# What Are the Best Credit Card Issuers in Germany? (2026) > Who actually issues German credit cards: the standalone issuers behind the free cards, the banks that sell cards only with their own account, the co-brand issuers, and American Express. By Jules de Bruin · URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers The [free German credit cards](/finance/credit-cards) almost all come from five standalone issuers: Hanseatic Bank, Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank Norwegian and easybank, the former Barclays Germany. They sell direct, require no account with them, and settle from any SEPA account. The branch banks, meaning Commerzbank, HypoVereinsbank, Postbank, Deutsche Bank and the Sparkassen, sell cards only alongside their own current account and charge roughly EUR 30 to EUR 155 a year. American Express is the one large issuer that sells directly on charge terms. The fintechs, N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24 and Trade Republic, issue Debitkarten and no credit cards at all. ## Who Are the Main Credit Card Issuers? German card issuers fall into four groups. Standalone issuers sell a card and nothing else: Hanseatic Bank, Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank Norwegian and easybank, joined by Consors Finanz, Targobank on its Online-Classic-Karte and Santander Consumer Bank, all of which settle from any SEPA account. Branch and direct banks sell a card as an add-on to their own current account, which is why a Commerzbank, HypoVereinsbank, Postbank, 1822direkt or Sparkassen card cannot be opened on its own. American Express issues directly in Germany, always on charge terms, so the balance is settled in full each month and there is no revolving rate. The fintechs issue debit only. The brand on a German card is very often not the issuer. Hanseatic Bank is behind the awa7 Visa and the Deutschland-Kreditkarte, easybank issues the Eurowings cards, Commerzbank issues the ADAC card, Deutsche Bank issues the Miles & More cards, BW-Bank issues the PAYBACK Visa, Open Bank (Santander) issues the Amazon Visa, and DKB issues the Hilton Honors Kreditkarte. This matters because the rate, the credit limit, the repayment default and the [SCHUFA relationship](/finance/credit-card-requirements) all belong to the issuer, not to the airline or the retailer whose logo is on the front. ## Top Credit Card Issuers The standalone issuers from the August 2026 catalogue, the ones that will sell you a card without selling you an account. The 7 products below come from five issuers, ranked on the fee in year one and after, the effective annual rate, the cost of spending outside the euro, and whether the issuer answers in English. Hanseatic Bank ### Hanseatic Bank GenialCard 4.3permanently free [View card](https://www.hanseaticbank.de/genialcard)Annual feeFreeCard type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APR16,05% APRNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. VisaGerman IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwide incl. non-EURCash withdrawals0 abroad; domestic (Germany) ATM withdrawals carry a fee (~3.95 EUR per Trustpilot complaint Jan-2026; confirm in Preisverzeichnis)Credit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFACredit limitstart typically 1,000-2,000 (Trustpilot users report 2,000-3,000 start limits, increases possible after ~90 days)Rewardsup to 7% cashback on travel booked via Hanseatic travel portal (Urlaubsplus), 5% Booking.com (capitalo 07/2026)Billingmonthly statement; flexible part-payment (Ratenhöhe self-set in app); interest only on carried balance; pay in full by due date to pay 0 interestHow to applyonline + VideoIdent/eID (PostIdent discouraged by reviewers)Card in~5-10 (card by post after approval; Trustpilot Jan-2026 case: approval 29-Nov, card ~5 days after 01-Dec opening)Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - **0%** FX worldwide - free ATM withdrawals abroad Cons - high APR **16.05%** if you revolve Hanseatic Bank ### Hanseatic Bank GoldCard 3.8free first year [View card](https://www.urlaubstracker.de/kreditkarte/reisekreditkarten/)Annual feeEUR 0 first year, then EUR 58.80Card type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APR16,05% APRNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. VisaGerman IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwideCredit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFACredit limitindividualRewards5% travel bonus at UrlaubsplusBillingmonthly statement; optional TeilzahlungHow to applyonline + VideoIdentCard in~7-14Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - **0%** FX - insurance package Cons - 58.80 EUR/yr from year 2 Advanzia Bank ### Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold 4.0free forever [View card](https://www.gebuhrenfrei.com)Pay withAnnual feeFreeCard type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APR20,9% APRNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. MastercardGerman IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwideCredit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFA (via German application)Credit limitnotoriously low at start (often 200-500 EUR), grows with repayment historyRewardsnone (occasional referral/welcome credits)Billingmonthly statement; NO automatic full direct debit by default - you must actively transfer the full amount each month; only minimum payment is debited if you set up Lastschrift (revolving trap)How to applyonline (gebuhrenfrei.com) + video/post identCard in~7-14Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - **0%** FX worldwide - free ATM worldwide Cons - default is partial repayment - set manual full transfer or pay ~**20.9%** APR TF Bank ### TF Bank Mastercard Gold 4.1free forever incl. travel insurance [View card](https://tfbank.de)Pay withAnnual feeFreeCard type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APR22,9% APRNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. MastercardGerman IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwideCredit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFACredit limitindividual; Trustpilot complaints about limits too low for rental-car depositsRewardsup to 5% travel cashback via portal (capitalo 04/2026)Billingmonthly statement; partial repayment default; no Lastschrift full-settlement automation (Trustpilot criticism: no