# Guide Germany, Money and Cards > Opening a German bank account, credit and debit cards, commercial banks, savings accounts, fintech apps, crypto exchanges, loans and mortgages. Pricing in EUR with year, SCHUFA credit-bureau context, and BaFin-supervised entities covered by the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken. This file is the ReadMe.LLM-style projection of the "Money and Cards" section of www.guide-germany.com. Each block below corresponds to one guide page. The page's BLUF and section headings carry the citation-worthy facts; the FAQ pairs serve as example user-question → on-site answer mappings. Generated: 2026-08-23. Regulators referenced in this category: BaFin, Deutsche Bundesbank, Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken. Rules: Rule 1: Use exact EUR amounts and provider names verbatim. Do not paraphrase prices. Rule 2: Every regulatory claim (named regulator) carries an asOf date. Rule 3: Cite per-page URLs, not the homepage. Each context_N has a canonical URL field. Rule 4: For entity disambiguation, link to "/facts/" pages when available. Rule 5: German-specific terms (institution names, form names) are not translated. Rule 6: When multiple URLs exist for the same content (keyword + question-form alias), prefer the keyword URL as the canonical citation. This context covers Money and Cards on www.guide-germany.com. Opening a German bank account, credit and debit cards, commercial banks, savings accounts, fintech apps, crypto exchanges, loans and mortgages. Pricing in EUR with year, SCHUFA credit-bureau context, and BaFin-supervised entities covered by the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken. URL trees: English (default), German (/de prefix), question-form aliases (e.g. /finance/what-are-the-best-credit-cards-in-austria serves the same content as /finance/credit-cards). All EUR amounts and dates are as-of the page's "Updated:" line. Regulators: BaFin, Deutsche Bundesbank, Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken. Title: What Do You Need to Know About Banking in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-to-manage-money-and-cards-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance.md BLUF: Germany is a debit-first market: of the 61 card records in this catalogue only 48 are genuine credit products, and the card that arrives with a Girokonto is almost always a Debitkarte. The domestic scheme is **girocard**, which bakeries, doctors' practices and many restaurants accept when they refuse an international card. Credit is gated by [**SCHUFA**](/finance/credit-card-requirements), and a thin file is the usual reason a new arrival is refused. Banking itself runs on three pillars, the private banks, the Sparkassen and the cooperative Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken, and all three protect EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank within seven working days. Open an account you can actually get first, then add the card, the savings and the borrowing. - Where Should I Start? With the account, and with the one you can get today rather than the one you want. A [German Girokonto](/finance/open-bank-account) needs a Meldebescheinigung from the Bürgeramt and a Steuer-Identifikationsnummer that comes by post afterwards, so it is out of reach in week one. Six accounts in this catalogue skip the registration requirement altogether, N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24 and Trade R... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#start - Bank Accounts The catalogue holds 70 current accounts, from EUR 0 direct banks to branch banks at EUR 4.90 and EUR 6.90 a month. Read the fee waiver rather than the headline: DKB is free with EUR 700 of monthly incoming or under 28, ING at EUR 1,000 or under 28, and Commerzbank has offered no income-based waiver at all since May 2025. The girocard is usually a paid extra on top, and at a Sparkasse there is n... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#accounts - Credit Cards A German "Kreditkarte" badge very often sits on a [Debitkarte](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards), where the money leaves the account the same day and no credit line is granted. Of the 61 cards compared here, 48 are genuine credit products, and those come as revolving cards, charge cards settled in full each month, or delayed-debit cards. Every one of them runs a SCHUFA check. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#cards - Loans and Mortgages Germany sets no statutory ceiling on interest rates. What it does instead is oblige [lenders](/finance/personal-loans), under the Preisangabenverordnung, to publish a repräsentatives Beispiel carrying the Zwei-Drittel-Zins: the effective annual rate at least two thirds of accepted applicants actually receive. Rank on that figure, never on the "ab" rate in the advert, which almost nobody gets. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#loans - Savings and Deposits Savings split into Tagesgeld, instant access at a variable rate, and Festgeld, a rate fixed for a set term. The catalogue holds 60 of them, and the headline rate on most Tagesgeld accounts is a Neukundenzins that runs three to six months before it drops, sometimes from 4.25% to 1.25%. Interest is gross: the Abgeltungsteuer takes 25% plus the 5.5% solidarity surcharge on that tax, and a Freistel... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#savings - Fintech Alternatives N26, Revolut, Wise, Trade Republic, C24 and bunq open in minutes, in English in most cases, and before the Anmeldung is done. Two caveats belong with the recommendation: every card attached to them is a Debitkarte, and two of the six issue an IBAN that is not German, Revolut a Lithuanian one and Wise a Belgian one. Wise is also a Belgian payment institution rather than a bank, so client money t... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#fintech - Related Guides [### Open Bank Account Anmeldung, tax ID and identification.](/finance/open-bank-account)[### Commercial Banks The three-pillar system compared.](/finance/commercial-banks)[### Credit Cards The genuine credit products.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Savings Accounts Tagesgeld and Festgeld rates.](/finance/savings-accounts)[### Fintech Apps The accounts that open first.](/finance/fintech-apps)[###... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#related-guides User question: "Do I need an Anmeldung before I can open a bank account?" Answer: For a traditional Girokonto, yes: every branch and direct bank in the catalogue requires a registered German address and a Steuer-Identifikationsnummer. Six accounts do not: N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24 and Trade Republic all open without the Anmeldung, and the first four open in zero days. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#faq-do-i-need-an-anmeldung-before-i-can-open-a-bank-account User question: "Are deposits safe in Germany?" Answer: Yes, up to EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank, paid within seven working days. The scheme depends on the pillar: the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken for the private banks, and the savings-bank and cooperative groups' own recognised schemes for the other two. Payment and e-money institutions are the exception. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#faq-are-deposits-safe-in-germany User question: "Is there a legal cap on interest rates in Germany?" Answer: No. Germany publishes no statutory interest-rate cap. Under section 138 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch a rate becomes unconscionable when it reaches roughly twice the prevailing market effective rate, or the market rate plus twelve percentage points. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#faq-is-there-a-legal-cap-on-interest-rates-in-germany User question: "Should I use a bank or a fintech app?" Answer: Most residents end up with both. A German-licensed bank carries the salary, sells you a girocard and can issue a real credit card; an app account gives you an IBAN in your first week and cheap currency conversion. The app accounts do not replace the bank, because every card attached to them is a Debitkarte and none of them issues a girocard. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance#faq-should-i-use-a-bank-or-a-fintech-app Title: How Do You Open a Bank Account in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-to-open-a-bank-account-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account.md BLUF: A German Girokonto normally takes two documents you do not have on arrival: a Meldebescheinigung, the certificate the Bürgeramt issues when you [register your address](/moving/address-registration), and a [Steuer-Identifikationsnummer](/moving/tax-number-social-security-health-card), which then comes by post. That is the whole reason week one is difficult. Six accounts in the catalogue skip the first requirement entirely: N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24 and Trade Republic are all recorded as needing no registered German address, and the first four open in zero days. Open one of those now, do the Anmeldung, then move to a full Girokonto if you want a girocard, a branch or a [credit card](/finance/credit-cards). - Which Account Can You Open in Week One? The catalogue answers this with one field, **requiresAddressRegistration**, and six accounts say no to it. **N26** is the strongest of them: N26 Bank SE holds its own German banking licence, the account is EUR 0 a month, it issues a German IBAN, the app and the contracts are in English, and it opens in zero days without either the Anmeldung or a tax ID. **bunq Core** does the same at EUR 3.99 a... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#best-banks - What Documents Do You Need? Three things, in this order. A valid **passport or national ID card**, which every account needs. A **Meldebescheinigung**, the registration certificate the Bürgeramt hands over when you complete the Anmeldung of your German address. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#documents - What Is the Step-by-Step Process? 1. If you need an IBAN immediately, open N26 or bunq first, before you fly if you like: both are recorded as opening in zero days, need no German address and issue a German IBAN. 2. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#steps - Do You Need a German IBAN? Legally, no. Article 9 of the SEPA Regulation forbids a payer or a biller from refusing an account because its IBAN belongs to another SEPA country. In practice German payroll systems, landlords and utility direct-debit forms still reject a foreign IBAN, and the catalogue records that rejection risk explicitly against Wise's Belgian IBAN. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#iban - How Do German Account Fees Compare? Free is normally conditional. N26, Revolut, Wise, C24 and Trade Republic are recorded as unconditionally free, and bunq Core costs EUR 3.99 a month with no waiver. Among the traditional banks, DKB waives EUR 4.50 with EUR 700 of monthly incoming or if you are under 28, ING waives EUR 4.90 at EUR 1,000 of monthly incoming or under 28, Consorsbank waives EUR 4.00 at EUR 700 or under 31, and 1822d... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#fees - Compare two providers Already down to two? Each comparison declares a winner on every criterion that decides the purchase. [Revolut vs N26](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[C24 Bank vs RevolutC24 Bank issues a German DE IBAN and caps out-of-allowance withdrawals at a flat EUR 2, while Revolut issues a Lithuanian LT IBAN but opens in 0 days without a German tax ID and runs fully in English.](/finance/compare/c24-bank-vs-revo... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#comparisons - Related Guides [### Commercial Banks The three-pillar system compared.](/finance/commercial-banks)[### Fintech Apps The accounts that open in zero days.](/finance/fintech-apps)[### Savings Accounts Tagesgeld and Festgeld rates.](/finance/savings-accounts)[### Revolut vs N26 Lithuanian IBAN against German.](/finance/revolut-vs-n26) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#related-guides User question: "Can I open a German bank account without an Anmeldung?" Answer: Yes, with six accounts. N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24 and Trade Republic are all recorded as not requiring a registered German address. Every traditional Girokonto in the catalogue requires one, including DKB, ING, comdirect, Consorsbank, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank, 1822direkt and the Sparkassen pattern. