Best German Bank For English Speakers [2024 Guide] (2024)

Hey, welcome to my review of the best German banks for English Speakers in Germany in 2024.

I have spent over 50 hours researching and testing 10 of the most popular banks in Germany for expats. Then, I ranked them based on English friendliness, usability, digital-first, reachability, and, of course, product quality. For easy comparison, we have created our Simple Germany Scoring System based on those criteria.

These are by far the most accessible German bank accounts that offer their online banking in English. Imagine you’d have to do your banking in German – an unnecessary stress factor.

Apply to one or two of these banks to receive your salary in Germany and gain access to basic services like electricity and home internet. A German bank account is crucial to help you settle into life in Germany more smoothly.

Let’s get started with a quick overview:

1. Commerzbank – 2nd largest branch bank in Germany. Online banking in English. Sign-up in German only, but we translated the sign-up process step-by-step. Awarded as the best and safest branch bank in Germany.
2. N26 – The most established mobile fintech bank. 100% in English.
3. Vivid Money – Free online banking with crypto investment options. 100% in English.
4. Tomorrow Bank – Ethical online banking starting at 3€. 100% in English.
5. Bonus – Revolut – The best bank for anyone without a residence permit. Based in the UK. Provides a European IBAN. 100% in English.

Direct comparison of the best German bank accounts for foreigners

To help you compare the individual banking features and fees, I have built this clean comparison table for the five bank accounts I reviewed.

	Commerzbank Girokonto	N26 Standard	Vivid Standard	Tomorrow Now	Revolut Standard
Our Total Rating	8.9	8.4	7.3	7.2	6.8
Accepted Nationalities	Extensive (for all nationalities)	Extensive (for all nationalities)	Moderate 78 in total (46 photo ID ,73 video ID)	Moderate (these 78) USA not accepted	Extensive (for all nationalities)
Bank License	Germany	Germany	German partnerbank Solarisbank	German partnerbank Solarisbank	Lithuania (Revolut Payments UAB)
German IBAN
Monthly Fee	Free with min. €700 monthly input	Free	Free for active users	€3	Free
Free Payment Card	EC Girocard & Virtual Debit Card	Virtual Debit Mastercard €10 for Physical Card	Visa Debit	Visa Debit	Virtual Debit Card Shipping Fee for Physical Card
Investment Options
Loan Possible		up to 25k			up to 50k
Apple & Google Pay
Free Cash Withdrawals	unlimited at Cash Group ATMs	up to 3x a month	Up to €200 a month	€2 per withdrawal	Up to €200 or 5x a month
Foreign Currency Fee	1,75%	0% on card payments 1,75% on cash withdrawals	0%	0%	up to €1000 a month free within the app
Overdraft Possible
Cash Deposit Possible	Unlimited & Free	1,5% fee	Limited & High fees
Available Support	Phone, Chat, Email & in Person	Chat	Chat & Email	Phone, Chat & Email	In-app chat
Online or Branch Bank	Branch	Online	Online	Online	Online
Partner Account Possible (Joint Account)	Free - You need to go to a branch to open it	With Spaces - available for premium accounts from €4,90 / month	With Pockets - 3 free pockets with standard account	Only with a premium account from €7 / month

What is the best German bank for English Speakers?

Here are our top picks for the best bank in Germany for English speakers and foreigners.

1. Commerzbank

Commerzbank was founded in 1870 and is the second-largest consumer bank in Germany. It is a private bank and part of the Cash Group (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank & Postbank).

It gets continuously voted as the best branch bank, as well as the safest bank in Germany.

In the past years, Commerzbank has invested heavily to keep up with the competition from Fintech banks. It is the most digitized branch bank and offers at least parts of its website in English. More importantly, Commerzbank provides online banking, a mobile app, and customer support in English. On my iPhone app, the in-app chat is currently only available in German. You can reach customer service in English via phone or at your local branch.

Next to their very good checking account (Girokonto), they offer a lot more banking options. You could open a securities account with Commerzbank, get a loan, and pick up foreign currencies in their branches. You can also ask for a personal consultant if you wish. Commerzbank accepts every nationality since you can verify your identity in person at a local branch.

You have unlimited free cash withdrawals at around 7.000 ATMs that belong to the Cash Group (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Postbank, Hypovereinsbank). You can also deposit cash in bills and coins at those ATMs.

The only drawback in my opinion, is the online account opening process. Although they pride themselves on offering the fastest online sign-up in Germany, it is only available in German. To support you step-by-step, we have written an in-depth guide on how to open a Commerzbank account online.

Their checking account is free as long as you activate paperless banking and have an incoming payment of at least 700 euros per month. You will get a physical girocard, the most accepted payment card in Germany. You will also get a virtual debit card for easy mobile and online payments.

