Compare German bank accounts in English


Compare German bank account provider

Deciding which German bank account to open is often tricky. Some bank account provider need your Schufa score, some bank accounts one can open without Schufa. Often, German bank account provider do not offer any services in English. But still. after moving to Germany and sorting out Anmeldung, Expats and international students often have to open a German bank account. In case of students, you might have to opt for a blocked bank account when you arrive, in which the money is blocked for one year and released monthly. 

After your arrival, you can also open an additional bank account from one of the provider in the bank account comparison in English. If you are working professional, or if you would require any additional bank account, you can choose one of the providers below.


Compare and open German bank account


Account maintenance fee

Cards

 

 

Worldwide usage fee

 

 Interest

 

 Account access

 

Online banking

 

Extras

Apple Pay

Google Pay

0

free card with contactless payment

VISA + Giro Card options

 

none (in VISA terminals)

 

Credit interest: 0.2% p.a. up to 100,000 euros on the DKB VISA card, then 0.00% p.a., balances available daily, interest variable

Online

 

ChipTAN, PushTAN

 

DKB live, online cashback, mobile charging, PayPal

Yes

Yes


How to open an account?

forms

Fill out the online application

businessman-paper-of-the-application-for-a-job

Complete the Identification verification and receive all the documents and cards by Post 

Logo

0

Digital Mastercard

 

 

none

 

Credit interest: 0.00% p.a. (variable interest rate). Favorable credit line up to 10,000 EUR with currently 7.49% p.a 

Online and Mobile

 

App

 

Salary bonus of EUR 1.00 per month (monthly cash receipt of at least EUR 1.000,00)

Yes

NA


How to open an account?

forms

Fill out the online application

businessman-paper-of-the-application-for-a-job

Complete the Identification verification

Account maintenance fee

0

Cards

free card with contactless payment

VISA + Giro Card options

 

Worldwide usage fee

none (in VISA terminals)

No fee in REWE, DM and co, ATMs

 

Interest

0.2% p.a. Credit interest up to 100,000 euros on the DKB VISA card, then 0.00% p.a., balances available daily, interest variable

 

Account access

Online

 

Online Banking

ChipTAN, PushTAN

 

Extras

DKB live, online cashback, mobile charging, PayPal

Apple Pay

Yes

Google pay

Yes


How to open an account?

forms

Fill out the online application

businessman-paper-of-the-application-for-a-job

Complete the Identification verification and receive all the documents and cards by Post 

Logo

Account maintenance fee

0

Cards

Digital Mastercard

 

 

Worldwide usage fee

none

 

Interest

Credit interest: 0.00% p.a. (variable interest rate). Favorable credit line up to 10,000 EUR with currently 7.49% p.a

Account access

Online and Mobile

 

Online access

App

 

Extras

Salary bonus of EUR 1.00 per month (monthly cash receipt of at least EUR 1.000,00)

Apple Pay

Yes

Google Pay

NA


How to open an account?

forms

Fill out the online application

businessman-paper-of-the-application-for-a-job

Complete the Identification verification

 


Account maintenance fee

Cards

 

Worldwide usage fee

 

 Interest

 

 Account access

 

Online banking

0 (75€ bonus)

VISA 

 

none (in VISA terminals)

 

Credit interest: 6.5% per yer

 

Online

 

MobileTAN, photoTAN

1822direkt

 

0 – 46.80 € (75€ bonus) for Normal account*

FREE STUDENT ACCOUNT

VISA(29.90€, free for students)

MAESTRO options (free)

none

 

Credit interest: 7.43% p.a 

Online

 

iTAN, Mobile TAN, pushTAN, QR-TAN

Account maintenance fee

0

Cards

free card with contactless payment

VISA + Giro Card options

 

Worldwide usage fee

none (in VISA terminals)

No fee in REWE, DM and co, ATMs

 

Interest

0.2% p.a. Credit interest up to 100,000 euros on the DKB VISA card, then 0.00% p.a., balances available daily, interest variable

Account access

Online

 

Online Banking

ChipTAN, PushTAN

 

Extras

DKB live, online cashback, mobile charging, PayPal

Apple Pay

Yes

Google pay

Yes


How to open an account?

forms

Fill out the online application

businessman-paper-of-the-application-for-a-job

Complete the Identification verification and receive all the documents and cards by Post 

Logo

Account maintenance fee

0

Cards

Digital Mastercard

 

 

Worldwide usage fee

none

 

Interest

Credit interest: 0.00% p.a. (variable interest rate). Favorable credit line up to 10,000 EUR with currently 7.49% p.a

 

Account access

Online and Mobile

 

Online access

App

 

Extras

Salary bonus of EUR 1.00 per month (monthly cash receipt of at least EUR 1.000,00)

Apple Pay

Yes

Google Pay

NA


How to open an account?

forms

Fill out the online application

businessman-paper-of-the-application-for-a-job

Complete the Identification verification

Account maintenance fee

0 (75€ bonus)

Cards 

VISA 

 

Worldwide usage fee

none (in VISA terminals)

 

 Interest

Credit interest: 6.5% per yer

 

Account access

Online

 

Online banking

MobileTAN, photoTAN

1822direkt

 

Account maintenance fee

0 – 46.80 € (75€ bonus) for Normal account*

FREE STUDENT ACCOUNT

Cards 

VISA(29.90€, free for students)

MAESTRO options (free)

 

 

Worldwide usage fee

none

 

 Interest

Credit interest: 7.43% p.a 

Account access

Online

 

Online banking

iTAN, Mobile TAN, pushTAN, QR-TAN

German bank account terms explained

Account maintenance fee

Yearly costs associated with maintaining the bank account

GIRO CARD

Girocard is a debit card service and an inter bank network which connects all German ATMs and Banks virtually

WORLDWIDE USAGE FEE

The commission fee for using the ATM service in any part of the world

IBAN

International Bank Account Number

BLZ

Bank code number

TAN

Transaction Identification Number 

German terms to know in banking

Konto - Account

Geldautomat - ATM

Formular - Form

Unterschrift - Signature

Zinsen - Interest

Kredit - Loan

Kasse - Cash counter

Zahlungsart - Payment method

German terms to know in banking

Konto - Account

Geldautomat - ATM​

Formular - Form​

Unterschrift - Signature​

Zinsen - Interest

Kredit - Loan

Kasse - Cash counter

Zahlungsart - Payment method​

Compare credit card provider in English