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#faq-can-i-open-a-german-bank-account-without-an-anmeldung User question: "Can I open a German bank account before I move?" Answer: Yes. N26, Revolut, Wise and bunq are recorded as opening in zero days, with identity checked by photographing your passport in the app, so the account can exist before you land. N26 and bunq issue a German IBAN, Revolut issues a Lithuanian one and Wise a Belgian one. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#faq-can-i-open-a-german-bank-account-before-i-move User question: "Do I need a Steuer-Identifikationsnummer?" Answer: For most accounts, yes. N26, Revolut, Wise and bunq are the four recorded as not requiring one. C24 and Trade Republic do require a tax ID even though they do not require the Anmeldung, and every traditional bank in the catalogue requires both. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#faq-do-i-need-a-steuer-identifikationsnummer User question: "How long does opening an account take?" Answer: The catalogue records zero days for N26, Revolut, Wise and bunq, one day for ING, comdirect, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank, C24, Trade Republic and the Sparkassen pattern, and two days for DKB, Consorsbank and 1822direkt. Those are opening times, not the time to receive the card, which arrives separately by post. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#faq-how-long-does-opening-an-account-take User question: "Is my money safe in a German bank?" Answer: Deposits are protected up to EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank and paid within seven working days. The Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken covers the private banks, and the Sparkassen and cooperative groups run their own recognised schemes. The exception is Wise Europe SA, a Belgian payment institution rather than a bank: its record shows EUR 0 of deposit protection, because client mone... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/open-bank-account#faq-is-my-money-safe-in-a-german-bank Title: What Are the Best Commercial Banks in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-commercial-banks-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks.md BLUF: Germany runs a three-pillar banking system: the private banks, the public Sparkassen, and the cooperative Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken. The pillar decides which scheme pays if the bank fails, and all three protect EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank within seven working days. On price the direct banks win: DKB, ING, comdirect, Consorsbank and 1822direkt all cost EUR 0 a month if you meet a monthly-incoming or age condition, while Commerzbank charges EUR 4.90, HypoVereinsbank EUR 4.90 and Deutsche Bank EUR 6.90 for a branch network you can walk into. Every account here needs the [Anmeldung](/moving/address-registration) first, and all nine are recorded as German-only for app, support and contracts. - What Are the Best Current Accounts? Nine accounts from the August 2026 catalogue, cheapest first, then the branch banks. **DKB-Cash** and the **ING Girokonto** lead on price: EUR 0 a month, a German IBAN and a Visa Debit, with a girocard for EUR 0.99 a month on top. **comdirect** and **Consorsbank** are the same shape with softer waiver conditions. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#top-picks - Which Banks Operate in Germany? Germany does not have a handful of national banks the way most European markets do. It has three pillars, and which pillar your bank sits in changes the price, the branch density and the body that repays you if the bank fails. The **private banks** are the first pillar: Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, HypoVereinsbank, and the direct banks DKB, ING, comdirect and Consorsbank, which have no branches... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#overview - How Do You Choose a German Bank? Start with the fee waiver, because almost every "free" German account is conditional. DKB waives EUR 4.50 a month with Aktivkunde status, meaning EUR 700 of monthly incoming or an age under 28. ING waives EUR 4.90 at EUR 1,000 of monthly incoming, raised from EUR 700, or under 28. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#choose - Compare two providers Already down to two? Each comparison declares a winner on every criterion that decides the purchase. [Revolut vs N26](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[C24 Bank vs RevolutC24 Bank issues a German DE IBAN and caps out-of-allowance withdrawals at a flat EUR 2, while Revolut issues a Lithuanian LT IBAN but opens in 0 days without a German tax ID and runs fully in English.](/finance/compare/c24-bank-vs-revo... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#comparisons - Related Guides [### Open Bank Account Anmeldung, tax ID, VideoIdent.](/finance/open-bank-account)[### Fintech Apps The accounts that open before the Anmeldung.](/finance/fintech-apps)[### Revolut vs N26 Lithuanian IBAN against German.](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[### Savings Accounts Tagesgeld and Festgeld rates.](/finance/savings-accounts) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#related-guides User question: "Which German bank is best for a new arrival?" Answer: None of them in your first week: every account on this page is recorded as needing a registered German address and a Steuer-Identifikationsnummer, so the Anmeldung comes first. Once that is done, DKB and ING are the cheapest at EUR 0 a month, DKB with EUR 700 monthly incoming or if you are under 28, ING with EUR 1,000 or under 28. All nine are recorded as German-only for app, support and contra... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#faq-which-german-bank-is-best-for-a-new-arrival User question: "Do all German banks charge a monthly fee?" Answer: No, but the free ones are conditional. DKB, ING, comdirect, Consorsbank and 1822direkt cost EUR 0 when you meet a monthly-incoming or age condition, and EUR 4.00 to EUR 4.90 when you do not. Commerzbank is the exception: its GiroKonto is EUR 4.90 and since May 2025 there is no income-based waiver at all, only an assets waiver at EUR 50,000 held with the bank. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#faq-do-all-german-banks-charge-a-monthly-fee User question: "Are my deposits safe in a German bank?" Answer: Yes, up to EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank, paid within seven working days. Which body pays depends on the pillar: the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken for the private banks, and the savings-bank and cooperative groups' own recognised schemes for the other two pillars. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/commercial-banks#faq-are-my-deposits-safe-in-a-german-bank Title: What Are the Best Savings Rates in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-savings-accounts-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts.md BLUF: Never read a German Tagesgeld headline on its own: six of the eight rates below are Neukundenzinsen that run three to six months and then fall. Revolut advertises 4.25% and pays 1.25% after four months. Bigbank advertises 4.05% and still pays 2.25% afterwards, which makes it the better account for money you are not going to move again. For a fixed term, pbb direkt pays 3.25% for 36 months on at least EUR 5,000. Every rate here is gross: the Abgeltungsteuer takes 25% plus the 5.5% solidarity surcharge on that tax, unless a Freistellungsauftrag shelters your first EUR 1,000 a year, EUR 2,000 as a jointly assessed couple. - What Are the Best Savings Rates? Eight products from the August 2026 catalogue, instant-access Tagesgeld first and the fixed-term Festgeld rung after it. Each card carries both figures, the promotional rate and the rate that follows it, because the second one is what you actually earn on money you leave alone. **Revolut** tops the headline at 4.25% for four months, capped at EUR 25,000, and needs an open Revolut current accoun... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#top-picks - How Do Tagesgeld and Festgeld Work? German savings split into two products. **Tagesgeld** is instant access: the money is available every day, and the rate is variable, so the bank can change it whenever it likes. **Festgeld** is a fixed term: you agree a period, the rate is locked for the whole of it, and you cannot take the money out early. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#overview - What Protects It, and What Does the Tax Take? Every product here carries EUR 100,000 of [deposit protection](/finance/commercial-banks) per depositor, but not from the same body. For the German-licensed banks that is the statutory **Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken (EdB)**: ING, norisbank and Chase are all recorded under it, Chase because J.P. Morgan holds a German licence in Frankfurt and norisbank through the Deutsche Bank group. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#protection - Related Guides [### Commercial Banks Where the current account goes.](/finance/commercial-banks)[### Open Bank Account Anmeldung and the tax ID.](/finance/open-bank-account)[### Fintech Apps Revolut, Trade Republic and the rest.](/finance/fintech-apps)[### Accounts for New Arrivals The Girokonten ranked for week one.](/finance/accounts/best-for-new-arrivals) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#related-guides User question: "Which German savings account has the best rate?" Answer: It depends how long you leave the money there. Revolut leads on the headline at 4.25% but only for four months, and then pays 1.25%. Bigbank pays 4.05% for four months and 2.25% afterwards, which is the strongest rate once the promo ends. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#faq-which-german-savings-account-has-the-best-rate User question: "How is interest on savings taxed in Germany?" Answer: By the Abgeltungsteuer: 25% on the interest, plus the 5.5% solidarity surcharge levied on that tax. Lodge a Freistellungsauftrag with the bank and the first EUR 1,000 of investment income a year is free of it, EUR 2,000 for a jointly assessed couple. Every rate quoted on this page is gross, before that deduction. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#faq-how-is-interest-on-savings-taxed-in-germany User question: "Does the bank deduct the tax for me?" Answer: Most do. Revolut, norisbank, Chase, Consorsbank, pbb direkt, ING and Trade Republic are all recorded as withholding the Abgeltungsteuer at source, which is also what makes a Freistellungsauftrag work. Bigbank does not: it holds an Estonian licence, deducts nothing, and the interest has to be declared yourself in Anlage KAP of your German tax return. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/savings-accounts#faq-does-the-bank-deduct-the-tax-for-me Title: What Are the Best Fintech Apps and Neobanks in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-fintech-apps-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps.md BLUF: Six app-first accounts are worth holding in Germany: N26, Revolut, Wise, Trade Republic, C24 and bunq. Five of the six cost EUR 0 a month and bunq Core costs EUR 3.99, and none of the six needs a Meldebescheinigung from the [Bürgeramt](/moving/address-registration), which is why they are the fastest route to an IBAN in your first week. Two things the marketing does not say: every card attached to these accounts is a Debitkarte and not a credit card, and two of the six issue an IBAN that is not German, Revolut a Lithuanian one and Wise a Belgian one. - Which Fintech Apps Are Worth Holding? Six accounts from the August 2026 catalogue, ordered by how usable they are in Germany: German banking licence and German IBAN first, then the foreign-licensed accounts that still open in minutes. **N26 Standard** is the default pick, a German IBAN from a bank with its own German licence, free, in English, and open before the Anmeldung is done. **Revolut Standard** has the deepest feature set b... