Best neobanks and digital banks in Germany (2026)

Summary

On these facts:

• Everyday account under German deposit protection: N26 Standard has no opening or account fee ¹, with €100,000 of German deposit protection according to N26 ²; DKB, ING and comdirect name EdB plus a voluntary fund above €100,000 ^{3, 4, 5}, but this guide has no verified monthly fees for them.
• Travel and FX: Trade Republic says it charges no additional bank fees on non-euro transactions and no ATM fees above €100 ⁶; DKB’s Visa Debitkarte is free worldwide with Aktivstatus, for payments and for withdrawals at ATMs with the Visa logo, and otherwise costs 2.20% in foreign currency ⁷.
• A European app with a German IBAN: Revolut, through its German branch ^{8, 9}, or bunq, whose comparison table lists German IBANs on its Pro and Elite plans ¹⁰. Revolut says its deposits are protected by the Lithuanian scheme ¹¹, and bunq says eligible deposits are protected by the Dutch scheme ¹⁰.
• Savings: N26 lists Tagesgeld (instant-access savings) interest of 0.25% a year on Standard and Smart, 0.55% on Go and 1.50% on Metal, before tax, from 11 June 2025 ¹; whichever bank you use, stay within €100,000 per customer and bank ¹²: above that, the private banks’ BdB fund is voluntary, with no legal entitlement, and its per-saver ceiling falls to €1 million from 2030 ¹³.

The shortlist

N26, Trade Republic, C24 Bank, DKB and ING are German banks, and comdirect is a brand of Commerzbank AG ^{2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14}; Revolut offers German IBANs through a German branch of Revolut Bank UAB ⁸, and bunq, with a Dutch licence, lists them on its Pro and Elite plans ¹⁰; they say their deposits are protected by the Lithuanian and Dutch schemes respectively ^{10, 11}. Licence and protection details are as each provider states them, not checked against a regulator’s register.

Not stated: no verified source.

Wise and Vivid Money appear below only under deposit protection and complaints: this guide has no verified German fee or IBAN facts for them. BaFin’s measures against C24 Bank and N26 in late 2025 are covered under supervisory measures ^{15, 17}.

Is your money protected?

EdB: the German statutory scheme

“Die Einlagen sind in Deutschland bis zu 100.000 Euro gesetzlich geschützt – in besonderen Fällen bis zu 500.000 Euro.” (“Deposits in Germany are protected by law up to €100,000, and in special cases up to €500,000.”) ¹² The Bundesbank names the statutory schemes: the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken GmbH (EdB), which protects customers of private and public-sector banks, and the institutional protection schemes of the savings banks and the cooperative banks, recognised as statutory deposit guarantee schemes since 2015 ¹³. EdB compensates up to €100,000 per customer and bank ¹². The special cases include the sale of a privately used flat or house, marriage, divorce or death, retirement, severance or dismissal, and the birth of a child, illness, need for care or disability; depositors must prove them to the EdB in writing, and the higher amounts are protected only if the compensation event occurs within six months of the money being credited ¹². Compensation is due within seven working days after BaFin determines a compensation event ¹³.

DKB, ING and comdirect name EdB ^{3, 4, 5}; N26 and C24 Bank state €100,000 of German or statutory deposit protection without naming the scheme ^{2, 14}.

Trade Republic describes itself as a full German bank ⁶. It holds customer money partly in omnibus trust accounts at partner banks, which it names as Citibank Europe plc, Crédit Agricole CIB, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Continental Europe S.A., J.P. Morgan SE, Natixis CIB and SEB AB, or diversifies it into money-market funds, especially for higher balances ⁶. Money in a trust account is “protected by the deposit guarantee scheme of the respective partner bank up to 100,000 € per customer” ⁶; which partner bank holds a given customer’s money is not stated. Money in money-market funds is held segregated in a separate custody account and, per Trade Republic, “protected without limit” ⁶.

Voluntary funds above the statutory cover

The BdB (Bundesverband deutscher Banken, the private banks’ association) runs a voluntary fund for private savers above €100,000, with no legal entitlement to payment ¹³; its per-saver ceiling was €5 million from 1 January 2023, €3 million from 2025 and €1 million from 2030 ¹³; ING cites the €3 million ceiling and €1 million from 2030 ⁴. ING and Commerzbank AG belong to it ^{4, 5}; DKB uses the public banks’ VÖB fund, whose ceiling is not stated ³. Whether N26, C24 Bank or Trade Republic belong to any voluntary fund is not stated.

On these facts, keeping savings within €100,000 per bank relies on statutory cover, not a voluntary, shrinking fund ^{12, 13}.

