Banca Sella — Conto Sella Start Conto Sella Premium
A plan byBanca Sella — Conto Sella Start · Mastercard
Conto Sella Start is the 100% digital entry account of Banca Sella, a private Biella-based bank controlled by the Sella family since 1886. €2/month fee (charged quarterly), waived for the first 3 months and — for single-holder accounts opened by under-30s — until their 30th birthday. Free unlimited online SEPA and instant transfers, free Mastercard debit card if requested at opening, free withdrawals at Sella group ATMs and 4 free withdrawals per month at other EU banks.
Conto Sella Premium
- Price
- €5
What's included
- €60/year fee (reduced to €1.50/month for the first 3 months)
- More services included than Start (fact sheet C88)
Data & conditions
| Account fee | €2 |
|---|---|
| IBAN | dedicato · IT · IT |
| Deposit guarantee | EU guarantee €100,000 |
| Multi-currency | No (single currency) |
| Outbound transfers to third-party IBANs | Yes |
| Utility direct billing | Yes |
| SEPA direct debit (SDD) | Yes |
| On-chain crypto withdrawal | No |
| SEPA transfer | Free |
| Card included | Mastercard Debit gratuita (primo anno e successivi) se richiesta all'apertura, altrimenti €18/anno dal secondo anno |
| Interest on balance | 0% |
| Network | Mastercard |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| Free ATM limit | Sella group ATM withdrawals €0; other EU banks 4 free/month then €2 (outside EU €4) |
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| KYC | Full |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Regulator | Banca d'Italia |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Private bank of the Sella family since 1886 · headquartered in Biella · parent of the Sella group |
| MiCA / License status | Licenza bancaria (Albo Banche n. 5626) IT banking licence (Bank of Italy) |
Strengths
- Free unlimited SEPA and instant transfers via internet banking
- Low fee (€2/month), waived for the first 3 months or until age 30 for under-30s
- Free Mastercard debit card (first year and beyond) if requested at account opening
- Free Sella group ATM withdrawals and 4 free monthly withdrawals at other EU banks; supervised bank with FITD €100,000 guarantee
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- The €2/month fee is not waived with salary crediting: outside promos every over-30 pays it
- Beyond 4 monthly withdrawals at other EU banks you pay €2 (€4 outside the EU); debit card €18/year from year two if not requested at opening
- Branch operations and non-online transfers are expensive (counter transfer €8.50–9.00); non-interest-bearing, EUR-only account
- Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Subject to regulation (IT banking licence (Bank of Italy)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
- FATF-aligned jurisdiction: strong cooperation with authorities.
- Closed source: no way to verify what it does with wallet and data.
Verdict
Conto Sella Start earns an above-average score: a bank supervised by the Bank of Italy with FITD €100,000 guarantee, free unlimited online transfers, free Mastercard card if requested at opening, group ATMs at €0 and 4 free EU withdrawals per month. The €2/month fee is among the lowest for traditional banks, but it is not waived with salary crediting: free only for the first 3 months or until age 30. Watch out for branch operations, traditionally expensive. Figures from fact sheet C87 updated 19/06/2026.
Supervised bank account: custodial, full KYC, censorable and freezable by court order or AML obligation. The FITD deposit guarantee and Bank of Italy supervision — strengths for protection — are exactly what distance it from the trustless model. No self-custody, no permissionless use: on the sovereignty lens it sits at the opposite pole from a self-custody wallet.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
How much does Conto Sella Start cost?
The fee is €24/year (€2/month, charged quarterly in arrears), plus €34.20/year stamp duty where due. It is waived for the first 3 months after opening and, alternatively, until the 30th birthday for single-holder accounts opened by under-30 customers (fact sheet C87 updated 19/06/2026).
Are transfers and withdrawals free?
Ordinary and instant SEPA transfers via internet banking are €0 and unlimited; at the branch or by phone they cost €8.50–9.00. Withdrawals at Sella group ATMs are free; at other EU banks the first 4 per month are free, then €2 (€4 outside the EU).
Are deposits guaranteed?
Yes, Banca Sella is a member of the Interbank Deposit Protection Fund (FITD): deposits are guaranteed up to €100,000 per depositor.
Sources
- Official service page Canone · Azzeramenti · Carta · Bonifici Data verified on Jul 12, 2026