From my experience, I can tell that financial planning in a new country can be overwhelming. Credit cards are no exception to that. In Germany, credit cards are widespread even though some cultural differences in usage behavior may exist from what you are used to in your home country. While the functionalities and offers of credit cards here are generally similar to those in other countries, the challenge for expats often lies in the unfamiliarity with German credit card companies and the overwhelming number of options available.
As someone who understands both the German system and the experience of settling into a new country, I’ve seen how confusing it can be to find the right credit card that fits your needs. This guide is intended to support you by providing clear, practical advice on what to look for and which cards might work best for you.
I will cover the key factors to consider when choosing a credit card in Germany, explore the best options for different purposes – whether you are looking for a free card, travel perks, or student-friendly terms – and link you to detailed reviews to help you make an informed decision.
Navigate this Guide
Free Credit Cards
Student Credit Cards
Travel Credit Cards
Credit Cards for Rewards and Cashback
Credit Cards for Expatriates with High Acceptance in Germany
Virtual Credit Cards
Joint Credit Cards
Why Choosing the Right Credit Card Matters
Choosing a credit card tailored to your lifestyle can save you money and facilitate your life in Germany. A sound credit card might help build your German credit score (SCHUFA), reduce fees for international transactions, or reward you with cashback or travel points. On the other hand, the wrong choice could lead to unnecessary costs, such as hidden fees, high interest rates, or limited features that do not align with your needs.
That is why it is worth taking the time to compare your options. My guide is here to help you make an informed decision. I try to break down the factors to consider, highlighting the best credit cards for various needs, and linking to detailed reviews that provide deeper insights.
If you are new to the topic or want a broader understanding of how German credit cards work, I recommend starting with my Ultimate Guide on Credit Cards in Germany. It covers the basic terms and particularities of the German credit card landscape and sets the foundation for choosing the card that is right for you.
How to Find Your Top Credit Card in Germany
Cash is still king in Germany – whether you like it or not. Nevertheless, my expat friends still confirm that having a German credit card at your disposal can be helpful and convenient, offer flexibility, or even perks like rewards or travel benefits. However, finding the right one is key to really benefitting from these advantages. The sheer variety of options can overwhelm foreigners, especially when local brands and terms are unfamiliar.
To simplify things, I developed a set of six key factors that can guide you in finding the credit card that is truly the best match for your needs. These factors are not scientific research but a result of my everyday experience as a local with an international perspective. I created them specifically to address the questions and concerns I often hear – such as avoiding unnecessary fees, finding flexible terms, and understanding eligibility requirements.
Try to eliminate fees that can add up over time. Consider whether the card has annual base charges, expenses for partner cards, or costs for ATM withdrawals and foreign transactions.
Pay close attention to billing cycles and interest rates. Revolving credit cards with extended repayment periods and low interest make sense if you require financial flexibility.
The best credit cards offer perks that suit your lifestyle. As a frequent traveler, you might prioritize cards with travel rewards, while savvy shoppers look for cashback programs.
While American Express cards have great perks, they are not as widely accepted in Germany and beyond as Visa or Mastercard.
Consider how you prefer to manage your finances. Do you value multilingual support, physical branches, or a user-friendly mobile app?
Banks often have strict application requirements, such as proof of income or a strong SCHUFA score. If you’re new to Germany or lack a steady income, look for cards with lenient approval criteria.
Below, I will explore further how these considerations apply to specific card types—like free cards, student cards, or travel cards.
Comparing Best Credit Cards in Germany: Find Your Perfect Fit
There is no such thing as THE best credit card. As described, I think the right choice largely depends on your individual needs. Whether you are an expat looking for a card with minimal fees, a student without a fixed income, or a frequent traveler wanting perks like insurance and lounge access, I tried to identify the most attractive options.
For this article, I thoroughly screened all 25 German credit card companies providing a total of around 54 different credit cards to private individuals. Additionally, I checked 11 debit card providers regarding the availability of virtual cards. I looked at their detailed terms, conditions, and features. The result is my list of personal favorites by six purposes and target groups:
- Free credit cards with no annual base fees
- Student credit cards with low fees and income requirements
- Travel credit cards without foreign transaction fees and additional travel perks
- Expat credit cards with high acceptance rates and simple credit checks
- Rewards and cashback credit cards for frequent users
- Online or virtual credit and debit cards with immediate activation
- Joint credit cards with two or more cards for partners and family members
I hope this helps you narrow your search and focus on cards that align with your goals. In this chapter, I will guide you through the top picks for each category, highlighting their key features and benefits. I also included links to detailed guides and reviews listing all available cards within a specific category.