Branches of EU banks

The German branch of Revolut Bank UAB, registered with BaFin, manages Revolut’s newly opened German accounts and those transferred to it ⁸: “Bei der Revolut Bank UAB gehaltene Einlagen sind versichert über die öffentliche litauische Einrichtung „Einlagen- und Investitionsversicherung”.” (“Deposits held with Revolut Bank UAB are insured by the Lithuanian public institution ‘Deposit and Investment Insurance’.”) ¹¹ Cover is €100,000 per depositor, paid within seven working days in euro ¹¹, and Revolut said customer deposits would continue to be protected by the Lithuanian Deposit Guarantee Fund up to €100,000 after the switch to German IBANs ⁸.

On these facts, the €100,000 limit matches EdB’s ^{11, 12}; what differs is which country’s scheme pays. Whether the Lithuanian scheme has an equivalent of EdB’s €500,000 cover for special cases is not stated in the sources.

Other EU providers

Wise states that “our payment services aren’t subject to the Belgian Deposit Guarantee Scheme” ¹⁸.

Local IBAN, salary and IBAN discrimination

Who gives you a German IBAN

Accounts at N26, C24 Bank, DKB, ING and comdirect are held at German banks ^{2, 3, 4, 5, 14}, and an IBAN in Germany starts with DE, followed by two check digits, the eight-digit bank code and the ten-digit account number ¹⁶. For Trade Republic, which holds customer money at partner banks or in money-market funds ⁶, the IBAN is not stated.

Revolut, 2 October 2024: “Starting this week, all new customers will receive a German IBAN. Existing customers will gradually be migrated to a German bank account in the coming months.” ⁸ Whether the move from LT to DE IBANs is complete is not stated. bunq’s Germany page offers a German IBAN to “use it for salary payments, direct debits, bills, and everyday spending in Germany” ¹⁰; its comparison table lists an NL IBAN, with up to 25 IBANs including DE on Pro and Elite ¹⁰.

On these facts, an IBAN’s country code does not decide deposit protection: Revolut’s and bunq’s German IBANs sit on deposits covered in Lithuania and the Netherlands ^{8, 10, 11}.

The rule and who enforces it in Germany

Refusing a direct debit because the account is in another EU country, when that account is reachable for SEPA direct debits, is IBAN discrimination under the EU’s SEPA Regulation ^{20, 21, 22}. BaFin: “Verstöße von Banken können Sie der BaFin melden, für alle anderen Unternehmen ist die Wettbewerbszentrale zuständig.” (“You can report violations by banks to BaFin; for all other companies, the Wettbewerbszentrale is responsible.”) ²⁰

The Wettbewerbszentrale, a self-regulatory body for fair competition, has run a complaints office on SEPA discrimination since June 2017 ²³; it logged more than 130 complaints for 2023, up from just over 100, many against insurers, energy suppliers, transport companies and telecoms, including a cluster over Deutschlandticket orders ²³, and goes to court in about five cases a year ²³.

Courts agree: the Hamburg Regional Court held that refusing a direct debit from a Lithuanian account breaches competition law ²¹, and the Düsseldorf Regional Court (judgment of 08.03.2024, Az. 38 O 219/23) rejected a car-subscription firm’s defence that its refusal of a Lithuanian account was only a non-binding email ²³.

If a company or employer refuses your IBAN

1. For a direct debit, cite the SEPA Regulation’s ban on IBAN discrimination and the rulings above ^{20, 21, 23}.
2. If the direct debit is still refused because of the account’s country, report it: a bank to BaFin, any other company to the Wettbewerbszentrale ²⁰.
3. For salary, the same regulation bars a payer, such as an employer, from specifying the Member State of an account that is reachable under its Article 3 ²²; the sources do not name a German body for employer complaints. On these facts, a German IBAN avoids the dispute: an account at a German bank ^{2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 16}, at Revolut’s German branch ⁸, or at bunq on its Pro or Elite plans ¹⁰.

Fees that matter

On these facts, cash is free at Trade Republic above €100 per withdrawal ⁶, with DKB’s Visa Debitkarte at ATMs with the Visa logo, in euro and, with Aktivstatus, worldwide, though ATM operators may add their own charges ⁷, and at Revolut Standard within 5 withdrawals or €200 per rolling month ⁹; N26 Standard allows 2 free withdrawals in euro a month ¹. In foreign currency, DKB’s debit card costs 2.20% without Aktivstatus, whose conditions the sources do not state ⁷; Revolut charges 0.5% on currency exchange above €1,000 a month and 1% at weekends ⁹. N26 Go and Metal drop the 1.7% on cash outside the eurozone ¹. ING, comdirect and C24 Bank are omitted: this guide has no verified prices for them.

