If you want to open a personal or corporate account locally, there are a few common options. Bank of Georgia and TBC are two of the largest commercial banks by far, as well as being the most popular with foreigners.
In most circumstances, it makes sense to open your personal bank account and business bank account with the same bank so your accounts are linked.
Bank of Georgia (Solo Bank)
Bank of Georgia (or BOG) has a significant presence nationwide with service centers where you can get your banking done in person, as well as a modern and easy-to-use online banking portal and app.
In terms of business banking, BoG is probably the hardest to get accepted but the easiest to work with once you have been accepted.
Solo Bank is the premium arm of Bank of Georgia, for personal banking only. The reasonable annual fee comes with a host of benefits, including a personal banker who can assist you with many banking activities remotely, rather than having to visit a branch.
They will also speak better English than most of the front desk staff in regular branches, making your life much easier. A major benefit to Solo is the ability to conduct banking operations over email, rather than having to go to a branch or complete endless SMS verifications.
TBC
TBC offers most of the same services that the Bank of Georgia does. Anecdotally, they are slightly hastier in blocking large payments from abroad. Every foreigner will have a different story though, and we have no concrete reason to recommend BOG over TBC.
Other Options
Beyond the main two, check out VTB, ProCredit, and Liberty Bank. Be prepared for the typical question that the smaller banks will ask… “Why did you choose our bank?”. You do not want the answer to be “The other banks rejected me”.
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