Poll: Best bank in Qatar for expats?

Poll: Best bank in Qatar for expats?

Qatar Living
By Qatar Living

With lots of people moving to Qatar in the next few weeks, this question has been coming up a lot. As someone who has been living (and banking) here, would you share your thoughts please.

Which bank do you think is they best? And why?

Other useful info to include:

- how long you've been here (has service been improving or not) 

- what country you're from (does bank have services offered in your home country too)

- have you switched between banks (how do they compare)

By Mrif95• 28 Dec 2022 18:21
Mrif95

I’m new to Qatar, moved from Dubai last month. My personal experience with QNB is worst experience I have ever had, I went change my B2P pay cheque from my company. I had to visit 3 different branches to cash it out. From the customer service no one provide me any information how to in-cash it and they were rude. Finally the security guard helped me and suggested me to go to one branch where I was able to cash it out. If their service is good also we have to go through with such a bad experience so it’s better choose a bank with good customer service.

By AAPKARAJ• 14 Sep 2020 11:20
AAPKARAJ

i think CBQ is best bank

By dsa cad• 18 Apr 2016 09:11
dsa cad

In my experience QNB is worst bank they collect full interest if you settle your personal loans early.

By A. Ansari• 10 Jul 2015 15:18
A. Ansari

qnb is the worst!!

By cezadid• 16 May 2015 16:25
cezadid

@ gsjd,

Can you please mention the overcharging areas of CBQ? How is HSBC in comparison with local banks?

Which bank is good for sending money to Australia?

By JMCRE• 31 Aug 2014 22:06
JMCRE

CBQ for sure

By gsjd• 31 Aug 2014 15:11
Rating: 5/5
gsjd

Here are my experience with four banks

Doha bank is the best for taking finances for expatriates. As far as I know, you can get loans by showing your account balance in home country. Their finance rate is one of the lowest in qatar.

QNB is better than all other banks in many perspective. The only drawback is their customer services.

CBQ is good if you are earning very high salary. They have separate relationship managers dedicated to the people whose salary transfers are higher. But CBQ are overcharging for many simple things.

Now I have an account in Mashraf AL Rayyan. They are good. They have excellent customer service . But the only problem with Mashraf AL Rayyan is that they have very low number of branches. And in most of their ATM machine, you cannot deposit money. So every time you need to deposit money, you have to go to their branches and their working hours are very short. Except for the branches in the shopping malls, no other branches are open after 1 PM, which is ridiculous.

By gsjd• 31 Aug 2014 15:11
Rating: 5/5
gsjd

Here are my experience with four banks

Doha bank is the best for taking finances for expatriates. As far as I know, you can get loans by showing your account balance in home country. Their finance rate is one of the lowest in qatar.

QNB is better than all other banks in many perspective. The only drawback is their customer services.

CBQ is good if you are earning very high salary. They have separate relationship managers dedicated to the people whose salary transfers are higher. But CBQ are overcharging for many simple things.

Now I have an account in Mashraf AL Rayyan. They are good. They have excellent customer service . But the only problem with Mashraf AL Rayyan is that they have very low number of branches. And in most of their ATM machine, you cannot deposit money. So every time you need to deposit money, you have to go to their branches and their working hours are very short. Except for the branches in the shopping malls, no other branches are open after 1 PM, which is ridiculous.

By sk8burn• 28 Aug 2014 17:55
sk8burn

go for CBQ.. hands down :)

By npers07• 24 Aug 2014 14:41
npers07

I work as consultant and my experience with CBQ banking was never bad. However, i am not elibile for loan facilities as my employer is not registered in any of the Qatar bank, even certain third party finance company. Even though my Overall banking with CBQ is good, interms of customer front or banking over online. I do not have experience with other banks

By ahk2013• 23 Aug 2014 23:46
ahk2013

I am satisfied with CBQ since its variety of branches and timing. But I do not have any idea about other banks.

By PCRDoha• 23 Aug 2014 22:18
PCRDoha

CBQ is the best. I have been banking with CBQ since 2005. Their internet banking is hassle free and secure.

By andress• 23 Aug 2014 15:52
andress

I cannot have a credit card, salary loan & car loan from all banks here in Qatar because our company is not listed even my salary was already transfering to the bank, no chance to have this benefits....even you have a high salary. CBQ said

By SwiftUnlock• 21 Aug 2014 13:43
SwiftUnlock

@ Land, 150QR service charge every month ? unbelievable. if its true then that's ridiculous. Cancel ASAP.

By aafi• 21 Aug 2014 13:39
aafi

If you wanna happy life try to avoid dealing with banks.... They all make you pay for something you really don't need at all.

By newexpatqatar• 20 Aug 2014 17:53
newexpatqatar

QIB

By landloverreview• 20 Aug 2014 15:53
landloverreview

I am using Barwa Bank...not really happy...someone told me that the give credit card life long free but they are charging me 150 qr every month as service charge and I will close this as soon I pay my debts.

By Anonymous• 20 Aug 2014 08:45

@maxmo - A business is only as good as the people who work there. Great staff members make a huge difference to a business' reputation. That's why we are changing.

