Credit cards comparison

Five types of cards that in Germany are called «credit» cards»

Half of all problems start with the fact that «Kreditkarte» in advertising means five different products. They differ fundamentally: when the money is debited, whether they check Schufa, and whether the card will be accepted at a car rental.

How to know what is in your wallet. The word is printed in small type on the map Debit or Credit — on the front or the back, depending on the bank. It's the quickest way to check whether you'll end up in an awkward situation at the rental desk.

What happened to Maestro

From 1 July 2023, banks are prohibited from issuing new girocard cards with the Maestro function. Cards already issued remain valid until their expiry date. New cards use a different co-brand — most commonly Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit. Some major banks have been granted a grace period, which is why cards look different for various customers.

Practical consequence: before your trip, check which logo is on your girocard. Without a co-brand, it might not work outside Germany — although girocard is already accepted directly in a number of European countries.

What people in Germany actually get paid

According to the Bundesbank study «Payment Behaviour in Germany 2025», published in June 2026, for the first time in history there were more cashless payments than cash payments: 55 % versus 45 % by number of transactions. But the credit card in this picture is a niche tool: it accounts for only 5 % operations, whereas for debit cards the limit is 26 %, and for girocards it is 20 %.

Around half of adults have a credit card, and its share is slowly declining. The practical takeaway: in Germany, a credit card is not needed for everyday purchases, but for three specific tasks — online shopping, trips abroad and a deposit for a rental car or hotel.

Separately regarding American Express and Diners Club: they are not subject to European interchange fee caps, so they cost merchants more and rejections are common. As the sole card in Germany, Amex is not suitable — a second one, either Visa or Mastercard, is needed.

How much does the card actually cost

The annual fee is the most noticeable, but by no means the largest, expense item. According to Stiftung Warentest (Finanzen magazine, issue 4/26, forty cards), the annual fee varies from zero to nearly €160. Money much more frequently slips away through fees that are not mentioned in advertising.

Checklist: is the card really free

1. Annual fee - zero definitely or only with a turnover of a certain amount per year? What happens if the turnover is not reached?
2. Is there a fee for foreign currency transactions? This is the most common way to make a «free» card a paid one.
3. Is cash withdrawal free? Is there a minimum amount, a limit on the number of withdrawals, or a monthly amount limit?
4. Does the bank reimburse the ATM operator's fee? Usually not.
5. Is Teilzahlung switched off by default and can it even be turned off?
6. The tagline «free worldwide» applies only to the bank's own charges—not to ATM fees or the conversion rate.

Sparkasse and Volksbank cards generally do not make it into Germany-wide comparisons: each local bank has its own terms and conditions. They need to be compared separately, according to your local branch's price list.

Instalment payment: the main credit card trap

A revolving credit card works like this: at the end of the month, not the whole debt is deducted, but a minimum payment — usually 3 or 5 % from the remainder. Interest is accrued on everything that remains.

Rates for August 2026 across various issuers: approximately from 16 to 25 % per annum, typically around twenty. This is more expensive than almost any personal loan.

The Verbraucherzentrale explains how it works in a single sentence: with a minimum payment of 3 %, around three euros are paid off each month from a debt of one hundred euros, whilst interest continues to accrue on the remaining balance. The debt hardly decreases at all — even though the person is paying on time.

Most important: many issuers have partial redemption included in the application by default. You have to remove the tick yourself.

How to turn off

1. Untick the box right in the application form when ordering the card.
2. If this option is not available in the application, switch it in online banking immediately after receiving the card.
3. There are cards where you cannot disable it at all. In that case, you will have to settle the bill manually every month by transfer—and it is better not to take such a card unless you are confident in your discipline.
4. Some issuers allow you to keep a positive balance in your card account, in which case you can set up a standing order. However, others return the overpayment, sometimes charging a fee.
5. Enable new bill notifications by email or in the app.