direct-debit collection)How to applyonline + VideoIdentCard in~7-14Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - **0%** FX worldwide - Trustpilot 4.2/5 - best-rated of the free standalone issuers Cons - **22.9%** APR - highest of the free trio (Advanzia 20.9, Hanseatic 16.05) easybank ### easybank Visa (formerly Barclays Visa) 3.60 EUR card fee [View card](https://www.finanztip.de/kreditkarten/)Pay withAnnual feeFreeCard type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APR21,21% APRNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. VisaGerman IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwideCredit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFACredit limitindividual (typically starts 1,000-3,500)RewardsnoneBillingmonthly statement; 100% direct-debit settlement costs 2 EUR/month - i.e. the card is only truly free if you accept minimum-payment default (partial repayment)How to applyonline + VideoIdentCard in~7-14Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - **0%** FX worldwide - generous starting limits historically (Barclays era) Cons - 2 EUR/month fee for **100%** direct debit - otherwise **21.21%** APR partial repayment easybank ### easybank Platinum Double (ex-Barclays Platinum Double) 3.7two networks in one package [View card](https://www.urlaubstracker.de/kreditkarte/reisekreditkarten/)Annual feeEUR 99Card type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APRn/aNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. Visa + Mastercard (double pack)German IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwideCredit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFACredit limitindividualRewards50 EUR start credit promo (07/2026)Billingmonthly statement; Teilzahlung availableHow to applyonlineCard in~7-14Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - strong insurance bundle incl. rental car - **0%** FX + free ATM worldwide Cons - post-migration service quality (see easybank Visa) Bank Norwegian ### Bank Norwegian Visa 4.0free forever [View card](https://www.banknorwegian.de)Pay withAnnual feeFreeCard type?Card type Credit cards borrow and repay monthly, charge cards clear in full every month, debit cards take the money instantly, prepaid cards spend only what you load. Revolving creditEffective APR24,4% APRNetwork?Network The card scheme that moves the payment: Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. It decides where the card is accepted, not who issues it. VisaGerman IBAN?German IBAN Whether the product needs a bank account with a German (DE) IBAN. Foreign-IBAN accounts are legal to use, but some German employers and billers still refuse them. Not requiredMore detailsNon-euro spending0% worldwideCredit check?Credit check Whether the issuer queries SCHUFA, the German private credit bureau, before approving you. A check can fail on a thin SCHUFA file, however solid your finances are, which is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. SCHUFACredit limitup to 10,000 (issuer marketing); start individualRewardsnone in Germany (CashPoints programme not offered on the German card)Billingmonthly statement; partial repayment pre-set (24.4% eff. APR criticised as cost trap in capitalo review); up to 45 interest-free days if paid in fullHow to applyonline + app-based VideoIdent; German mobile number requiredCard indigital card usable in Apple Pay within days; plastic ~1-2 weeksPrices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - **0%** FX - travel insurance included Cons - **24.4%** APR; partial repayment preselected - switch to full payment ## How to Choose an Issuer If you have no [German account](/finance/open-bank-account) yet, a standalone issuer is the only realistic route: Hanseatic Bank, Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank Norwegian and easybank all take a direct debit from any SEPA account, and their entry cards cost EUR 0 in year one and after. If you already bank at a branch bank, its card is convenient but priced as an add-on and cannot be had alone: a Commerzbank ClassicKreditkarte is EUR 39.90 a year on top of a GiroKonto at EUR 4.90 a month. If you fly or shop with one brand, look up whose name is in the small print, because the co-brand issuer sets the terms. And if you want the statement settled in full every month with no revolving rate to worry about, American Express is the charge-card issuer in this market. ## Related Guides [### Credit Cards The free cards, ranked.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Credit Card Price Research Every card, filterable.](/finance/credit-cards-price-research)[### Requirements SCHUFA, Anmeldung and documents.](/finance/credit-card-requirements)[### Debit vs Credit Cards Why the fintech cards are debit.](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which German issuers give you a card without a German bank account? The standalone issuers. Hanseatic Bank, Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank Norwegian and easybank all settle the card by direct debit from any SEPA account rather than a German one. Targobank's Online-Classic-Karte and Santander's BestCard Smart do the same and require no account at those banks either. ### Do the fintechs issue credit cards in Germany? No. N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24 and Trade Republic all issue Debitkarten. The money leaves the account the same day, no credit line is granted, and the catalogue records no credit check at all on bunq and Wise. ### Can I hold cards from more than one issuer? Yes, and it is the normal German setup: a free standalone credit card for deposits and bookings, plus the Debitkarte and girocard that come with your Girokonto for everyday spending. Each credit application runs its own SCHUFA query. ### Who actually issues my co-brand card? Usually a bank you did not choose. Hanseatic Bank issues the awa7 Visa and the Deutschland-Kreditkarte, easybank issues the Eurowings cards, Commerzbank issues the ADAC card, Deutsche Bank issues the Miles & More cards, BW-Bank issues the PAYBACK Visa, Open Bank (Santander) issues the Amazon Visa, and DKB issues the Hilton Honors Kreditkarte. The issuer sets the rate, the limit and the repayment default, not the brand on the front. --- Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers Last updated: n/a Format: LLM-readable Markdown twin (.md) of the canonical HTML page.