different product, check your specific fee schedule, as per-transaction charges can add up for active account users.

The free alternative

BBVA offers an account with no maintenance fee: the Cuenta Online sin Comisiones.

No maintenance fees. No conditions to meet. Designed for digital banking.

Why don't more people switch?

Switching account types may require administrative steps. Contact BBVA directly to understand the process for changing from Cuenta Eleccion to Cuenta Online sin Comisiones, as procedures may vary. For many people who already bank digitally, the switch can be worth the effort.

The simple math

If you are paying 100+ euros per year in fees, exploring your alternatives makes financial sense.

How to find out what you are actually paying

Go through your last few bank statements and look for entries labeled "comision mantenimiento" or "comision trimestral."

Check your quarterly statements in particular, as maintenance fees are typically charged quarterly.

The total may surprise you.

Or connect your account to Banknaked and we will automatically identify every fee, calculate your true cost, and show you exactly how much you could save.

Banks disclose their fees, but not always clearly. We help you understand what you are actually paying.

Fee structures and conditions are subject to change. This information was researched in January 2025. Always verify current terms with your bank.

Sources:
- BBVA Cuenta Eleccion - consulted January 2025
- BBVA Cuenta Online sin Comisiones