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I wrote about bank accounts 6 years ago and there was really very little on the market that was interesting for those of us used to the convenience of free accounts, full online support and convenient apps. Back then I wrote about N26, Comdirect and DKB as the only serious options. Germany is still an inconvenient place for banking but the market has improved a bit in the last few years so I figured it was worth an update!

Comdirect and N26 are both still good options but they are no longer alone, so we have a few good alternatives. I am prioritising free accounts, but there are some notable other mentions. I’m not specifically looking at English language service now because I have found that most of the time, the banks have an english speaker available online, and the web browser translations make internet banking a lot easier. Only issue is that the banking apps are sometimes German only (Comdirect for example) so a little more frustrating, but nothing I couldn’t get used to.

Roughly in my own order of preference:

Comdirect – This is where I ended up having my main current account in spite of it being German language. I use the website with translation function and when I need support on the telephone, there is always someone to help in English. If its anything formal though, you will need to do it in German, so I suggest google translate by email, but they answer really quickly. Almost everything I need works online though without support. You won’t get excited by their savings interest rates, so you’ll need another bank for that. Very nice trading and investment platform though if you are interested in that direction.

Commerzbank – I am using this as a backup and they actually incorporated Comdirect recently. I have to admit a few years back they were pretty bad for support so I looked for a new account. Now their service has really improved, everything is available in English, basic account is free if you pay a salary into it and they still have branches available with real humans!

C24 – If I was to open a new bank account now, after my recent set of testing, it would be C24. They are relatively new on the market but are getting great reviews and my experience talking to customer service and using their app was really good. You just have to check out their online reviews to see how happy their customers are. Free bank account and great service! The process was a little long-winded for a non-german speaker, likewise the app seemed complicated but the interface was clearly designed for a good user experience. And some impressive interest rates available for savings!

Revolut – Wasn’t the easiest bank to get information on without actually opening an account, but the reviews are really positive and clearly an excellent option for expats who regular travel or transfer money internationally. Free account, quick and effective customer service, trading and investing, and low international fees. Reviews aren’t quite as good as C24, but another really good option to lookout for. And fully English language if needed.

Postbank – This is my ideal backup or savings bank. Reliable, services available in post offices, good cash machine network, and importantly some of the best savings rates you can get. At time of writing, 3.75% for new money and 2.50% for existing accounts. Hard to find better. But… its Postbank, so don’t expect English, quick support or much specialised help for expats.

N26 – This was the biggest surprise for me. Last time I did a review, I was really impressed and only didn’t open an account with them because they were so new and I am risk averse :). But everything about them seemed positive, and fully in English, and online reviews were great. The crown seems to have slipped a little though. It looks much the same online as before, but I struggled to get support in the application phase. And it seems like many people are struggling with slow support or unexplained errors or delays. There still happy customers though, but right now I think there are issues to fix before I’d recommend.

Notable mentions:

DKB – always heard good things about DKB and savings rates plus account services look good. The reason they don’t make my top picks is the poor reviews online. I can’t judge if they are all valid but it is worth considering.

Santander – worth considering for the combination of great savings rate and free current account. Seem to be having customer service challenges in Germany though.

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