Another detail. Even an unused card with a credit limit appears in Schufa as potentially available credit. Keeping three cards «just in case» is a bad idea if you are planning a mortgage or a large loan.

Three financial rights that almost nobody uses

Card replacement after theft or loss is free of charge

Many banks spent years charging €10–20 for the reissue of a stolen card. The German Federal Court of Justice (BGH, ruling of 20 October 2015, case XI ZR 166/14) declared such a clause invalid: issuing a replacement is a legal obligation of the bank, and a fee cannot be charged for fulfilling a legal obligation. If such a fee has been deducted, demand a refund citing this ruling.

2. The annual fee is refunded pro rata upon termination

Section 675h(3) of the German Civil Code (BGB) states explicitly: regular fees are payable only for the period up to the termination of the contract, and any advance payments made for the time thereafter — is returned proportionally. We cancelled the card in March, having paid for the year in January — two-thirds of the annual fee should be refunded to you.

3. You can cancel the card at any time free of charge

Card stolen or money debited: what to do

Procedure

1. Block. Single number 116-116, 24/7. Free from the German landline network. From abroad: +49-116-116. Keep your IBAN handy. Record the date and time of the call — this will be needed.
2. Police report — in the event of theft or suspected misuse, immediately after blocking.
3. Bank notification. The law requires this to be done «immediately upon discovery» (§ 676b Abs. 1 BGB). The absolute deadline after which claims expire completely is 13 months from the date of write-off.

Why it is necessary to record the time: under § 675m BGB the bank is obliged not only to provide a free-of-charge opportunity to report the loss, but also, upon request, to provide you for at least 18 months with the means by which you can prove the fact of the statement.

How much you are obliged to pay

The final line is the most under-appreciated rule in the whole of German payment law. But there is a limit to this: the Federal Court of Justice (BGH, judgement of 22 July 2025, case XI ZR 107/24) clarified that one must consider a specific operation. If logging in to the online bank was without strong authentication, but the transfer itself was with it, the rule does not help.

The bank is obliged to return the money first and sort it out later

This is the key connection that banks don't like to explain:

• Section 675u BGB: in the event of an unauthorised transaction, the bank is obliged to refund the amount promptly, at the latest by the end of the working day following the day of your application. Not after the investigation, but straight away;
• Section 675w of the German Civil Code (BGB) — The burden of proof lies with the bank. And in a separate sentence the law clarifies: records of card usage and authentication do not in themselves constitute sufficient evidence neither authorisation nor gross negligence;
• Section 675w BGB — bank obliged to submit corroborating evidence fraud, intent or gross negligence.

That is to say, the phrase «the system showed that the PIN was entered» is not legally evidence. If the bank refuses, cite these regulations, and in the event of a refusal, contact the conciliation body and file a complaint with BaFin — the bank is obliged to inform you of this option itself.

Chargeback: this is not the same as a Direct Debit refund

But: if the operation was unauthorised (card stolen, data stolen), you don't need a chargeback at all — § 675u BGB applies, and this is already a full legal claim, not a request.

Practical detail: a bank employee might say they are hearing about a chargeback for the first time. Insist and demand the forms. Regarding the grounds — a cancelled subscription, or unreceived or returned goods — you first need to try to resolve the matter with the seller and keep the correspondence.

Abroad: conversion, cash machines and the DCC trap

Never agree to pay in euros

An ATM or terminal abroad offers a «guaranteed exchange rate» and payment directly in euros. This is called various things: Sofortumrechnung, Auszahlung mit Umrechnung, Dynamic Currency Conversion, DCC. The consumer advice centre states unequivocally: as a rule, it is cheaper to decline conversion, because the operator builds in an unfavourable exchange rate or markup.

Always choose payment in local currency and check the amount on the screen before entering your PIN and signing the receipt — otherwise, an unfavourable conversion rate will simply be forced upon you.

