C24 SMART

C24 SMART: the entry-level account from C24 Bank

C24 SMART is the basic account from C24 Bank, a digital bank affiliated with CHECK24. The account targets anyone looking for a purely online and app-based account with no branch network, who wants both a debit and a credit card included. A standout feature is deposit protection well above the statutory minimum.

Account fee and overdraft interest

Account management costs EUR 7.50 per year, which works out to less than one euro a month. Online transfers and bookings are free with no limit on quantity — the data explicitly shows a EUR 0 fee for online transactions, regardless of how many bookings are made per month.

For the arranged overdraft, C24 charges 7.49% p.a., and for an unarranged overdraft beyond the agreed limit, 11.49% p.a. The gap between the two rates is noticeably larger at C24 than at many other providers — an unplanned overdraft is significantly more expensive here than a pre-arranged one.

EUR 75 bonus: only for an actual account switch

The EUR 75 bonus is explicitly designed as an "account-switching bonus" and is not earned simply by opening the account. The requirements are:

• Opening a C24 Smart, Plus or Max account.
• Automated closure of the previous account via the digital CHECK24 account move, within the first 90 days after applying.
• The bonus is paid out 14 days after the account move is successfully completed.

This means anyone wanting only a secondary account without actually closing their account at their old bank will not receive the bonus. The CHECK24 account move largely automates the switch, but it does require the old account to actually be closed within 90 days — a real hurdle for anyone who wants to keep the old account running alongside the new one.

Cards and deposit protection

Both a debit card and a credit card are included with the account, fixed parts of the package rather than optional add-ons. The data does not separately state individual annual fees for the cards.

Notable is the deposit protection: through the Einlagensicherung des Bundesverbandes deutscher Banken, deposits at C24 are protected 100% not just up to the statutory limit of EUR 100,000, but up to EUR 250,000 per customer — significantly more than most other accounts in this comparison.

Who is C24 SMART suited to?

The account is deliberately positioned broadly, with a stated target group of employees, pupils, students, apprentices, retirees, freelancers, self-employed people and people without paid employment. Anyone comfortable with purely online and app-based banking with no phone hotline or branch, and who wants a debit and a credit card bundled together, will find an affordable entry-level account here with above-average deposit protection.

How the account switch works

The account-switching service runs via the digital CHECK24 account move, which automates the closure of the old account. For the bonus, it's essential to complete this process within 90 days of application.

Pros and cons

• 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

• EUR 75 bonus requires actually 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

Verdict

C24 SMART is an affordable, purely online account with above-average deposit protection and unlimited free online bookings. The EUR 75 bonus is real, but tied to a complete account switch finished within 90 days — a secondary account without closing the old one will not earn the bonus.