Best German Bank Account

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Besides the best german bank account, you might wanna check out our comparison for the best savings accounts in Germany

Find the Best German Bank Account for English Speakers – Comparison

Last update: 23 January 2024

comparison best bank account germany english speakersYou just arrived in Germany and need to open a bank account? This german banks comparison will help you to find the best German bank account. Most of them are completely free of charge. For some of them you need a minimum incoming payment of a certain amount per month. And the best thing is that most of the bank accounts presented in this article come with online banking also in English which makes them ideal for expats or students who have just arrived to Germany.
Below you can find a summary of Top 3 best German bank accounts, followed by a detailed overview of the best German bank account with English online banking and bank accounts with online banking in German only. If you need help opening a bank account just leave a comment or send us a message via the contact form.

Top 3 German Bank Accounts

C24
o €per month
  • No monthly or annual fees
  • Up to 4 free cash withdrawals/month
  • Free Mastercard debit card
  • 4% interest on your savings
  • Apple Pay & Google Pay
Commerzbank
0 €per month
  • Free of charge if you receive at least 700 EUR/month
  • Online banking in English & German
  • Unlimited free cash withdrawals at CashGroup ATMs
  • Free debit card
  • Apple Pay & Google Pay
Deutsche Bank
0 €per month (for students)
  • No monthly or annual fees for students
  • Online Banking in English & German
  • Free debit card
  • Free cash withdrawals in over 60 countries worldwide
  • Apple Pay

Detailed Overview – Best Bank Accounts for Internationals in Germany

C24 Bank Smart

c24 bank accountWhen it comes to modern banking, the options are vast. However, one standout choice for many is the C24 Smart bank account. As a subsidiary of Check24, C24 has made significant strides in the banking world, and their Smart account is a testament to their dedication to customer-centric services. One of the most attractive features of the C24 Smart bank account is the absence of monthly fees. With the C24 Smart account, you receive a Mastercard Debit without any additional charges. This card is not only suitable for in-store purchases but also for online shopping. Plus, it supports contactless payments and Apple Pay & Google Pay, making transactions swift and hassle-free. Every time you use your Mastercard Debit, you earn up to 2.5% cashback. You can use the Mastercard Debit at any ATM with the Mastercard logo to withdraw cash. Up to four withdrawals/month in EUR are free of charge. For those who love organizing their finances, the C24 Smart account offers up to 4 free sub-accounts, known as “Pockets”. Furthermore the C24 Smart bank account offers an impressive annual interest rate of 2% on your bank account and even 4% on your Tagesgeld pocket (savings account). With all these great features, it’s no wonder it’s becoming a popular choice among many.

   Completely free of charge (no monthly fees)
   Free Mastercard Debit included
   Up to four cash withdrawals/month free of charge
   Up to 4% interest on your savings
   Four sub-accounts (pockets) included

   Open your account easily from your smartphone via VideoChat
   Apple Pay & Google Pay supported

   App & online banking portal online available in German

Learn more about the different account models of C24 Bank in this article

Open your C24 Bank account now!


Commerzbank “Girokonto Basic”

open commerzbank bank account englishUnlike neobanks like C24 or N26, Commerzbank is a traditional bank with a lot of branch offices throughout Germany. The Commerzbank “Girokonto Basic” is free of charge if you receive monthly incoming payments of at least 700 EUR, otherwise a monthly fee of 9.90 EUR applies. The Commerzbank account comes with a debit card with which you can withdraw money free of charge at CashGroup ATMs (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank & Postbank). For cash withdrawals at non-CashGroup ATMs and ATMs outside of Germany a fee applies. A virtual debit card is also part of the Commerzbank bank account package and both app and the online banking portal are available in English. A big advantage compared to pure online banks is fact that they have branch offices with staff that often speaks English. Maybe the best Girokonto Germany for expats who like it more traditional. The main features:

   App & online banking portal in English & German
   Free of charge if you receive at least 700 EUR/month

   Free debit card (Girocard) and virtual debit card
   Branch offices with personal advice (often in English)
   Open your account easily from your smartphone via VideoChat
   Apple Pay & Google Pay supported

   Free cash withdrawals only at CashGroup ATMs

[SPECIAL OFFER] Currently you get a 50 EUR bonus when you sign up for a Commerzbank account

[NEW] For a step-by-step manual on how to open your Commerzbank account click here

Open your Commerzbank account now!


Deutsche Bank

deutsche bank free bank accountLike Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank is also a traditional bank with a large network of branch offices in Germany. The Deutsche Bank “Das Junge Konto” is a bank account specifically for younger people as it is completely free of charge if you are a student and 30 years or younger. If you are not a student or older than 30 years the bank account costs 6.90 EUR/month (this account is called “AktivKonto”). The bank account comes with a free debit card and you can withdraw cash free of charge in over 60 countries worldwide (internationally at partner banks such as Bank of America, Barclays or BNP Paribas and in Germany at CashGroup ATMs from Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank & Postbank). Furthermore Deutsche Bank has partner banks in more than 60 countries worldwide where you can also withdraw cash free of charge, which makes it one of the best bank accounts in Germany. The Deutsche Bank app and the online banking  poartal are also available in English and they often have English-speaking staff in their branch offices (especially in bigger cities). Here is a quick summary for the Deutsche Bank account:

   App & online banking portal in English
   Free of charge if you are a student and 30 or younger (otherwise 6.90 EUR/month)
   Free debit card with cash withdrawals free of charge in 60 countries worldwide
   Branch offices with personal advice (often in English)
   Open your account easily from your smartphone via VideoChat
   Apple Pay supported

   No credit card included (can be requested separately)

[NEW] For a step-by-step manual on how to open your Deutsche Bank account click here

Open your Deutsche Bank account now!


bunq “Easy Bank”

bunq bank accountbunq is a mobile bank from the Netherlands that was founded back in 2012 by Ali Niknam, whose goal was to simplify banking and give customers the greatest possible freedom. They offer various plans starting at 2.99 EUR/month for the “Easy Bank” account. The “Easy Bank” account comes with a Mastercard debit card that supports both Apple Pay and Google Pay. Cash withdrawals cost 0.99 EUR for up to five withdrawals per month (additional withdrawals cost 2.99 EUR). If you are residing in Germany the bank account comes with a German IBAN and the app and web interface support a variety of languages (English, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian). You can easily open your account within five minutes via your smartphone

  Banking in English, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, Ukrainian & Russian
   German IBAN
   Physical Mastercard debit card included
   Apple Pay & Google Pay supported
   Monthly account fee of 2.99 EUR
   No free cash withdrawals (up to five withdrawals for 0.99 EUR each, after that 2.99 EUR)

Open your bunq account now!


Tomorrow “Now”

tomorrow bank account sustainable englishTomorrow Bank is a new player on the market with a business model that is quite different to the one of traditional banks, as sustainability is their core value. Tomorrow Bank uses customer deposits to finance sustainable projects (e.g. microcredits) and every time you use your Tomorrow credit card, a portion of the so-called merchant fee (the fee that the merchant pays to the bank) is put into international climate protection projects by Tomorrow Bank. The “Now” account costs 3 EUR/month and comes with a free Visa debit card. Cash withdrawals at ATMs cost 2 EUR/withdrawal and there are no foreign exchange fees (e.g. if you pay in USD). Another great aspect of one of the best German bank accounts is the simple and intuitive banking app that is available in both German and English. Here is a short summary:

   Banking app available in German and English
   Free Visa debit card

   No foreign transaction fees – pay in any currency without paying fees
   Up to three free cash withdrawals per month

  Easy to open for most nationalities (list of accepted ID documents)
   Monthly account fee of 3 EUR

Learn more about the other account options at Tomorrow

Open your Tomorrow bank account now!


