C24 vs. N26 Bank Summary
GermanPedia
8.1 out of 10
C24 Bank
09/2025
C24 offers a balanced, free checking account with all the important functions and transparent costs.
GermanPedia
6.3 out of 10
N26 Bank
04/2025
N26 used to be the best free checking account for expats in Germany. But now its free plan doesn’t offer key services that C24 does.
👑 Winner: C24 wins in all the categories except English support. We find C24 a better choice if you are fine without an English banking app.
- C24’s free checking account* offers all the services you may need for daily banking. Thus, it’s a good option for your main checking account. N26 bank* removed most of its services from the free plan. Thus, it’s not the best free bank account option on the market. If you are okay to pay 4.9€ per month, N26 is a good option.
- N26 doesn’t offer customer support via phone in its free plan. C24 offers customer support via phone, email, and in-app chat.
- The unique selling point of C24 is the joining bonus of 75 € and 0.5% interest on the checking account. N26 doesn’t offer interest on checking accounts. You must open a savings account instead.
- The only shortcoming of C24 is that its website and app are available in German only. They offer partial English customer support. However, N26 offers banking in both German and English.
| Parameter | Weightage | N26 (Score out of 10) | 👑 C24 (Winner) (Score out of 10) |
| Customer service | 20% | 3 | ⭐ 8 |
| Ease of opening an account | 10% | = 10 | = 10 |
| English support | 20% | ⭐ 10 | 4 |
| Fees | 20% | 7 | ⭐ 9 |
| Real-time transfer | 5% | = 10 | = 10 |
| Overdraft facility | 5% | 5 | ⭐ 10 |
| Technology | 10% | 9 | ⭐ 10 |
| Special features | 10% | 7 | ⭐ 9 |
| Overall score | 6.35 | ⭐ 8.1 | |
| To the provider | N26* | C24* |
⭐ Winner in a particular category or feature
As you can see, C24 is the winner in all the categories except English support. C24 free checking account is the best free banking account in the market as of 2025.
If you are fine with paying 4.9€ per month, the N26 Smart bank account* is also a good option.
Open a free bank account with C24 (Smartkonto)
- Best free bank account in Germany
- 0.5% interest on checking account
- 0.5% interest on daily account (Tagesgeldkonto)
- 0.05% cashback on every transaction
- 4 free ATM withdrawals worldwide
Open a free bank account with N26 (Standard)
- Free bank account
- 1% interest on savings account
- 2 free ATM withdrawals in Germany
- Free trading account
Table of Contents
C24 vs. N26 – Customer service
| 👑 C24 (Winner) | N26 | |
| Overall Score out of 10 | ⭐ 8 | 6.35 |
| Customer support channels | ⭐ In-app chat, telephone, and email | In-app chat only (for free plans) |
| Rating on Trustpilot | ⭐ 4.8 out of 5 (12,365 reviews) | 3.5 out of 5 (32,582 reviews) |
| Rating on Finanzfluss | ⭐ 3.5 out of 5 (223 reviews) | 2.8 out of 5 (300 reviews) |
| Positive reviews | ||
| Opening a bank account | ✔️ Within a few minutes | ✔️ Within a few minutes |
| Moving an account | ✔️⭐ | ✖️ |
| Amazing mobile app | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Pockets (subaccounts) | ✔️⭐ 4 (in free plan) | ✖️ Not available in the free plan |
| Paying with a card abroad | ✔️ No fees | ✔️ No fees |
| Negative reviews | ||
| Accounts were suddenly blocked | Yes | Yes |
| Transactions took longer than expected | Yes | ⭐ Didn’t find such a review |
| Standard replies on chat | Yes | Yes |
| Long waiting times when contacting customer care | Yes | Yes |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
⭐ Winner in a particular category or feature
✔️ Offers the particular feature
C24 vs. N26 – Ease of opening an account
| 👑 C24 (Winner) | N26 | |
| Score | 10 | 10 |
| Number of ways to verify yourself | ⭐ 3: Video Ident, Going to a post office, Verifying using an existing German bank account | 2: Video Ident, Going to a post office |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
