N26

If you need a German/SEPA current account, N26 is still the reference neobank. Score it as a bank, not as a travel card. Revolut and Wise beat it the moment you leave the euro.

N26 (once Number26) is a Berlin-headquartered credit institution. It is the product most European directories mean by “neobank”: a Mastercard debit, a German IBAN, and no branches. BaFin’s AML interventions in the early 2020s are part of the public record and still show up in Trustpilot threads. The bank is narrower than Revolut and more of a bank than Wise.

N26 lists Credit institution (CRR bank) under BaFin / ECB in Germany. On safeguarding we currently write: German statutory scheme up to €100,000. Holder / issuer line: N26 Bank SE. An AML programme is claimed. Local bank details (IBAN / sort code / equivalent) are part of the pitch. We list 4 live markets on the product. As we score the sticker: monthly Free Standard · Smart/You/Metal paid; FX Free on You/Metal; Standard has a weekend/FX fee schedule; ATM Plan-dependent euro ATM; extra-EEA fees on lower plans. This desk would open it for: Euro-zone residents who want a real German bank IBAN in a clean app.

What it does well: Full German bank, Einlagensicherung on eligible deposits; Genuinely good mobile current account; Metal and You plans are honest about what they add. What to watch: AML freezes are a documented pain; UK presence is not the original UK current account; Euro-native — weak if you live in sterling or dollars. Desk score 7.8 / 10 (safety 8.6, fees 7.8, features 7.6, app 8.8). Last verified 2026-08-01. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany; founded 2013. None of this is advice — it is a file so you can read the entity before the card colour.