DKB

Best free bank account

The DKB bank account is one of the most popular online bank accounts in Germany. This best German bank account is free of charge if you receive monthly incoming payments of at least 700 EUR (otherwise a fee of 4.50 EUR/month applies). It comes with a Visa debit card that you can use within the Eurozone for withdrawing cash free of charge at ATMs and to make payments without any additional fees (outside the Eurozone a fee of 2.20% for cash withdrawals and payments applies). And the bank account is even better when you are a so-called “active customer”. Active customers are customers that receive payments of at least 700 EUR per month onto their account. If you meet this requirement you can withdraw cash from any ATM worldwide free of charge and there are no foreign exchange fees (e.g. if you pay in dollars). Additionally you can order a girocard debit card card for 0.99 EUR/month and a Visa credit card for 2.49 EUR/month. DKB supports both Apple Pay and Google Pay and you can open your bank account easily from your smartphone within a few minutes. You can find the main features of one of best banks in Germany for expats in a nutshell below:

   Free of charge if you receive at least 700 EUR/month (otherwise 4.50 EUR/month)
   Free Visa debit card with contactless payment
   Free cash withdrawals worldwide (for “passive customers” only within the eurozone, otherwise fee of 2.20%)
   No foreign transaction fee (for “passive customers” 2.20%)
   Open your account easily from your smartphone via VideoChat
   Apple Pay & Google Pay supported
   Mobile banking app available in English
  Online banking via browser only in German

[NEW] For a step-by-step manual on how to open your DKB account click here

Open your DKB bank account now!


comdirect “Girokonto”

best free bank account comdirect germany

As many banks, comdirect has also changed their pricing model recently. One of the best German bank accounts is now free of charge if you are younger than 28 years or if you receive a monthly payment of at least 700 EUR. Furthermore there are no monthly fees if you have at least three monthly transactions via Apple Pay or Google Pay or if you are using the comdirect broker account for at least one trade per month (this includes savings plans). If you do not fulfill at least one of these conditions you’ll have to pay a monthly fee of 4.90 EUR. The comdirect bank account comes with a girocard debit card and a Visa debit card. Cash withdrawals are worldwide free of charge, but it’s a bit trickier: With your girocard you can withdraw cash free of charge at Cash Group ATMs (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank & Postbank). With your Visa debit card you can withdraw cash free of charge up to three times per month at any ATM worldwide (including Germany). For any further withdrawal with your Visa debit card, a transaction fee of 4.90 EUR/withdrawal applies. Optionally you can order a “real” Visa credit card for 1.90 EUR/month. A very useful feature is the so-called “Finanzmanager”. This tool within the online banking portal automatically categorizes your transactions so that you can easily keep track of your financials. Here’s a summary:

   Free of charge if you are younger than 28 years or if you receive at least 700 EUR/month
   Free debit cards included (girocard & Visa card)
   Free cash withdrawals worldwide (3x per month)
   Personal Finance manager – automatically categorizes your transactions
   Open your account easily from your smartphone via VideoChat
   Apple Pay & Google Pay supported

  Foreign transaction fee of 1.75% applies for payments in foreign currencies
  Online banking only in German

Open your comdirect bank account now!


ING “Girokonto”

ing free bank accountING Germany, which is a subsidiary of the Dutch ING Groep is one of the biggest and most popular direct banks in Germany. Their bank account is free of charge if you are younger than 28 years or if you receive a monthly payment of at least 700 EUR (for example your salary). Otherwise a monthly fee of 4.90 EUR applies. The bank account comes with a free Visa debit card and optionally a girocard debit card for 0.99 EUR/month.  With the Visa debit card you can withdraw cash free of charge from any ATM within the Eurozone (minimum withdrawal 50 EUR). Outside of the Eurozone a fee of 1.99% applies. The “Girokonto” from ING comes with a very functional and clear online banking portal. In addition to that they have a very good banking app so that you can easily manage your account on your smartphone. Here are the main features of this best German bank account:

   Free of charge if you are younger than 28 years or if you receive at least 700 EUR/month
   Free Visa debit card with contactless payment
   Free cash withdrawals in the eurozone
   Easy-to-use banking portal and app
   Open your account easily from your smartphone via VideoChat
   Apple Pay & Google Pay supported
   Foreign transaction fee and cash withdrawals outside of the Eurozone: 1.99%
   Online banking only in German

Open your ING bank account now!

online banking best accounts germany

What is the best German bank account for expats?

Everyone’s needs are different, but expats generally need a banking experience that is quick, easy, and doesn’t require too much paperwork. Based on this assumption, a digital bank is probably best for expats who are new to Germany.

This is because digital banks are app-based and almost always offer a free rate tier. Also, some digital banks, such as Berlin-based N26, allow you to open an account with just a passport before you arrive in Germany – no registration is required! They also usually offer support in multiple languages, both within the app and for customer service. If you need to open a business account in Germany, there are some other banks we recommend.

How can I open a German bank account?

As a private individual, you need the documents required by law, which the account holder must use to prove his or her identity to the bank holding the account. At the house bank, the presentation of an identity card is therefore sufficient. Persons with a foreign passport also need a residence permit.

Business customers, on the other hand, must present more extensive documents. The type and scope of these documents vary depending on the legal form of the company. The banks also require one or more current salary statements.

To open an online Giro account, with your preferred best German bank account, the printed Giro account application documents and the identity card or passport with registration certificate are required. Together with these documents, applicants must identify themselves at a post office using the PostIdent procedure or carry out the paperless VideoIdent procedure on a smartphone or computer, which almost all banks now offer.

You need these documents to open your chosen best German bank account:

  • The application form (filled in with full accuracy).
  • Valid passport, current German residence permit or visa.
  • Proof of registration / registration certificate.
  • Proof of status (whether you are employed or a student).
  • Initial deposit (depending on the minimum amount required by the bank).
  • SCHUFA credit rating (optional depending on the chosen bank).
best bank account germany comparison
most popular german banks

Most popular bank accounts in Germany

According to survey results, Sparkasse remains the most popular bank among Germans. Nevertheless, in recent years, it has lost considerable ground in terms of customer numbers for salary and current accounts.

The statistics portal Statista surveyed the most popular banks in Germany. Here are the results. The survey specifically referred to the most popular banks for maintaining a checking account or salary account in the years 2014 to 2018. But for expats or foreigners, the best German bank accounts we listed above are much more preferable.

  1. Sparkasse: 32,62 million customers
  2. Volksbank/Raiffeisenbank: 13,85 million customers
  3. ING-DiBa: 8,75 million customers
  4. Postbank: 7,07 million customers
  5. Deutsche Bank: 4,77 million customers
  6. Commerzbank: 4,46 million customers
  7. DKB: 4,07 million customers
  8. comdirect: 2,41 million customers

Why do you need a German bank account?

Here are 10 benefits of the best bank accounts in Germany:

1. Efficient banks

Germany is the economic core of Europe. Diligence, efficiency, and constant development characterize the German economy. This is especially true of the financial economy, as online bank accounts are often free of charge (see point 2).

2. Free bank account

One of the best things is, a German bank account (as we recommend) is free of charge for the customer! The online branches of German banks are so efficient that there are usually no account maintenance or transfer fees. Also, many other fees that exist in other countries have already been abolished in Germany.