Account freezes and complaints

What people report

A Finanztip forum thread from November 2025 collects reports of Vivid Money accounts restricted without a clear reason while support sent template replies and asked for more documents; the opening poster is a business customer ²⁴. One user: “Daraufhin habe ich mich an die BaFin gewandt, die sich aber nicht für zuständig erklärte, da Vivid in Luxemburg sitzt.” (“I then contacted BaFin, which declared itself not responsible, since Vivid is based in Luxembourg.”) ²⁴ That user turned to Luxembourg’s CSSF ²⁴; one user’s account was unblocked after they wrote to Vivid’s board in Luxembourg, and Finanztip’s summary of the thread says other balances stayed blocked ²⁴.

These are individual reports; the sources hold no data on how often any provider freezes accounts.

Supervisory measures by BaFin

• C24 Bank: on 24 November 2025 BaFin ordered C24 Bank GmbH to remedy serious deficiencies, particularly in anti-money-laundering prevention, and appointed a special monitor ¹⁷; it found deficiencies in suspicious-activity reporting and information obligations, ”… die überwiegend im Zusammenhang mit betrügerisch genutzten Konten standen …” (”… which were predominantly connected with fraudulently used accounts …”) ¹⁷
• N26 from 2021 to 2024: BaFin fined N26 Bank GmbH €4.25 million on 25 June 2021 for a high number of late suspicious-activity reports and, by an order of 5 October 2021, capped its growth at 50,000 new customers a month and appointed a special monitor ²⁵; N26 said the cap, by then 60,000, was lifted in full from 1 June 2024 ²⁶.
• N26 in December 2025: BaFin barred N26 Bank SE from new mortgage business in the Netherlands and appointed a special monitor, with the orders final since 10 and 13 December 2025 ¹⁵; Banking Dive quoted BaFin’s finding of “serious deficiencies … in risk and complaint management and in the organization of the lending business” ²⁷.

On these facts, both banks received BaFin special monitors in late 2025 ^{15, 17}; whether they remain in place is not stated.

The formal complaint path

• Private banks: the Ombudsmann der privaten Banken, run by the Bankenverband, describes itself as ”… fair, unabhängig und kostenlos” (”… fair, independent and free of charge”) ²⁸; it first checks whether the named bank takes part in the procedure ²⁸. Its list of participating banks includes ING-DiBa, comdirect (a brand of Commerzbank AG) and the German branch of Revolut Bank UAB; N26, C24 Bank, Trade Republic, bunq and DKB are not on it ²⁹.
• The Bundesbank’s arbitration body (Schlichtungsstelle): its remit under § 14 UKlaG covers distance selling of financial services, consumer loans, payment services such as transfers, direct debits and card payments, basic accounts, and switching of and information about payment accounts ³⁰. By law it has only a backstop function (Auffangfunktion): it is not competent where a recognised private consumer arbitration body exists for the dispute ³⁰.
• IBAN discrimination in SEPA direct debits: BaFin for banks, the Wettbewerbszentrale for all other companies ²⁰.
• Providers based abroad: in the Vivid case, BaFin declined and the customer turned to Luxembourg’s CSSF ²⁴.

Revolut’s German branch is on the private banks’ ombudsman list ²⁹; whether either arbitration body takes account-freeze cases, or disputes with bunq, Wise or Vivid, is not stated in the sources. On these facts, money in a second account at another provider stays usable if one account is restricted: restricted Vivid balances stayed out of reach while support asked for documents ²⁴.

Tax on interest and foreign accounts

Interest from German accounts

§ 32d(1) EStG, in the federal statute text online on 29 September 2026: “Die Einkommensteuer für Einkünfte aus Kapitalvermögen, die nicht unter § 20 Absatz 8 fallen, beträgt 25 Prozent.” (“Income tax on income from capital assets not covered by § 20(8) is 25 percent.”) ³¹

Under § 20(9) EStG, up to €1,000 a year is deducted as the Sparer-Pauschbetrag (saver’s allowance), €2,000 for jointly assessed spouses, but no more than the capital income after netting; actual expenses cannot be deducted instead ³². Until 31.12.2022 the amounts were €801 and €1,602 ³³.

Finanzamt NRW’s worked example: for a single person with €3,000 of interest and a Freistellungsauftrag (exemption order) at the bank, the €1,000 allowance is deducted, leaving €2,000; the bank withholds €500 of Kapitalertragsteuer (25%) and €27.50 of Solidaritätszuschlag (5.5%) and pays out €2,472.50; church tax changes the figures ³³. Which providers in this guide withhold German tax is not stated in the sources.

Interest from foreign accounts

§ 32d(3) EStG: “Steuerpflichtige Kapitalerträge, die nicht der Kapitalertragsteuer unterlegen haben, hat der Steuerpflichtige in seiner Einkommensteuererklärung anzugeben.” (“Taxable capital income that was not subject to withholding tax must be declared by the taxpayer in their income tax return.”) ³¹ It is generally taxed at the same 25% ³¹. Whether Revolut, bunq, Wise or Vivid withhold German tax is not stated in the sources.