What the bank is obliged to show you

The restriction that is hardly written about anywhere: Percentage markups and notifications only apply to EU country currencies. For the US dollar, Swiss franc, pound sterling, and Turkish lira, these rules do not apply – the seller's only remaining obligation is to disclose the exchange rate.

How do I use this?

1. Find the public page on your bank's website with the percentage markup on the ECB exchange rate – it has to be there. Compare it with the second card before the trip.
2. Do not switch off conversion notifications: this is your free control over how much the bank actually takes.
3. Within the EU, paying by card in Euros should cost the same as at home, i.e. nothing. However, currency conversion fees are not directly covered by this rule.

And yet another figure that explains why banks get nervous during transactions outside the EU: according to the European Central Bank and the EBA, the level of card fraud when the payee is located outside the European Economic Area, seventeen times higher — enhanced authentication is not legally required there.

Schufa: why people are refused in the first year after moving

It is not about your reputation, it is arithmetic. C 17 March 2026 the new Schufa score is in effect: a scale from 100 to 999 and twelve published criteria instead of the previous opaque industry scorings. For the first time, it is clear how the score is calculated — and why someone who has recently moved has a low one.

Three of the twelve criteria are based on length of service and give zero for a new resident:

Three takeaways that save time and money

1. A brand new credit card gives zero points for the first six months, while not having one gives 24. So in the first months the card formally worsens the score. This is not a reason not to open it, but a reason to open it. just one and leave it alone, rather than sorting through banks.
2. Three applications or new accounts per year reset the 117-point criterion. A classic mistake: opening one online bank account, then a second one, and then «just in case» another account at a local savings bank. The Schufa rule saves the day: several requests within 28 days count as one. If you are comparing offers, do it within three weeks.
3. Moving house resets the address criterion. Lived in Germany for half a year and have already changed flats — zero out of 94 points, and there's nothing you can do about it. The only answer is time.

Important caveat: at the time of launch, only about a quarter of Schufa's partners used the new score, and the old industry-specific scores remain in circulation. In a disputed situation, you can ask the company directly which specific score it requested.

What to do without a SCHUFA history

1. Start with a standard business account without overdraft and a debit card — here the Schufa is either not checked or assessed leniently.
2. It's suitable for online shopping and travel prepaid cardit is more expensive to maintain, but available without a check. Remember the restriction: a deposit for a rental car and a hotel is most often not accepted from it.
3. Order a free copy of your data from Schufa — this is your right under Article 15 of the GDPR — and check whether there are any errors there. Repeated rejections are often caused by incorrect records rather than creditworthiness.
4. Apply for a proper credit card in a year to eighteen months, once your «age» criteria are no longer zero.

Everyone has the right to an account. A basic bank account (Basiskonto) is legally guaranteed to anyone legally resident in the EU, including people without a fixed address and asylum seekers. The bank is obliged to make a decision no later than ten working days, and a payment card is directly included in the basic account services. No credit is attached to it, but a payment card is. In the event of a refusal, there is a free administrative procedure with BaFin.

Fraud: what it looks like and what to do

The most common scam in Germany is the «bank» call. The Association of German Banks describes it as follows:

A landmark court ruling. In the case considered by the Federal Court of Justice on 22 July 2025 (XI ZR 107/24), a «bank employee» called from a spoofed number, knew the details of past transactions and the manager's name. Over two conversations, the female customer provided several confirmation codes generated manually – the fraudsters transferred €35,555. The court recognised the transaction as unauthorised, but sided with the bank: the customer acted rough and ready.

What the court considered to be ignored warning signs: the unusual time of the call at the weekend; the demand to install a «new security programme»; the need to manually enter the recipient's IBAN and large sums into the code generator; and the fact that she did not double-check anything in the twenty-four hours between conversations. Inexperience does not protect against liability.

Practical conclusion: any action where you manually enter someone else's IBAN or amount into a code generator at someone's phone prompt is transferring money to fraudsters. A real bank never asks for this.