A new survey by financial regulator IFSRA has found wide discrepancies in the charges imposed on customers by different banks.
It shows that charges for a sample customer with a normal pattern of transactions can vary from nothing up to €112 a year.
The survey is the first study since the introduction of new switching codes that make it easier for customers to move from one bank to another.
This survey takes the example of one woman with an average balance of €50 at the end of each month.
The charges vary from each bank and also differ based on the type of account she uses.
Ulster Bank's U First Account is the most expensive costing €112 a year. Both Permanent TSB current account and National Irish Banks Freebank have zero charges.
IFSRA recommends customers shopping around for a bank. It says they should not only examine fees but also look at the levels of service like the availability of internet and telephone banking which can cut costs.
The Director of the Small Firms Association, Pat Delaney has welcomed the results of the IFSRA survey of bank charges for individual customers, saying that it highlights the importance of regulating bank charges under the Consumer Credit Act.