Transfers abroad above the reporting threshold

BaFin: “Bei Auslandsüberweisungen über 50.000 Euro besteht laut Außenwirtschaftsverordnung eine Meldepflicht bei der Deutschen Bundesbank.” (“For transfers abroad over €50,000, the Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance requires a report to the Deutsche Bundesbank.”) ²⁰

Context

• DKB reported 5,554,820 private and business customers as of 30 June 2026 ³⁴.
• On 2 October 2024 Revolut reported two million private customers in Germany, more than double the number twelve months earlier, and a target of five million retail customers by 2026 ⁸; whether it met the target is not stated in the sources.
• The EU-wide statutory protection level of €100,000 per customer has applied in Germany since 2010 ⁵.
• Amounts in this guide are in euro, as the providers publish them for Germany ^{1, 7, 9}.

What people in Germany ask

Can Trade Republic be my everyday account?

Finanztip forum, May 2025: “Für den allgemeinen Zahlungsverkehr würde ich mich nicht auf Trade Republic verlassen. Darf man das mit diesem Konto überhaupt machen? Ich meine, ich hätte hier mal gelesen, das sei nur ein Verrechnungskonto.” (“I wouldn’t rely on Trade Republic for everyday payments. Are you even allowed to do that with this account? I think I once read here that it is only a settlement account.”) ³⁵

Trade Republic describes itself as a full German bank supervised by BaFin ⁶; it holds customer money in partner banks’ trust accounts, covered up to €100,000 per customer, or in money-market funds ⁶. In a Finanztip forum thread, replies keep its current account as a second account, and one notes that Trade Republic has no phone support ³⁵.

Does a Freistellungsauftrag cover interest from a foreign account?

Finanztip forum, December 2025: “Wenn du ausländische Kapitalerträge hast musst du die ja sowieso nachträglich beim FA versteuern. Dann kennt das FA die auch.” (“If you have foreign capital income, you have to pay tax on it through the tax office afterwards anyway. Then the tax office knows about it too.”) ³⁶

§ 32d(3) EStG requires capital income that was not subject to German withholding tax to be declared in the tax return ³¹; the Freistellungsauftrag lets a German bank deduct the €1,000 allowance before withholding tax ³³.

Where do I complain if Vivid freezes my account?

Finanztip forum, November 2025: “Mein Konto wurde plötzlich eingeschränkt, ohne klare Begründung.” (“My account was suddenly restricted, without a clear reason.”) ²⁴

In the same thread, BaFin declined a complaint because Vivid is based in Luxembourg, and the customer turned to the CSSF ²⁴, which Vivid names as the regulator of Vivid Money SA ¹⁹. Whether a German arbitration body takes such cases is not stated in the sources.

FAQ

Which scheme protects money at Revolut?

Revolut says deposits held with Revolut Bank UAB, whose German branch manages newly opened German accounts and those transferred to it, are insured by Lithuania’s “Deposit and Investment Insurance”, up to €100,000 ^{8, 11}.

Does a German IBAN mean German deposit protection?

No. Revolut issues German IBANs through its German branch ^{8, 9}, and bunq’s comparison table lists them on its Pro and Elite plans ¹⁰, but Revolut says its deposits are insured by Lithuania’s scheme ¹¹, and bunq says eligible deposits are protected by the Dutch scheme where the rules apply ¹⁰.

How much is protected at a bank covered by EdB?

€100,000 per customer and bank, or up to €500,000 for money from events such as a home sale, if the compensation event occurs within six months of the money being credited ¹². Above that, protection depends on any voluntary fund the bank belongs to: the BdB fund gives no legal entitlement ¹³, and ING cites its €3 million ceiling, falling to €1 million from 2030 ⁴.

Is money in Wise or Vivid protected like a bank deposit?

No. Wise’s payment services are not subject to the Belgian Deposit Guarantee Scheme; for money invested through its Assets feature, Wise says each customer in Europe is eligible for Estonian Guarantee Fund protection up to €20,000 ¹⁸. At Vivid, the full balance is safeguarded, per Vivid, and French deposit guarantee cover of up to €100,000 applies only to funds in its client-money account at Natixis ¹⁹.

Can a company refuse my foreign EU IBAN for a direct debit?

Not because of the country the account is in, if the account is reachable for SEPA direct debits: that is IBAN discrimination under the EU’s SEPA Regulation ^{20, 22}. Report banks to BaFin and other companies to the Wettbewerbszentrale ²⁰. Courts in Hamburg and Düsseldorf have ruled against refusals of Lithuanian accounts ^{21, 23}.

Do I have to declare interest from a foreign account?

Yes, if it was not subject to German withholding tax: § 32d(3) EStG requires such capital income to be declared in the tax return, and § 32d(1) sets the flat rate at 25%, with exceptions it lists ³¹.