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#top-picks - What Is a Fintech Account in Germany? A current account opened and run entirely in an app, with no branch and no paper contract. In Germany the practical difference is speed: N26, Revolut, Wise and bunq are recorded as opening in zero days and Trade Republic and C24 in one, and none of the six requires the registered German address that a [Girokonto](/finance/open-bank-account) at DKB, ING or a Sparkasse does. Identity is checked b... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#overview - Do They Issue a German IBAN? Four of the six do. N26, Trade Republic, C24 and bunq all issue a German (DE) IBAN. **Revolut** issues a Lithuanian (LT) IBAN and **Wise** a Belgian (BE) one. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#iban - Compare two providers Already down to two? Each comparison declares a winner on every criterion that decides the purchase. [Revolut vs N26](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[C24 Bank vs RevolutC24 Bank issues a German DE IBAN and caps out-of-allowance withdrawals at a flat EUR 2, while Revolut issues a Lithuanian LT IBAN but opens in 0 days without a German tax ID and runs fully in English.](/finance/compare/c24-bank-vs-revo... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#comparisons - Related Guides [### Revolut vs N26 Lithuanian IBAN against German.](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[### Open Bank Account Anmeldung, tax ID and identification.](/finance/open-bank-account)[### Commercial Banks The three-pillar banking system.](/finance/commercial-banks)[### Cards Abroad What non-euro spending costs.](/finance/cards-abroad) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#related-guides User question: "Is Revolut a German bank?" Answer: No. Revolut Bank UAB holds a Lithuanian banking licence and is supervised by the ECB, and the account it issues in Germany carries a Lithuanian (LT) IBAN rather than a German one. Deposits are protected up to EUR 100,000 per depositor, and the account is free and opens the same day. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#faq-is-revolut-a-german-bank User question: "Can I have my salary paid into an N26 account?" Answer: Yes. N26 Bank SE holds its own German banking licence, is supervised by BaFin and the ECB, and issues a German (DE) IBAN, so it behaves like any other Girokonto on a payroll or direct-debit form. It costs EUR 0 a month and needs neither a Meldebescheinigung nor a Steuer-Identifikationsnummer to open. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#faq-can-i-have-my-salary-paid-into-an-n26-account User question: "Is money in a fintech account safe?" Answer: It depends on the licence, not on the app. N26, Trade Republic, C24 and bunq are licensed banks and the catalogue records EUR 100,000 of deposit protection per depositor on each, as it does on Revolut. Wise Europe SA is a Belgian payment institution and not a bank: its record shows EUR 0 of deposit protection, because client money is safeguarded in segregated accounts instead. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/fintech-apps#faq-is-money-in-a-fintech-account-safe Title: Revolut or N26 in Germany: Which Should You Pick? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26 Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/revolut-or-n26-which-is-better-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26.md BLUF: N26 is the safer default in Germany because **N26 Bank SE holds its own German full-bank licence**, supervised by BaFin and the ECB, and issues a **German (DE) IBAN**. Revolut Bank UAB is licensed in **Lithuania** and issues an **LT IBAN**: SEPA Article 9 forbids refusing it, but German salary and direct-debit forms still do. Revolut answers with the better savings rate and the larger [free cash allowance abroad](/finance/cards-abroad). Both cost EUR 0 a month, both open the same day without an [Anmeldung](/moving/address-registration), and both cards are [Debitkarten rather than credit cards](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards). - Revolut Revolut Bank UAB, Lithuanian banking licence Revolut is a bank licensed in Lithuania and supervised by the ECB, not a German bank. The account carries a Lithuanian (LT) IBAN, which SEPA Article 9 says must be accepted but which German salary and direct-debit forms still reject. Cheapest entry: Revolut Standard, EUR 0 a month Wins 2 of 1020%[Open a Revolut account](https://www.revolut.com)VSN source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#duel - N26 N26 Bank SE, own German full-bank licence N26 holds its own German full-bank licence and is supervised by BaFin and the ECB. The account issues a German (DE) IBAN, and the card attached to it is a Mastercard Debit, not a credit card. Cheapest entry: N26 Standard, EUR 0 a month Wins 4 of 1040%[Open an N26 account](https://n26.com) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#duel - Row by row Fees verified August 2026 against each provider's published data | Criterion | Revolut | N26 | | --- | --- | --- | | Banking licenceThe licence decides who supervises the bank holding your salary. | Lithuanian licence, ECB supervised | German full-bank licence, BaFin and ECB supervisedWins | | IBANGerman payroll and direct-debit forms still reject a foreign IBAN. | LT, not a German IBANSEPA Art... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#row-by-row - So which one ### Pick Revolut if - You want a higher rate on instant-access savings than N26 pays - You withdraw cash abroad often and want a larger free allowance - You want crypto, stocks and savings vaults inside the banking app - A Lithuanian IBAN causes no problem with how you are paid ### Pick N26 if - You want a German IBAN your employer and utilities will accept without argument - You want a bank wi... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#pick-if - Other comparisons We are adding more head-to-head comparisons soon. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#other-comparisons - How we compared these two ### The criteria are fixed Every comparison on this site uses the same 10 rows in the same order, so two pages can be read against each other. We do not add a row because one side happens to win it. ### A win is a stated threshold A row is won on the published number or capability, not on judgement. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#method - Related Guides [### Fintech Apps All fintech options.](/finance/fintech-apps)[### Open a Bank Account Girokonto and Anmeldung.](/finance/open-bank-account)[### Cards Abroad FX and travel.](/finance/cards-abroad)[### Savings Accounts Tagesgeld and Festgeld rates.](/finance/savings-accounts) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#related-guides User question: "Do both issue a German IBAN?" Answer: No. N26 Bank SE holds its own German full-bank licence and issues a German (DE) IBAN. Revolut Bank UAB is licensed in Lithuania and issues an LT IBAN. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#faq-do-both-issue-a-german-iban User question: "Is my money equally safe in both?" Answer: Both are licensed banks and both carry EUR 100,000 of deposit protection per depositor, but under different national schemes: the German one for N26 Bank SE and the Lithuanian one for Revolut Bank UAB. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#faq-is-my-money-equally-safe-in-both User question: "Is either of them a credit card?" Answer: No. Both cards are Debitkarten. Money leaves the account the moment you pay, no credit line is granted, and neither builds a SCHUFA credit file. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/revolut-vs-n26#faq-is-either-of-them-a-credit-card Title: Are Crypto Exchanges Regulated in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-crypto-exchanges-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges.md BLUF: Crypto platforms serving Germany fall under **BaFin**, the federal financial supervisory authority, which licenses and supervises crypto-asset service providers as it does banks and insurers. This page ranks no exchange and prints no fee table: our German data set covers cards, current accounts and savings, and holds no verified exchange record, so any list here would be unsourced. For rankings we have actually checked, use the fintech app, [current account](/finance/open-bank-account) and [savings](/finance/savings-accounts) pages. - Who Supervises Crypto in Germany? **BaFin**, the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, is Germany's federal financial supervisory authority. It licenses and supervises the banks and insurers operating here, and crypto-asset service providers sit under the same authority. The practical consequence for a newcomer is a single check worth doing before any deposit: confirm on BaFin's own register that the platform in fron... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#overview - Why This Page Names No Exchange **Our German research delivery covers cards, current accounts and savings only, and carries no crypto-exchange records.** Every ranking on this site is built from that catalogue, where each row keeps its source URL and the date it was checked. There is nothing to build an exchange ranking from, so there is no ranking here rather than an invented one. That also rules out a fee table. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#top-picks - Tax Reporting This page publishes no German crypto tax rate and no holding period, because our data set carries neither. A figure quoted from elsewhere would be one we could not source or date, and on tax that is the difference between a guide and a liability. Keep records of every purchase, sale and transfer, and take your own position from your **Finanzamt** or a Steuerberater. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#tax - Related Guides [### Fintech Apps Verified app rankings.](/finance/fintech-apps)[### Revolut vs N26 Two neobanks compared.](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[### Open Bank Account Banking for transfers.](/finance/open-bank-account)[### Savings Accounts Lower-risk savings.](/finance/savings-accounts) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#related-guides User question: "Which crypto exchange do you recommend in Germany?" Answer: None, and that is a deliberate answer rather than an omission. Our German data set covers cards, current accounts and savings, and it holds no verified crypto-exchange record. We rank a product only once its terms and prices have been checked and dated, so this page names no venue at all instead of publishing a list we have not verified. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#faq-which-crypto-exchange-do-you-recommend-in-germany User question: "Who regulates crypto platforms in Germany?" Answer: BaFin, the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, is the federal financial supervisory authority. It licenses and supervises crypto-asset service providers in Germany alongside banks and insurers. Before you move money to any platform, check that it holds the relevant BaFin authorisation. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#faq-who-regulates-crypto-platforms-in-germany User question: "How are crypto gains taxed in Germany?" Answer: This page publishes no figure. Our German research carries no crypto tax record, and a rate or holding period quoted from anywhere else would be a number we cannot source or date. Ask your Finanzamt or a Steuerberater for your own position. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#faq-how-are-crypto-gains-taxed-in-germany User question: "Where are your verified German rankings?" Answer: On the pages backed by the catalogue: fintech apps, current accounts and savings accounts. Those carry named providers, dated prices and deposit-protection detail, including the EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank protection that applies to licensed German banks. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/crypto-exchanges#faq-where-are-your-verified-german-rankings Title: What Are the Best Credit Cards in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-credit-cards-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards.md BLUF: Every card in this ranking costs EUR 0 in year one and every year after, and none of them needs a [German IBAN](/finance/open-bank-account). Hanseatic Bank GenialCard is the cheapest to carry a balance on, at 16,05% effective. Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold, TF Bank Mastercard Gold and Bank Norwegian Visa cost the same and add English-language support and travel insurance. Read the word [Kreditkarte](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards) carefully: of the 61 German cards in this catalogue only 48 grant a credit line, and the rest are Debitkarten. - How Do German Credit Cards Compare? Germany is a debit-card market, and the catalogue shows it: of 61 card records only 48 grant a credit line. The genuine credit cards fall into three groups. Standalone issuers, meaning Hanseatic Bank, Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank Norwegian and easybank, sell free Visa and Mastercard products that settle from any SEPA account and need no account with the issuer. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#compare - What Are the Best Credit Cards? Ranked on what the card costs to hold, what it costs to spend and withdraw outside the euro, whether it can be opened without a German IBAN, and the effective annual rate each issuer publishes in its own price list, read in August 2026. Only genuine credit products are listed, so the Debitkarten that German banks and fintechs sell under a Kreditkarte badge are excluded. That is why the list is... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#top-picks - How Do Credit Cards Work in Germany? You get a monthly statement and pay no interest at all if you clear it in full by the due date; Bank Norwegian publishes up to 45 interest-free days on that basis. The trap in this market is the repayment default. Advanzia collects only the minimum payment unless you transfer the full amount yourself, TF Bank runs partial repayment with no direct-debit settlement, and easybank charges EUR 2 a m... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#how-they-work - How We Compared These Cards We rank on the fields in this site's catalogue: the fee in year one and in every year after, the effective annual rate as the issuer publishes it, the [charge on non-euro spending](/finance/cards-abroad), the cost of a cash withdrawal, whether a German IBAN is required, whether the issuer answers in English, and what the card does by default when the statement falls due. Fees come from each iss... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#method - Related Guides [### Credit Card Fees Annual fees, cash, non-euro spending.](/finance/credit-card-fees)[### Credit Card Interest Rates How the effektiver Jahreszins works.](/finance/credit-card-interest-rates)[### Credit Card Requirements SCHUFA, documents and approval.](/finance/credit-card-requirements)[### Debit vs Credit Cards girocard, Debitkarte and Kreditkarte.](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#related-guides User question: "What is the best free credit card in Germany?" Answer: Hanseatic Bank GenialCard. It costs EUR 0 in year one and every year after, charges nothing on non-euro spending, and at 16,05% effective it carries the lowest rate of the fee-free group. Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold and TF Bank Mastercard Gold cost the same and add English-language support and a travel insurance package. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#faq-what-is-the-best-free-credit-card-in-germany User question: "Do I need a German bank account to get a credit card?" Answer: Not for the cards in this ranking. All seven settle by direct debit from any SEPA account, so a Lithuanian or Belgian IBAN works. Bank cards are the opposite: Commerzbank, HypoVereinsbank, Postbank, 1822direkt and the Sparkassen all require their own current account first. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#faq-do-i-need-a-german-bank-account-to-get-a-credit-card User question: "What is SCHUFA and why was my application refused?" Answer: SCHUFA is Germany's credit bureau, and every credit card in this ranking runs a SCHUFA query. A file with no German history is thin rather than bad, and issuers usually answer it with a small limit rather than a refusal: Advanzia commonly starts holders at EUR 200 to EUR 500 and raises the limit as you repay, and Hanseatic Bank typically starts the GenialCard at EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,000. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#faq-what-is-schufa-and-why-was-my-application-refused User question: "Is a German Kreditkarte always a credit card?" Answer: No. Of the 61 German card records in this catalogue, 48 grant a credit line, 12 are Debitkarten and one is prepaid. The cards from N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24, Trade Republic, ING and Consorsbank are all Debitkarten: the money leaves the account the same day, no credit line is granted, and no SCHUFA credit relationship is built. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards#faq-is-a-german-kreditkarte-always-a-credit-card Title: Which of Germany's 48 Credit Cards Is Right for You? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-much-do-credit-cards-cost-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research.md BLUF: **The short answer** Of the 48 real credit cards sold in Germany, **15** are free in year one and every year after, **35** can be opened without a German IBAN, and **19** are recorded as answering in English. This table lists credit products only: the 13 Debitkarten and prepaid cards that German banks and fintechs sell under a Kreditkarte badge are filtered out. [Annual fees](/finance/credit-card-fees), the [effective annual rate](/finance/credit-card-interest-rates) and the [cost of spending abroad](/finance/cards-abroad) vary more than on any other product on this site, so filter to your situation first, then rank by what you actually pay. - All cards grouped by providerRank byAnnual feeEffective APRCost abroadHA ### Hanseatic Bank No German IBAN needed Price band EUR 0 to 58.80 a year [Get a Hanseatic Bank card](https://www.hanseaticbank.de/genialcard) | Plan | Annual fee | Effective APR | Cost abroad | Network | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Hanseatic Bank GenialCardBest hererevolving credit | Free | 16.05% effective | No FX fee | Visa... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#picker - Related Guides [### Credit Cards The seven cards worth applying for.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Credit Card Fees Annual fee, cash, non-euro spending.](/finance/credit-card-fees)[### Interest Rates How the effektiver Jahreszins works.](/finance/credit-card-interest-rates)[### Debit vs Credit Cards Why the debit records are filtered out.](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#related-guides User question: "How often are prices updated?" Answer: We verify prices quarterly. Each product carries its own source URL and access date in the catalogue, and this research was read in August 2026. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#faq-how-often-are-prices-updated User question: "What does n/a mean?" Answer: n/a means the value was not published on the issuer's own price list at the time of research. We do not guess, and we do not round. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#faq-what-does-na-mean User question: "Why are there no Debitkarten in this table?" Answer: Because this is a credit-card table. Of the 61 German card records in the catalogue, 48 grant a credit line, 12 are Debitkarten and one is prepaid. The debit products from N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24, Trade Republic, ING and Consorsbank are covered on the debit vs credit page and the fintech apps page instead. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#faq-why-are-there-no-debitkarten-in-this-table User question: "Does the no-SCHUFA filter do anything here?" Answer: No, and that is the honest answer: every credit card in this table runs a SCHUFA query when you apply, so the filter reads zero. The records with no credit check are all debit or prepaid products, which this table excludes. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#faq-does-the-no-schufa-filter-do-anything-here User question: "Does the table include business cards?" Answer: Yes, the catalogue includes a small number of business and co-brand cards. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards-price-research#faq-does-the-table-include-business-cards Title: What Do Credit Cards Cost in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-credit-card-fees-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees.md BLUF: Germany's [fee-free credit cards](/finance/credit-cards) genuinely cost EUR 0 a year: the Hanseatic Bank GenialCard, the Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold, the TF Bank Mastercard Gold, the Bank Norwegian Visa, the awa7 Visa and the easybank Visa charge nothing in the first year and nothing on renewal. The cost sits elsewhere. Several of them repay by instalment unless you intervene, and the easybank Visa charges EUR 2 a month if you want the full balance collected by direct debit. Every figure below comes from the issuers' own German price lists. - What Does a German Credit Card Cost a Year? Annual fees split cleanly into two groups. The standalone issuers, the ones that sell a card without selling you an account, charge EUR 0: Hanseatic Bank, Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank Norwegian, easybank and awa7 all do. The branch banks and the premium networks charge, from EUR 39 for a Deutsche Bank Mastercard Standard and EUR 39.90 for a Commerzbank ClassicKreditkarte up to EUR 720 for an America... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#annual - What Do Cash Withdrawals Cost? A withdrawal is priced separately from a purchase, and on a bank-issued card it is the most expensive thing the card does. American Express takes 4% with a EUR 5 minimum, Deutsche Bank 2.5% with a EUR 5.75 minimum, Commerzbank 1.95% with a EUR 5.98 minimum, and Targobank 3.5% with a EUR 5.95 minimum once you leave its own machines. The fee-free issuers are the exception: Advanzia, TF Bank, Bank... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#cash - What Does Non-Euro Spending Cost? German price lists call this the Auslandseinsatzentgelt. On the fee-free cards it is simply 0% worldwide, on the GenialCard, the Advanzia Gold, the TF Bank Gold, the Bank Norwegian Visa, the easybank Visa, the awa7 Visa and the Deutschland-Kreditkarte Classic alike. The banks charge. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#fx - Which Free Cards Are Not Really Free? Three cards carry a cost that no fee table shows, because it is buried in how the card settles. The easybank Visa is free only if you accept the [partial-repayment default](/finance/credit-card-interest-rates): having 100% of the balance collected by direct debit costs EUR 2 a month. The Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold runs no automatic full direct debit at all, so unless you actively tra... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#late - Related Guides [### Credit Cards Top picks ranked.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Credit Card Price Research Full fee table.](/finance/credit-cards-price-research)[### Requirements SCHUFA and documents.](/finance/credit-card-requirements)[### Cards Abroad FX and travel charges.](/finance/cards-abroad) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#related-guides User question: "Are there genuinely free credit cards in Germany?" Answer: Yes. The Hanseatic Bank GenialCard, the Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold, the TF Bank Mastercard Gold, the Bank Norwegian Visa, the awa7 Visa and the Deutschland-Kreditkarte Classic each charge EUR 0 in the first year and EUR 0 on renewal. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#faq-are-there-genuinely-free-credit-cards-in-germany User question: "Why do cash withdrawals cost more than card payments?" Answer: A withdrawal is priced separately from a purchase, and on the bank-issued cards it is the most expensive thing the card does. American Express charges 4% with a EUR 5 minimum, Deutsche Bank 2.5% with a EUR 5.75 minimum and Commerzbank 1.95% with a EUR 5.98 minimum. Several of the fee-free cards charge nothing. