Banking, Phone, Internet: Best Cross-Border Deals Near Geneva

Three topics, three headaches for every new cross-border worker. You live in France, work in Switzerland, and every provider tries to lock you into a national logic that doesn't match your bi-country reality. This guide sorts through the offers that truly work for cross-border workers and those that'll cost you dearly.

Banking: The Double Account Question

Do you need a Swiss account?

It depends on your employer. Some Geneva companies only pay salaries to a Swiss account (IBAN CH). Others accept transfers to a French account (IBAN FR). Ask your HR before opening anything.

If your salary arrives in CHF to a Swiss account, you'll have the classic setup: salary received in Switzerland → CHF/EUR conversion → transfer to your French account for rent and daily life.

Swiss account: the best options

UBS: the most widespread bank in Geneva. Cross-border package available, account fees around 5 CHF/month. Decent mobile app. The advantage: everyone knows UBS — your employer, your landlord, the administration.

BCGE (Banque Cantonale de Genève): very locally oriented, including cross-border clients. Often offers more favourable conditions than the big banks. Comparable fees to UBS.

Raiffeisen: present in the border area, competitive offers for cross-border workers. Good customer service in French.

Yuh / Neon: Swiss neo-banks. Very low fees (often free), modern app, but less support. Perfect if you're comfortable with digital and don't need to visit a branch.

To avoid: PostFinance for cross-border workers (restrictions on foreign residents), and French banks offering "multi-currency accounts" that are often expensive and limited.

French account: the essentials

You'll need a French account for rent, taxes, insurance, daily life. The best options:

Boursorama / BoursoBank: free, excellent app, Visa card included. The best value for a current account.

Fortuneo: same logic as Boursorama, slightly different card limits. Both are excellent.

Local traditional bank: Crédit Agricole des Savoies, Banque Populaire Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Useful if you need a physical contact (mortgage, complex cases). More expensive (€5-15/month fees).

The key battleground: CHF → EUR exchange

This is THE area where cross-border workers lose money without realising it. A standard international transfer via your Swiss bank to your French bank can cost you 1-3% in exchange fees + transfer fees. On a 5,000 CHF salary, that's 50-150 CHF lost every month.

Wise (formerly TransferWise): the market standard. Real exchange rate (mid-market), transparent fees around 0.4-0.5%. A 5,000 CHF transfer will cost you about 20-25 CHF in fees instead of 100+ via banks. Excellent app, transfer in 1-2 days.

Revolut: alternative to Wise, with a free plan allowing exchange at real rate up to 1,000 CHF/month, then 0.5% beyond. The Premium plan (€9.99/month) increases this limit. Interesting if you also use the card daily.

Golden rule: NEVER do currency exchange through your traditional bank. Use Wise or Revolut. The savings over a year easily represent €1,000-1,500.

Phone: The Cross-Border Plan

The problem

You live in France and work in Switzerland. You need a plan that works on both sides of the border without exploding in out-of-plan charges. Standard French plans often include EU roaming, but Switzerland is NOT in the EU — so Swiss roaming is often charged extra.

The best options (French side)

Free Mobile €19.99: 300 GB in France + 35 GB/month roaming (including Switzerland). This is the most popular option among cross-border workers. 35 GB in Switzerland is more than enough for daily office use (emails, messages, browsing). Unlimited calls to Swiss landlines and mobiles included.

SFR / RED by SFR: plans with Switzerland option sometimes available. Check Swiss roaming conditions in detail — they change regularly.

Orange: international plans with Switzerland included, but often pricier than Free for equivalent usage.

The trap to avoid: "Europe" plans that do NOT include Switzerland. Read the fine print. Switzerland falls under the "World" category for most operators, not "Europe".

What about a Swiss number?

Some cross-border workers get a Swiss plan as a supplement (Swisscom, Sunrise, Salt). It's rarely necessary unless your employer requires it or you need a Swiss number for local services (bank, administration). Salt Mobile offers competitive plans from 24.95 CHF/month.

Our recommendation: Free €19.99 as the main plan. If you absolutely need a Swiss number, add a prepaid eSIM from Salt or Swisscom for the rare cases where it's needed.

Internet: Fibre on the French Side

Fibre offers in Annemasse and surroundings

The Annemasse-Ambilly-Ville-la-Grand area is well covered for fibre optic (FTTH). Here are the main offers:

Free (Freebox Pop): €29.99/month for the first year, then €39.99. Excellent value, Wi-Fi 6, TV included. The most chosen option by cross-border workers.

Orange (Livebox Max): €34.99/month for the first year, then €54.99. More expensive but very reliable network and good tech support. Wi-Fi 6E.

SFR (Box Power): €29.99/month for the first year, then €42.99. Mid-range, decent network.

Bouygues Telecom: €25.99/month for the first year, then €39.99. The reliable entry level.

Installation timeline

Expect 2-3 weeks between subscription and actual installation. If you're moving into a building that's already fibre-connected, it's sometimes faster (1 week). If fibre isn't yet installed in your unit, the technician will need to pull the cable — expect 3-4 weeks.

While waiting: your Free Mobile €19.99 plan with 300 GB can serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot. That's more than enough to work for a few days.

The coliving case

In coliving, the question doesn't arise: internet is included in the rent. At La Villa Coliving, we offer shared high-speed fibre connection, more than sufficient for remote work, streaming and video calls. It's one of the often underestimated advantages of coliving: no subscription, no installation fees, no waiting, internet from day one.

The Optimal Cross-Border Setup

After supporting hundreds of cross-border workers, here's the configuration we recommend:

Banking: Boursorama account (free) on the French side + UBS or BCGE account on the Swiss side if needed + Wise for CHF → EUR transfers.

Phone: Free Mobile €19.99/month (300 GB France + 35 GB Switzerland).

Internet: Freebox Pop €29.99/month (or included if coliving).

Total monthly cost: approximately €50 for banking + phone + internet. Hard to beat.

Summary Table

Costly Mistakes

Exchanging via your bank: €1,000-1,500 lost per year compared to Wise. This is the #1 mistake.

Getting a plan without Swiss roaming: out-of-plan charges can reach €5-10/day in Switzerland. Always check conditions.

Multiplying subscriptions: a French plan + a Swiss plan + a box + premium services… simplify. Free Mobile + Freebox Pop cover 90% of needs.

Not comparing fibre offers: introductory prices are attractive, but look at the rate after 12 months. The difference can be €20/month.

Conclusion

Optimising banking, telecom and internet services is a quick win that can save you €1,500-2,000 per year. Wise for exchange, Free for mobile and fibre, Boursorama for banking — this trio has become the standard for the smart cross-border worker.

And if you want to eliminate yet another line from your budget, coliving includes internet in the rent. One less thing to manage.

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Also read:

• Arriving alone in Geneva: the 30-day guide
• Cross-border tax in Geneva: understanding your taxes in 2026
• Geneva flatshare budget: the complete guide

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