C24 Bank Review 2026: Free Account for Expats in Germany
C24 Bank is CHECK24's own bank: a free checking account with 0.75% interest and a debit Mastercard, but the app is German only. Here is what works and what does not for English speakers.
Disclosure: We earn a commission if you open an account through our link. This does not affect our review. Our service is free for you.
Thinking about opening a C24 Bank account? C24 is a fully licensed German bank, supervised by BaFin, that offers a free checking account with a German IBAN, a debit Mastercard and interest on your balance. The catch for expats: everything happens in German, and since November 2025 the bank has been under additional regulatory scrutiny. This review covers the account tiers, the real numbers behind fees and interest, the regulatory status, and how C24 compares with N26 and Wise.
Key Takeaways
Last updated:- Smart 0 EUR, Plus 5.90 EUR and Max 9.90 EUR per month; debit Mastercard included, girocard free on request
- 0.75% p.a. interest on your checking balance up to 50,000 EUR (paid quarterly) and on the Tagesgeld pocket up to 100,000 EUR (paid monthly)
- Free ATM withdrawals: 4 per month on Smart, 20 on Plus and Max, then 2 EUR each
- German banking licence and EdB deposit protection up to 100,000 EUR; BaFin ordered anti-money-laundering measures and appointed a special representative (notice of 24 November 2025)
- App and website are German only; a German residential address (Anmeldung) and a SCHUFA check are required
C24 Bank account tiers: Smart, Plus and Max
C24 offers three account models. The free one covers most people; Plus and Max only pay off if you withdraw cash often or want the higher cashback.
| Feature | Smart (free) | Plus (5.90/mo) | Max (9.90/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | 0 EUR | 5.90 EUR | 9.90 EUR |
| Interest on checking balance | 0.75% (up to 50,000 EUR) | 0.75% (up to 50,000 EUR) | 0.75% (up to 50,000 EUR) |
| Interest on Tagesgeld pocket | 0.75% (up to 100,000 EUR) | 0.75% (up to 100,000 EUR) | 0.75% (up to 100,000 EUR) |
| Debit Mastercard | |||
| Free ATM withdrawals (Mastercard network) | 4 per month | 20 per month | 20 per month |
| Free cash deposits | none | 1 per month | 1 per month |
| Cashback on card payments | 0.05% | 0.5% (max 12 EUR/mo) | 1% (max 24 EUR/mo) |
| Sub-accounts (Pockets) | 4 | 20 | 20 |
The interest rate is variable and follows the European Central Bank deposit facility rate minus 1.5 percentage points. As of 5 September 2026 that is 0.75% p.a. on checking balances and pockets, the same for all three tiers. Sources: c24.de/preise and hilfe.c24.de, checked 5 September 2026.
Want to compare other options? Our free bank account comparison tool shows accounts side by side, and our guide to bank account fees in Germany explains what banks charge for.
The honest truth about English support
C24's app and website are only available in German.
Transfers, settings, notifications and the help centre are all in German. If your German is limited, you will be relying on your phone's translation feature for every step. That works, but it is slower than a native English app.
N26 and Wise offer English interfaces; C24 does not. Decide which matters more to you: an English app, or a German IBAN with a girocard and interest on your balance.
How to open a C24 Bank account
The whole process takes about 10 to 15 minutes in the C24 app.
Download the C24 Bank app (iOS or Android)
Enter your personal details (name, German address, date of birth, tax ID)
Verify your identity through VideoIdent, available daily from 7:00 to 22:00
Choose your account model (Smart is the default free option)
Your IBAN is ready right after verification; cards arrive by post, usually within a few working days and at most within ten
What you need:
- Valid passport or EU national ID card
- German residential address (Anmeldung)
- Smartphone with camera for VideoIdent
- No minimum income requirement for the Smart account
C24 runs a SCHUFA check (German credit score) and can decline applications with negative entries. If you are new to Germany and have no SCHUFA history yet, approval is up to the bank's assessment.
Is C24 Bank safe? Regulatory status
C24 Bank GmbH, based in Frankfurt am Main, holds a full German banking licence and is supervised by BaFin. Deposits are covered by the German statutory scheme (Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken, EdB) up to 100,000 EUR per depositor and bank. Two events you should know about before you sign up:
- BaFin notice of 1 October 2024: BaFin imposed a fine of 1.25 million EUR on the bank because, according to BaFin, it had systematically filed suspicious-activity reports late between 2021 and 2023. The fine is final (BaFin notice, in German).
- BaFin notice of 24 November 2025: BaFin ordered measures against the bank over deficiencies in its money-laundering prevention and appointed a special representative; according to BaFin the orders are final (BaFin notice, in German). Citing these measures, the consumer-finance site Finanztip removed C24 from its current-account and credit-card recommendations on 26 November 2025 until further notice, and still does not recommend the Smart account as of September 2026 (Finanztip, in German).
The banking licence and the deposit protection of up to 100,000 EUR remain in place (as of 5 September 2026). Whether the measures affect day-to-day banking is something we cannot judge from the outside; BaFin publishes its orders and any lifting of them on bafin.de. On the review platform Trustpilot, C24 scores 4.4 out of 5 from 16,891 user reviews; Trustpilot says it checks their authenticity, we have not verified it (as of 5 September 2026).
