Deutsche Bank • EUR
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Ingrid Schneider · Updated: 3 September 2026
The AktivKonto is Deutsche Bank's entry-level current account for retail customers who want branch and phone banking alongside online and app access. According to the database, it's aimed mainly at employees and retirees and forms the base of the bank's account range, above which sits the more feature-rich BestKonto (which includes, among other perks, a free Mastercard Gold). Anyone who regularly wants in-branch or phone advice will find an alternative here to app-only banks.
Account maintenance costs €6.90 a month (€82.80 a year). No condition under which this fee is waived is documented, either in the product data or on the bank's offer page — unlike some competing accounts, there appears to be no route to free account maintenance via incoming payments or minimum balance. Customers should budget for this as a fixed, ongoing cost.
The arranged overdraft is charged at 12.60% p.a. (adjusted on a quarterly rate basis), while a tolerated (unarranged) overdraft — going beyond the agreed limit — is charged at the higher rate of 14.05% p.a. Both rates sit in the range typical of established branch banks' current accounts, and noticeably above what some pure digital banks charge.
Deutsche Bank is currently advertising a €200 sign-up bonus for new customers who open the account online. The bonus isn't trivial to earn: it requires a non-cash incoming payment of at least €600 in the first full calendar month after applying — such as salary or pension — and the account must then stay open for at least 12 months. Anyone who closes early or misses the incoming-payment requirement gets nothing. This long commitment period clearly sets the bonus apart from many shorter-term promotions at other banks. It wasn't present in the product's base data; it comes from the bank's linked offer page and may change.
The account includes the Deutsche Bank Card as a debit card; an optional Mastercard Gold can be added for €82 a year (waived on the higher-tier BestKonto, which could make upgrading worthwhile for heavy users). Cash withdrawals are free at roughly 7,000 Cash Group ATMs in Germany; abroad, cash is also free at Deutsche Bank Group ATMs and partner ATMs in more than 30 countries — only the currency conversion fee applies, a genuine benefit for frequent travelers.
For mobile payments the app supports Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Wallet; the offer page doesn't list further app features, such as budgeting tools or round-up savings, in detail. Deposits are protected up to €100,000 via the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken GmbH, and a switching service is available to handle the transfer of standing orders and direct debits.
Per the database, the account targets mainly employees and retirees who value a nationwide branch and phone network alongside the app and are willing to pay a fixed monthly fee for it. Anyone with regular incoming payments of at least €600 who is willing to commit to the account for at least a year can additionally benefit from the sign-up bonus. Anyone focused mainly on low ongoing costs and who doesn't need branch service will likely find pure digital banks cheaper.
The account can be opened online; applying online is explicitly required to qualify for the full bonus. No further detail on the exact identification process (e.g. video ident or a branch appointment) was found in the sources reviewed.
See the lists at the end of this review for a summary of the account's main strengths and weaknesses.
The AktivKonto offers an attractive but condition-bound €200 sign-up bonus and a dense ATM network that's fee-free even abroad. In exchange, customers pay €6.90 a month indefinitely, with no visible way to waive it, and the bonus requires a minimum 12-month commitment. For anyone who wants branch and phone access alongside the app and can realistically meet the bonus conditions through regular incoming payments, the AktivKonto remains a solid choice.
✓ Pros
✕ Cons