Personal accounts in Germany

✓ Pros

• ✓€200 new-customer bonus when all conditions are met
• ✓Branch, phone, online and app all available in parallel
• ✓Account-switching service handles the bank change
• ✓Optional credit card alongside the debit card

✕ Cons

• ✕Bonus only achievable after roughly seven months with continuous €700 monthly income
• ✕Debit interest on overdraft, at around 11.95% p.a., comparatively high
• ✕€47.40 annual fee with no apparent waiver condition
• ✕No information on card fees in the product data

✓ Pros

• ✓Unlimited free online transactions
• ✓Credit card fixed into the account package
• ✓Account-switching service available
• ✓Deposit protection at the statutory EU level, up to EUR 100,000

✕ Cons

• ✕EUR 22.50 annual fee with no visible exemption condition
• ✕No welcome bonus
• ✕No branches available
• ✕Deposit protection runs via the Spanish, not the German, system

✓ Pros

• ✓170 euro bonus for opening the account with credit card use
• ✓Free account management from 700 euros in income or under age 30
• ✓Free withdrawals at Sparkasse ATMs in Germany
• ✓3.20% p.a. interest on the automatically opened savings account

✕ Cons

• ✕4.90 euro fee without sufficient incoming payments
• ✕Credit cards become chargeable from the second year (3-6 euros/month)
• ✕Bonus requires active use of a Visa credit card

✓ Pros

• ✓Free with at least 900 euros in monthly incoming payments
• ✓Permanently free for pupils, students, and apprentices
• ✓150 euro new-customer bonus
• ✓Around 7,000 free Cash Group ATMs
• ✓Three free sub-accounts (Pockets) with their own IBAN

✕ Cons

• ✕5.90 euro fee if incoming payments fall below 900 euros
• ✕6 euro fee for cash withdrawals at the counter
• ✕Bonus tied to a limited-time offer and minimum incoming payment
• ✕Postbank Mastercard costs 29 euros per year

✓ Pros

• ✓EUR 150 bonus for new customers with salary inflow
• ✓Around 7,000 free Cash Group ATMs
• ✓App with BestSign, cash code and digital sub-accounts
• ✓Free account-switching service
• ✓Permanently fee-free for pupils, students and apprentices

✕ Cons

• ✕Free only from EUR 900 monthly incoming payments, otherwise EUR 5.90/month
• ✕Bonus requires at least EUR 500 in incoming payments the following month
• ✕Credit card carries a EUR 29 annual fee
• ✕No stated fee for withdrawals abroad

✓ Pros

• ✓Cheaper account maintenance with €1,000+ monthly incoming payments (€5.90/month)
• ✓Free cash withdrawals at Cash Group ATMs
• ✓Postbank Mastercard free in the first year
• ✓Three free "Pockets" sub-accounts with their own IBAN
• ✓Full access via online, phone, branch and app banking

✕ Cons

• ✕Fee rises to €6.90/month without sufficient incoming payments
• ✕No standing sign-up bonus visible for opening the account itself
• ✕Mastercard becomes chargeable from year two (€29/€59 a year)
• ✕ATM fees abroad are not documented

✓ Pros

• ✓€200 new-customer bonus for opening a joint account
• ✓Branch, phone, online and app all available in parallel
• ✓Account-switching service handles the change
• ✓Bonus realistically achievable for households with regular income

✕ Cons

• ✕Bonus promotion is time-limited (18 June to 15 September 2026)
• ✕Premium only achievable after roughly seven months with €700 monthly income
• ✕Overdraft debit interest around 12% p.a.
• ✕No information on card fees in the product data

✓ Pros

• ✓Free account management with €700 inflow or under age 28
• ✓Up to €200 new-customer bonus in two stages
• ✓Visa debit cards free for both account holders
• ✓Free worldwide withdrawals with active status

✕ Cons

• ✕€4.50/month fee without the fee-waiver condition met
• ✕Bonus requires multiple deadlines and an extra savings account
• ✕2.20% fee on foreign-currency withdrawals without active status

✓ Pros

• ✓Affordable account fee from EUR 4.90/month with digital use
• ✓Primary girocard included in the account price
• ✓Free cash withdrawals at the bank's own ATMs
• ✓Personal branch advice available despite the digital focus

✕ Cons

• ✕Extra charges for paper statements, cheques, and counter withdrawals
• ✕Secondary card costs an additional EUR 9/year
• ✕No information available on fees abroad
• ✕Data uncertain — confirm exact tariff before signing up

✓ Pros

• ✓Permanently free with at least EUR 700 in monthly incoming payments
• ✓Up to EUR 200 new-customer bonus possible
• ✓Low, flat overdraft rate of 8.51% per year
• ✓Free Visa debit card included
• ✓Very broad target group, suitable for minors and retirees too

