The most important similarities and the most significant differences!

Comparison: Number26 better than DKB?

Often, comparisons declare one account as the winner. This depends on the criteria that one draws up as editors. Does it really help you?

This comparison is different! In any case, these are two absolute top accounts. The question is not which is better, but which suits you better!

Our comparison will help you making the right decision.

  Logo der DKB
DKB
Logo Number26
Number26
The most sought features
Account management
  • unconditionally free of charge
Withdrawing
  • worldwide free of charge
Cards DKB Visa Card
1 or 2 Visa Cards free of charge
DKB Girocard
1 Girocard (V Pay), free of charge
MasterCard N26
1 MasterCard free of charge
planned is a „Kombicard“ (combination of cards) with debit feature
The most significant differences
Account type Current account with overdraft facility and credit line
D. h. this means up to Euros 15,000 loan on account and credit card are possible at a corresponding creditworthiness and income.
Current account on credit base
Prepaid: all money that wants to be spent, must be transferred to the account previously.
Foreign transaction fee
  • 1.75 % at credit card payments in foreign currencies

At cash withdrawals at the ATM, no foreign transaction fee is charged.

  • no fees at foreign currencies
Availability by phone around the clock (24/7) or by e-mail / post by phone from Mon–Fri 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or by e-mail
Emergency card
  • yes, within 48 hours worldwide
  • no
Further differences between DKB and Number26
Cash withdrawals with the credit card Euros 1,000 per day and credit card (2 Cards = Euros 2,000) Euros 600 per day (up to Euros 2,000 per week)
maximum card charging unlimited up to Euos 25,000 per day
maximum card payment unlimited 2 × Euros 4,000 per month (offline / online)
Transfers Transfers possible worldwide Transfers currently only within the SEPA-area, expansion is planned
Card transactions Visa credit card collects them without interest until the automatic monthly settlement with the current account Card transaction are immediately debited from the current account (debit-system)
Interest Credit interest (Visa-Savings)
Loan interest (if current account is in the red)
interest-free account
Refund of foreign charges
  • no refund
Joint account
  • yes, with two or more persons
  • no, not possible
Language German German / English
Blocking of the credit card around the clock via the telephone customer service anytime (partial) blocking and un-blocking of the credit card possible through the banking-app (instructions, german article)
Complementing products Securities account, Junior account, Loans still in planning
Similarities (clearly less than differences)
What both offer
  • free account management, free bank card(s), free SEPA-transfers, landline-number for the customer service, free account opening
Account opening (important to know!)
Creditworthiness check
  • ja

About 65 % pass this check; find tips here.

  • nein

No Schufa-query, no questions on income– at more than 99 % of successful applications on account opening, one can speak of an account opening guarantee.

Application on account opening online online (german article)
Legitimating (identity check) from Germany
• via video-chat (WebID) or
• PostIdent-procedure
• via video-chat or
• PostIdent-procedure
from abroad
• via video-chat (IDs in German language)
Legitimating of bank, notary or lawyer­legitimation
• via video-chat (many ID-cards)
Application on account opening is accepted from:
• Germany, Austria, Switzerland (any nationality)
• worldwide for German citizens
• Address (for sending the credit card) Germany or Austria (any nationality)
Further requirements modern Smartphone
Starting the account opening Weiter zur Bank
(read more information)
Weiter zur Bank
(read more information)

My personal conclusion

Although, at first glance, both accounts are free of charge and both bear the costs of your cash withdrawals around the world, there are a lot of differences. Some differences will be important to you, others won´t.

It depends on which features are important to you!

I was asked by some of my readers (before I set up this comparison), if they should cancel their DKB account, because Number26 is offering almost the same thing, but appears somehow hipper.

I want to warn you, because whoever cancels the account at the DKB (article in German language), will probably never ever get an account at this bank again. This is the policy of the bank.

Perhaps, you want to join me and use both accounts and credit cards for different purposes. Thanks to the presented differences – see comparison – the DKB and Number26 complement each other beautifully.

DKB and Number26 complement each other beautifully!

Example 1

For example, you can withdraw cash free of charge USA with the DKB Visa credit card at the ATMs (you can do this with Number26 too), but you will get a refund of the local ATM-fees on request from the DKB.

In contrast, it makes more sense to use the N26 MasterCard for credit card payments in foreign currencies abroad, as it does not charge the foreign transaction fee. The DKB charges 1.75%.

Example 2

Use the DKB Visa credit card for payments within Germany, but you should pay for purchases on the Internet with the MasterCard of Number26.

Do you remember the press outcry, when millions of credit card details were stolen from SONY? This happens in smaller online stores on a daily basis and is a latent danger for anyone, who uses the credit card on the Internet.

With the distinction between offline and online transactions, you can greatly reduce this risk. Thanks to the blocking and un-blocking feature of the N26 app, you can even un-block the MasterCard right before a card payment and block it afterwards again. Number26 really solved that issue well.

If you have to decide: Take both!

Video summary of the comparison DKB vs. N26

Maybe you want to help that this comparison will be read by more readers. For this purpose, I have produced especially this video… multimedia content can be shared even easier, right? The video is in German language with English subtitle:

Direct link to the video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/1QAXuz4I6fE
Suscribe for the channel? www.DeutschesKonto.TV
Link to the provider ⇒ DKB: www.dkb.de | Number26: www.number26.de

The idea for this comparison comes from a fan (page in German language) of this special portal. Thanks a lot for it! You can see that this site is “alive“ and can be further developed with your help. Take the opportunity e.g. to supplement this comparison with your notes and experiences.

We love the commitment of smart bank customers, as this advances oneself and others mentally and often practically. Thank you!

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Who writes here?

Someone who gained experience with more than 100 banks in more than 20 countries during the past 15 years. My name is Gregor and if you click to continue you can find out why I am here and what this site is for ⇒ continue.

8 Responses to “Comparison: Number26 better than DKB?”

  1. Karl Brand says:

    Excellent comparison and examples! I implore you to keep it updated as the accounts change to keep it awesome 😀

  2. Marc says:

    Thank you for this great comparison. I have chosen the DKB, because I have heard that the DKB cancelled the foreign transaction fee and N26 has implemented it.

  3. Denise Ramos says:

    I checked out both and n26 seem to have a catch when it comes to withdrawing and depositing. I think I might go with dkb despite I just want a simple checking account where I can deposit and withdraw,dkb makes it seems easier to link up with PayPal as well which will make transfering easier

  4. Nikos says:

    Hello I believe that you should update the table as both banks have implememnted the active customer initiative.

    Thanks

    • Gregor says:

      Hey, hey. This is a blog post (like a journal) and marked with a date. Just like with yesterday’s newspaper, we do not change our entries afterwards, either. But one can use the comments feature to continue writing about further developments. Smart banking customers help us – and especially each other – by doing so.

  5. Rob says:

    One more advantage of DKB VISA credit card: you can rent cars with it. You could also with the N26 free card, but if they see it is a debit type of card, they won’t allow you to rent a car (personal experience, summer 2018).

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