3. Service around the clock

You can access a German bank account at any time via internet banking, telephone or mail. The top recommendations on this portal can be reached by phone 24 hours a day from Monday to Sunday – free of charge, apart from the normal telephone charges of your telephone provider. If you wish, the German bank will also call you back. Many banks are available around the clock!

4. Interest on your balance and still available at any time (no notice periods)

You can dispose of deposits on your current account or savings account (Comdirect: Tagesgeld; DKB Visa Sparen) at any time. You start a transfer back to your bank account or withdraw your money at an ATM, no matter where you are (see points 5. and 6.)

5. Free Visa Card or Mastercard

With your best German bank account, you will receive a Visa Card or Mastercard. This is free of charge in any case. There is neither an issuing fee nor an annual fee.

6. Withdraw cash worldwide free of charge

With the Visa Card or Mastercard you can withdraw cash free of charge at any ATM worldwide (Comdirect: within Germany please use Girocard).

If the ATM charges a local fee, which is a regular occurrence in the USA, Canada, Mexico and Thailand, this will be reimbursed by some German banks upon request. Cash withdrawals in countries with a currency other than Euro are no problem, the exchange rates of the German banks are first class and fair worldwide!

7. Transfers in other currencies possible, fair exchange rates

The bank account is kept in Euro. Money receipts with other currencies are converted at very fair exchange rates. Foreign transfers are possible in other currencies, such as US dollars or Swiss francs. Here, too, the exchange rates are very fair.

8. Super fast transfers

Transfers in the SEPA area are posted from one account to the other on the same day, at the latest the next day. A transfer from Berlin to Madrid is just as fast as a transfer from Barcelona to Madrid. At the German bank, the execution costs nothing.

9. Use as a house bank in the Eurozone possible thanks to IBAN

Thanks to the Single European Payments Area, all citizens in the Eurozone can use their best German bank account as a house bank account or salary account. Since 2014, all SEPA countries work with the IBAN. Depending on the country of origin, you can save over 200 euros in bank fees if you use a German account.

10. Account balance is safe in Germany

Money in German banks is safe. In Germany, there is a statutory deposit guarantee of 100,000 euros per person per account.

Some banks we reported on here have an additional voluntary deposit guarantee that protects sums in the hundreds of millions (Comdirect Bank) or even unlimited amounts (DKB).

DKB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bayerische Landesbank and thus belongs to the German state of Bavaria. Bavaria is the most financially successful state in Germany and this Bavarian state stands behind the bank and its customer deposits.

What are possible fees with a German bank account?

Your checking account fees can become real cost traps. It’s not easy to keep track of all the different costs that come with account usage. We show you the most common account management fees.

Cost trap 1 – Hidden account fees in the fine print: The small print often contains the annual account fees, e.g. the amount of the overdraft interest as well as the costs for an overdraft facility.

Cost trap 2 – Overdraft interest and overdraft facility: Overdraft interest is what bank customers pay when they overdraw their checking accounts.

Cost trap 3 – Fees for cash deposits or withdrawals: Cash deposits, as well as withdrawals to one’s account, may be subject to an account fee.

Cost trap 4 – Account fees for account statements: A bank is required by law to inform the account holder once a month about the payment transactions on his account. But with our listed best German bank accounts, these traps are unlikely to occur.

best bank account in germany

Summary – Best German Bank Account

We hope that this bank comparison Germany will help you to find the best German bank account or the best free bank account Germany. As mentioned above, please feel free to post a comment to this post or send a message via the contact form if you need further help. Please note that most of the above banks are charging a deposit fee of 0.5% p.a. for balances exceeding 50,000 EUR or 100,000 EUR (check the conditions of the respective banks).

If you are having trouble opening a regular bank account in Germany, check out this article on how to open a basic payment account. Everyone legally residing in the European Union is entitled to have such an account.

If you are just looking for a credit card, check out this post for a summary of the best German credit cards.

 


Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission if you use those links.

Information in regards to § 18 Abs. 6 Zahlungskontengesetz: This is not a complete market overview.

141 Comments. Leave new

  • Abilio Guerreiro
    February 9, 2023 18:26

    Can i make transferences using the app if Im in other country ( for example, beeing in Portugal and I want to make a transference using the app to a Portugues IBAN. I Will making this in Portugal)? And Im speaking about a ING account . On the site it says that -Online banking only in German ( wath does ir mean)?

    Reply
    • Dear Abilio,
      perhaps the wording is a bit misleading… “Online banking only in German” refers to the language of the online banking interface of ING (e.g. the website and the app).
      Of course you can use the ING banking app wherever you are.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hi Dominik,

    My husband and I are retired and live in Israel. My husband has a German citizenship . I have an Israeli one. We would like to open a joint bank account in a German bank and deposit a sum , close it for a certain period and get a good rate . Which bank do you suggest ?
    Thank you
    Annette

    Reply
    • Dear Annette,
      I’m afraid that it will be difficult to find a bank in Germany for this scenario. Most German banks only accept customers who live in Germany (i.e. have a residency in Germany).

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hi.
    I think there is a mistake in the description of DKB bank. In the text you wrote “Additionally you can order a girocard debit card card for 0.99 EUR/month”, and later in the summary you say that debit card is for free.
    So which one is correct?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Dear Aleksandra,
      DKB offers two debit cards:

    • The Visa debit card which is free of charge
    • The Girocard which costs 0.99 EUR/month
    • Best Regards,
      Dominik

Reply
  • Catarina Dias
    December 8, 2022 12:52

    I arrived on 01/12 with my boyfriend in Germany. My boyfriend already has a job and I will go looking for one now. We are EU citizens, I am Portuguese and he is Polish. I wanted to ask a question regarding banks: we wanted to open a bank account in Germany without maintenance costs, with two debit cards with the possibility of payments/withdrawals abroad without commissions. We would like, if possible, to be able to withdraw money commission free at all ATMs, not only at the ATMs belonging to the account bank. We will domiciliate our salary in this account.

    Reply
    • Dear Catarina,
      if I understand you correctly, you want to open a joint account with your boyfriend. If this is the case, my recommendation would be DKB. DKB has the following advantages:

      – No monthly fees if you receive at least 700 EUR/month
      – Free Visa debit card included
      – Free cash withdrawals worldwide and no foreign exchange fees (if you receive at least 700 EUR/month – otherwise free withdrawals are limited to the Eurozone and foreign exchange fees apply)

      You can open your DKB bank account here.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
    • I would like to open a joint account with my wife: she has a German passport but I have an Israeli passport. which bank will accept us ?

      Reply
      • Dear Yuval,
        both, you and your wife will have to go through the ID verification process. The required/accepted documents are defined by the bank (e.g. here are the accepted ID documents for N26). I would therefore choose a bank and check with them the requirements regarding ID verification.

