Here are the widely recognized “best” banks in Sri Lanka (2024–2025 period), with a brief note on what each is best for so you can pick by your needs.

Top banks (short list and strengths)

• Commercial Bank of Ceylon (ComBank) — Best for overall private‑sector reach, SME lending and strong digital services. It is the largest private bank by assets and market share among private banks and is designated a higher‑tier domestic systemically important bank. (combank2024.annualreports.lk)

• Hatton National Bank (HNB) — Best for a combination of retail and corporate services, strong profitability and credit ratings; often wins industry awards and reports robust capital and liquidity metrics. Good choice if you want a well‑capitalized, award‑winning bank. (hnb.net)

• Sampath Bank — Strong on retail banking and payments innovation; frequently receives awards (retail/commercial bank awards) and is well regarded for customer service and digital products. Good for everyday banking and consumer products. (newswire.lk)

• Bank of Ceylon (BoC) — Best if you want the largest branch/ATM network and state‑backed presence. As a state commercial bank it has very wide reach across the island and plays a major role in government and development financing. (BoC is one of the country’s largest banks by assets/deposit footprint.) (en.wikipedia.org)

• People's Bank — Another major state bank with extensive branch/ATM coverage and strong presence in retail, SME and development lending. Good for wide physical access and basic banking services. (en.wikipedia.org)

• NDB (National Development Bank) — Best for corporate & project finance, wealth management and development‑oriented lending. Good if your needs are corporate banking, trade/project finance or investments. (lankabizz.net)

Other respected players to consider depending on needs: Nations Trust Bank, DFCC Bank, Seylan Bank and Commercial Bank’s subsidiaries (and several niche/private banks that serve specific segments).

How to choose the best one for you

• If you prioritize branches/ATMs islandwide: Bank of Ceylon or People’s Bank.
• If you want private‑sector product innovation and strong digital banking: Commercial Bank, HNB or Sampath Bank.
• If you need corporate/project finance or wealth services: NDB, HNB or the larger private banks.
• If fees, FX or remittances matter: compare specific product fees (remittance costs, card fees, account minimums) — these vary by product and change frequently.
• For safety: look at capital ratios, credit ratings and whether the bank is considered systemically important — larger banks typically have stronger buffers and higher regulatory scrutiny. (combank2024.annualreports.lk)

Notes and next steps

• “Best” depends on your priorities (digital features, branch network, corporate services, remittances, interest rates, fees).
• If you want, I can compare 2–3 specific banks side‑by‑side for the exact accounts/products you care about (savings interest, monthly fees, remittance charges, online banking features).
• Sources used above are recent bank reports, official bank news, and reputable industry/press coverage (2024–mid‑2025). If you’d like raw links or the latest 2025 financial figures for a specific bank, I can fetch those.