Germany/Banking

When living in Germany, having a German Bank Account (or a Euro account) can be useful. Here's a list of accounts for people having an address in Germany. For some banks, having a registered address is not necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a German bank account?

In this article, German bank account are accounts that have an account number (IBAN) starting with DE….

Do I need a German or a Euro bank account?

To pay rent and most bills or receive salary, you usually need an account that can send and receive SEPA transfers in EUR.

So your bank account does not necessarily be from Germany. It must only be able to send and receive SEPA transfers in EUR. Many accounts from other EU and EEA countries can do that.

However, some companies and authorities have problems using non-German account number (IBAN). This is illegal but it may happen. Then, a German account is more convenient.

Lists of Private (Giro) Bank Accounts

Bank Accounts With English Support

• Bunq, speaks also: Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
• Commerzbank (online banking)
• Deutsche Bank
• Insha
• Lydia
• Monese, speaks also: Bulgarian, Czech, German, Estonian, Spanish, French, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
• N26, speaks also: French, German, Italian, Spanish
• Nuri
• Revolut, speaks also: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish
• Tomorrow
• Vivid Money, speaks also: French, German, Italian, Spanish
• Wise, speaks also: Chinese, French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish
• Yuh

Bank Accounts With German Account Number (IBAN)

• 1822direkt
• comdirect
• DKB
• ING
• N26
• Norisbank
• Nuri
• O2 Banking
• Tomorrow
• Vivid Money

Bank Accounts With No Monthly Fees

• DKB
• Insha
• Lydia (free plan with limited features)
• Monese (Starter plan)
• N26
• Nuri
• Revolut
• Vivid Money
• Wise
• Yuh

… if you receive money on it regularly

• 1822direkt if you receive minimum €700 every month
• Commerzbank if you receive minimum €700 every month
• comdirect if you receive minimum €700 every month
• ING if you receive minimum €700 every month
• Norisbank if you receive minimum €500 every month
• O2 Banking if you receive minimum €700 every month

… for young people

• comdirect if you are under 28
• ING if you are under 28
• Norisbank if you are under 21
• O2 Banking if you are under 28 and a student, apprentice or trainee

Bank Accounts With Signup Bonuses

• Vivid Money: €10 welcome bonus + up to €100 cashback
• Commerzbank: €50 welcome bonus (conditions)

Comparisons of Bank Accounts

These finance services compare current bank accounts on the market and let you filter the list by specific features:

Private Bank Accounts (Giro) Compared

• Private bank accounts compared by FinanceAds*
• Private bank accounts compared by FinanceQuality*

Private Bank Accounts for Students Compared

• Student bank accounts compared by FinanceAds.

Bank Accounts Recommended for Foreigners

All listed banks also accept non-Germans. But some make it easier than others.

Bank accounts suitable for expats:

• have support in English (or even more languages)
• do not require you to have a registered address (Anmeldung)
• accept many foreign passports and identity cards for opening

Recommended bank accounts for expats are:

• Vivid Money: List of accepted identity documents
• Revolut: List of supported countries, proof of address not required)

More Banking Overviews

• List of German Business Bank Accounts
• List of German Student Bank Accounts
• List of German Savings Accounts

• List of German Credit Cards