        Best Regards,
        Dominik

        Reply
  • Hallo!
    I’m an EU citizen lives in Germany needs to have a german iban.
    Most online free fees banks (n26, vivid, klarna) don’t accept me because they refuse proof of german residence if it’s not written also on my identity document.
    This’s a shame!
    How can i solve it?
    My necessity is:
    Online German iban bank, free fees and with no possibility to overdraft (I don’t what pay charges within my agreement).
    Thanks for help you can offer 🙏

    Reply
    • Dear David,
      you could give it a try with bunq. They offer bank accounts with NL, DE, ES, FR or IE IBANs. However the bank account is not free of charge and monthly rates are starting at 2.99 EUR.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hola, Mi nombre es Tania, llegue a Alemania el 1 de noviembre para trabajar como enfermera en proceso de homologación, intente abrir una cuenta con N26 pero me dijeron que la información suministrada no era válida para que ellos puedan darme un a cuenta bancaria, use esta opción porque hablan también en español y lamerán mayoría he visto que te exigen buen nivel de inglés o alemán y lamentablemente no lo tengo, podrías darme algunas pautas para realizar una nueva solicitud y que sea efectiva por favor o recomendarme algún banco que no me genere tanto problema por el idioma y demás, me ayudarías mucho! Quedo atenta y muchas gracias

    Reply
    • Hola Tania,
      has preguntado a N26 qué datos no eran válidos durante el registro? Te sugiero que te pongas en contacto con el servicio de atención al cliente de N26 para aclararlo.
      Vivid es otro banco que ofrece servicios bancarios en español. Por qué no pruebas este banco?

      Saludos,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hello,
    I’m serching for a German bank that also offers broker services, preferably with a good bank application.
    Do you have anything in mind?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Dear Sergey,
      both Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank offer a brokerage account in addition to the bank account. The main advantage of these two providers is that their online banking interface is available in English.
      Another option could be ING where trading fees are usually a bit lower. However their banking interface is only available in German.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hello.
    very good and clearly laid out description. Thank You.
    Just about N26 is not true, it is not easy to open an account. They not accept some EU countries ID/ passports. And no matter what living in Germany for many years.

    Reply
    • Dear Arunas,
      thank you for sharing your experience with N26. A list of accepted IDs can be found here.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hi can you tell about the Sparda Bank
    I have been recommended this bank but there is no mention in your article

    Reply
    • Hello,
      Sparda is not in this comparison article as there are different Sparda banks throughout Germany (e.g. Sparda Bank Berlin, Sparda Bank Hessen etc.). These banks have varying conditions, which makes it hard to compare them… For this article we have therefore focused on banks that are operating nationwide.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
    • Bonjour,
      je suis arrivée en Allemagne en tant que volontaire il y a 4 mois.Et j’aimerais ouvrir un compte courant à Volksbank. Y a-t-il des frais de tenue compte, frais des cartes Girocard et MasterCard ?

      Reply
      • Bonjour Rouky,
        les frais de tenue de compte dépendent de la banque populaire auprès de laquelle tu ouvres un compte. Il y a plus de 700 Volksbanken et Raiffeisenbanken en Allemagne. Le mieux est de te renseigner auprès de la Volksbank la plus proche de chez toi. Tu trouveras toutes les succursales en Allemagne en cliquant sur le lien suivant : https://www.vr.de/privatkunden/filialsuche.html

        Salutations,
        Dominik

        Reply
  • Magdalena
    July 5, 2022 17:28

    Hello Dominik,
    shortly about my situation: I am EU citizen, I lived in Germany for five years, had a PostBank account there. Worst bank and service ever! Anyway, I moved to Austria and have Meldebescheinigung/residence here, and have no longer residence or bank account in Germany. I would like to open an account in an online/mobile bank. I don`t have a bank account in Austria yet, if that matters. My dilemma is between DKB and N26. I am not working at the moment, and have no income yet (will be employed in Austria in October probably), but want to open an account in the next few months, before I start working.

    Would like to ask for your oppinion and advice, to have a well informed desicion on which one should I go for.

    1. I will mostly use the account for online/offline payments in EU and UK, preferably free of charge.
    2. Though it must be easy to deposit some cash in the bank account, if possible free of charge, and this to be possible from Austria.
    3. To withdraw money in the EU zone and/or worldwide, sometimes in currencies other than Euro, if possible free of charge.
    4. To have no money-transfer fee if, for example, I decide to transfer money to my parents, who have Bulgarian bank account (Bulgaria is in EU since 2007, if somebody reading this wonders, since i always get this questioned 🙂 ).

    And the most important question is: Do I have a chance to be approved for such a bank account, if I am not living in Germany?

    P.S. I am fluent in German, so it doesn`t matter which language does the online banking of either bank support.

    I hope you can give me some advice on the mentioned toppics, even though the questions are not in generally for opening/using the account in Germany.

    Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Dear Magdalena,
      here’s my view on your requirements:

      1. Both DKB & N26 come with a card that you can use for online and offline payments
      2. N26 offers the possibility to deposit cash at more than 2,000 shops in Austria (e.g. Billa, Penny or DM). This is a functionality called CASH26 that also offers the possibility to withdraw cash in the before mentioned shops. Cash withdrawals are free of charge and for cash deposits a fee of 1.5% applies. DKB offers a similar functionality (called Barzahlen), however to my knowledge this is limited to Germany.
      3. For N26 customers in Austria cash withdrawals within the Eurozone are free of charge (outside of the Eurozone a fee of 1.7% applies). With DKB you can also withdraw cash free of charge within the Eurozone. Outside of the Eurozone a fee of 2.20% applies, unless you are “active customer”, i.e. you receive payments of at least 700 EUR per month. Then cash withdrawals are free of charge worldwide with DKB.
      4. Money transfers within the European Economic Area (which Bulgaria is also part of) are in general free of charge.

      From my experience chances are probably higher that you’ll be accepted by N26. DKB is in general a bit more “picky”…

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
      • Thank you very much for your answer, Dominik! The information was very detailed and helpful!
        I will try my chances with DKB first.

        P.S
        If this can be helpful to someone else, i read in the recent days on the web page of DKB, that during the first six months all new customers of the bank will be considered as “active member/customer” regardless of their income. (Not sure though how long will this offer be available.)

        Best regards,
        Magdalena

        Reply
    • Hi: to be considered an active custumer on DBK bank i must receive a salary or a movement is enough (for example moving money from another account holding just for some days )?

      Reply
      • Dear Marco,
        it does not necessarily have to be a salary payment. Any incoming payment higher than 700 EUR is fine according to the “Aktivstatus” requirements of DKB. The monthly incoming payment(s) of 700 EUR can also be made up of several payments. The important thing is that the sum of the receipts in the month totals at least 700 EUR. Hope this helps!

        Best Regards,
        Dominik

        Reply
  • Thanks for the great overview
    Which bank do you recommended for a currently non eu resident student blocked account necessary for a student visa ?

    Reply
    • Dear JT,
      Fintiba offers a blocked account that you can open completely online in only a few minutes. And it’s of course approved by the German Federal Foreign Office.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hi Dear Dominik,

    Thanks for the valuable information. I just had a question on how can I have a dollar saving or other possible type of account in Germany? like most of banks offer only opening euro accounts please guide me with this.

    I would also appreciate your information on how can a student have access to exchange markets like selling buying foreign exchanges?

    Reply
    • Dear Rahman,
      the free standard Vivid bank account offers a multi-currency account for more than 40 currencies, including US-dollars. In the prime plan even 105 foreign currencies are supported.
      Within the account you can easily exchange between the different currencies.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hello Dominik and thanks for the very insightful article.
    I have a question regarding the foreign ATM fees sometime charged by the ATMs owners when withdrawing cash outside of Germany (eg: Spain, but also US, Canada, etc).
    You mention somewhere in the article that some German banks reimburse them upon request, similarly to what Charles Schwab does in the US https://www.schwab.com/checking.
    Can you please list these German banks that refund the International ATM fees?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dear Stefan,
      that’s a very good question! Until a few years ago there were some banks in Germany that reimbursed the ATM fees upon request (e.g. DKB, comdirect or Santander).