Our Simple Germany Rating for Commerzbank

Here is our rating for the Girokonto from Commerzbank:

My experience as a real Commerzbank customer

I have been a Commerzbank customer since 2005. I use it primarily as my salary account. I am a very happy customer and have never encountered any issues. The online banking and app are easy to use. The app shows me the nearest branch and ATM that I can use with my girocard to withdraw or deposit money (even coins). The mobile app is protected by security measures (password or face ID). I mainly pay with Apple Pay and use the girocard in restaurants and stores that don’t accept Visa or Mastercard. Those are usually smaller local shops.

Follow our in-depth step-by-step guide on how to open a Commerzbank account online: How To Open A Commerzbank Account Online [Step-By-Step English Guide]

2. N26

N26 was founded in 2013 and has since become the biggest mobile bank in Europe. It challenges the status quo of traditional banks. They cater to the digitized generations with a clean and easily navigable mobile real-time banking app.

They have integrated Wise into their app, which allows fast, low-cost international money transfers. N26 also offers the option to request a loan for up to 25.000 euros and overdraft.

The entire product is available in English, from sign-up to mobile banking to customer service. It is one of the favorite German bank accounts for foreigners and accepts all nationalities. However, nowadays, any non-EU passport holder must have a residence permit to open a bank account.

N26 offers four different bank account types. From the free Standard account to the premium Metal account. N26 no longer offers a free physical debit Mastercard with the free Standard Account. You will get a virtual-only debit Mastercard. Should you still wish to have a physical banking card, you can order it with a one-time 10 euro fee.

For all the premium N26 accounts, starting with the N26 Smart for 4,90 euros a month, the physical debit Mastercard is included for free. For in-depth information on N26, take a look at our N26 review.

Our Simple Germany Rating for N26

Here is our rating for the Standard Account from N26:

Our experience as a real N26 customer

My wife Jen has been an N26 customer since 2018 and used it as her daily transactional account. We switched it from a private account to a business account for Simple Germany. The downside is that you can only have one account, private or business. The in-app banking experience is very smooth and comprehensive. Sometimes, the app crashes on our iPhone, but it has never caused any bigger inconvenience. The mobile app is protected by security measures (password or face ID).

Open your free N26 checking account now and immediately start banking online.

3. Vivid Money

Vivid Money was founded in 2019 in Berlin. Vivid provides its checking account via its partner, Solarisbank, as they don’t have their own banking license. Next to offering a free checking account, their focus lies on crypto and share investing. You can only access your Vivid bank account via the mobile app, as there is no web app. Everything is available in English.

The bank account remains free as long as you use it actively. The criteria for active use are at least one card transaction per month or maintaining a balance of a minimum of 1.000 euros in the account. If you don’t fulfill any of the two, the monthly account fee is 3,90 euros.

The Vivid Standard account comes with three extra pocket sub-accounts for which you can even get separate IBAN’s. You can also create an extra pocket in a different currency while you are traveling and use it to pay without fees in that specific currency.

Our Simple Germany Rating for Vivid

Here is our rating for the Standard Account from Vivid:

Open your free Vivid checking account now and immediately start banking online.

4. Tomorrow Bank

Tomorrow Bank is an ethical mobile banking service provider. They use their banking services to reinvest in sustainable projects. It was founded in 2017 in Hamburg and provides bank accounts via its partner Solarisbank, as it doesn’t have a banking license.

Tomorrow offers three different types of checking accounts starting at 3 euros per month. It includes a free Visa debit card and climate contribution. Of course, it comes with a consumer-friendly real-time banking app, and everything is 100% in English.

Tomorrow Bank focuses on managing their customers’ money more sustainably for the environment. This comes with a price tag, which you can notice in higher fees for basic banking transactions such as cash withdrawals, account fees, and no cash deposit availability.

Our Simple Germany Rating for Tomorrow Bank

Here is our rating for the Now Account from Tomorrow Bank:

Open your Tomorrow checking account now and immediately start banking online.

5. Bonus: Revolut

Revolut is not a German bank. However, I list Revolut as a bonus option. It is a great alternative if German banks do not accept your nationality or you don’t have your residence permit yet. Revolut seems to accept any nationality as long as you reside in Germany.

You verify your identity with your passport and visa and don’t need any other documents.

Revolut is a fintech based in the UK, with a license in Lithuania since Brexit. This allows you to have a European bank account with an IBAN based in Lithuania (starting with LT – the IBAN of a German bank account starts with a DE). You can use this bank account in Germany without any additional fees.

Revolut also offers three paid premium account models.You must be 18 years and over to open aRevolutaccount. T&Cs apply.

Our Simple Germany Rating for Revolut

Here is our rating for the Standard Account from Revolut:

Open your free Revolut checking account now and immediately start banking online.

