Consorsbank! Girokonto

Introduction

The Consorsbank! Girokonto is an online current account from Consorsbank, part of the BNP Paribas Group, aimed primarily at digitally savvy customers who want to manage their account entirely online. It suits both working professionals with a regular salary deposit and younger account holders under 31, who benefit from especially favorable conditions.

Fees

Account management is free if at least 700 euros in monthly incoming payments are credited to the account, or if the account holder is under 31 years old. If neither condition is met, Consorsbank charges an account maintenance fee of 4 euros per month, billed quarterly. For most working professionals using it as a salary account, the account should therefore remain permanently free of charge.

Bonus and Features

Consorsbank occasionally advertises switching bonuses for new current accounts; however, at the time of this research, the current account page did not list a specific bonus offer with an amount and conditions. Prospective customers should check directly with Consorsbank for any currently running promotions before opening an account, as such offers change frequently.

The account comes with the Visa Card Debit, which is free and allows fee-free cash withdrawals within the eurozone from a withdrawal amount of 50 euros (a fee of 1.95 euros applies below that). In addition, the Credit Card Gold Light is available free of charge and enables free cash withdrawals worldwide; those wanting more comfort and insurance benefits can upgrade to the Visa Card Gold for 9 euros per month. An optional girocard can also be added free of charge and allows fee-free withdrawals in euros. Outside the EEA or for foreign-currency transactions, a foreign transaction fee of 2.10 percent of the amount applies to the debit card and the girocard. Cash withdrawals at supermarkets are free with all cards up to 200 euros.

Consorsbank's banking app lets customers manage card and security settings themselves, monitor account transactions in real time, switch between card models, and set up automatic round-up saving, where rounding amounts from card payments are paid into a savings goal.

Who It's Suitable For

The Consorsbank! Girokonto is particularly suitable for working professionals with a stable monthly income of at least 700 euros, as well as young adults under 31 who benefit from the automatic fee waiver. Frequent travelers within the eurozone will also do well with free cash withdrawals from 50 euros, while users with frequent foreign-currency transactions should keep a closer eye on the fees.

Verdict

With clear, manageable conditions for free account management and a solid basic set of debit and credit cards, the Consorsbank! Girokonto is a solid choice for digitally oriented account holders. Anyone switching specifically for a bonus should check directly with the bank about any currently running promotions, since no specific bonus terms were found on the account page at the time of this research.