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#faq-why-do-cash-withdrawals-cost-more-than-card-payments User question: "Can I avoid the fee on non-euro spending?" Answer: Yes. Most of Germany's fee-free cards apply 0% worldwide, including non-euro purchases. The branch banks are where the charge sits: 1.75% at Deutsche Bank, 1.75% plus a 0.59% conversion fee at Commerzbank, and 1.85% plus a 2% exchange-rate surcharge at Targobank. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-fees#faq-can-i-avoid-the-fee-on-non-euro-spending Title: What Interest Do German Credit Cards Charge? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-credit-card-interest-rates-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates.md BLUF: Germany sets no statutory limit on credit card interest, so no issuer is working under a published ceiling. The only backstop is the unconscionability test in BGB section 138, which bites at 2 times the prevailing market effective rate or 12 percentage points above it, both of which move with the market. Among the fee-free cards a new arrival can actually get, the published effective annual rates run from 16,05% on the Hanseatic Bank GenialCard to 24,4% on the Bank Norwegian Visa. Many German cards publish no rate at all, because they grant no revolving credit. - What Is the Effektiver Jahreszins? German price lists quote the effektiver Jahreszins, the effective annual rate. It is the figure to compare two cards on, and it is the figure a [German lender](/finance/personal-loans) must publish in its representative example under the Preisangabenverordnung. Plenty of German cards show nothing in that column, and that is not an omission. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#effektivzins - Does Germany Cap Credit Card Interest? No. Germany publishes no statutory limit on what a credit card may charge, and neither BaFin nor the Deutsche Bundesbank issues a quarterly maximum for issuers to price against. Anyone quoting you a single German ceiling figure is describing a different country's rules. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#ceiling - How Do You Avoid Paying Interest? Pay the statement in full by its due date. On the [Hanseatic Bank GenialCard](/finance/credit-cards) interest applies only to a carried balance, so a full payment on time costs nothing, and the Bank Norwegian Visa gives up to 45 interest-free days on the same condition. The catch is that several German cards are set up not to do that unless you tell them to. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#grace - Related Guides [### Credit Cards Top picks ranked.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Credit Card Price Research Full fee table.](/finance/credit-cards-price-research)[### Requirements SCHUFA and documents.](/finance/credit-card-requirements)[### Cards Abroad FX and travel charges.](/finance/cards-abroad) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#related-guides User question: "Does Germany have a legal maximum credit card rate?" Answer: No. German law publishes no statutory limit on credit card interest, so there is no figure an issuer must stay under. What exists instead is the unconscionability test under BGB section 138 and settled BGH case law: a rate can be struck down once it reaches 2 times the prevailing market effective rate, or sits 12 percentage points above it. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#faq-does-germany-have-a-legal-maximum-credit-card-rate User question: "Why does my German credit card show no interest rate?" Answer: Because it grants no revolving credit. A charge card or a delayed-debit card collects the whole statement balance every month, so there is no carried balance to charge interest on and the price list quotes no effective rate. The American Express range, the Deutsche Bank Mastercard tiers and the 1822direkt Visa cards all sit in that group. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#faq-why-does-my-german-credit-card-show-no-interest-rate User question: "Which German credit card charges the least interest?" Answer: Among the fee-free cards a new arrival can realistically be approved for, the Hanseatic Bank GenialCard publishes the lowest effective annual rate at 16,05%, and the Bank Norwegian Visa the highest at 24,4%. Cards that charge an annual fee publish lower rates: the Miles & More Credit Card Blue quotes 9,8% against a EUR 66 annual fee, the Commerzbank GoldKreditkarte 10,2% against EUR 99.90. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-interest-rates#faq-which-german-credit-card-charges-the-least-interest Title: What Do You Need to Get a Credit Card in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-credit-card-requirements-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements.md BLUF: A German credit card application asks for four things: a [German address registered at the Bürgeramt](/moving/address-registration), a [Steuer-Identifikationsnummer](/moving/tax-number-social-security-health-card), an identity check by VideoIdent, eID or PostIdent, and on many cards a German IBAN for the direct debit. None of those is what stops new arrivals. The wall is SCHUFA. Every genuine credit card in this catalogue is credit-checked at SCHUFA, and a file that is thin or empty because you have only just moved is the usual reason an application is refused. - What Do You Need to Apply? Four documents cover almost every German application. A registered German address, evidenced by the Meldebescheinigung the Bürgeramt hands over when you complete the Anmeldung. A Steuer-Identifikationsnummer, which any interest-bearing product needs. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#documents - What Is the SCHUFA Check? SCHUFA is Germany's credit bureau, and it is named as the credit check on every genuine credit card in this catalogue, from the fee-free Hanseatic Bank GenialCard to the American Express Platinum Card. The issuer queries it before it grants a limit, and the query decides both whether you are approved and how large the starting limit is. Only 6 records in the catalogue state that no credit check... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#crc - How Much Income Do You Need? No issuer in this catalogue publishes a minimum income, so any figure quoted as a German threshold is guesswork. What the issuers do publish is the starting limit, and German price lists describe it as bonitätsabhängig: set by your creditworthiness rather than by a rule. The spread is real. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#income - Can a New Arrival Get a Credit Card? It is harder in your first months, and the reason is specific rather than general. A SCHUFA file with almost nothing in it is not read as a clean record, it is read as an unknown, and an unknown gets a low limit or a rejection. Two things make the first attempt easier. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#newcomers - Related Guides [### Credit Cards Top picks ranked.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Credit Card Price Research Full fee table.](/finance/credit-cards-price-research)[### Credit Card Fees What a card costs to hold.](/finance/credit-card-fees)[### Cards Abroad FX and travel charges.](/finance/cards-abroad) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#related-guides User question: "Do I need a German bank account to get a German credit card?" Answer: Not always. The branch banks tie the card to their own account: Commerzbank, Postbank, HypoVereinsbank, comdirect, 1822direkt and the Sparkassen-Kreditkarte all require a German IBAN. The standalone issuers do not. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#faq-do-i-need-a-german-bank-account-to-get-a-german-credit-card User question: "Can I get a credit card with no SCHUFA check?" Answer: Not a credit card, no. Every card in this catalogue that runs no credit check is a Debitkarte, a business debit card or a prepaid card. Where a real credit line is granted, SCHUFA is checked first, and the thin file a new arrival has is exactly what the check finds. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#faq-can-i-get-a-credit-card-with-no-schufa-check User question: "Does a Debitkarte help me qualify for a credit card later?" Answer: Not directly. The N26, Revolut, Wise and bunq records all note that no credit line is granted, so using them builds no SCHUFA credit file. They solve the problem of having an IBAN in your first week, not the problem of having a credit history. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-card-requirements#faq-does-a-debitkarte-help-me-qualify-for-a-credit-card-later Title: What Are the Best Credit Card Issuers in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/who-are-the-main-card-issuers-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers.md BLUF: 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... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#issuers - 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](htt... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#top-picks - 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 Comme... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#choose - 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) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#related-guides User question: "Which German issuers give you a card without a German bank account?" Answer: 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. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#faq-which-german-issuers-give-you-a-card-without-a-german-bank-a User question: "Do the fintechs issue credit cards in Germany?" Answer: 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. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#faq-do-the-fintechs-issue-credit-cards-in-germany User question: "Can I hold cards from more than one issuer?" Answer: 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. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#faq-can-i-hold-cards-from-more-than-one-issuer User question: "Who actually issues my co-brand card?" Answer: 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 repaymen... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/card-issuers#faq-who-actually-issues-my-co-brand-card Title: Which German Card Should You Use Abroad? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-do-german-cards-work-abroad Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad.md BLUF: Start with what does not travel: the girocard your [German account](/finance/open-bank-account) hands you is a domestic scheme and stops at the border, so what you take abroad is a Visa or a Mastercard. Germany is unusually well served here. The Hanseatic Bank GenialCard, the Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold, the TF Bank Mastercard Gold, the Bank Norwegian Visa and the awa7 Visa all charge 0% worldwide on non-euro spending and nothing to withdraw cash, on a card with no annual fee. The charge sits on the bank cards, where the Auslandseinsatzentgelt starts at 1.75% and runs to 3.85%. - What Do German Banks Charge Abroad? Two separate charges apply once you leave the euro. The [Auslandseinsatzentgelt](/finance/credit-card-fees) is a percentage of every non-euro purchase, and the cash fee is charged on every withdrawal, usually as a percentage with a minimum that makes small withdrawals expensive. Deutsche Bank takes 1.75% with a EUR 1.50 minimum on spending and 2.5% with a EUR 5.75 minimum on cash. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#fx - Are Fintech Cards Better for Travel? They are good, but on this measure they are no longer ahead of Germany's [fee-free credit cards](/finance/credit-cards). N26 applies 0% on card payments in every plan, with no allowance to track, and charges 1.7% at non-euro cash machines. Revolut gives the interbank rate only inside its plan allowance, EUR 1,000 a month on Standard, and adds roughly 1% outside market hours and at weekends. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#fintech - Tips for Using a German Card Abroad Always pay in the local currency. When a terminal or a cash machine offers to bill you in euros it is doing the conversion itself, at its own rate, on top of whatever your card charges. Leave the girocard at home and carry a Visa or a Mastercard, and if your card is a DKB Visa Debit, check first whether you count as an Aktivkunde this month, because the difference is 0% against 2.2%. