Reply to: German Bank Account

[chef]

I had a hypovereins bank (bavarian bank) and left as they didnt provide a visa card only a maestro, but now it seems they do provide them. Moved to deutsche bank and am very happy with the service, no problems and plenty of cash machines to withdraw cash without being charged, plus an english version of online banking which was great when learning the lingo.

[stek]

The current mrs stek got a Deutschebank account no prob, but all her mates had Sparkasse, just sounds like a bank run by Spar, put us off...

[darmstadt]

Have a look here as well:

Beste Bank 2011 im Banken-Test auf testsieger-Konto.de

and here:

Tests - Geldanlage + Banken - Stiftung Warentest

[alreadypacked]

I would recommend the Sparkasse. Each local German comunity has a Sparkasse. They´re very old fashioned and run their bank as banks used to do in the 1960´s. no subprime, fancy investment banking etc. They also have tremendous number of local branches. The staff are quite friendly.

Only problen with Sparkasse, when I told them I was leaving Germany they closed my account, even after I told them I was waiting for a tax refund. Otherwise quite a good bank.

[darmstadt]

I would like to wake this thread from the dead, because I am now going through the same process of applying a bank account in Germany.

Is Sparkasse still recommended? I heard they have more fees than others. I would prefer to go with DKB actually, but I'm afraid they may waste my time and reject me because I'm new in Germany. Wuestenrot have been recommended to me as not too sniffy, but it appears their main current account is forbidden to freelancers.

Recommendations?

I've heard that DKB are quite good, particularly the fees and to foreigners opening an account with them. I'm pretty sure that the Wüstenrot is more a building society than a bank...

[darrenb]

let's talk about bank accounts again! exciting!

I would like to wake this thread from the dead, because I am now going through the same process of applying a bank account in Germany.

Is Sparkasse still recommended? I heard they have more fees than others. I would prefer to go with DKB actually, but I'm afraid they may waste my time and reject me because I'm new in Germany. Wuestenrot have been recommended to me as not too sniffy, but it appears their main current account is forbidden to freelancers.

Recommendations?

[darmstadt]

The one thing you will probably have to watch out for is your Eurocard (bank card for ATMs.) If you get an account from the Commerzbank/Dresdner/Deutsche/etc. you can use the card in any of their ATMs with no charges. If you open a Sparkasse or Volksbank (which are more numerous than the Sparkasse and in every town) then you will incur quite high charges if you use a different banks ATM, and vice versa. A lot of German banks will want to see your registration papers though and the last 2-3 payslips. I have had an account with the Dresdner for 20 years now and though not the best I recently managed to get a hefty discount on my business account interest and they have recently done me some good deals. You might want to look at the SEB bank which I have heard good things about.

[darmstadt]

The one thing you will probably have to watch out for is your Eurocard (bank card for ATMs.) If you get an account from the Commerzbank/Dresdner/Deutsche/etc. you can use the card in any of their ATMs with no charges. If you open a Sparkasse or Volksbank (which are more numerous than the Sparkasse and in every town) then you will incur quite high charges if you use a different banks ATM, and vice versa. A lot of German banks will want to see your registration papers though and the last 2-3 payslips. I have had an account with the Dresdner for 20 years now and though not the best I recently managed to get a hefty discount on my business account interest and they have recently done me some good deals. You might want to look at the SEB bank which I have heard good things about.

[AlfredJPruffock]

I would recommend the Sparkasse. Each local German comunity has a Sparkasse. They´re very old fashioned and run their bank as banks used to do in the 1960´s. no subprime, fancy investment banking etc. They also have tremendous number of local branches. The staff are quite friendly.

Sparkasse are pretty good - as I recall you will have to present a whole dossier of inforation including your German Registration Papers - I dont know if this has changed much in 15 years - whatever you do good luck .

[BlasterBates]

I would recommend the Sparkasse. Each local German comunity has a Sparkasse. They´re very old fashioned and run their bank as banks used to do in the 1960´s. no subprime, fancy investment banking etc. They also have tremendous number of local branches. The staff are quite friendly.

[Slumdog]

Also there online banking is straightforward. i.e website not complicated.

[Slumdog]

Initially I went to Citibank but was told that you had to be resident in Germany for at least 7months to open an account.

Next stop Deutsche Bank. had no problems with them. Arranged initial meeting with UK ID/passport etc and that was it. I found it to be a good service.

[tim123]

Yeah, well, just imagine trying to find a bank that is less likely than others to fold and has a decent customer service in Britain, if you don't speak English

I'm sure that there are lots of languages that you could use in the UK and still get useful service - if you went to a bank in the right location.

IME, Germans don't like helping in a foreign languaue "on principle". Brits only don't like it because they are lazy feckers who can't be bothered to learn another language.

I'll leave the rest of you to debate which is worse.

tim

[expat]

Do you speak German.

If not IME your chances of finding someone who will give you "good" service is virtually nil.

Oh and don't be surprised when you have to pay lots of money to have this account, it's the german way of banking.

tim

Yeah, well, just imagine trying to find a bank that is less likely than others to fold and has a decent customer service in Britain, if you don't speak English

[tim123]

Do you speak German.

If not IME your chances of finding someone who will give you "good" service is virtually nil.

Oh and don't be surprised when you have to pay lots of money to have this account, it's the german way of banking.

tim