Standard Bank: Accounts & fees

Standard Bank’s full personal account lineup

Standard Bank doesn’t publish exact monthly fees for Professional, Prestige, Private or Evolve on its public pricing pages — these are typically arranged with a dedicated banker based on your income, qualifications or asset profile, so treat any specific number you see for them elsewhere as unverified. Everything else in this table is confirmed directly from Standard Bank’s own 2026 pricing guides.

MyMo Account — the low-fee, pay-as-you-use option

The MyMo Account (formerly the Access Account) costs R7.50 a month and is Standard Bank’s cheapest personal transactional account. It follows a pay-as-you-use model — you’re only charged for the specific transactions you make, such as cash withdrawals or branch visits — rather than bundling in features you may not use. It comes with a debit card, free unlimited card swipes, and can be linked to UCount Rewards for its separate membership fee. There’s no minimum balance requirement to keep the account open, but Standard Bank waives the R7.50 monthly fee entirely if you maintain a balance of R10,000 or more.

MyMo also bundles two free perks worth knowing about: Varsity Vibe, a free youth discount platform for customers aged 16–25 (no student status required) with participating retailers including H&M, Dis-Chem, Burger King, Nando’s, Superbalist, Cotton On and Cape Union Mart; and Get More, a similar discounts benefit for MyMo holders aged 26 and up, set up via a Get More profile on mymo.standardbank.co.za. Both are separate from UCount Rewards and don’t carry an extra fee.

Sum1 — the account for children

Sum1 is Standard Bank’s account for minors, opened by a parent or guardian on the child’s behalf — it was priced at R0 a month as at the last confirmed pricing update and has its own dedicated 2026 pricing guide. To apply, a parent needs their own ID document and the child’s birth certificate. It’s designed to give children a first experience of managing money, rather than to serve as a full-featured transactional account.

Achieva (formerly Elite) — everyday banking with more built in

Achieva is Standard Bank’s mid-tier bundled account, renamed from Elite. From 1 January 2026 the Achieva Bundled Account costs R120 a month, up from R115 in 2025. It comes with a self-service banking suite, a virtual card for safer online shopping, and a boosted UCount Rewards earn rate — up to 3 times more points on qualifying Achieva Credit Card spend, or 1.5 times more on the Achieva Evolve Card, versus a standard debit or cheque card. A separate variant, Achieva PAYT (Pay As You Transact), offers similar benefits with per-transaction pricing instead of the flat bundled fee, and its monthly fee is unchanged for 2026, though Standard Bank hasn’t published the exact figure on its public pricing page. Achieva also offers access to revolving credit — once you’ve repaid 15% of an outstanding facility, you can draw on it again without reapplying, unlike a fixed-term loan.

PureSave and the higher-tier bundled accounts

PureSave is Standard Bank’s dedicated savings account rather than a day-to-day transactional one, built for earning interest on money you’re setting aside. It has no minimum opening deposit and no minimum balance requirement, charges no monthly fee and no debit orders, and gives you immediate access to your money — there’s no notice period, unlike a fixed or notice deposit. Interest is calculated daily and capitalised monthly, with a competitive rate of up to 4.40% depending on your balance (the more you save, the more you earn on a tiered basis), and your capital is guaranteed. You can also receive your salary into a PureSave account and use it for everyday spending while still earning savings-account interest, and it links to your existing bank card.

Above Achieva, Standard Bank also offers Professional, Prestige, Private and Evolve bundled accounts — tiers generally reserved for qualifying professionals, higher-income earners, or higher-net-worth customers who want a dedicated banker and more extensive bundled benefits. Standard Bank doesn’t publish fixed monthly fees for these four tiers on its public site, so the best way to get an accurate quote is to speak to a Standard Bank consultant directly about your income and qualification profile.

A few related products are worth distinguishing from what’s covered here: a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) and Fixed Deposit are separate investment products from PureSave, with their own rules on contribution limits and access to funds — not covered on this page. Standard Bank’s business accounts (for registered businesses and sole proprietors) are also a distinct product range from the personal accounts above.

Signature Banking — the premium bundle

Signature Banking, Standard Bank’s premium personal account, costs R640 a month from 1 January 2026 (unchanged from the prior fee level) and is positioned to deliver over R3,600 in monthly value through bundled benefits — expert wealth-creation advice, a Visa debit card, fuel rewards of up to R10 back per litre in UCount Points, up to 40% off flights via Standard Bank Travel, and additional data/calls through Standard Bank Connect from R59/month. It also includes a complimentary account with no monthly fee for a child under 16 — typically fulfilled through a Sum1 account.

How to open an account

Most Standard Bank personal accounts, including MyMo, Achieva and PureSave, can be opened online through the Standard Bank App or website using a South African ID. If you’re under 18 but have your own ID, MyMo can still be opened via the App; without an ID, or for Sum1, a parent or guardian needs to apply on the child’s behalf in-branch with their own ID and the child’s birth certificate. Higher tiers such as Professional, Prestige, Private and Evolve are generally opened by speaking to a Standard Bank consultant directly, since eligibility and pricing are assessed individually.

Discontinued accounts: what if I already have one?

The Access Account, the Student Achiever Account, and the MarketLink savings account are no longer open to new applicants as of 2026. If you already hold one of these, Standard Bank confirms there’s no action required on your part — your account stays fully active with all its existing benefits, and the relevant 2026 pricing guide still applies to it. New customers looking for an equivalent should consider MyMo (in place of Access) or PureSave (in place of MarketLink).

Which account suits you?

• Sum1 suits parents opening a first account for a child
• MyMo suits budget-conscious, digitally comfortable customers who want to pay only for what they use
• Achieva suits customers who’ve outgrown MyMo and want more bundled value and a stronger UCount earn rate
• PureSave suits customers prioritising interest on savings over transactional features
• Professional, Prestige, Private and Evolve suit qualifying professionals or higher earners wanting dedicated banking — speak to a consultant for exact pricing
• Signature Banking suits higher-income customers who want travel, lifestyle and wealth-planning benefits bundled into one monthly fee

Frequently asked questions