Bank account costs: How South Africa compares with Botswana

Bank customers in South Africa and Botswana face different charges for maintaining transactional accounts, with monthly fees and everyday transaction costs varying between banks.

The differences highlight why consumers need to consider more than just the advertised monthly fee when choosing where to bank.

How much do South African Bank customers pay?

According to its official 2026 pricing guide, Capitec charges customers R7.50 per month to maintain its main account. The fees took effect on 1 March 2026.

The bank also charges R2 for payments to other South African banks, R1 for payments to other Capitec customers and R3 for debit orders.

Customers who withdraw cash at another bank’s ATM pay R10 for every R1 000 withdrawn, according to Capitec’s published tariffs.

Meanwhile, First National Bank (FNB) offers an Easy Zero account with no monthly account fee. However, customers may still incur charges when conducting transactions.

FNB publishes separate pricing guides for its various accounts, meaning customers need to check the charges applicable to their chosen product.

What do Botswana bank customers pay?

In Botswana, Botswana Savings Bank (BSB) lists a monthly maintenance fee of P60 for its transactional account.

The account is designed for working people, young customers, pensioners and self-employed individuals. According to the bank’s official website, customers can deposit and withdraw money at BSB branches and ATMs.

Opening the account costs P100, while its listed features include free monthly statements, transaction notifications and transfers between BSB accounts.

BSB also offers an ordinary savings account with a lower monthly maintenance fee of P12. However, this is a different product, with withdrawal conditions that distinguish it from a standard transactional account.

The bank lists a P3.30 fee for withdrawals at its ATMs and charges P25 for subsequent over-the-counter withdrawals after the first free withdrawal.

Why the fees matter

The published tariffs show that banking costs depend on the account customers choose and how frequently they transact.

In South Africa, Capitec’s R7.50 monthly fee provides a clear baseline, while FNB’s Easy Zero account demonstrates that some products have no monthly maintenance charge.

In Botswana, BSB’s P60 transactional account fee is higher than its P12 ordinary savings account fee, but the two products offer different facilities and conditions.

Customers comparing banking costs across the two countries should therefore consider monthly maintenance, ATM withdrawals, electronic payments and other charges together.

The figures are based on the banks’ published tariffs and should be checked against the latest pricing guides before opening an account.