      However they all discontinued this service and – to my knowledge – there’s currently no bank in Germany that reimburses ATM fees.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hello,

    I am still confused a lot with the selection of bank, just moved to Germany and basically want a bank to deposit my salary and then to make some investments with my savings. Also thinking about the future I want a bank which can see my history and offer me loans for buying house/apartment. In these cases can you recommend a bank?

    Thanks for helping me out here!!

    Reply
    • Dear Ashish,
      if you’re looking for a current account, you’re absolutely right on this page! Most of the banks presented in this article also offer savings accounts. Furthermore you can check this article for more details on savings accounts in Germany. However interest rates are currently quite low in Germany. Therefore a brokerage account might also be of interest to you.
      When it comes to loans/mortgages for buying a house/apartment, also some banks presented in this article here offer mortgages (e.g. DKB or Commerzbank). However it always makes sense to compare the providers. In this article we’re giving an overview on mortgages in Germany.

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Satish Nadarajan
    August 23, 2021 15:42

    Hi, Im new to germany, unable to create accounts with N26, Vivid or Commdirect (No response after postID) other are requesting for a RP. How will i get RP as soon as i enter? Is there another way?

    How is PostBank?

    Reply
    • Dear Satish,
      in most cases your ID or passport are sufficient for opening a bank account in Germany. However for some nationalities further documents such as a resident permit are required. Please check with the respective banks which documents they require from you in order to open a bank account.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Ramy Wilson
    July 21, 2021 22:15

    Thanks for this thorough comparison.
    If I will need to do frequent oversees transfers (International transfer), which bank would the most cost effective in that case ?

    Reply
    • Dear Ramy,
      most banks in Germany charge pretty hefty fines for international money transfers. My recommendation would therefore be to use a money transfer service such as Wise (formerly Transferwise) or CurrencyFair.
      This in combination with a German bank account is the most cost efficient way to transfer money internationally.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hi there,
    I have been reading all comments till begin pf last year…my question is : is any updates about currently which bank is running well and with free of charge Monthly? I am a customer of |Commerzbank which still satisfied but since i received the envelope that i will be charged I don’t want to be their customer anymore, any suggestion ? I see for N26 Bank and Tomorrow , never heard them before while i am almost 10 months moved in Germany, is those banks are safe? I am in Pfalz Palatine but never seen one of those banks here in Landau.

    Reply
    • Dear Georgij,
      if you are looking for a bank account that is completely free of charge – i.e. no monthly fees, regardless of how much money you receive each month – I can recommend the following banks:

    • Tomorrow
    • Vivid
    • N26
    • All above banks operate under a German banking license and hence fall under the EU-wide statutory deposit guarantee of 100,000 EUR per person per account.

      By the way… Even with the new pricing policy the Commerzbank account will remain free of charge. If you are an existing Commerzbank customer with a “PlusKonto” or “Vorteilskonto” you will be charged a monthly fee of 4.90 EUR from July 1st onwards. However you can opt out and go for the so-called “Basic” bank account which will remain free of charge if you receive monthly incoming payments of at least 700 EUR.

      As there’s quite some confusion around the new pricing policy of Commerzbank, I will soon publish an article explaining what exactly will happen. So stay tuned!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

  • Reply
  • Hi Dominik, thank you for taking the time to give us this info and new answers.
    I have never heard before about Sub-accounts. What’s the benefit of having a sub-account?
    If someone has more than 50,000 Euro in the same bank but split into different accounts (main account and sub-account) -so, in the end, less than 50k per account-, will be he/she charged, in any case, a deposit fee of 0.5% p.a. for balances exceeding 50,000 EUR?
    Is the N26 basic bank account still free if no salary is being received in this account, but I put money there from my main account? My boyfriend and I are thinking of opening a new bank account together and moving some money into this new one to be able to pay more easily our shared expenses.

    Reply
    • Dear Ale,
      if the 50k EUR limit counts against the account(s) or customer depends on the conditions of the bank. For N26 for example the 50k EUR limit counts towards the customer, i.e. if you have an amount higher then 50k EUR split across several sub-accounts, the deposit fee would apply.
      The N26 “Standard” bank account is still free of charge and there is no minimum monthly income. On this occasion I would also recommend having a look at the Tomorrow bank account. It’s also completely free of charge and even comes with a physical free Visa debit card. Or Vivid could also be an alternative…

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Peter Johansen
    April 28, 2021 10:49

    Hello,

    One of the issues is on line banking where a person must deposit cash to a standard bank and then make a transfer to the on-line bank.
    Currently with Commerz bank but effective July 1, 2021, Commerz bank is raising their maintenance fee to 4,90 EUR per month.
    Thus, what is the best method to send money to an on-line account or which bank has Zero fees if the only purpose is a very low account
    balance and make transfers to the on-line account?

    Thanks for the answer

    Reply
    • Dear Peter,
      you are right, Commerzbank is changing its pricing setup on July 1st 2021. If you are an existing Commerzbank customer with a “PlusKonto” or “Vorteilskonto” you will be charged a monthly fee of 4.90 EUR from July 1st onwards. However you can opt out and go for the so-called “Basic” bank account which will remain free of charge if you receive monthly incoming payments of at least 700 EUR.

      Other options that are generally free of charge are for example Tomorrow, Vivid or N26 .

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hello,
    Does the government offer any sort of protection on the money you keep in a German bank account? Assuming there was an economic crisis and the bank went under? Is the protection offered per bank account, per bank or on a total maximum? I have been resident in Germany for 5 years now. Thank you.

    Kind regards,

    Reply
    • Dear Daniel,
      there is a general deposit insurance within the European Union that protects private deposits up until 100,000 EUR per customer and bank. This means if you have multiple bank accounts at the same bank your coverage would be 100,000 EUR in total. If you have bank accounts at different banks you would have a coverage of 100,000 EUR at each bank.
      In addition some private & public banks (e.g. Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse, Commerzbank) run voluntary additional guarantee schemes, which go beyond the European minimum of EUR 100,000. For more information check for example this guide https://bankenverband.de/media/publikationen/13012016_Kurzinfo_ELS_engl_web.pdf

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Kathleen Schlueter
    March 9, 2021 16:10

    My husband and I are expats living in Germany. He has been here since August 2018 and I moved here in August 2019. He opened a Commerzbank account and the monthly deposit is well over 700 Euro per month. It has been great until recently. They sent us a notice that because there is a foreign connection (born in the US) that they can no longer offer the free account and we have to have an international account that will cost us $30 Euro per month! Do you know anything about this kind of account? We thought it was a scam but the bank has told us it is legit. We have a German address, so I just don’t understand!

    Reply
    • Dear Kathleen,
      I’ve heard of this fee for customers at Commerzbank who are US citizens. Strangely this fee is not always charged, which means some people have to pay it and others not. Unfortunately I do not know the criteria for this additional fee… If you do not want to pay it, I recommend to open an account with another bank (e.g. N26 or Deutsche Bank who are both offering banking in English).

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hi there…

    Can I withdraw cash from cash desk in Volksbank branch without having a physical card?
    I have an online banking account at Volksbank but I quit the card renewal since they imposed 12,00 € annual fee starting February 2021 and therefore I’d like to know how much is fee per withdrawal and if there’s a minimum or a maximum limit, thank you!

