Zak by Bank Cler review

The monthly fee is CHF 0, so the account itself adds nothing to the running cost. The cards listed alongside it, including Wise at £0 and Varo Believe at $0, are priced the same way, which leaves the type of card and the network as the real points of difference.

It is a debit card, so spending draws on the money in the account rather than a credit line. Debit is the most common card type in this comparison, ahead of prepaid and virtual cards, and that shapes what the card can be used for day to day.

The card runs on visa, the most common network in this set of comparisons. A single network means acceptance follows that scheme's footprint rather than a mix of networks, which matters most on trips and less at home.

Travel is the feature listed for the card under travel, so trips are the intended use. Travelling cards dominate the travel group here, which is why that tag matters when weighing Zak against the alternatives, all of which carry their own card type and network.

It fits adults who want a plain debit card for everyday money and a travel focus, with a monthly fee of CHF 0. It suits people comfortable with a single account on the visa network and a short feature list.

Zak's monthly fee is CHF 0, level with £0 at Wise, $0 at Varo Believe and $0 at Chime. On price alone the group is level, so the decision turns on card type and network.

Bank Cler launched Zak in 2018, making it a recent addition to the Swiss market. The offer stays narrow: a debit card, a visa network and travel as the listed feature, which makes it easy to place next to the alternatives.

The cost part of the score sits at 6 alongside an overall score of 6, and a monthly fee of CHF 0 is the reason price is not the weak point. Breadth of features is the narrower side of the offer.