Israeli Banks Charge Up To 164 Shekels Monthly for Account Fees

Israeli banks are charging customers significantly higher fees for checking accounts, particularly those outside of designated service plans. Customers not enrolled in a specific plan can pay up to 164 shekels per month, compared to a maximum of 25 shekels for those within extended plans. The basic plan, capped by law at 10 shekels per month, covers up to 10 direct transactions and one teller transaction. The extended plan, priced between 20-30 shekels, covers up to 50 direct and 10 teller transactions.

Despite these options, only 16% of checking accounts are registered in a plan, according to the Supervisor of Banks. While 62% of customers pay less than 10 shekels monthly anyway, a substantial 22% pay more than that and remain outside of plans, missing out on potential savings. The average household spent 31.5 shekels monthly on account management and debit cards in the first half of 2025, an increase from the previous year.

For customers outside of plans, a basic package of 10 direct and one teller transaction costs between 16 and 26.4 shekels, nearly double the basic plan price. An extended package of 50 direct and 10 teller transactions can cost between 100 and 164 shekels, with an average of 117.5 shekels across the system. Banks collected 3.1 billion shekels from households and small businesses in the first half of 2025, an increase of 7%, with checking account fees making up 18% of this sum.

Enrolling in a plan requires customers to track their transactions over three months and submit a request, which banks are legally obligated to offer. However, 84% of accounts remained outside these plans in 2025, largely consisting of customers who already pay minimal fees. Separate fees for debit cards, averaging 20 shekels monthly, are not covered by these account plans and require separate negotiation.