Free Credit Cards
Credit cards without annual fees are ideal for occasional users or anyone focusing on efficient “no frills” payment. These credit cards often come with straightforward terms and are suitable for everyday purchases, online shopping, or occasional travel and cashback collection. However, I advise you to always check for potential hidden costs, such as fees for cash withdrawals or foreign transactions, which can vary between providers.
My Top Picks without Annual Fees
There is a total of 14 credit cards without annual fees. Some come as part of a current account; others can be purchased standalone. Check our site on Free German Credit Cards to see them all. My current favorites are:
- TF Bank Mastercard Gold is known for its welcoming approach towards individuals with limited credit history. Hence, it is an obvious choice for new expats in Germany. The card comes with zero fees for foreign currency transactions and ATM withdrawals.
- PAYBACK American Express offers a generous cashback package even though it does not have monthly fees. You automatically collect PAYBACK points when using it. Since many German retailers are part of the loyalty program, you can earn rewards, cash, or Lufthansa Miles & More very quickly.
- Santander BestCard Basic is available with and without a bank account. Four cash withdrawals per month are included.
- Eurowings Premium is at least free during the first year; it lets you collect miles with Lufthansa, has a generous package of travel insurance, and lots of perks on Eurowings flights like seat reservation and additional luggage. Also, cash withdrawals and transactions in other currencies do not create extra costs.
Student Credit Cards
I was a student myself with limited income or sometimes no regular income at all. It was hard to qualify for traditional credit cards. Fortunately, I could get a credit card tailored to students – with lower fees, more lenient approval criteria, and some student perks. Often, student credit cards provide even better conditions than regular credit cards, as banks try to lure students with the prospect of keeping them as clients after graduation.
Best Credit Cards for Students
Currently, only two national banks and some local banks in Germany offer legitimate credit cards suitable for students, even those with low incomes. They come together with a current bank account that has no monthly base fee:
- Commerzbank offers the student account StartKonto with no monthly fees for account holders up to 27 years. It comes with a free and legit “Young Visa” credit card. The requirements for the credit card are low as you only need a salary or BAföG of 300 Euros per month. The account includes additional perks for students. See Settle in Germany’s detailed Commerzbank review or get the account and card here.
- HypoVereinsbank has a StartKonto for everyone below 26 years without monthly account fees. It includes the HVB Mastercard credit if you receive monthly incoming funds of 500 Euros.
- Local banks like Sparkasse, Volksbank, Raiffeisen, and Sparda oftentimes also offer free student accounts with credit cards. Nevertheless, this depends on your location, and you would have to check with the institutes in your city.
Some other banks have student accounts (e.g., Postbank or Deutsche Bank), but you have to pay extra for a credit card. Others like Santander or norisbank perform the same rigid credit checks for everyone.
Travel Credit Cards
Travel credit cards are perfect for expats or people who consider themselves “citizens of the world.” Whether you are an expat regularly visiting your friends and family abroad or someone who loves exploring the world. These cards intend to make traveling smoother and more cost-effective, with travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and even perks like airport lounge access. Cards with more perks often come with annual fees, so assessing whether the perks and rewards outweigh the cost is essential based on how frequently you travel. Additionally, consider acceptance – Visa and Mastercard are more universally accepted than American Express in Germany and abroad.
Zero Fees and Insurance Abroad
For me, a sound travel credit card must meet the following criteria: Zero foreign-currency conversion fees for payments outside the Eurozone, free ATM withdrawals around the world, and a good insurance package – including health insurance that covers you also in case the trip was not paid for by credit card. After screening all credit cards, currently the following credit cards fulfill these conditions:
- Eurowings Premium is free during the first year and 99 Euros as of year 2. You collect 1 Lufthansa Mile (“Miles and More”) for every 2 Euros spent. You also get free seat reservations, priority check-in / Fastlane, and additional luggage on Eurowings flights. Read our review here or check the website.
- Santander BestCard “Extra” (59 Euros yearly without or 35 Euros with Santander current account) and “Premium” (99 Euros yearly without or 75 Euros with Santander current account): “Premium” includes more complementary cash withdrawals (unlimited vs. four withdrawals monthly with “Extra””) and a bigger insurance package (e.g., rental cars).
