How do I open a bank account in Germany?

Thankfully, nowadays it is extremely easy to open up a bank account here in Germany (even if you haven’t moved here yet). We include a full extensive explanation in the Welcome Program if you’d like to check that out, otherwise, I’ll give it to you simply here.

Most banks today offer signups online. Even better, most account signups take less than 10 minutes (especially if you’ve chosen a mobile bank that’s run in the English language). Simply head to one of the websites mentioned above and you can get started. For branch locations (Santander, Commerzbank, Postbank) you can also open up your account at a branch location, though I guess that they’ll just fill out the online form for you while you sit there.

You’ll need to provide proof of identification and sometimes also proof of residency/immigration to Germany. Not all, but some, may require scanned copies of your previous payslips, but most English mobile banks do not request this information.

Important things to look out for when picking a bank

Is there a monthly fee or any other fees involved?

While this may seem like the first thing you should be asking, I would also suggest that you check out why a monthly fee might be included or why not. Many of the banks that do charge a small fee are also offering premium services that you may not be getting with the free accounts.

What languages do they run in? 

Many of the banks mentioned in this article run not only in the German and English languages but many more as well. If it is important for you to be banking in the English language, then make sure you choose one from the chart below that offers services in English. If you don’t mind managing your banking in German, then make sure you’re brushing up on a few German language lessons now. This might help: here are 10 of the best websites and apps to learn the German language. 

Where can you withdraw money? 

The biggest downside to mobile banking is that withdrawing money doesn’t have to be difficult, but can be difficult to understand at first. This is because many mobile banks offer various *new* ways to withdraw money. Some allow you to withdraw money at partner shops (for example Lidl, Aldi, DM, Rossman, etc.) while others allow you to withdraw money for free at various ATMs or partner bank locations.

Do you receive both a credit card and a debit card?

A debit card in Germany is called a “Girokarte/EC Karte” and your debit account is called a “Girokonto”. A credit card is quite simply translated to “Kreditkarte” so this one should be easy to manage. If you would like to make sure you also receive a credit card with your signup, make sure you check beforehand (or down below). You may also be particular about whether a Visa or Mastercard is provided, you can check this too.

Do they have a branch location or is it just run online/via app?

If this is important to you, make sure you check beforehand (or down below). Not many banks (from our list only Santander, Commerzbank, and Postbank) offer branch locations, simply because mobile banking has become so easy to manage for people of all ages today.

So now that you know what you need to be looking out for before you pick a bank that works for you, let’s get into the comparisons of the different bank options that you have here in Germany.