    Reply
    • Dear Laurentiu,
      usually that’s possible wiht most banks. However if you do not have a card anymore you need to prove your identity with your passport or ID card. Furthermore most banks are charging a fine for withdrawing cash at the counter.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Gligor Bozhinoski
    December 13, 2020 12:41

    Hello, can I open a bank account without address of residence in Germany?

    Reply
  • Hello Dominik, great article! Lots of useful information.

    I was comparing N26 with the “DKB-Cash” account and find out that when you make a deposit on the N26, the charge you will a small fee. I tried to search for the same info on the “DKB Cash” account but could not find it. Do you know if they charge you too whenever you make a deposit on your account?

    Thanks a lot in advance.
    RS

    Reply
    • Dear Rafael,
      yes, for DKB there is also a fee for depositing cash using the “Cash im Shop” feature (i.e. depositing cash in a partner shop). You can deposit up to 999 EUR/day and the fee for depositing cash is 1.5% of the amount you’re depositing.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Esther Balogun
    December 3, 2020 20:24

    Good day ,I live in Germany and want to open an account with DKB( online Bank) .Where can I make cash deposit please.

    Reply
    • Dear Esther,
      with DKB you have two options to make cash deposits:

        1. You go to a DKB branch office to deposit cash on your bank account. Unfortunately DKB has only a few branch offices in the Eastern part of Germany.
        2. Another option is to use the “Cash im Shop” feature of your DKB bank account. You can deposit up to 999 EUR/day in more than 12.000 partner shops of DKB (e.g. REWE, Penny, dm). All you need to do is to generate a barcode in the DKB banking app with the amount you want to deposit and then go to a partner shop. The fee for depositing cash is 1.5% of the amount you’re depositing. By the way… Like this you can also withdraw cash (up to 300 EUR/day) and this is actually free of charge.

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Tintu Varghese
    November 8, 2020 23:44

    Halo Dominic., The article is really helpful.,I have a question..I am from India working here since 2016 and I have an account in Deutsche Bank.,which is the best bank for home loans if I buy a house here. Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Dear Tintu,
      if you have already an account at Deutsche Bank it definitely makes sense to check their loan offerings.
      Apart from that there are several portals comparing mortgages. Check out for example Hypofriend. They compare mortgage offers of hundreds of banks in Germany and offer their service also in English.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Dear Dominik,
    That’s a great article! Thanks for that. Wanted to ask about the monthly income (e.g. N26 €700/mth; DKB 1000/mth) – Is it calculated as an average of total earnings over a year or does it have to be a monthly earning? Context: I work as a freelancer – doing mostly consultancies that pay me against deliverables and there is no “monthly” fixed income. Am considering DKB but could you let me know which services are not included if the 1000/mth income is not maintained?

    Thank you for your time.
    Aich

    Reply
    • Dear Aich,
      just a minor correction… It’s the other way round: 1,000 EUR/month for N26 and 700 EUR/month for DKB.
      To my knowledge for both N26 and DKB this is calculated on a monthly basis. N26 checks this every two months and DKB every three months. So for example for DKB, if you receive at least 700 EUR/month in three consecutive months you will be classified as an active customer for the next three months.
      At N26 being an active customer means that you can withdraw cash free of charge in Germany five times/month (instead of only three times/month).
      At DKB there are some more benefits such as worldwide cash withdrawals free of charge, no foreign exchange fees for non-Euro payments, up to 20% cashback in selected online shops, an emergency package in case you lose your card etc.

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
      • That was immensely helpful and thanks a lot. FYI: I applied to DKB and they rejected me, and of course you can’t email or anything to enquire for reasons! Would you know any other way to convey to them that their assessment may be incorrect? Thanks a lot again and wish you are keeping safe!

        Kind regards,

        Reply
        • Dear Aich,
          sorry to hear that you didn’t have luck with DKB… Have you already tried to call them?
          Another option would be to apply for a so-called basic payment account (in German Basiskonto) at DKB. They have to give you this type of bank account by law (if you do not have an account at another bank yet).
          It has less functionalities than the normal DKB account (e.g. no overdraft) but it’s a good option to start your way into DKB. You can find more details here.
          Stay tuned, I will soon publish an article about basic payment accounts in Germany here on germanymore.de

          Best Regards,
          Dominik

          Reply
  • Hi Dominik,

    I have started working in Germany a few months ago, and I finally got my ID tax number. I opened a N26 bank account meanwhile, but now I was looking into traditional banks about current accounts that gives you benefits if you link your salary to it. I know that in Spain and UK, the bank offers you different discounts and offers depending in which is your salary range. But I can’t find anything like that in the first quick online research I have done. Do you know anything of this?

    Thank you for your help in advance and for the helpful article.

    Best regards,
    Samuel

    Reply
    • Dear Samuel,
      there are some local banks such as Sparkasse or Volksbank that offer something similar (e.g. discount on local shops/restaurants).
      But that is usually only the case for bank accounts with a monthly fee and the discounts given do not correlate with your salary.

      Have you maybe found something in the meantime?

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
      • Hi Dominik please l will like to ask this question l have lived in Germany for the past 6 years now but for the 2 years am not working now I get my money from the government that’s jobcentre
        Isn’t possible if request a loan 0f 3.000 for a business l want to start am in commerzbank for the past 6 years now can they offer me a loan while for now am not working but l get my income from jobcentre it going to be possible?

        Reply
        • Dear Priscilla,
          when you are unemployed it’s usually quite difficult to get a loan from banks… However if you are already a customer with a certain bank since quite some time, chances might be better to get a loan for starting your business.
          And there is another option: The ‘Bundesagentur für Arbeit’ also supports you in starting a business. Under certain prerequisites they give you financial support for founding your own business. Find out more in this article.

          Best Regards,
          Dominik

          Reply
  • Hi
    which bank will you recommend for employees ? I currently have deutsche bank and sparkasse. I want to have a bank where the money is safe for long term. For example, when you sign up in sparkasse – they tell you that your money is insured and if something happens to the bank, your money is safe. I have not experienced other banks saying that. Deutsche bank and commerz bank were both in crisis from what i read. Commerzbank seemed to offer free accounts after that. Can you tell me banks like sparkasse which are controlled by the german government ? Or which are the banks from which there is a probability of getting a good loan with low interest ? Also do you know about a bank which allows a nominee ? Since my family has never been to Germany, i wanted to make sure the money will go to them in case something happens to me

    Reply
    • Dear Mathews,
      don’t worry, there is a general deposit insurance within the European Union that protects private deposits up until 100,000 EUR. In addition some private & public banks (e.g. Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse, Commerzbank) run voluntary additional guarantee schemes, which go beyond the European minimum of EUR 100,000. For more information check for example this guide https://bankenverband.de/media/publikationen/13012016_Kurzinfo_ELS_engl_web.pdf (You’ll see that Commerzbank is for example also included there).
      Regarding your question about nominees, this is something you would have to check with your bank how they handle this.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Soonruta Kothadia
    September 17, 2020 10:54

    Hello! Thanks for great article!
    My husband and I have moved to Germany from India as freelance dance artists. We are looking to open a bank account. Will we need separate accounts for our personal and professional banking? Also would you know if we can open a joint account for getting paid as we work together?

    Reply
    • Dear Soonruta,
      first of all: Welcome to Germany and all the best for your business!
      Well, it really depends on the legal form of your business. If you run the business self-employed/as a sole proprietor you do not need a separate bank account necessarily. However I would recommend to separate your business finances from your private finances.
      If you run your business in a legal entity (e.g. GmbH or UG) you definitely need a business bank account.

      Check out this comparison of business bank accounts (both for self-employed/sole proprietors and legal entities).

