Number26: bank account for smartphone
If you perform your banking via a smartphone app, you know that it often works, but it is not particularly user friendly. That changes now with Number26.
Will number 26 start a new generation of mobile banking?
Number26 is a young company from Berlin, which has developed a current account (Girokonto) specifically for the smartphone.
The account can even be opened using a smartphone (Android or Apple). You will find out how to do this further in the article.
What you can expect from Number26:
- free account management
- free MasterCard
- free cash withdrawals (valid worldwide as at the DKB)
- easy to use and self-learning Banking-App
- simple transfers when on the road
- complete account opening in only 8 minutes via smartphone
Website of the provider: https://number26.de/
What you should know before opening the account:
Screenshot of the Banking-App
1. Credit account without Schufa-query (credit investigation company)
The current account of Number26 is a pure credit account (Guthabenkonto). In order to use it, money has to be deposited first. If the money is used, no more transactions can be performed. Also payments with the MasterCard won´t work anymore (prepaid Mastercard).
This has two interesting benefits:
-
No Schufa-query
Prepaid accounts do not require Schufa-queries (Schufaabfrage) and are also not entered into the Schufa-database. This means:
- You can open the Number26 account as an additional free current account without worries, as this will not change your own Schufa-ranking.
- Also people, who are having a hard time with the Schufa or have really bad entries there and are thus rejected by other banks, get a true bank account (Bankkonto) at Number26.
-
No indebtedness possible
Since you cannot spend more money than you have deposited, you will never become a victim of the debt trap, as this sometimes is the case at costumers of credit cards with credit line.
2. No interest, but deposit insurance of Euros 100,000
The partner company of Number26 is Wirecard Bank, based in the Bavarian Aschheim. All accounts are managed there. The account balance is protected by law in the amount of Euros 100,000.
However, there is no interest on the current account. Thus, it is not suitable for investing, but this is common in current accounts.
Note to the account opening
Currently, you can register for an account opening (Kontoeröffnung). For this purpose, you only have to enter your e-mail address on the website of the provider. Invitation messages are sent in stages to all registered e-mail addresses with a code for the account opening.
What a particular eye-catcher: the MasterCard is partially transparent!
Anyone, who has already opened an account can invite up to three “friends“ via e-mail or SMS, in order for them to open the current account immediately skipping the waiting loop.
a transparent MasterCard experience
If you do not have a friend-invite (Invite Code) yet, then register your e-mail address first and wait to see what happens.
“N26 implements fees for withdrawals”
How to perform the account opening with the smartphone:
- You start the account opening through the button “Anmelden“ (register).
- If required, enter your Invite-Code.
- During the set-up process, specify a password for the app, a PIN and a code for transactions.
- Legitimating takes place via a video call that you can perform directly with the smartphone. Lay out ready a piece of paper and a pen, as you will have to write down a reference number to enter this in another app. Moreover, it is necessary to have a sufficiently fast Internet connection, as the video call will need a certain data volume.
- Alternatively, the video call can be performed via a computer with webcam or through the iPad. Likewise, the proven PostIdent-procedure is offered too.
MasterCard with your chosen PIN
The MasterCard will be shipped immediately upon account opening, so that you will receive it in a day or two in your mailbox. Then you can get started right away, because you have already set all the codes for yourself during the process of account opening.
If everything goes well, the whole account opening is completed within 8 minutes.
Questions to the account or account opening?
As usual, feel free to use the comments box. I would also be grateful to read about your opinions and possibly your own experiences with the current account and credit card of number26. Thank you!
Hello,
Thank your for your great article.
I am a french student in marketing and I try to better understand Number26. I have two questions :
– To open an account is it necessary to have an another account in a bank ? or if I have no bank can I subscribe to number26 only ? (I know that sometimes new entrants as Number26 required to have an another bank account to make a very fast opening procedure online)
– Regarding Wirecard Bank, what could be their interest in that partnership ? I can’t find pertinent informations about their market share for example, Is it an important actor on the bank sector in Germany ?
Has it helped?
Thank you for the quick answer ! Yes, your informations helped me to clarify my questions.
Hi Sophie,
I am an MBA student starting a project on Number 26,
Would you mind if I write you to share information.
Thanks in advance.
I am a US citizen who worked in Germany decades ago. I reside in the US since many years. Now is retirement time for me and I’m entitled to some small rentenversicherung payments. I’d like to open a German bank account via the internet to receive those payments and avoid the high bank charges that come with deposits of small amounts into USA accounts. It seems that DKB is now not possible. Will Comdirect and number26 accounts be a possibility? Do you have any recommendation on how to proceed?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
Robert
Hi Robert,
Yes, you are right. DKB is not available for you now. I guess that number26 could be in future an interesting option. For now, they are not able to send the MasterCard to an US address. Maybe you have an address in Germany? A friend from your former time in Germany?
The checking account at the comdirect is at the moment the practically solution. Maybe it could be a good strategy to open first a saving account there and let your payments get in there. Some months later you ask for checking (Visa Card / bank transfers).
Article to this strategy: https://www.deutscheskonto.org/en/opening-bank-account-germany/
We want to write an article about account opening in Germany from USA, that other readers can help and give good advices. Maybe you can help us with your experience?
With best wishes
Tanja
Thanks for the help Tanya. Looks like I’ll try the comdirect solution. I’ll let you know about the final experience. This could take some weeks to setup.
Regards,
Robert M
Thank you very much, I am interested on your experience 🙂
Greetings,
A while ago I posted about the DBK account decline and started looking elsewhere but no real success. I just need a euro account with a debit card and transfer capabilities. This account was recommended and would like to try, however, my German is not strong and worried if I spoke english during the video call for the validation of my identification and be rejected. I am going to Germany to see a friend so I am wondering if I can just use their address for the one off post or are they going to not send …hence another worrying factor.
I just read their residency requirements…you need to be a resident of Germany or Austria.
https://number26.de/en/support/prerequisites-open-number26-account/
Hello,
I’ve recently opened my account and should be expecting my card in the following days. I’ve successfully wired a small amount to my account to try it out and everything works great and the mobile app is very user friendly, but nowhere can I find if its possible to make a cash deposit to my account, and if so – where, in which bank?
Thanks,
That is a direct bank. There are no branches for make a cash deposit.
Greetings,
Can i deposit money in atm?
What deposit methods available with Number26 bank account?
Currently, you can only deposit money on the account free of charge through transfers. Number26 is already working on a solution, so that you will be able to deposit cash in around 6,000 shops in Germany, which is then booked free of charge on the account.
As soon as this feature is available, we will report on this special portal on how and where this will be possible. It is worthwhile to include us as one of your personal favourites 🙂
Hi,
Nummber26 give also some loan?
Number26 has recently implemented the possibility of overdraft loans for giro account customers. Other financing methods are currently not offered, but it is likely that this will change in the process of the future months/years. Once that happens, we will of course report about this here on Deutscheskonto.org.