✕ Cons

• ✕Full EUR 200 bonus only reachable with an additional Tagesgeld account and several deadlines
• ✕EUR 4.50 monthly account fee without EUR 700 in incoming payments or being under 28
• ✕No branch or phone banking, online/app only
• ✕Visa credit card costs an extra EUR 2.49 a month

✓ Pros

• ✓Permanently free account management
• ✓Visa Card Gold included at no extra cost
• ✓Very broad target group, including freelancers and self-employed
• ✓Online, phone, and app banking available

✕ Cons

• ✕No account-switching service
• ✕No account-opening bonus
• ✕No branch

✓ Pros

• ✓Free account management
• ✓Credit card and debit card both included as standard
• ✓Very broad target group, including freelancers and the self-employed
• ✓Automated account-switching service included

✕ Cons

• ✕No telephone customer service listed
• ✕Deposit protection runs through the French rather than German scheme
• ✕No new-customer bonus available
• ✕Tolerated overdraft at 9.65% p.a. is not cheap

✓ Pros

• ✓Free account management with 700 euros in monthly income or under age 31
• ✓Free debit card and free basic credit card
• ✓Worldwide free withdrawals with the Credit Card Gold Light
• ✓Automatic round-up saving in the app

✕ Cons

• ✕4 euro account fee without sufficient incoming payments
• ✕2.10% fee on foreign-currency or non-EEA withdrawals
• ✕Current switching bonus not listed on the account page

✓ Pros

• ✓Deposit protection up to EUR 250,000 instead of the statutory EUR 100,000
• ✓Unlimited free online transactions
• ✓Debit and credit card fixed into the package
• ✓Broad target group, including freelancers and self-employed people

✕ Cons

• ✕EUR 75 bonus requires closing the old account within 90 days
• ✕Noticeable jump between arranged (7.49%) and unarranged overdraft (11.49%)
• ✕No phone or branch access
• ✕EUR 7.50 annual fee, so not fully free

✓ Pros

• ✓Cheaper alternative to bunq Elite at around EUR 10/month
• ✓App-based account with fully digital account management
• ✓Deposit protection up to EUR 100,000 via the Dutch guarantee scheme
• ✓Broad target group — from students to the self-employed

✕ Cons

• ✕Still a paid account, no free tier
• ✕No data available on transaction or foreign fees
• ✕No account-switching service
• ✕No new-customer bonus available

✓ Pros

• ✓Account management free with no apparent minimum conditions
• ✓Very broad target group, explicitly including freelancers and the self-employed
• ✓0% interest on the tolerated overdraft
• ✓Automated account-switching service included

✕ Cons

• ✕No new-customer bonus available
• ✕No telephone customer service listed
• ✕Deposit protection runs through the Dutch rather than German scheme
• ✕No information on arranged-overdraft terms

✓ Pros

• ✓App-based account with fully digital account management
• ✓Deposit protection up to EUR 100,000 via the Dutch guarantee scheme
• ✓Broad target group — from students to the self-employed
• ✓Credit card available as an optional add-on

✕ Cons

• ✕Comparatively high annual fee of EUR 227.88
• ✕No data available on transaction or foreign fees
• ✕No account-switching service
• ✕No new-customer bonus available

✓ Pros

• ✓0% interest on unauthorised overdraft
• ✓Credit card included in the account package
• ✓Deposit protection up to €100,000
• ✓Open to almost every customer group, including students and retirees

✕ Cons

• ✕Fixed annual fee of €47.88 with no apparent waiver option
• ✕No new-customer bonus
• ✕Deposit protection runs through a Dutch, not German, scheme
• ✕No branch or phone advice, online/app only

✓ Pros

• ✓Permanently free account management with no minimum incoming payment
• ✓250 euro summer bonus for new customers (time-limited)
• ✓Up to 6 free cash withdrawals worldwide per month with the Visa debit card
• ✓Free girocard with fee-free CashPool withdrawals

✕ Cons

• ✕Bonus valid only until August 31, 2026
• ✕Interest on balance only for accounts opened after June 2, 2026
• ✕Credit card only available subject to a credit check

✓ Pros

• ✓EUR 250 bonus for customers who fully switch their account
• ✓Free account management with no minimum incoming payment, per the offer page
• ✓0.20% interest on balance in the first year for new customers
• ✓Fee-free Visa debit card and Girocard

✕ Cons

• ✕Bonus requires an active account switch with at least four payment partners
• ✕Only six free withdrawals abroad per month
• ✕Optional credit card normally carries a EUR 24 annual fee
• ✕Promotional window for opening ends 31 August 2026