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Hello Dominik

    Could you please enrich this article with more information on which banks offer free sub accounts alongside the main account?

    I had a terrible experience with the Commerzbank after having switched to them from the deutsche bank because of their free current account offer; to find them completely unaware of such a service that I already enjoyed for years in the deutsche bank of 3 additional free sub accounts.

    Thanks very much.

    Regards

    Reply
    • Dear Romero,
      thanks for your question. This is definitely an interesting topic and I will soon post a dedicated article about bank accounts with sub-accounts.
      There are two types of sub-accounts:

        1. Sub-accounts with an own IBAN
        You can use these sub-accounts like a normal bank account (e.g. direct debits, transfers to other bank accounts, etc.). This kind of sub-account is for example offered by Deutsche Bank or also Commerzbank.

        2. Sub-accounts without an own IBAN
        These are sub-accounts that you can only use within your main bank account (e.g. transfer money between your bank accounts). This is what N26 calls “spaces” or Tomorrow “pockets”.

      Hope this helps! Stay tuned for the article on sub-accounts!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Dear Dominik,
    Very interesting post. Let me kindly ask you a question. Would there be any shared account (2 holders) including 2 debit or credit card free of charge? If not, which brand would be the best option to do so? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Dear Pedro,
      there are plenty of banks in Germany offering joint accounts. In my view DKB offers one of the best packages when it comes to joint accounts.
      The bank account is free of charge and both account holders get a debit and credit card free of charge. Check it out on the DKB website.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Jaiganesh M
    August 16, 2020 17:54

    I am from India, and I have Deutsche bank account in India. Is it transferable? Please let me know.

    Reply
    • Dear Jaiganesh,
      no, it’s not possible to transfer your Indian Deutsche Bank account to Germany. However it might be easier for you to open a new account at Deutsche Bank in Germany, as they already know you as a customer.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • how good and secure is Tomorrow Bank? can i bank with peace of mind with them,since they don’t have physical presence or branches

    Reply
    • Dear Ada,
      Tomorrow Bank is more a banking brand than a real bank. Their banking infrastructure is run by solaris Bank, a well-know and established bank based in Berlin.
      This bank is officially registered in Germany and under supervision of the German financial regulatory authority (BaFin). Private deposits up until 100,000 EUR are for example protected by a deposit insurance.
      Therefore Tomorrow Bank is definitely a good and secure choice when it comes to banking in Germany.

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Bahar Al Bahar
    June 2, 2020 22:29

    Dear @Ebrahim Altajer

    No disrespect to Dominik, but it is not true his answer is inaccurate, or at least incomplete. In my experience it does very much matter if you have a syrian passport if you want to open your account in a private bank such as DB, Commerzbank, n26 online bank…
    However, state banks will usually open an account for you such as Spaarkasse of any given state or BW bank in the state of Baden-wuerttemberg.
    I have not only live here for more than 4.5 years, I have visited and spoken to multiple of those banks, and they respond with varying levels of honesty, from claiming they dont open accounts for temporary residents which my colleagues and friends proved is not true, or by sending a rejection letter that your account type is not in the interest of their business at the time being.

    Please do not spend your time with private banks – the only online bank I know to have a reasonable criteria of accepting valid residents of EU and european economic zone is Revolut, but I have not tried it so I cannot recommend it.

    Sadly, I had to find this out after wasting my time, and eventually finding similar experiences on blogs. I hope this will save you some trouble and time, and certainly frustration.

    wishing you the best of luck

    Bahar

    Reply
    • Dear Bahar,
      thanks for sharing your experience on opening a bank account in Germany. This is very valuable input for the readers of this article!
      I’m really sorry to hear that you have made bad experiences with opening a bank account in Germany, especially given the fact that everybody in Germany is entitled to have a basic bank account. But stay tuned, an article about how to open a basic bank account will be published soon!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

      Reply
  • Dear Dominik,

    Thank you so much for such a great article. I find it very helpful and beneficial.

    I had a Basiskonto in Hypovereinsbank since August 2016, at that time I was just a tourist holding a Schengen Visa with no need for Meldebescheinigung. I used this bank account for 2 years then I moved to Germany for Master studies then I registered my address in September 2018. After my registration I was able to open a bank account with N26. Since then I’ve been using both accounts and have a good history in both
    banks with absolutely Positive Schufa report.

    I finished my Master studies, got an employment contract in Germany, applied for a blue card and I’m working since 01.April.2020
    Since I’m completely not satisfied with the poor customer service of Hypovereinsbank, I’m willing to switch to another bank.

    Now since you have my bank accounts history as well as my Residence Permit status in Germany, I’m looking forward to your answer to a couple questions.

    1- What bank is the best when it comes to Car loans and Private loans as well? I need both loans (at least car loan is a must-take for me).

    2- Which banks (apart from Hypovereinsbank) are also offering Basisaccounts with NO NEED for meldebescheinigung? A friend who comes regularly to Germany as a tourist and holds a 3-year schengen Visa needs such account to save his money and facilitate his shopping across EU.

    Looking forward to your answers.
    Kind regards,
    Moustafa

    Reply
    • Dear Moustafa,
      thanks for your comment. Just to clarify as you mentioned…

      Now since you have my bank accounts history

      …germanymore.de is a portal giving advise to foreigners living in Germany in regards to bank accounts, credit cards etc. So we do not have insight into your financial history.
      In order to check your credit worthiness in Germany I strongly recommend to get a Schufa report. It’s completely free and gives you a good overview of your current rating. Read this article to find out how to get your Schufa report.
      Regarding your questions:

      1. Car loan – given the sheer amount of car loan providers on the market, it’s difficult to judge which one is THE best one. Here is for example a comparison calculator for car loans
      2. Basiskonte (Basic payment account) – According to the German banking/finance regulator “BaFin” you can open a basic payment account, when you qualify for one of the below requirements:

    • Legal residents of the European Union (including persons without a permanent place of residence and asylum seekers)
    • Persons without a residence permit who cannot be deported due to legal or factual reasons (persons with a suspension of deportation) are also entitled to hold such an account.
    • You can find more infos regarding this topic on the BaFin website.

      Hope this helps!

      Best Regards,
      Dominik

  • Reply
  • Shaheera
    April 16, 2020 08:02

    Hi Dominik
    This is such a wonderful article also the Q&A section. I have a student account in Deutsche bank right now and i will be starting full time employment from May onwards. I wanted to open an account in commerce bank just to save monthly fees which in case of DB i had to pay.
    I am not EU resident so I showed my resident permit and passport etc while opening an account at commerze bank. The worst part was after confirmation email they called me and said they cannot open my account as my resident permit is limited. It is valid till end November and after that we non EU residents always renew it. I visited them against and explained this scenario of my student status and then future job etc but the accountant was reluctant to hear stuff and directly said it won’t change anything as for some nationalities it works like that. I asked them that they should have mentioned it somewhere minimum limit of residence permit so to save our time.
    That’s all i wanted to share that it may vary for individuals.
    Now i am not sure either i keep deutsche bank or opt some other bank in order to save additional fees and costs.
    Thank you

    Reply
  • Alexey
    April 12, 2020 20:10

    Hi Dominik,

    Thank you for the article. I have two questions:

    1. Is there an obligation for a person/a bank to close a bank account if a person leaves Germany or could be kept open?
    2. In N26 paid plans there is an option for 10 sub-accounts (they call them “spaces”). I wonder if other banks (e.g DKB, Santander etc.) have the options of sub-accounts?

