Q&A
💰 Finance & Taxes

Girokonto Comparison — Branch Bank, Online Bank and Costs

Branch bank vs. online bank: fees, advantages and disadvantages of Sparkasse, N26, DKB and ING compared.

Download PDF
German terms
Girokonto Filialbank Onlinebank Kontogebühren Basiskonto EC-Karte

Girokonto in Germany

A Girokonto (bank account) is essential in Germany — for salary, rent, insurance and daily expenses. Since 2016, people without a fixed place of residence also have the right to a basic account.

Branch Bank vs. Online Bank

Feature Branch Bank Online Bank
Advice In person at the branch Phone, chat, email
Branches Yes (e.g., Sparkasse, Volksbank) No
ATMs Own network Often free at all ATMs
Account fees 3–10 €/month Often 0 €
Account opening At the branch by appointment Online + Video-Ident (10 min)
Language support German, partly multilingual English often available

Popular Banks Compared

Bank Account fee Girocard/Debit card Special feature
Sparkasse 3–10 €/month Yes (Girocard) Largest branch network, personal advice
DKB 0 € (with money incoming) Visa Debit card Free withdrawals worldwide
ING 0 € (from 700 € incoming) Visa Debit card Good app, free from minimum deposit
N26 0 € (basic account) Mastercard Smartphone-first, quick opening
Commerzbank 0 € (from 700 € incoming) Girocard + Visa Branches + online combined

Basic Account (Universal Account)

  • Legal entitlement for everyone in Germany (§ 31 ZKG)
  • Even without fixed residence, residence permit or Schufa entry
  • Basic functions: transfers, direct debits, card payments
  • Costs: approx. 5–8 €/month
  • Application at any bank — rejection only in exceptional cases

What You Need for Account Opening

  • ID card or passport (with residence permit)
  • Registration certificate (registration confirmation)
  • For online banks: Video-Ident (webcam + ID) or PostIdent
  • German tax identification number (sent by mail after registration)

Tips

  • Compare fees — many banks are free with salary deposit
  • Sparkasse is ideal if you need personal advice in German
  • DKB or ING are worthwhile if you don't need a branch network
  • Pay attention to Schufa inquiry — with negative Schufa, choose the basic account
  • Second account at an online bank often makes sense (e.g., for travel)
Editorial hamboorg.city · As of: April 2026 · Carefully prepared, regularly updated. Content is informational and does not replace legal advice.
Was this article helpful?
0 people found this helpful

Useful tools

👶 Child Benefit Calculator
🎲 Opportunity Card Points Calculator
🍼 Parental Allowance Calculator
🏠 Housing Allowance Calculator

Related articles

Bürgergeld — Social Welfare in Germany (formerly Hartz IV)
Bürgergeld is Germany's basic social security benefit for unemployed people or those with very low i
Elterngeld — Parental Allowance in Germany
Elterngeld is a state benefit for German parents caring for children, providing 65-67% of previous n
Girokonto — Bank Account in Germany
A Girokonto is an essential bank account in Germany needed for receiving salary, paying rent, and si
Kirchensteuer — Church Tax in Germany
Kirchensteuer is a mandatory tax for members of recognized churches in Germany, automatically deduct
hamboorg.city Assistant
Hello! I'm the hamboorg.city assistant. Ask me anything about life in Germany — authorities, work, housing, Kindergeld and more.
Thinking...