5 important criteria for choosing your bank account in Germany

Everyone has different banking behaviors and preferences. Yet, it is also important for you to understand the German banking culture. That way, you can make an informed decision on which features are important for you to have access to. Let’s look at five criteria that are important to me while living in Germany.

1. Online vs. Branch Bank

In my opinion, there is no better or worse in this category. Both types of banks have their perks. Online banks offer great starter accounts with easy sign-up and intuitive banking apps. Personally, I don’t like to put all my eggs in one basket. I have several bank accounts with a mix of traditional branch and modern online banks.

2. Your preferred payment card

The bank accounts I list in this review offer three different types of free payment cards:

• Girocard (also called EC Karte)
• Physical debit card (Visa or Mastercard)
• Virtual debit card (Visa or Mastercard)

Girocard is the most common debit card in Germany. It operates on a specific banking system only found in Germany. Any payment gets directly deducted from your bank account balance. In certain retail areas in Germany the girocard is the only accepted payment method next to cash. This is the case at my hairdresser, in smaller shops, and in some restaurants and cafés. On the flip side, you can’t use the girocard for online payments. Commerzbank is the only bank in our comparison that offers a girocard. Mobile banks don’t issue girocards.

All five banks in this review offer a Visa or Mastercard debit card, either as a physical card or as a virtual card. You can add either version to your Apple or Google Pay and use it for in-store and online payments. In the past year, I only had to use my physical Visa card once or twice, as Apple Pay is quite common. If you don’t have a girocard as well, just remember to carry some cash with you next to your Visa or Mastercard.

What about credit cards? The only bank in this review that offers a credit card is Commerzbank. However, it costs 39,90 euros a year and doesn’t have very consumer-friendly features. There are better credit cards available independent of your checking account. I have written a detailed guide on the best free credit cards in Germany as well.

3. Access To Cash

Cash is still a very popular payment method in Germany. Thus, having access to cash withdrawals is crucial. You can find many restaurants accepting cash only (especially in Berlin). The banks in this review follow two different philosophies to give you access to cash:

• Unlimited amounts and withdrawals at specific ATMs: This is the case for Commerzbank. You can withdraw cash for free with your girocard at all ATMs that belong to the Cash Group (Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Postbank, HypoVereinsbank). If you use ATMs of other banks or in shops directly, you will pay a fee of 5 euros.
• Limited amount and/or withdrawals from any ATM: This is the case for N26, Vivid, Tomorrow, and Revolut. Once you have used up your free withdrawals, you will pay a fee of several euros as well.

Next to ATMs, you can also withdraw cash for free at any supermarket or Drogeriemarkt, like dm and Rossmann. This is only possible with your girocard up to 200 euros with each purchase. Aldi Süd is the only supermarket that also offers cashback with Mastercard credit and debit card payments.

4. Bank Account Fees

All bank accounts listed in this guide have either no or low account maintenance fees. In my opinion, good and reliable banking is a basic need and should be affordable. You can choose to upgrade to a Premium account to receive more banking features.

5. Investment Options

Being able to save and invest money is important for your financial future. However, in my opinion, it is not a crucial criteria for choosing your everyday checking account. You can access saving and investment options from specialized service providers. I have also written detailed guides for saving and investing money.

Conclusion

• Commerzbank is the best branch bank for English speakers and available to all nationalities.
  
• N26 is the most established online bank and a favorite amongst expats.

• Vivid is great if you want a mobile option to invest in stocks and crypto.

• Tomorrow is the only sustainable bank with great features for everyday banking.

• Revolut is the best alternative for internationals who struggle to open an account with any of the above options.

It is perfectly ok to open several bank accounts in Germany. Just don’t open them at the same time. Let some weeks or months pass in between so that your credit score does not get affected. Jen and I each have two to three bank accounts, which we use for different purposes.

FAQs

What is the most trusted bank in Germany?

Comdirect is the best bank overall and the best online bank in Germany. Commerzbank is the best and safest branch bank, and ING is the most popular bank in Germany. These are the results of the biggest and most recent banking test done by the €uro Magazin. Comdirect and ING are fantastic but offer all of their services in German only.

Is N26 better than Commerzbank?

Both banks have their perks, which complement each other quite well. We are satisfied customers at both banks. Why not open a bank account at each bank as well?

Which is the best bank to save money in Germany?

Banks constantly change their offer for savings accounts. Take a look at our detailed guide on finding the best bank to save money in Germany.

Which bank account is best for foreigners?

All banks listed in this review are great options for foreigners. Some may only be accessible to expats when having a residence permit, though. Check out our tool, Banky, to find which bank is best for your situation.

Is Deutsche Bank a good bank for foreigners?

In my humble opinion, Deutsche Bank is not a good bank for foreigners. Although it offers some of its services in English, it is not very consumer-friendly. Any bank account with Deutsche Bank comes with hefty fees. You can find the same banking portfolio at Commerzbank with better conditions.