    Thanks

    Reply
  • Ebrahim Altajer
    March 8, 2020 17:24

    Dear Dominik
    Hi I am from syria and i will come to germany next month which of those banks can i open an account especially my Nationality is syrian?

    Thank in advance
    Ebrahim Altajer

    Reply
  • Parsa
    March 2, 2020 21:50

    Dear dominik:
    Information was so useful.I opened a n26 account standard and install the app but for the video ident the operator asked me the resident permit (aufenthalt) and I didnt have it because im newly hear and told me to contact support for post ident .what other bank do you suggest that doesnt need aufenthalt at first ?and with the post ident of n26 is it possible to activate the account without aufenthalt?
    Thank you

    Reply
  • Mohammed
    January 21, 2020 15:21

    Dear Sir

    Thank you so much for this article

    I have a question, I am 33 y old, man from North Africa, right now am student (studying at privet sprachschule) I have a blocked account at Fintiba, ans I ant to open an account to start transfer money to my new account from Fintiba.

    What is the most good option for me? I mean I want a bank free of charges, have a debt card and VISA or MasterCard, and can withdraw money easily from ATM’s

    Please help

    Reply
  • Nasser
    December 10, 2019 22:13

    Thanks a lot Dominik, this is really very helpful. I’m planning to shift my account from a Sparkasse to N26 soon and your detailed article helped me a tremendously.
    All the best
    Nasser

    Reply
  • Dayo
    November 6, 2019 15:53

    I find this article very insightful and helpful.
    I recently moved to Germany for postdoc and I have been actively seeking to open an account. I had in the past used Deutsche Bank during my PhD years ago. After leaving Germany I wrote the bank that I would no longer be in need of the account. Do you think it is advisable to go to the same back to open an account or you have another bank to recommend. Thanks.

    Reply
  • lupita
    November 6, 2019 12:29

    hello,
    I live in germany since one month, i study here and i also started to work. my salary is being paid cash so i was wondering which german bank is the best one for depositing cash regularly. because i heard that its not free of charge with every bank for example with n26 and its not possible with dkb in every city – i live in hamburg and they dont have atm machines here etc.

    Reply
  • Amin
    October 25, 2019 20:51

    Thank you man very useful and nice ,
    Good Luck

    Reply
  • Mark
    October 13, 2019 18:09

    Dear Mr. Dominik,

    Thank you for this amazing article. I have a question if you do not mind answering. I am a Lebanese Citizen, who is currently enrolled at a German University. I have not yet received the Residence Permit and I require a bank account before the end of the month of October. Initially, I checked N26 but they require that I provide the passport and residence permit for verification. Because the residence permit would take decent time before I receive it, I decided to look at other online banks and I was thinking of ING Student/Basic but I have not gained any information regarding the requirements for legitimisation. Is it possible to state whether they require the residence permit or is the registration certificate enough? Also, what other documents are required for legitimisation? Furthermore, could you provide the difference between ING Basic and ING Student? Thanks a lot!

    Regards,
    Mark

    Reply
  • Chioma
    October 9, 2019 15:00

    Hi – thank you for the article!

    I recently opened an account with ING and I wondered if you could go into more detail about the cards you Get. In other words, which is best to be used where (travelling, shopping online/in store, dash withdrawals e.t.c)

    Thank you!

    Reply
  • Eni
    October 1, 2019 14:25

    I visited Deutsche Bank literally less than thirty minutes ago. They no longer offer free accounts for students. Students also have to pay the monthly fee of €5,90 or yearly fee of €70,80

    Reply
  • Nouha
    September 30, 2019 14:34

    Hello , thank you for the article very helpfull . Please , i wanted to know what do you suggest for a 25 years old student in berlin who have a scholarship and a blocked account , means gets around 1000 per month . I want a bank easy to handle , fast openning account , english speaking with online service in english and no fees , i don’t know also if commerzbank allow you to withdraw money free of charge outside germany ? Please what do you recommend and what about sparkasse?

    Reply
  • Timur
    September 26, 2019 16:09

    Hello!
    What does it mean a passive customer? For example at DKB bank foreign transaction fee is payable for passive customers.

    Reply
  • Wali
    September 25, 2019 10:43

    Hello all,

    I am self-employed. I am registered in Germany , but work across EU. Now the question is if I will be able to open a bank account in Germany. Any thoughts?

    Thanks

    Reply
  • Faten salama
    September 22, 2019 21:42

    Hello, I need your best recommendation for a bank account for a fresh student 18 years old. He has already a blocked account. He still has a 6 months student visa & will have a stable address in the ten days time. What are the needed papers in this case.

    Reply
  • Marco Servadei
    September 20, 2019 21:38

    Hello,´

    I’d like to open a bank account for my 15 years old daughter but, since my ex and me are separated and we have 50% rights on our kids, I cannot open a bank account for my kid without the signature of my ex wife.
    How can I do? Is there a bank that has accounts for kids?
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  • Ina
    August 7, 2019 21:34

    Hello,
    Is it possible to open an account in Commerzbank today if my job starts only on 02.09.2019?
    I tried to do it in DKB and they said the start date of job is too far in the future.

    Thanks, Ina

    Reply
  • Zine
    August 6, 2019 21:30

    Hi,
    I really confuse right now, as the banks here in germany dont really give much info for some special cases. My qst is:
    What s the best bank account for student above 30 years old in germany?
    I want to know also how much u pay monthly in this case?
    And in case u r working also as student and hav monthly income between 400 and 700 euro? Any benifit in this case? With some banks of corse.

    Reply
  • Yahy'a Basri
    August 4, 2019 21:26

    Hey, I would like to ask you about which bank is currently stable in Germany. I already maintain my account in the Deutsche Bank but there are a lot of News that it might bankrupted. Therefore, I am thinking right now to switch to ING or maybe you can suggest me which other bank could be absolutely the right option? Thanks in Advance!

    Reply
  • James Miller
    June 27, 2019 21:18

    Hello. I’m really curious about which bank account I should open, but I heard some friends who recommended Deutsche Bank for me. I’m a student and I’m only 23 years old, but I don’t know if I can be eligible for the Das Junge Konto cuz I’m not a German citizen. Is Das Junge Konto available even for non-German citizens and is also free of charge??

    Thanks in Advance.

    Best regards,
    James Miller

    Reply
  • Ana
    April 29, 2019 21:14

    Hi,
    Thanks for all your efforts giving us all possible information necessary.
    Could you please advise my about Deutsche Bank account? Why is this not a possibility on your article?
    Thank you so much for your time

    Reply
  • Brett
    March 27, 2019 21:07

    Hello,
    Please could you advise me on my best options for a German Bank to join. I have a large sum of US dollars in cash and I wish to open a account and find the best exchange rate etc.. I am a English speaker and learning German but wish to either manage my account on line or visit a English speaking branch to further develop my banking in Germany..
    I will be receiving a monthly pay amount and plan so for the foreseeable future.
    Any advice?

    Reply
  • Akoska
    March 7, 2019 21:11

    Thanks a lot, this article saved a lot of time for me! ?

    Reply
  • Shadan Hama
    January 20, 2019 20:44

    Thank you for your effort. we have one question please. My wife and I have arrived recently in Germany to visit a language course. We have have blocked accounts and did not open a current account (Girokonto) yet because we have to wait for the (Steuernummer). I wonder what is best banking option for us? knowing that we are not working here and with no monthly salaries.
    We would be grateful for a reply.
    Best Regards

    Reply
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