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Comment by TFNA | Hacker News Reader

There are countries where, as a result of mergers, banking is now down to 3-4 banks, and they all have the same Android requirements, so switching won't get one anywhere.

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If those countries are in the EU, you have the right to use a bank based in another EU country. The traditional incumbents will likely demand an in-country residential address (in direct contradiction of EU law). Which leaves the internet-only neobanks. I believe the only FOSS-compatible option is Wise, which has a modern web offering and does not even require that you install a native app. I understand N26 does, but it may work with Graphene. By contrast Revolut is a privacy-invading walled garden and should be avoided at all costs.

You’re right what the law says, but then you run into the Italian tax authority that will only accept an Italian IBAN to pay taxes.

Care to expand on Revolut's privacy invasion? Been using it as a secondary/tertiary account for 8+ years, and I haven't seen any specific intrusive practices, worse than in any other bank.

N26 works with Grapheme but won't let you create a new account on Graphene and will make you go through identity verification hell.

Right, but that's something else. Can't you switch between those 3-4 banks though? That's what I though was possible more or less all over the world.

If you are not a citizen, but an immigrant, it could be very true in some parts of the world.

I have a living permit and legal status in the country I live in, but only few banks open accounts to people like me, most just deny anyone but citizens of the country.

The ones that open all work in GrapheneOS though, so not big deal for me in my particular case.

They might even subcontract the same while label app company for their banking app, meaning that you get the same app every time with different logos.

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