C24 vs. N26 – Checking account and other fees
| 👑 C24 (Winner) | N26 | |
| Score | ⭐ 9 | 7 |
| Account management fee | ✔️ 0 € | ✔️ 0 € |
| Girocard | ✔️⭐ 0 € | ✖️ Don’t offer a Girocard |
| Debit card | ✔️ 0 € | ✔️ 0 € |
| Credit card | ✖️ Don’t offer | ✖️ Don’t offer |
| Number of free ATM withdrawals per month | ⭐ 4 | 2 |
| ATM withdrawal fee after exhausting free withdrawals | 2 € per withdrawal | 2 € per withdrawal |
| ATM withdrawal within or outside Europe | Within EU: Same as in Germany ⭐ Outside EU: Same as in Germany | ⭐ Within EU: Unlimited free withdrawal Outside EU: 1.7% exchange rate fee |
| Payment within Europe | ✔️ 0 € | ✔️ 0 € |
| Payments outside Europe | ✔️ 0 € | ✔️ 0 € |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
✔️ Offers the particular feature
C24 vs. N26 – Overdraft facility
| 👑 C24 (Winner) | N26 | |
| Score | ⭐ 10 | 5 |
| Offers overdraft facility | Yes | Yes |
| Interest in overdraft facility | ⭐ 7.49% to 11.49% | 13.4% |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
C24 vs. N26 – Banking app and online banking
| 👑 C24 (Winner) | N26 | |
| Score | ⭐ 10 | 9 |
| Playstore rating | 4.8 (42.8k people reviewed it) | 4.2 (143k people reviewed it) |
| Appstore rating | 4.8 (47.1k people reviewed it) | 4.8 (137k people reviewed it) |
| Customer feedback | Positive | Positive |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
C24 vs. N26 – Checking account’s features you’ll love
| 👑 C24 (Winner) | N26 | |
| Score | ⭐ 9 | 5 |
| Language | 🇩🇪 | ⭐ 🇩🇪 🇺🇸 |
| Cashback on card transactions | ✔️⭐ 0.05% | ✖️ (business account only) |
| Cashback on partner companies | ✔️⭐ | ✖️ (only in paid plans) |
| Pockets / Sub-accounts | ✔️⭐ 4 (in free plan) | ✖️ (only in paid plans) |
| Joint accounts | ✔️ Free | ✔️ Free |
| Spending analysis and automatic savings options | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Free trading account | ✖️ | ✔️⭐ |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
✔️ Offers the particular feature
C24 vs. N26 – How safe is your money with these banks?
| C24 | N26 | |
| Score | = 10 | = 10 |
| Have a banking license? | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Registered with BaFin | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Deposit security insurance | ✔️ 100,000 € | ✔️ 100,000 € |
| IBAN | ✔️ 🇩🇪 | ✔️ 🇩🇪 |
| To the provider | C24* | N26* |
✔️ Offers the particular feature
C24 vs N26 – Conclusion: Which account is better?
Nowadays, many banks offer free checking accounts. Thus, the verdict is based on the performance of C24 and N26’s free checking accounts.
Both C24 and N26 offer their customers great banking apps with many features. However, C24’s free checking account offers better overall services to customers looking for a main bank account.
The only drawback of C24 Bank is that its website and app are currently available only in German. But it offers partial English customer support. On the other hand, N26 offers services in both English and German.
However, N26 is not the best option because its free plan lacks several key services, including sub-accounts, cashback, interest, and phone customer care. On the other hand, C24 offers all these features in its free plan.
So, C24* is the clear winner here. But if English banking is a must for you, then you can consider N26* or Revolut.
You can also open a free checking account in both banks (C24* and N26*). Use them for a few months and decide which best suits your needs.
GermanPedia
8.1 out of 10
C24 Bank
09/2025
C24 offers a balanced, free checking account with all the important functions and transparent costs.
GermanPedia
6.3 out of 10
N26 Bank
04/2025
N26 used to be the best free checking account for expats in Germany. But now its free plan doesn’t offer key services that C24 does.
👑 Winner: C24 wins in all the categories except English support. We find C24 a better choice if you are fine without an English banking app.