- Hanseatic Bank GoldCard is 4.90 Euros per month.
- Hilton Honors Credit Card is 72 Euros per year. You also receive the Hilton Honors Gold Status for stays at Hilton hotels and collect Hilton Honors Points when using the card (1 Euro is 1 Point or 2 Points for expenses at Hilton)
- Deutsche Bank Mastercard Travel is 94 Euros per year.
- TARGOBANK “Premium-Karte” costs 97 Euros a year. You can also earn cashback on card transactions (2% on travel and events, 1% for the rest). You require a bank account with TARGOBANK. The “Online Konto” can be without monthly charges.
- Barclays Platinum Doubleis 99 Euros per year.
- Consorsbank Visa Card Gold is included and only available in combination with a “Unlimited” current account. The account and card cost 9 Euros per month.
- Miles and More Gold costs 11.50 Euros per month. It also earns you 1 Lufthansa mile per 2 Euros of card transactions.
- HypoVereinsbank Mastercard Gold is included in the current account “Exklusivkonto.” The monthly account fee is 14.90 Euros.
Even though Amex credit cards include a lot of perks for travelers, they need more flexibility as there are currency conversion fees and high charges for ATM withdrawals. If you want an Amex, you could additionally get a free credit card without foreign-currency transaction fees and complimentary cash withdrawals. These cards are also a great alternative to the mentioned travel credit cards if you do not require the insurance package.
Credit Cards for Rewards and Cashback
Just paying is not enough for you? If you like rewards and getting something back from your everyday spending, rewards and cashback credit cards are perfect. These cards let you earn cashback, shopping discounts, airline miles, or loyalty points every time you make a purchase, turning your spending into savings or rewards. Some cards offer more, such as exclusive dining vouchers, lounge access, and complimentary hotel vouchers.
All Premium Credit Cards
These are all the cards I could find that let you collect some kind of reward, such as points, cashback or miles:
- American Express offers a considerable variety of cards, such as the free PAYBACK American Express card, which allows you to collect PAYBACK points (Germany’s largest loyalty program with many retailers participating). With the BMW Card and Amex Blue, you can participate and collect American Express membership rewards to use for hotel nights, flights, and more. The Amex Cards Green, Gold, and Platinum offer a huge variety of rewards collection opportunities, insurance, streaming services, restaurant and travel budgets, lounge access, and more. The monthly cost is between 5 and 60 Euros.,
- Eurowings Premium grants you 1 Lufthansa Mile (“Miles and More”) for every 2 Euros of transactions. Additionally, when flying Eurowings, you can enjoy free seat reservations, priority check-in / Fastlane, and additional luggage. The card is free during the first year and 99 Euros afterward.
- Amazon Visa Credit issued by Santander is great for frequent Amazon shoppers. You obtain 2% on particular Amazon Prime, 1% on regular Amazon, and 0.5% cashback on all other transactions. The cashback is credited in points to be redeemable on Amazon.de
- With Hilton Honors you collect Hilton Hotel points (1 Euro is 1 Point or 2 Points for expenses at Hilton). You automatically receive the Hilton Honors Gold Status. The card is 72 Euros per year.
- TARGOBANK “Premium-Karte” is 97 Euros a year. You earn 2% on travel or events and 1% for all other transactions. You need a bank account with TARGOBANK, such as the free “Online Konto.”
- With Miles and More Gold, you earn 1 Lufthansa mile for spent2 Euros each. The card is 11.50 Euros per month.
Credit Cards for Expatriates with High Acceptance in Germany
Getting a traditional credit card can be challenging for expats or individuals with limited credit history. German banks often rely on your SCHUFA score – a credit report detailing your financial reliability – to determine eligibility. If you are new to Germany or still building your credit history, credit cards with more lenient approval processes can be a lifeline. Even though you might be granted a smaller credit line initially, you can usually increase it over time.
Expat-Friendly Options
Personally, I cannot guarantee that any of the following credit card companies will accept you. All of them perform credit checks, but I’ve heard that the following are less rigid:
- Advanzia Gebührenfrei has long been the favorite among foreigners living in Germany. The SCHUFA credit check usually has no influence on the card issuance. It also comes with a pleasant travel insurance package if the trip was at least half paid for with a credit card. For perk lovers, Advanzia Bank also issues the Hilton Honors Credit Card.
- TF Bank Mastercard Gold explicitly targets expats as customers and is known for its high acceptance rate among them. As one of the few credit card providers, TF Bank has an English mobile banking app. The card has zero foreign transaction fees and has probably the most extensive travel insurance package of a free credit card. See more in our review or on their website.