What C24 does well
Sub-accounts (Pockets)
Each pocket gets its own IBAN. Set up separate accounts for rent, savings or your next trip. You get 4 pockets on Smart and 20 on Plus and Max, all earning 0.75% interest.
Cashback program
Every card payment earns CHECK24 loyalty points: 0.05% on Smart, 0.5% on Plus and 1% on Max, with monthly caps. Selected partners run promotions of up to 10%. It is a few euros a month, not a reason to switch on its own.
Apple Pay and Google Pay
Both work with the C24 Mastercard. Add the card to your digital wallet right after account opening. Contactless payments are standard in Germany now.
Deposit protection
Your money is protected up to 100,000 EUR through the German deposit guarantee scheme (EdB). C24 holds a full German banking licence from BaFin.
C24 Bank vs N26 vs Wise: what actually differs
Prices change every few months, so this table compares what does not: who regulates the provider, how your money is protected, which IBAN you get and which language you will be banking in.
| Feature | C24 Smart | N26 Standard | Wise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulated as | German bank (BaFin licence) | German bank (BaFin licence) | Belgian payment institution (NBB), not a bank (per Wise) |
| Deposit protection | EdB, up to 100,000 EUR | EdB, up to 100,000 EUR | No deposit guarantee; client funds are safeguarded (per Wise) |
| IBAN | German (DE) | German (DE) | Belgian (BE) |
| App language | German only | English available | English and German |
| Cards | Debit Mastercard, girocard free on request | Mastercard | Debit Mastercard or Visa |
| German address required | Yes (Anmeldung) | No; N26 accepts residents of its supported countries with an accepted ID (per N26) | Requirements differ, check wise.com |
Sources: n26.com/en-de and wise.com help pages, checked 5 September 2026. Fees and interest of N26 and Wise are not compared here because they change too often to keep accurate on a review page.
If you plan to stay in Germany for a while and can handle a German app, C24 gives you a German IBAN, a girocard and interest on your balance for free. If you need an English app from day one, N26 or Wise are the easier start.
See the full picture: compare free bank accounts in Germany or check out the best travel credit cards if you travel a lot.
Who should get a C24 account?
Good fit
- You read basic German or do not mind translation tools
- You want a free, full-featured German bank account with interest
- You need a girocard for shops that do not accept credit cards
- You want to manage money with sub-accounts
Not the best fit
- You need an English app (look at N26 or Wise instead)
- You do not have your Anmeldung yet (N26 states it does not require one for residents of its supported countries; see our guide to opening a bank account without Anmeldung)
- You mainly need transfers in many currencies (that is Wise's core product)
- You are uncomfortable with a bank against which BaFin ordered measures in November 2025
Frequently asked questions
Is C24 Bank safe?
C24 Bank holds a full German banking licence and is supervised by BaFin, the German financial regulator. Deposits are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor and bank through the statutory German deposit guarantee scheme (EdB). In November 2025 BaFin ordered measures against the bank over deficiencies in its money-laundering prevention and appointed a special representative (Sonderbeauftragter). The banking licence and the deposit guarantee remain in place (as of September 2026), but you should know this before you sign up.
What interest rate does C24 Bank offer in 2026?
As of 5 September 2026, C24 pays 0.75% p.a. on checking account balances up to 50,000 EUR, credited quarterly, and 0.75% p.a. on the Tagesgeld savings pocket up to 100,000 EUR, credited monthly. The rate is variable and follows the ECB deposit facility rate minus 1.5 percentage points.
Can I open a C24 account without speaking German?
You can open the account through the app, but the app and the website are in German only. Day-to-day banking such as transfers, settings and notifications needs basic German reading skills or a translation tool. If you need everything in English, N26 or Wise are the more comfortable options.
Does C24 Bank work with Apple Pay?
Yes. Both Apple Pay and Google Pay work with the C24 Mastercard. You can add the card to your digital wallet right after account opening and pay contactless immediately.
How does the C24 cashback program work?
Every card payment earns cashback in CHECK24 loyalty points: 0.05% on Smart, 0.5% on Plus (capped at 12 EUR per month) and 1% on Max (capped at 24 EUR per month). Selected partners run promotions of up to 10%. The points convert into euros in the CHECK24 app.
Can I use C24 Bank with no Anmeldung?
No. C24 requires a German residential address, so you need to complete your Anmeldung (residence registration) before applying. N26 states on its expat page that no Anmeldung is required: it accepts residents of its supported countries with an accepted ID.
How many free ATM withdrawals do I get?
Smart gives you 4 free withdrawals per month, Plus and Max give you 20. Every withdrawal beyond that costs 2 EUR. You can use any ATM with the Mastercard logo, in Germany and abroad.
Open your free C24 account
If you are comfortable with a German-language app and want a fee-free bank account with interest and sub-accounts, C24 is hard to beat on value.
Open Free C24 AccountAccount opening takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Deposit protection up to 100,000 EUR.
Looking at other options too? Compare bank accounts for free or check savings accounts with higher interest.
Need a credit card? See our travel credit card comparison or credit cards for US travel.
CheckAlle.de is an independent comparison platform and partner of C24 Bank.
Affiliate notice: We receive compensation if you open an account with C24 Bank through our link. This does not influence our editorial evaluation. Our service is free for you. All conditions as of 5 September 2026; sources: c24.de, hilfe.c24.de, bafin.de, finanztip.de, n26.com, wise.com.