Personal accounts in Germany

✓ 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

• ✓Nationwide branch network with personal advice
• ✓Up to 200 euros new-customer bonus available
• ✓Free Girocard with Visa functionality
• ✓Free cash withdrawals at many supermarkets too
• ✓Modern app with multibanking and biometric login

✕ Cons

• ✕4.90 euro account fee unless you hold 50,000 euros in assets with the bank
• ✕Welcome bonus requires several months of account activity
• ✕3.90 euros per paper-based transfer or cheque
• ✕No information on foreign ATM fees

✓ Pros

• ✓Permanently free account management
• ✓€25 starting credit with no minimum inflow required
• ✓Fee-free online transactions
• ✓Account-switching service available

✕ Cons

• ✕Bonus tied to a short application deadline (by 8 September 2026)
• ✕No credit card, debit card only
• ✕No branch

✓ Pros

• ✓Branch bank with ties to the international UniCredit network
• ✓Access to an established German banking institution

✕ Cons

• ✕No reliable information available on the amount of the account maintenance fee
• ✕No data available on bonus, card fees or ATM terms
• ✕Terms must be confirmed directly with the bank before making a decision

✓ Pros

• ✓Free from as little as EUR 600 in monthly salary payments
• ✓Fee-free cash withdrawals worldwide via the Gratis-Cash network
• ✓Fee-free cashback at store checkouts up to EUR 200
• ✓Digital household book with automatic categorisation in the app
• ✓Full access via branch, phone, online and app

✕ Cons

• ✕EUR 3.95 monthly account fee without EUR 600 in salary payments
• ✕No new-customer bonus listed on the current offer page
• ✕High interest rate on unarranged overdrafts (16.73% per year)
• ✕Charges may apply at other banks' domestic ATMs depending on card type

✓ Pros

• ✓Credit card (Mastercard or Visa Standard) free in the first year
• ✓Free cash withdrawals at around 20,000 Sparkasse ATMs
• ✓App with a financial planner for automatic expense categorisation
• ✓Contactless payment via Apple Pay

✕ Cons

• ✕EUR 2.90 monthly account fee with no waiver option
• ✕Credit card fee of EUR 36 or EUR 84 a year from the second year onward
• ✕EUR 0.45 fee at other domestic ATMs
• ✕No information available on ATM fees abroad

✓ 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

• ✓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

• ✓Free Visa debit card plus virtual card included
• ✓Unlimited free domestic cash withdrawals
• ✓Statutory German deposit protection up to EUR 100,000
• ✓Account-switching service available
• ✓Enhanced travel and leisure insurance plus unlimited sub-accounts on the Plus tier

✕ Cons

• ✕At EUR 17.90/month, one of the pricier accounts in the comparison
• ✕2% foreign-currency fee for payments outside the eurozone
• ✕Not explicitly aimed at freelancers/self-employed
• ✕9.75% debit interest rate on the authorised overdraft

✓ 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

• ✓Credit card and bank card included in the account package
• ✓EUR 50 welcome credit for new customers per the affiliate page
• ✓Cash withdrawals possible at many ATMs across Germany per provider information

✕ Cons

• ✕Deposit protection via a private banking-association scheme rather than the statutory EUR 100,000 limit
• ✕No separate app banking listed
• ✕Both cards are mandatory, no choice available
• ✕Exact bonus conditions not publicly available

✓ Pros

• ✓Fee-free card payments worldwide
• ✓Up to 5 free cash withdrawals per month
• ✓Up to 6 flexible sub-accounts with their own IBAN
• ✓Shared accounts available
• ✓Full statutory deposit protection up to €100,000

✕ Cons

• ✕App-only bank with no phone or branch service
• ✕€8.90/month with no visible way to waive the fee
• ✕No sign-up bonus
• ✕No listed rate for tolerated (unarranged) overdraft

✓ 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

• ✓Very low, uniform overdraft rate of 7.39% p.a.
• ✓Effectively uncapped deposit protection via BVR institutional protection
• ✓Full access via online, phone, branch and app banking
• ✓Broad target audience including students, apprentices and retirees
• ✓Switching service available

✕ Cons

• ✕Fixed account maintenance fee of €4.15/month with no visible waiver
• ✕No sign-up bonus listed
• ✕No information available on card and ATM fees
• ✕No details documented on app features

✓ 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

• ✓Free account maintenance with regular salary or pension income
• ✓0% interest on a tolerated overdraft
• ✓Free cash withdrawals at around 2,800 CashPool and Sparda ATMs
• ✓Comprehensive deposit protection via BVR Institutssicherung with no cap

✕ Cons

• ✕€5 per month without regular salary or pension income
• ✕No new-customer bonus
• ✕13.99% p.a. on an arranged overdraft
• ✕Physical girocard (€15/year) and credit card (€30/year) optional and chargeable

✓ 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

• ✓Free account management under achievable conditions (under 21 or ≥€500 monthly incoming payments)
• ✓Free Visa debit card plus free virtual card
• ✓Currently 3.1% starter interest for 90 days on the savings sub-account
• ✓Two sub-accounts and real-time notifications in the app

✕ Cons

• ✕No online banking or phone support, app only
• ✕2% foreign-currency fee outside the eurozone
• ✕Only one free cash withdrawal per month
• ✕Worldwide fee-free payments only included in tiers above Now

✓ 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 salary inflow from €600/month
• ✓Visa debit card included free of charge, credit card optional
• ✓Free worldwide cash withdrawals with Gratis-Cash
• ✓Branch, phone, online banking, and app combined
• ✓Account-switching service available

✕ Cons

• ✕€3.95/month fee without sufficient inflow
• ✕No account-opening bonus
• ✕Domestic third-party ATMs may charge a fee