- Novum Bank Extra Karte has an easy process, and I heard about positive experiences regarding the application.
If you cannot get approved by any of them, stick with your usual account and debit card for a while. After months of living here, you should have built up the required credit history. Alternatively, check with your bank you maintain a current account with if they have good credit cards. Banks are usually more welcoming to existing customers. If they are an online bank that does not offer credit cards, you might consider opening another free bank account.
Virtual Credit and Debit Cards
It is the 21st century! So why even bother with plastic? With a focus on online shopping and the introduction of mobile payment, virtual credit cards have become a viable option. These cards are designed for digital use with robust security features such as on-click deactivation, regenerating a new card number, and the convenience of instant availability. You just need to apply and identify yourself; the card will be ready for you within minutes.
Online and Mobile Options
Unfortunately, this is still too good to be true. You might not only sometimes need plastic, i.e., for cash withdrawals, but also all purely digital cards I could only find are debit cards that do not have a credit line. Consider, whether this is sufficient for you. Then the options are:
- Wise has a very easily to open multi-currency account. You can get a virtual card within minutes.
- C24, a reliable spin-off of Germany’s largest price comparison portal CHECK24, immediately issues a virtual card with their current account. They also have a free account.
- N26 is Germany’s largest neobank and it has a free account with a virtual Mastercard.
- Revolut also has a current account that lets you create virtual cards.
- Trade Republic is a provider of brokerage accounts. They have an online account
- Unit+ provides brokerage accounts and a virtual credit card can be directly connected to the investments.
- Vivid Money issues a virtual Visa Debit with their current account.
- Bunq offers probably the most “authentic” digital card. It works like a prepaid credit card; however, it is even labeled as credit. You can choose between the free options EasyCard or EasySavings (the latter includes a savings account). There are also paid options with a current account.
Joint Credit Cards
Managing finances as a couple or family can be simplified wit joint credit cards. These cards are designed to allow multiple users to share a single account, providing an easy way to track shared expenses, such as household bills, groceries, or vacations. It is also a good option if one partner fails to pass the credit check to sign up for an individual card.
Partner Cards and Family Cards
Many banks offer partner cards; sometimes, you must pay an additional annual fee.
- American Express is the only provider issuing all partner cards for free
- The following banks offer additional cards – sometimes for free, sometimes at extra cost: Barclays, comdirect, Commerzbank, Consorsbank, Eurowings, norisbank, TARGOBANK,Deutsche Bank, Santander,
- The following banks can provide supplementary cards at a cost: 1822direkt, BBBank, DKB, HypoVereinsbank, Miles & More, Postbank
- The following banks have no partner cards: Amazon credit card, Advanzia, Hilton Honors, Consors Finanz, Hanseatic Bank, Klarna, mywage, Netkredit24, Novum Bank, TF Bank
In-Depth Reviews of Popular Credit Cards in Germany
When it comes to picking a credit card, the details matter. You may want to dive deeper and get more information on an individual credit card to determine whether it fulfills your expectations. It also allows you to carefully review the detailed terms and conditions before signing up.
As most of the product pages and reviews are exclusively available in German, I have created a variety of individual reviews of some of the most popular German credit cards in English. I hope the reviews support you with
- Transparent insights into fees: Learn about annual fees, foreign transaction charges, and hidden costs.
- Detailed breakdowns of benefits: Understand exactly what you’re getting, from cashback rates to travel perks and digital features.
- Practical comparisons: Find out how each card stacks up against similar options to ensure that you make the best choice.
- Further information: General details about the issuing bank and its customer service or reliability.
Here’s a quick overview of the reviews currently available:
Conclusion
I know the sheer number of options and unknown bank names can initially seem daunting. Whether you are looking for a card to save on fees, earn rewards, or simplify shared expenses, the German credit card market offers a solution for every need. By carefully considering your goals along the six key factors and matching them with the right features, you can find a card that is right for you.
This article contains some suggestions for the most searched credit card types: free credit cards, student credit cards, travel credit cards, reward credit cards, and more. If you want to explore specific options, look at my in-depth reviews here.
If you still need more information, check the Ultimate Guide on German Credit Cards.
Good luck with your decision! I hope that this article was helpful to find your perfect match!
Your Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards in Germany
Are you still unsure whether you need a credit card in Germany or unsure about the process?
