Revolut or N26 in Germany: Which Should You Pick? (2026)
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. Both cost EUR 0 a month, both open the same day without an Anmeldung, and both cards are Debitkarten rather than credit cards.
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The short answer
N26 is the stronger default in Germany because it holds its own German banking licence and issues a German IBAN, which removes the friction a foreign IBAN still causes on German salary and direct-debit forms. Revolut wins on cash abroad and on the savings rate. Both cost EUR 0 a month and open the same day without an Anmeldung, so holding one alongside the other is a reasonable answer.
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
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
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 IBAN SEPA Article 9 forbids refusing it, which does not stop German forms doing so. | German (DE) IBANWins |
| Monthly feeBoth entry plans are free, so price rarely decides this pair. | EUR 0 (Standard)Tie | EUR 0 (Standard)Tie |
| Card typeA Debitkarte spends your balance, it does not grant a credit line. | Visa or Mastercard DebitTie | Mastercard DebitTie |
| Non-euro spendingThis is the charge that decides what a holiday costs on card. | 0% at the interbank rate up to EUR 1,000 a month, around 1% at weekends | 0% on card payments in every planWins |
| Cash withdrawalsFree allowances run out faster than people expect. | EUR 200 or five withdrawals a month free, then 2%Wins | 2 free euro withdrawals a month, then EUR 2, and 1.7% at non-euro ATMs |
| Instant-access savingsAn account paying nothing costs you every month the money sits there. | 4.25% for 4 months, then 1.25%Wins Rates are gross: Abgeltungsteuer applies unless a Freistellungsauftrag is lodged. | 0.25% p.a. |
| Deposit protectionBoth are licensed banks, but under two different national schemes. | EUR 100,000 per depositor, Lithuanian schemeTie | EUR 100,000 per depositor, German schemeTie |
| Opening the accountThe Anmeldung and the tax ID are the first walls a new arrival hits. | Same day, no Anmeldung, no tax ID, English app and contractsTie | Same day, no Anmeldung, no tax ID, English app and contractsTie |
| Paid plansThe paid tiers are where the travel and insurance extras live. | Paid ladder from EUR 9.99 a month | Smart EUR 4.90, Go EUR 9.90, Metal EUR 16.90 a monthWins |
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 with its own German licence, supervised by BaFin
- You want 0% on non-euro card spending with no monthly allowance to track
- You prefer a simpler app with fewer products competing for attention
Other comparisons
We are adding more head-to-head comparisons soon.
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. Ties are declared rather than broken. Figures come from provider price lists and official sources.
How we get paid
Both links earn a commission at the same rate, so the winner of a row is never the higher-paying one. Fees come from each provider's own published price list, not a comparison feed.
Sources: provider price lists and official data, accessed August 2026. Next review: November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do both issue a German IBAN?
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. SEPA Article 9 forbids refusing a foreign IBAN, but German salary forms, landlords and direct-debit mandates still do it, which is the single most practical difference between the two.
Is my money equally safe in both?
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.
Is either of them a credit card?
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. If you need a genuine credit card in Germany, that is a separate application to a separate issuer.
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