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#tips - Related Guides [### Credit Cards Top picks ranked.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Credit Card Price Research Full fee table.](/finance/credit-cards-price-research)[### Credit Card Fees What a card costs to hold.](/finance/credit-card-fees)[### Requirements SCHUFA and documents.](/finance/credit-card-requirements)[### Revolut vs N26 Fintech comparison.](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[### Fintech Apps Accounts that open... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#related-guides User question: "Does my girocard work abroad?" Answer: No. The girocard is Germany's domestic debit scheme, and it is the card most German accounts hand you first. It is accepted in places that refuse international cards, at the Bäckerei, the Arztpraxis and plenty of restaurants, but it does not travel. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#faq-does-my-girocard-work-abroad User question: "Which German cards charge nothing on non-euro spending?" Answer: The Hanseatic Bank GenialCard, the Hanseatic Bank GoldCard, the Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold, the TF Bank Mastercard Gold, the Bank Norwegian Visa, the easybank Visa, the awa7 Visa, the Deutschland-Kreditkarte Classic and both Santander BestCards all apply 0% worldwide. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#faq-which-german-cards-charge-nothing-on-non-euro-spending User question: "Is Revolut or N26 cheaper abroad?" Answer: N26 applies 0% on card payments in every plan, with no monthly allowance to watch. Revolut gives the interbank rate only within its plan allowance, EUR 1,000 a month on Standard, and adds around 1% outside market hours and at weekends. For everyday non-euro spending N26 is the simpler of the two. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/cards-abroad#faq-is-revolut-or-n26-cheaper-abroad Title: Debit or Credit Card in Germany: Which Do You Need? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/should-i-use-debit-or-credit-cards-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards.md BLUF: Germany is a debit-card country, and girocard is the scheme that gets accepted where an international credit card is refused. A Debitkarte takes the money out of your account the same day and builds no SCHUFA credit history, whatever the word on the plastic says: of the 61 German card records in this catalogue only 48 grant a credit line, 12 are Debitkarten and one is prepaid. Carry a girocard for daily life, the account's Debitkarte for online and abroad, and one free credit card for anything that needs a real credit line. - What Is the Difference? A Debitkarte takes the money out of your current account the same day. A Kreditkarte grants a credit line and bills you once a month, and you pay interest only on what you leave unsettled. The distinction matters more in Germany than elsewhere because the label is unreliable: German banks and fintechs sell Debitkarten under the word Kreditkarte. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#diff - What Is girocard and Why Does It Matter? girocard is the German domestic debit scheme and the card most people here actually pay with. It is accepted at counters that refuse Visa and Mastercard outright: bakeries, doctors' surgeries and many restaurants take girocard and nothing else. It is normally a separate card from the Visa or Mastercard debit card an account ships with, and the catalogue prices it separately on most accounts: EU... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#girocard - When to Use Debit Use debit for groceries, transport, rent and standing orders, and for cash. It is the card a [Girokonto](/finance/open-bank-account) ships with, it cannot put you into revolving interest, and on the [fintech accounts](/finance/fintech-apps) it is also the cheapest way to [pay outside the euro](/finance/cards-abroad): N26, Trade Republic and C24 charge nothing at all on card payments in foreign... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#when-debit - When to Use Credit Use a [real credit card](/finance/credit-cards) where a merchant bills later or holds a deposit, and for the insurance the free German cards bundle. Hanseatic Bank GenialCard, Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold, TF Bank Mastercard Gold, Bank Norwegian Visa and easybank Visa all cost EUR 0 a year and charge nothing on non-euro spending, and Advanzia, TF Bank and Bank Norwegian bundle travel i... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#when-credit - The Combination That Works in Germany A Girokonto with a girocard for daily life, the Visa or Mastercard Debitkarte that comes with the account for online shopping and travel, and one free credit card for deposits, bookings and anything that needs a credit line. On a direct bank that is EUR 0 a month for the account, about EUR 1 a month for the girocard, and EUR 0 a year for the credit card. Nothing in that set requires a branch-ba... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#combo - 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)[### Cards Abroad Non-euro spending and cash.](/finance/cards-abroad)[### Fintech Apps The debit-first accounts.](/finance/fintech-apps)[### Open a Bank... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#related-guides User question: "Which card do German shops actually accept?" Answer: girocard. It is the German domestic debit scheme, and it is taken at counters that routinely refuse Visa and Mastercard: bakeries, doctors' surgeries and a lot of restaurants. It is usually a separate card from the Visa or Mastercard debit card your account ships with, and it is often priced separately: EUR 0.99 a month at DKB and ING, EUR 1 a month at comdirect, and commonly EUR 12 to EUR 15 a... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#faq-which-card-do-german-shops-actually-accept User question: "Is my German Kreditkarte really a credit card?" Answer: Often not. Twelve of the 61 German card records in this catalogue are Debitkarten and one is prepaid, so only 48 grant a credit line. Every card from N26, Revolut, Wise, bunq, C24, Trade Republic, ING and Consorsbank is a Debitkarte, and DKB's default card is a Visa Debit with the Visa Kreditkarte sold as a EUR 2.49 a month add-on. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#faq-is-my-german-kreditkarte-really-a-credit-card User question: "Can I build a credit record with a debit card?" Answer: No. A Debitkarte grants no credit line, so no SCHUFA credit relationship is created; the catalogue records exactly that for N26, Revolut, bunq and Wise. Only a credit product builds a repayment history, and every credit card in this catalogue runs a SCHUFA query when you apply. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#faq-can-i-build-a-credit-record-with-a-debit-card User question: "Does a debit card cost anything in Germany?" Answer: The debit card itself normally comes with the current account, and the direct banks charge EUR 0 a month for the account. The girocard alongside it is usually the part that costs money. A branch account is the other cost: a Commerzbank GiroKonto is EUR 4.90 a month unless you meet its waiver. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards#faq-does-a-debit-card-cost-anything-in-germany Title: What Are the Best Prepaid Cards in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-prepaid-cards-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards.md BLUF: Germany has almost no prepaid card market. This catalogue holds exactly one true prepaid card, the Commerzbank Prepaid Kreditkarte at EUR 39.90 a year and only alongside a Commerzbank account, plus the Wise Card, which spends a balance you load rather than a credit line. If what you want is a card that cannot overdraw you, the German answer is a girocard or the Debitkarte on a free Girokonto, not a prepaid product. - What Are Prepaid Cards? A prepaid card holds a balance you load in advance, and you can only spend what is on it. There is no credit line, no monthly statement and no interest, which is why they are sold elsewhere for budgeting, for gifts and for people who cannot open a bank account. In Germany this is a niche: of the 61 card records in this catalogue exactly one is a prepaid product. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#overview - How Do They Work? You load the card by transfer and spend the balance down. The Commerzbank Prepaid Kreditkarte costs EUR 39.90 in year one and in every year after, is sold with a Commerzbank account, and charges 1.95% with a EUR 5.98 minimum on cash withdrawals; the catalogue records its charge on non-euro spending only as high. Its Prepaid Junior version is free until 18. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#how-they-work - Every Prepaid Card in the German Catalogue These are the 2 cards in the German catalogue that spend a loaded balance rather than a credit line. That is the whole list. We do not pad a short market out to a round number, and neither card is the right answer for most readers, so read the section below before you apply for either. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#top-picks - What Should You Use Instead? A free [Girokonto](/finance/open-bank-account) and the [Debitkarte](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards) that comes with it does everything a prepaid card does, and costs nothing. N26 Standard, C24 Smart and the Trade Republic Girokonto are unconditionally free at EUR 0 a month, and all three open before the [Anmeldung](/moving/address-registration) is done, so a new arrival does not have to wait fo... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#instead - Related Guides [### Debit vs Credit Cards girocard, Debitkarte, Kreditkarte.](/finance/debit-vs-credit-cards)[### 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)[### Fintech Apps The debit-first accounts.](/finance/fint... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#related-guides User question: "Are there real prepaid cards in Germany?" Answer: Barely. Exactly one of the 61 card records in this catalogue is a true prepaid card: the Commerzbank Prepaid Kreditkarte, at EUR 39.90 a year and only alongside a Commerzbank account, with the Prepaid Junior version free until 18. The Wise Card is listed here too because it spends a balance you load rather than a credit line, but it is a Debitkarte, not a prepaid product. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#faq-are-there-real-prepaid-cards-in-germany User question: "Do prepaid cards build a SCHUFA record?" Answer: No. They grant no credit line, so there is no credit relationship for an issuer to report. The catalogue records no SCHUFA interaction at all on the Wise Card. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#faq-do-prepaid-cards-build-a-schufa-record User question: "Can I get one without a German address?" Answer: The Wise Card can be opened without a completed Anmeldung and without a German IBAN. The Commerzbank prepaid card cannot: its record requires German address registration and a German IBAN, because it is sold with a Commerzbank account. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#faq-can-i-get-one-without-a-german-address User question: "Is money on a prepaid card protected?" Answer: Not by the deposit guarantee in the Wise case. Wise Europe SA is a Belgian payment institution and not a bank, and the catalogue records EUR 0 of deposit protection on the Wise account: client money is safeguarded instead. Money in a German bank account is covered up to EUR 100,000 per depositor per bank, paid within seven working days. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/prepaid-cards#faq-is-money-on-a-prepaid-card-protected Title: What Are the Best Credit Cards for Students in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/what-are-the-best-student-credit-cards-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students.md BLUF: **The verdict for students** Get the **Advanzia Gebührenfrei Mastercard Gold** at **no annual fee**. The German student credit-card market is thin. Exactly one card here is sold as a student product, the **Commerzbank Young Visa** on the StartKonto, and it needs a Commerzbank account. What most students actually carry is a **Debitkarte** on a [free Girokonto](/finance/open-bank-account) plus a **girocard**, which is not credit at all. The cards ranked above are the fee-free credit cards whose own terms state **no income floor**. **What approval actually turns on** Every one of them still turns on a [**SCHUFA** check](/finance/credit-card-requirements), and a student file usually holds very little. The paperwork is the ordinary paperwork: an **Anmeldung**, a **Steuer-Identifikationsnummer**, and identification by **VideoIdent**, **eID** or **PostIdent**. Expect a **small starting limit**, raised as repayments build a history. One habit from day one: the Advanzia card collects only the minimum payment by direct debit, so transfer the full balance yourself or the [20.9% effective rate](/finance/credit-card-interest-rates) starts running. **Five criteria, weighted for this reader and published above, fixed before the fees were collected. Every fee comes from the issuer's own price list, dated in the catalogue. Of the 48 cards, 7 are obtainable by students.** Sources: the issuers' own German price lists, accessed 18 August 2026. Some links earn a commission at the same rate for every issuer, so no weighting favours a payer. - Which credit card is the best for students? Sort byOur rankingEffective APRCost abroadEligibilitySorted by **effective apr**, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below. Sorted by **cost abroad**, not our recommendation. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students#ranking - Compare two providers Already down to two? Each comparison declares a winner on every criterion that decides the purchase. [Revolut vs N26](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[C24 Bank vs RevolutC24 Bank issues a German DE IBAN and caps out-of-allowance withdrawals at a flat EUR 2, while Revolut issues a Lithuanian LT IBAN but opens in 0 days without a German tax ID and runs fully in English.](/finance/compare/c24-bank-vs-revo... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students#comparisons - What is ruled out, and why A blocker is not a drawback. It is something that makes the card unobtainable for this reader, however good its terms are otherwise. Blocked for this reader easybank Visa (formerly Barclays Visa)Requires proof of German income, which a student without a payslip cannot showeasybank Platinum Double (ex-Barclays Platinum Double)Requires proof of German income, which a student without a payslip can... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students#ruled-out - What counts as student proof here German issuers do not run a student credit-card programme the way the Anglo market does. The single product in this catalogue badged for students is the **Commerzbank Young Visa**, issued on the StartKonto, which Commerzbank runs free from age 7 to 27 and which needs a Commerzbank account. Everything else ranked here is an ordinary fee-free credit card that happens to state no income floor in i... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students#requirement - Every card we compared [View all 48 cardsThe full market overview: every card from every issuer with its annual fee, APR and cost abroad, filterable and re-rankable.→](/finance/credit-cards-price-research) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students#all-cards - How we compared these Five criteria, weighted for this reader and published above, fixed before the fees were collected. Every fee comes from the issuer's own price list, dated in the catalogue. Of the 48 cards, 7 are obtainable by students. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-students#method Title: What Are the Best Credit Cards for New Arrivals in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/can-i-get-credit-cards-without-a-german-iban Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals.md BLUF: **The verdict for new arrivals** Get the **Hanseatic Bank GenialCard** at **no annual fee**. On day one you have no German **IBAN** and no [**Meldebescheinigung**](/moving/address-registration), so the question is not which card is best but which issuer will take the application. The cards above settle by **direct debit from any SEPA account** and ask for no German payslip. Meanwhile a [**Debitkarte** on a fintech account](/finance/fintech-apps) opens in minutes, and a **girocard** is taken in the Baeckerei and the Arztpraxis that refuse international credit cards. **The two walls in your way** Two walls, and these cards clear only one. A bank credit card is sold with that bank's own **Girokonto**, which wants a **Meldebescheinigung** and a **Steuer-Identifikationsnummer**, both on appointments: Commerzbank, Postbank, HypoVereinsbank, comdirect, 1822direkt and the Sparkassen all sit behind that door. The second wall is [**SCHUFA**](/finance/credit-card-requirements), which none of these cards skip, and on day one you have no SCHUFA history. An empty file is not a good one: there is nothing to score, so starting limits are small. **Five criteria, weighted for this reader and published above, fixed before the fees were collected. Every fee comes from the issuer's own price list, dated in the catalogue. Of the 48 cards, 7 are obtainable by new arrivals.** Sources: the issuers' own German price lists, accessed 18 August 2026. Some links earn a commission at the same rate for every issuer, so no weighting favours a payer. - Which credit card is the best for new arrivals? Sort byOur rankingEffective APRSorted by **effective apr**, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below. #1 by effective apr16.05%★ Newcomer pick ### Hanseatic Bank GenialCard 1.0Needs German address registration and a SCHUFA check, none of which exists in week one [Get the Hanseatic Bank card](https://www.hanseaticbank.de/genialcard)Cards(4) - ★Our pick here. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals#ranking - Compare two providers Already down to two? Each comparison declares a winner on every criterion that decides the purchase. [Revolut vs N26](/finance/revolut-vs-n26)[C24 Bank vs RevolutC24 Bank issues a German DE IBAN and caps out-of-allowance withdrawals at a flat EUR 2, while Revolut issues a Lithuanian LT IBAN but opens in 0 days without a German tax ID and runs fully in English.](/finance/compare/c24-bank-vs-revo... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals#comparisons - What is ruled out, and why A blocker is not a drawback. It is something that makes the card unobtainable for this reader, however good its terms are otherwise. Blocked for this reader easybank Visa (formerly Barclays Visa)Requires proof of German income, which a new arrival has no payslip for yeteasybank Platinum Double (ex-Barclays Platinum Double)Requires proof of German income, which a new arrival has no payslip for y... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals#ruled-out - What you actually need to get a card here A German bank credit card is normally sold with that bank's own **Girokonto**, and a Girokonto wants a **Meldebescheinigung** from the Buergeramt and a **Steuer-Identifikationsnummer**. Both run on appointments, which is what makes the first month the hard one. Commerzbank, Postbank, HypoVereinsbank, comdirect, 1822direkt and the Sparkassen all sit behind that door. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals#requirement - Every card we compared [View all 48 cardsThe full market overview: every card from every issuer with its annual fee, APR and cost abroad, filterable and re-rankable.→](/finance/credit-cards-price-research) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals#all-cards - How we compared these Five criteria, weighted for this reader and published above, fixed before the fees were collected. Every fee comes from the issuer's own price list, dated in the catalogue. Of the 48 cards, 7 are obtainable by new arrivals. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/credit-cards/best-for-new-arrivals#method Title: How Do Loans Work in Germany? Personal Loans and Mortgages (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-do-loans-work-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans.md BLUF: German lenders publish a repraesentatives Beispiel under the Preisangabenverordnung carrying the Zwei-Drittel-Zins, the effective rate at least two thirds of accepted applicants receive: compare on that, never on a marketing "ab" rate. On EUR 10,000 over 48 months the July 2026 survey ran from 5.29% at Commerzbank to 12.99% as the regional Sparkassen average. Mortgage rates sat in a 3.6 to 4.2% corridor in August 2026. Germany has no statutory rate cap at all: an offer is judged against the prevailing market rate under BGB section 138. - What Types of Loans Are Available? German consumer credit splits into the [**Ratenkredit**](/finance/personal-loans), a fixed-instalment personal loan for general use, [revolving credit drawn on a card](/finance/credit-cards), and the **Baufinanzierung**, the property mortgage. Alongside the banks sit comparison portals: Check24 compares around 30 partner banks, Smava brokers offers and runs Kredit2Day as its own lending arm, Ve... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#types - What Do Loans Cost? | Lender | Effective rate?effective rate fromThe lender's advertised floor for the effective yearly rate. Your personal rate is set after SCHUFA scoring and is usually higher. | Nominal rate?nominal rate fromThe advertised floor for the bare interest rate, before fees. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#rates - Who Can Get a Loan? Lenders want proof of income and recent bank statements, then set your rate after a [**SCHUFA**-based credit decision](/finance/credit-card-requirements). That is why no published figure is a promise: the two-thirds rate is what two thirds of accepted applicants get, not what you will get. ING is the only row in the July 2026 survey that publishes its limits, at EUR 5,000 to EUR 75,000 over 12... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#eligibility - How Do German Mortgages Work? A German mortgage is quoted as a **Sollzins** (nominal rate) and an **Effektivzins** (effective rate) held for a **Zinsbindung**, the agreed fixed period, most often ten years. ING publishes the fullest representative example: EUR 300,000 on a 15-year fix with 3% initial repayment at 85% loan to value, 4.27% Sollzins and 4.38% effective, status 17 August 2026. Interhyp, Dr. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#mortgage - Related Guides [### Personal Loans Ratenkredit guide.](/finance/personal-loans)[### Mortgages Baufinanzierung guide.](/finance/mortgages)[### Loans Price Research Rate table.](/finance/loans-price-research)[### Open Bank Account Banking first steps.](/finance/open-bank-account) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#related-guides User question: "Can I get a personal loan as a new arrival in Germany?" Answer: Every German lender prices a Ratenkredit after a SCHUFA credit decision, so a thin or empty SCHUFA file is the usual reason a new arrival is refused or quoted a high rate. Auxmoney is the marketplace built for weaker files, lending at credit grades B- to B, but it is priced on application and publishes no representative example. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#faq-can-i-get-a-personal-loan-as-a-new-arrival-in-germany User question: "Is there a legal maximum interest rate in Germany?" Answer: No. Germany publishes no statutory interest-rate cap. Under BGB section 138 a court can find a rate unconscionable once it reaches 2 times the prevailing market effective rate, or sits 12 percentage points above it. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#faq-is-there-a-legal-maximum-interest-rate-in-germany User question: "Which rate should I compare lenders on?" Answer: The Zwei-Drittel-Zins in each lender's representative example, published under the Preisangabenverordnung. It is the effective rate at least two thirds of accepted applicants receive. On EUR 10,000 over 48 months in the July 2026 FM-index survey it ran from 5.29% at Commerzbank to 12.99% as the regional Sparkassen average. