If you have a choice - please do yourself a favour and don't use Standard Bank.

I had an account with Standard Bank years ago as a student, which I haven't used in a very very very long time. I stopped using this account when the consultant told me that I was too old for the account and that it should be close (it was a student achiever).

This year, I opened a business banking account with Standard Bank (which I had to pretty much beg them to get the card delivered to me instead of me picking it up from the branch during COVID!). After I finally got the card I deposited some money into it, ready for this new business to start transacting, only to find out that I couldn't use it because there was apparently insufficient funds (the person who was opening this account, never made me aware of any of this by the way - they just kept silent). Then I go to the ATM to try and do a balance check only to find out that I was in arrears by a couple of thousands (>R3k). I then call a consultant to ask what this is about and they tell me its linked to my student achiever account. I explain to him what had happened, that I haven't used this account in years and to the best of my knowledge it was closed. The consultant completely dismissed me, calling me a condescending "meneer" while doing it.

Over the years I have had more interest in diversifying my banking products, with most of my personal and business accounts going through Investec and FNB. Attempting to use Standard Bank was probably the worst decision I have ever made. These people don't care, and their consultants are the furthest from the empathetic, solutionist thinkers that I am used to at Investec and FNB.

If you're trying to figure out if you should use this bank and come across this review, please do yourself a favour and stay far, far, far away from this useless bank. I will make sure to try and save any person and entity which I have any influence over to never use this bank. Please spare yourself the frustration and stay away!!!