💳 Recommended Bank for Expats (June 2025)
I recommend Revolut: It offers a free plan, accepts many IDs and passports, and can be set up online quickly.
Overview
Revolut comes with a free plan, including:
- A free Visa debit card (you only pay €6 one-time for delivery)
- Free ATM withdrawals up to €200 or 5 withdrawals per month (no fees from Revolut)
- Free and unlimited SEPA transfers[1], also available as instant transfers[2]
- Compare Revolut’s other plans
All the plans:
- Work with Google Pay[3] and Apple Pay[4]
- Hold and send money in 29 currencies
- Rated 4.1 on Trustpilot[5]
- Sign up and verify your account via video call
I have used Revolut myself since 2018 as a spending account and have never had any problems. Their support can be contacted by chat and typically replies within a few hours.
Virtual Cards
What I really like is the option to create virtual cards[6]:
- These are Visa debit cards with a credit card number, expiration date, and CVC code, but no physical card; they exist only in the app
- I use them for online payments where I don’t fully trust the merchant
- After making a payment, I can freeze these cards to ensure no unwanted transactions occur
Disadvantages
- You get a Lithuanian IBAN instead of a German one. However, this has become less of an issue, as even the German tax office (Finanzamt) can work with it.
- You get no girocard, which is another payment system in Germany besides Visa/Mastercard. A few merchants only accept girocard.
This is an affiliate link. If you click on it and then buy something or sign up for a service, I may earn some money. This does not change the price for you. ↩︎
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