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One major advantage of N26 is that they’re the only bank in Germany offering a free credit or debit card without conditions. All other banks require either > 3

One major advantage of N26 is that they’re the only bank in Germany offering a free credit or debit card without conditions. All other banks require either > 30€/year fee for the card, or > X€/month income, or > X€/month spending. Even the Amazon credit card has a 60€/year fee. EDIT: Regarding the comments suggesting dozens of banks – they all have some conditions. You can’t open an account that only holds a balance for a few days per year, and is only ever used to pay e.g. Namecheap or the Google Play developer fee. Most people don’t want or need a CC in daily life, only to interact with shitty startups or US companies that assume everyone has a CC.

germanier 9y ago
Neither ING-DiBa nor Consorbank charge a fee for their current account with debit Visa nor does DKB for their current account with credit Visa. They also don't require income or spending. There are other free credit cards as well such as those offered by Barclaycard, Santander, or Advanzia.
- kuschku 9y ago
  As discussed in the other subthread, I suggest you open an account with them, do not ever hold any balance on the account, and only transfer a few euros per year in and back out per CC. I bet they’ll either close your account, or, if you tell them ahead of time, never even allow you to open it in the first place.
  - germanier 9y ago
    My DKB account stayed unused for 4 years and they have made no attempt to close it (instead send a new credit card after mine was invalid). And why the heck would you tell them ahead of time? Of course they will consider that then.
dawhizkid 9y ago
Most banks in the US have a free tier, though the catch is usually that you need to deposit a certain amount each month through your job or keep an average balance above $X. I think Cap 1 is completely free with no minimum balance needed. Probably the best thing about US banks though is the insanely generous credit card bonuses...I've been churning credit cards for years and have taken many free flights including int'l first/biz and free hotel stays solely on bank credit card bonuses.
stadeschuldt 9y ago
This is not true. Comdirect and DKB are just two banks who offer free credit/debit cards.
- kuschku 9y ago
  I tried getting a credit card with basically every bank, as a student, with no income, but good SCHUFA. Comdirect offered me one if I’d pay 30€/year, DKB required that I have some income – even if it’s just 400€/month.
  - germanier 9y ago
    They do not and that fact is unambiguously stated on both bank's website[0] and price list. It also hasn't changed compared to last time you claimed that on this site. [0]: https://www.comdirect.de/konto/girokonto.html https://www.comdirect.de/konto/girokonto.html and https://www.dkb.de/privatkunden/dkb_cash/ https://www.dkb.de/privatkunden/dkb_cash/
    - kuschku 9y ago
      That’s nice, but it doesn’t change the fact that I tried to get a CC with them, and they said no. I tried with Commerzbank, Comdirekt, Postbank, DKB, ING-Diba, Hanseaticbank, Wüstenrot, and a bunch more. Every bank required either some income, or that I pay. I’ve been in bank branches or called their sales every time. You always say "it’s technically possible", but that doesn’t change the fact that these banks all said they couldn’t offer it. The fact is, N26 is the only bank that agreed to open an account with me, and offer me a CC, where I hold 0.00€ balance and transfer about 25€ via CC per year.
      - germanier 9y ago
        Which narrows it down. The problem isn't that the offers don't exist (they are successfully used by many people) but that for some reasons almost all banks refuse you as their customers. The only explanation I have is that something is seriously wrong with your credit rating. Have you looked into what Schufa, Infoscore, and Boniversum have on you? Have you asked the refusing banks for your data? (The latter one isn't really well known but possible as well.)
detaro 9y ago
Have had a free CC with Commerzbank for ages, as a student.
- kuschku 9y ago
  I’ve got the Student Start-Konto with Commerzbank, and they offer me a CC with a Jahresentgeld of 39.90€. Nothing below that. You can get the CC for free if you are in high school, but if you’re above 18 it’s 39.90€ per year. https://i.k8r.eu/A5R6Pg https://i.k8r.eu/A5R6Pg
  - detaro 9y ago
    Right, seems like you need 300 € incoming per month for the free YoungVisa, didn't remember that.

germanier 9y ago

Neither ING-DiBa nor Consorbank charge a fee for their current account with debit Visa nor does DKB for their current account with credit Visa. They also don't require income or spending. There are other free credit cards as well such as those offered by Barclaycard, Santander, or Advanzia.

kuschku 9y ago
As discussed in the other subthread, I suggest you open an account with them, do not ever hold any balance on the account, and only transfer a few euros per year in and back out per CC. I bet they’ll either close your account, or, if you tell them ahead of time, never even allow you to open it in the first place.
- germanier 9y ago
  My DKB account stayed unused for 4 years and they have made no attempt to close it (instead send a new credit card after mine was invalid). And why the heck would you tell them ahead of time? Of course they will consider that then.

dawhizkid 9y ago

Most banks in the US have a free tier, though the catch is usually that you need to deposit a certain amount each month through your job or keep an average balance above $X. I think Cap 1 is completely free with no minimum balance needed. Probably the best thing about US banks though is the insanely generous credit card bonuses...I've been churning credit cards for years and have taken many free flights including int'l first/biz and free hotel stays solely on bank credit card bonuses.

stadeschuldt 9y ago

This is not true. Comdirect and DKB are just two banks who offer free credit/debit cards.

kuschku 9y ago
I tried getting a credit card with basically every bank, as a student, with no income, but good SCHUFA. Comdirect offered me one if I’d pay 30€/year, DKB required that I have some income – even if it’s just 400€/month.
- germanier 9y ago
  They do not and that fact is unambiguously stated on both bank's website[0] and price list. It also hasn't changed compared to last time you claimed that on this site. [0]: https://www.comdirect.de/konto/girokonto.html https://www.comdirect.de/konto/girokonto.html and https://www.dkb.de/privatkunden/dkb_cash/ https://www.dkb.de/privatkunden/dkb_cash/
  - kuschku 9y ago
    That’s nice, but it doesn’t change the fact that I tried to get a CC with them, and they said no. I tried with Commerzbank, Comdirekt, Postbank, DKB, ING-Diba, Hanseaticbank, Wüstenrot, and a bunch more. Every bank required either some income, or that I pay. I’ve been in bank branches or called their sales every time. You always say "it’s technically possible", but that doesn’t change the fact that these banks all said they couldn’t offer it. The fact is, N26 is the only bank that agreed to open an account with me, and offer me a CC, where I hold 0.00€ balance and transfer about 25€ via CC per year.
    - germanier 9y ago
      Which narrows it down. The problem isn't that the offers don't exist (they are successfully used by many people) but that for some reasons almost all banks refuse you as their customers. The only explanation I have is that something is seriously wrong with your credit rating. Have you looked into what Schufa, Infoscore, and Boniversum have on you? Have you asked the refusing banks for your data? (The latter one isn't really well known but possible as well.)

detaro 9y ago

Have had a free CC with Commerzbank for ages, as a student.

kuschku 9y ago
I’ve got the Student Start-Konto with Commerzbank, and they offer me a CC with a Jahresentgeld of 39.90€. Nothing below that. You can get the CC for free if you are in high school, but if you’re above 18 it’s 39.90€ per year. https://i.k8r.eu/A5R6Pg https://i.k8r.eu/A5R6Pg
- detaro 9y ago
  Right, seems like you need 300 € incoming per month for the free YoungVisa, didn't remember that.