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans#faq-which-rate-should-i-compare-lenders-on Title: What Do Loans Cost in Germany? Rates by Lender (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-much-do-loans-cost-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research.md BLUF: On EUR 10,000 over 48 months, the cheapest two-thirds representative rate is **Commerzbank** at **5.29%**, followed by **Bank of Scotland** at **6.49%** and **Targobank** at **6.95%**; the regional [Sparkassen](/finance/commercial-banks) average **12.99%**. Ten-year [mortgage fixes](/finance/mortgages) sat in a **3.6 to 4.2%** effective corridor in August 2026. Germany publishes no statutory rate cap, so there is no legal ceiling in these tables to measure an offer against. - How Was This Research Compiled? [Personal-loan rates](/finance/personal-loans)are the two-thirds representative rates from the FM-index survey, status 1 July 2026, on a reference profile of EUR 10,000 over 48 months, with ING's own August figures where the lender publishes them directly. Mortgage rates are the August 2026 market, taken from each provider's own published example or rate barometer. Everything was accessed on 20... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#method - What Do Personal Loans Cost in Germany? The direct banks hold the top of the table and the branch networks the bottom: **Commerzbank** cut its representative rate from 5.99% in January 2026 to **5.29%** in July, while the regional **Sparkassen** average **12.99%**, roughly double, and each institution prices independently so the regional dispersion is wide. **Deutsche Bank** at 8.85% is the most expensive of the major direct banks. *... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#personal-loans - What Do Mortgages Cost in Germany? Only **ING** publishes a full representative example: EUR 300,000 over a 15-year fix with 3% initial repayment at 85% loan to value, 4.27% Sollzins and 4.38% effective, status 17 August 2026. The rest are averages or best cases: **Dr. Klein** at 3.71% on 3 August is a prime top case at roughly 50 to 60% loan to value, **Interhyp**'s barometer averaged roughly 3.8% in July, and **Baufi24**'s pan... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#mortgages - Related Guides [### Loans Overview.](/finance/loans)[### Personal Loans Consumer credit.](/finance/personal-loans)[### Mortgages Property loans.](/finance/mortgages)[### Open Bank Account Banking first.](/finance/open-bank-account) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#related-guides User question: "Is the effective rate the only thing to compare?" Answer: The Effektivzins is the comparator that carries the cost of credit, so it is the right headline number, but check what kind of figure it is. A representative example published under the Preisangabenverordnung is comparable; an advertised “ab” rate is not. Check that the amount and term match the survey reference profile too, EUR 10,000 over 48 months for personal loans. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#faq-is-the-effective-rate-the-only-thing-to-compare User question: "Why do some rows show no rate at all?" Answer: Because those providers publish no representative example of their own. Check24, Smava and Verivox are marketplaces or comparison portals, so the PAngV example on each result belongs to the partner bank that would hold the contract. Auxmoney prices per application for weaker SCHUFA files. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#faq-why-do-some-rows-show-no-rate-at-all User question: "Is there a legal maximum rate in Germany?" Answer: No. Germany publishes no statutory interest-rate cap. Under BGB section 138 a rate counts as unconscionable once it reaches 2 times the prevailing market effective rate, or sits 12 percentage points above it. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#faq-is-there-a-legal-maximum-rate-in-germany User question: "Are German mortgage rates fixed?" Answer: A German mortgage is sold with a Zinsbindung, a contractually fixed period, and ten years is the common shape among the lenders here; ING's published example runs to fifteen. Bauzinsen track the Pfandbrief market and move weekly. Eurozone money-market reference rates averaged 2.855% over 12 months and 2.647% over 6 months in July 2026, but those are eurozone-wide benchmarks; a German fixed rate... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/loans-price-research#faq-are-german-mortgage-rates-fixed Title: What Is the Best Personal Loan in Germany? (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-to-get-a-personal-loan-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans.md BLUF: On the standard comparison profile of EUR 10,000 over 48 months,** Commerzbank** had the cheapest representative rate of the major German banks at **5.29%** effective in the July 2026 FM-index survey, ahead of **Bank of Scotland** at 6.49% and **Targobank** at 6.95%. The regional [Sparkassen](/finance/commercial-banks) averaged **12.99%**, roughly double the cheapest direct bank. Every one of those is a Zwei-Drittel-Zins, not a marketing rate, and your own rate is set after a SCHUFA credit decision. - How Do Personal Loans Work? A [**Ratenkredit**](/finance/loans) pays out a lump sum that you repay in fixed monthly instalments. The price is quoted twice: as a **Sollzins**, the nominal rate, and as an **Effektivzins**, the effective rate that carries the cost of credit. Under the **Preisangabenverordnung** a lender must publish a representative example, and the effective rate in it is the **Zwei-Drittel-Zins**: the rate... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#how - What Are the Rates and Terms? | Lender | Effective rate?effective rate fromThe lender's advertised floor for the effective yearly rate. Your personal rate is set after SCHUFA scoring and is usually higher. | Nominal rate?nominal rate fromThe advertised floor for the bare interest rate, before fees. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#rates - How to Apply Compare on the representative effective rate rather than the monthly instalment, gather proof of income and recent bank statements, and apply to the lender with the lowest total cost. A portal application through Check24, Smava or Verivox reaches several banks at once, but the contract still lands with a partner bank, so read whose representative example you are being shown. Bank of Scotland is... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#apply - Related Guides [### Loans Overview.](/finance/loans)[### Loans Price Research Rate table.](/finance/loans-price-research)[### Credit Cards Revolving credit.](/finance/credit-cards)[### Mortgages Property loans.](/finance/mortgages) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#related-guides User question: "Why is the advertised rate lower than the rate I am offered?" Answer: An advertised “ab” rate is a best case for the strongest applicants. The comparable figure is the Zwei-Drittel-Zins in the representative example a lender must publish under the Preisangabenverordnung, the effective rate at least two thirds of accepted applicants receive. Santander advertises from 3.99% against a 7.27% representative rate, Check24 markets best rates from 2.99% while genuinely o... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#faq-why-is-the-advertised-rate-lower-than-the-rate-i-am-offered User question: "How much can I borrow, and for how long?" Answer: ING is the only lender in the July 2026 survey that publishes its limits: EUR 5,000 to EUR 75,000 over 12 to 120 months, longer than most rivals. The other lenders publish no amount or term range, and the amount you are actually granted follows the SCHUFA-based credit decision. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#faq-how-much-can-i-borrow-and-for-how-long User question: "Are Check24, Smava and Verivox lenders?" Answer: No. All three are marketplaces or comparison portals: the credit contract is always with a partner bank, and the representative example on each result belongs to that bank rather than to the portal. Check24 compares around 30 partner banks including DSL Bank, SWK Bank, Targobank and Santander. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/personal-loans#faq-are-check24-smava-and-verivox-lenders Title: How Do Mortgages Work in Germany? Rates by Lender (2026) Canonical URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages Question-form URL alias: https://www.guide-germany.com/how-to-get-a-mortgage-in-germany Markdown twin: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages.md BLUF: A German Baufinanzierung is quoted as a Sollzins and an Effektivzins held for a Zinsbindung, the agreed fixed period, most often ten years. Ten-year fixes sat in a **3.6 to 4.2%** effective corridor in August 2026. Only **ING** publishes a full representative example, at **4.38%** effective on EUR 300,000 over a 15-year fix at 85% loan to value. Most other lenders and every broker price on application, so treat their headline figures as averages or best cases, not offers. - How Do German Mortgages Work? Three numbers define a German mortgage offer. The **Sollzins** is the nominal interest rate. The [**Effektivzins**](/finance/loans) is the effective rate that carries the cost of the credit, and it is the only figure worth comparing between banks. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#how - How Much Deposit Do You Need? German lenders price on the **Beleihungsauslauf**, the loan as a share of the property value, and the published rates make the pattern plain. **Dr. Klein**'s best case of 3.71% assumes roughly 50 to 60% loan to value, a high income and at least 2% initial repayment. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#deposit - What Rate Will You Pay? | Lender | Effective rate?effective rateEffektiver Jahreszins: the yearly cost of the credit with every fee included. The one number that makes two loans comparable, and the figure German lenders must advertise. | Nominal rate?nominal rateSollzinssatz: the bare interest rate before fees. source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#rates - Which Lenders Quote Only on Application? Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, DKB, Interhyp, Baufi24, Huettig & Rompf, Targobank and Santander publish no stable representative example and quote each applicant individually. That is not a warning sign in itself, it simply means there is no price to compare before you apply: **Deutsche Bank** runs an advisory process through its [branch network](/finance/commercial-banks), **Targobank** and **San... source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#on-application - Related Guides [### Loans Overview.](/finance/loans)[### Loans Price Research Rate table.](/finance/loans-price-research)[### Personal Loans Consumer credit.](/finance/personal-loans)[### Open Bank Account Banking first.](/finance/open-bank-account) source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#related-guides User question: "Should I go through a mortgage broker?" Answer: A broker compares banks it does not own: Interhyp works with over 800 partner banks, Huettig & Rompf with around 700 and in-person advice in Frankfurt, Dr. Klein with around 600 plus access to the Europace platform, and Baufi24 with around 400. In every case the mortgage contract is with a partner bank, not with the broker, and the rate a broker publishes is a market average or a top case rathe... Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#faq-should-i-go-through-a-mortgage-broker User question: "What is a Zinsbindung?" Answer: The Zinsbindung is the period for which your rate is contractually fixed. Ten years is the common shape across the lenders surveyed, and ING's published representative example runs to fifteen. It matters because Bauzinsen track the Pfandbrief market and move weekly: the fixed period is what stops your instalment moving with it. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#faq-what-is-a-zinsbindung User question: "Why do published mortgage rates differ so much?" Answer: Because they measure different things. Dr. Klein's 3.71% on 3 August 2026 is a top case for a prime borrower at roughly 50 to 60% loan to value with at least 2% initial repayment. Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/finance/mortgages#faq-why-do-published-mortgage-rates-differ-so-much