By Anonymous• 20 Aug 2014 08:38

We have been with QNB for a few years but are thinking of changing due to very poor (non-existent) customer service. They don't even acknowledge you are standing there while they check their Facebook account or straighten their hair, file their nails, check their e-mails, and then look at you after ten minutes, they speak to you as if you are wasting their time. Clearly they do not even want to be there. We might check out Islamic Bank - we have heard good things about them. I would not recommend QNB to anyone, though. Every time we have gone into the bank it has been a bad experience.

By doha estate• 19 Aug 2014 16:43
doha estate

Swiss Bank

By jafar608612• 19 Aug 2014 16:34
Rating: 5/5
jafar608612

All banks have difference positive and negative point.But i will be select the best bank as Doha bank..

1.Doha bank collect the customer feed back and customers views for improving the customer.On this moment I would like to appreciate Doha Bank CEO Mr.Seetha Raman sir,he had conduct a lot of interaction section with customer through telephone

In Qatar,Bank have require more time for cheque withdrawal..So the customer have loose more of time for cheque withdrawal. Bank not provide sufficient staff for customer customer..Too many cabin/work stations vacant in all banks.Mobile bank and net banking is effective...

By max_mo• 19 Aug 2014 08:30
Rating: 3/5
max_mo

I have been with QNB since the day I landed in Qatar 10 years ago and I would consider them the best. Had a bad experience with CBQ Credit Card and their policy that forced me to cancel the card and stop the transacting with CBQ. Ahli Bank is good for savings account, but they have limited number of branches and they operate for limited number of hours, at least that's my experience with them previously.

Kindly request to grade the bank by their policies and procedures, rather than the Staff. The problem with untrained staff is common across all the banks. Its only a matter of time and luck, you end up with untrained staff and end up thinking the whole bank is bad.

By PRORIDER• 19 Aug 2014 06:55
PRORIDER

QIB

By emmystanley• 18 Aug 2014 10:10
emmystanley

MOST BANKS NEEDS TO IMPROVE THEIR STAFF'S CUSTOMERS RELATIONS ESPECIALLY QNB NOT OPENING BRANCHES IN EVERYWHERE WITHOUT DECENT STAFFS TO HANDLE THEIR OPERATIONS AND SERVICES.

By mnapin• 18 Aug 2014 07:57
Rating: 5/5
mnapin

DOHA BANK is the best with state of the art internet banking, fund transfer to home country, Easy to get loans and good schemes with great credit card facilities, good public relations , efficient staff , easy widrawals easy pay in services and ATMs at the best possible locations.

By safeeribrahim• 18 Aug 2014 06:49
safeeribrahim

how is masraf al rayan nd qiib??

By Rumesh• 17 Aug 2014 19:46
Rating: 3/5
Rumesh

I have bad experience with Mashreq bank.

1) Most of the staffs do not respect the customers and rude specially Arab staffs;

2) When I requested bank statement for family visa, It took two weeks, and I had to pay QR 10 for each page;

3) I got sms from the bank stating that MEMBERSHIP FEE of QAR30.00 has been debited in my account, it happened three months continuously. When I inquired, they said it was technical fault. This amount was adjusted after several calls & e-mails;

4) After few years, I went to the bank and requested to close my account. After the paper work, I asked to give receipt/letter for confirmation that the account was closed. She said in order to get the receipt/letter I need to pay cash. Then I told to her no need receipt close my account. Until now my account was not closed. May be I need pay cash to close my account.

By maria issa• 17 Aug 2014 15:16
Rating: 5/5
maria issa

I think QNB and CBQ are best, branches everywhere offers and many facilities and branches worldwide and good costumer service and low interest rates

By kidangen3003• 17 Aug 2014 14:50
kidangen3003

I also had very bad experience with QNB. treating customers very worse.. I was waiting for cash a cheque the teller lady was talking in phone for about 8 minutes after that she took my cheque and asked me to get approval from her manager.. i went to manager she said '' WAIT'' .... i left with my cheque and deposited in ATM... You people are right some trained monkeys can do much better...

By khaled.ibrahim.ahmed• 17 Aug 2014 12:27
khaled.ibrahim.ahmed

Avoid QNB like the plague , one of the worst banks ever ever ever ever ever , they do not have Customer service , some trained monkeys can do much better job

By khaled.ibrahim.ahmed• 17 Aug 2014 12:27
khaled.ibrahim.ahmed

Avoid QNB like the plague , one of the worst banks ever ever ever ever ever , they do not have Customer service , some trained monkeys can do much better job

By turist• 16 Aug 2014 20:44
Rating: 4/5
turist

Can only say after trying them both that CBQ is much better then Doha bank. Easier procedure for the money withdrawals in the branch, excellent internet banking with international transfers (Doha bank still doing it old fashion way with a hand writing form that takes ages to fill), international ATM withdrawal in EU (Doha bank has a blacklisted countries policy that nobody really knows why is some country actually blacklisted....). These are just the ones i can quickly think of

By shahahs• 16 Aug 2014 09:21
shahahs

Qatar Islamic Bank (Masraf) i think. i have only one account from the start. No issue. or may be i am not expecting much. :D

By Molten Metal• 16 Aug 2014 07:59
Molten Metal

Depends on the best employees not the bank.

By siran12• 15 Aug 2014 19:45
siran12

i am a represented a local bank name call Barwa Bank.Any queries pls call 70270562

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