- Get traditional banking in English: Manage everyday banking through an English app and web interface while retaining access to branches and English-speaking personal support.
- Keep your bank wherever you move: Unlike regional banks (i.e., Sparkasse or Volksbank), Commerzbank can remain your everyday bank when you relocate elsewhere in Germany.
- Get help navigating German banking: Ask a branch adviser to explain unfamiliar processes, provide documents, or assist with exceptional administrative requests.
- Cover everyday payments and cash: Use one Girocard with Visa functionality alongside unlimited Cash Group withdrawals and free cash deposits at Commerzbank machines.
- You are registered in Germany: Once you have a German address and tax residency, the German-only application form is the main hurdle before managing everyday banking almost entirely in English.
- €50 sign-up bonus: Get rewarded by Commerzbank for opening the account
To give you our personal, honest assessment of the Commerzbank GiroKonto while also accounting for other opinions, we evaluated not only our recent hands-on application research and eight years of personal experience with Commerzbank, but also current official information and community feedback.
Based on average ratings on Trustpilot and BankingCheck
Based on average ratings on App Store and Google Play Store
Community feedback is unusually divided. The banking app receives strong ratings and many customers appreciate the broad service offering, while complaint platforms contain recurring criticism of accessibility and problem resolution.
For many people, this question is not even on the agenda because they do not have the necessary funds. For the lucky ones:
Avoiding the €4.90 monthly fee saves €58.80 per year. Relative to the required €50,000, this amounts to a return of only 0.1176%—so even a slightly better savings rate elsewhere can outweigh the entire fee savings.
Commerzbank may offer competitive promotional interest during the first months, but its standard savings rate sits towards the lower end of the market. Its DirektDepot fees are also higher than those of many low-cost brokers. The waiver should therefore be seen as a useful benefit if you already want to keep €50,000 with Commerzbank—not as a compelling reason to transfer your savings or investments.
Commerzbank accounts can be opened online without visiting a branch. Although the application form is available only in German, we recommend using the online method. Commerzbank frequently offers welcome bonuses for new account openings; these are usually only available online.
We opened our Commerzbank account online and recently retested the onboarding. It was clear and straightforward: identification can be completed online, via POSTIDENT, or at a Commerzbank branch.
New customers receive the first three months without account-management fees. Afterwards, the usually GiroKonto fee is charged in case you do not fulfill the conditions for free account management.
- Step 1: Digital sign-up (5-10 min) – Open the GiroKonto application form. Provide your name, date and place of birth, nationality, German residential address, contact information and tax-residency details. Applicants must be adults with residence and unlimited tax liability in Germany. You are also asked to enter your occupation and expected incoming funds, cash activity and international transactions. Commerzbank performs an automated, real-time Schufa creditworthiness check. A missing credit history due to your recent move is usually not a problem but a negative entry can lead to rejection of the Commerzbank GiroKonto application. To set up your online banking, choose your username and PIN, review any optional savings or investment products and accept the required terms. Commerzbank then immediately displays your GiroKonto IBAN and provides your application documents and identification reference.
- Step 2: Instant ID verification (2-5 min) – Identify online via IDnow or in person (at a post office or a Commerzbank branch) with a valid passport or identity card. Online identification can generally be conducted in English, although document acceptance depends on the issuing country and specific identification method. If you not have an entry of your German on your ID or passport, make sure to have your registration certificate "Meldebescheinigung" ready.
- Step 3: Immediate access (1 min) – Following successful identification, you will receive an e-mail and text message to activate the photoTAN app. GiroKonto online and mobile banking then become available within minutes. Please note, if photoTAN is not activated within three hours, Commerzbank sends an activation letter instead, delaying digital access by approximately three to five days.
- Step 4: Delivery (3–7 days) – Your personal GiroKonto banking card and PIN arrive separately by post.
Tip: Check our screenshot guide on how to open a Commerzbank account in English, where we describe the process step-by-step
If you already have a German account, you can use the free digital Commerzbank switching service right after activation. The app automatically logs into your old bank, identifies your recurring payments (like rent, gym, or electricity), and moves them over to your new Commerzbank GiroKonto account within minutes.Commerzbank is unusually accessible to expats for an established German branch bank: its app and web banking are available in English, while customers can also use chat, telephone support, and branches. We found everyday banking reliable and branch assistance helpful, although English and service quality cannot be guaranteed in every interaction.
To help you decide if the GiroKonto account is truly your best option, here is a quick breakdown of what the other plans have to offer:
Commerzbank GiroKonto is strong for English-accessible branch banking, but customers who do not need personal service may find better value elsewhere. Consider alternatives if free account management, modern budgeting tools, or inexpensive international usage matter more.
Traditional retail banking with the conditions of an online bank: An unconditionally free checking account with complimentary debit card, optional credit card, cash deposits and withdrawals. Santander provides a branch network and a mobile app in English.
0.2% interest on the account balance for 1 year
Multi-language app
Interest on account balance
, free girocard, free debit card, free credit card
Free card payments worldwide
Free cash withdrawals worldwide
As the name says, "Online-Konto" is foreseen for individuals, who mainly bank remotely but want the security of a branch backup. The accounts includes a free Debit card with complementary cash withdrawals. Backed by French "Crédit Mutuel", TARGOBANK maintains its own branch network in Germany and offers a variety of services in English.
Multi-language app
, free debit card, free credit card
Free cash withdrawals in Germany
Monthly fee:
From €0
Girokonto Aktiv is a conditionally free current account for everyday banking in Germany, with a Visa Debit as well as complimentary cash services and withdrawals. Backed by Commerzbank, comdirect is one of Germany's oldest and most established online banks with an easy-to-use web and mobile interface as well as personalized customer service.
Account opening with a residence outside of Germany
, optional girocard, free debit card, optional credit card
Free cash withdrawals in the Eurozone
The online account with a complete set of banking cards (girocard, Mastercard Debit, Mastercard Credit) for free worldwide payments and cash withdrawals as well as cash deposits at Deutsche Bank. The mobile application provides an English interfaces, making expat-banking easy.
Multi-language app
, free girocard, free debit card, free credit card
Free card payments worldwide
Free cash withdrawals worldwide
Monthly fee:
From €0
Commerzbank GiroKonto is a strong choice for expats who are registered in Germany and appreciate personal service. It is considerably more international than many traditional German banks: the app, web banking, and a number of customer service interactions work in English, the nationwide network remains useful if you move within Germany, and branches can help with unfamiliar financial or administrative matters.
Our eight years of experience with Commerzbank showed that its app, online banking, and everyday services can be dependable and straightforward. The recently improved opening process is another major advantage, with an immediate IBAN and normally rapid access after identification.
The account is less convincing if your priority is to keep all banking costs at zero. Most customers will pay €4.90 per month; the €50,000 waiver is rarely worth pursuing for its own sake, and international card use can become expensive. New arrivals without a German address should also look elsewhere initially.
Choose GiroKonto if you want accessible, full-service German banking and are willing to pay a modest fee for personal support. If you prefer app-only banking, advanced budgeting tools, or frequent international use, a direct bank or neobank will offer better value.
If you are still hesitating whether Commerzbank GiroKonto is the right choice for you, check our alternatives above.
Disclaimer: This blog and providing support are our passion and hobby. However, we do not intend to provide financial advice. All investments involve risks of loss. This post is non-binding, for informational purposes only, and does not represent a complete market overview. We do not take responsibility for the accuracy and up-to-dateness of the data (§18 ZKG).
Some of the links are promotional links. You help to keep this site running, as we gain a small commission for each purchase. It does not come at any cost to you.
