synthie

Hello,
I'd like to set up a current account so I can transfer some money into it so we have something to live from when we arrive in NZ. I looked at a few threads and BNZ and Kiwi bank seem to be a good choice - any reason why I should use one over the other or neither of them? At the BNZ I wouldn't need to pay the $5 base fee as they have a deal with my future employer.

I would like to use a bank that has enough cash machines, where I can use
online banking and get a credit card for not too high a fee. That seems to be the case for both so if you have any experiences with either of them, good or bad, please do let me know.

Thanks!

Stormer999

Always used BNZ...no problems and I do all my banking online...

Charismatic

Kiwibank is a sort of quasi-government bank and returns profits to the government (and soon your state pension as well). I think you can implicitly assume that, if the financial system went tits up, the government would likely step in to keep them trading.

On the other hand BNZ have fancier branches but are a privately owned by an Australian bank group (NAB).

escapedtonz

I set up accounts with ANZ from the UK without any issues and stayed with them for 4 years until we got a mortgage then shifted everything to BNZ as we got a better deal. We also bank with Kiwibank.
No real issues with any of them. All easy to bank with. All internet banking is easy and all have smartphone apps.

MrsFychan

Also set up account with ANZ from UK. you will need to go into a Branch to order your cards and show proof of who you are, visas and where you reside before you can withdraw any money.

synthie

Thanks all, that's helpful!

Sparkleydiva

We set up BNZ before we left the UK. Have been very happy with them. Great online banking too