DKB Girokonto Review: Free Account & Visa Card Tested

By the GoGermany Editorial Team · 2026-08-05

An honest, hands-on review of the DKB Girokonto for newcomers to Germany: how to keep it free, the Visa debit card, ATM access, English support, and whether it works when you arrive.

The DKB Girokonto (current account from Deutsche Kreditbank) is one of Germany's best-known free bank accounts, and a popular pick for internationals who want a modern, app-first bank without branch visits. But "free" in German banking always comes with conditions, and the account has a few quirks that matter a lot if you have just arrived. This is a practical, honest review of what you actually get, how to qualify for the no-fee tier, and whether it suits someone still settling into Germany.

DKB is a fully licensed German bank (part of the BayernLB group), so your deposits are protected under German and EU Einlagensicherung (deposit insurance) up to €100,000. It is a direct bank — there are no branches, everything runs through the website and app — which is a plus if you are comfortable online and a minus if you like face-to-face help.

How the account stays free (Aktivkunde vs. Passivkunde)

DKB advertises a 0 € Girokonto, but the monthly account fee only stays at zero if you qualify as an Aktivkunde (active customer). In practice that means a regular monthly incoming deposit — typically a salary, pension, or a recurring transfer above a set threshold. If you do not meet the condition, you become a Passivkunde (passive customer) and a small monthly fee applies.

The exact deposit threshold and the passive-customer fee are set by DKB and can change, so check the current figures on their site before opening. As a rule of thumb in 2026: a modest recurring monthly inflow keeps the account fully free; an account with no regular income landing in it will likely incur a monthly charge. For newcomers this is the single most important thing to plan around — if you will not have a German salary for a few months, budget for the passive fee or set up a standing transfer from your own funds to clear the threshold.

The Visa debit card

Every DKB account comes with a Visa Debit card (a debit card, not a credit card — money is taken from your balance in near real-time). This is a genuine strength:

• It works almost everywhere Visa is accepted, online and in shops, and adds well to Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• Payments in euros carry no extra fee. For purchases in foreign currencies, DKB applies a percentage foreign-transaction surcharge — reasonable, but not zero, so read the current rate if you travel or shop outside the eurozone often.
• A physical card is posted to your German address; a digital card is usually available in the app almost immediately for online and wallet payments.

One caveat for daily life in Germany: some smaller shops, bakeries and kiosks still prefer the domestic Girocard (EC-Karte) or cash. A Visa debit is accepted in the large majority of places, but not literally everywhere, so keep a little cash on hand at first.

Cash withdrawals and ATMs

Because DKB has no branches, you withdraw cash at ATMs using the Visa card. Within the eurozone you can withdraw euros free of charge at most machines. Active customers historically get the widest free-withdrawal access; the finer conditions can depend on your customer status and are adjusted from time to time, so confirm the current rules. Outside the euro area, withdrawals in other currencies may carry a fee. For everyday cash in Germany this is convenient, but it is ATM-based rather than counter-based — there is no branch teller to visit.

Opening the account: SCHUFA, address and ID

Here is where newcomers need to pay attention.

• Registered address (Anmeldung): You generally need a German residential address to open the account, and ideally you should have completed your Anmeldung (address registration at the Bürgeramt). A reliable delivery address matters because your card and PIN are posted to you.
• Identity check: DKB verifies your identity by VideoIdent (a video call) or PostIdent (at a Deutsche Post branch). You will need a valid passport or accepted ID.
• SCHUFA: Like most German banks, DKB runs a SCHUFA check (Germany's main credit-reference agency). A brand-new arrival simply has no SCHUFA history yet — that is normal and is not the same as a bad score. A thin file can still make some banks cautious, so approval is not guaranteed, but many newcomers open a DKB account successfully once they have an address and ID.

If you want to understand how SCHUFA and German banking fit together before you apply, our banking guide for newcomers walks through the essentials.

Does it work as a Sperrkonto? (Important for students and visa applicants)

A common question: can DKB serve as your Sperrkonto (blocked account) for a student or jobseeker visa? The honest answer is that a standard DKB Girokonto is a normal current account, not a blocked account. A Sperrkonto is a special product where a fixed sum is locked and released in monthly instalments to satisfy the visa proof-of-funds requirement, and it is offered by dedicated providers (such as specialist fintechs and some banks). Do not assume an ordinary Girokonto will satisfy the Ausländerbehörde's blocked-funds rule. If you need to work out how much to block, use our Sperrkonto calculator — and open the current account separately once you are in Germany.

English support

DKB's core banking interface and much of its documentation are primarily in German. There is English-language support and an increasing amount of English material, but you should expect German to be the default language of contracts, letters and some app screens. If your German is still basic, this is manageable but not friction-free — pairing the account with steady German study (our free German course can help) makes everyday banking much smoother.

Pros and cons at a glance

How it compares to other free accounts

DKB sits in a crowded field. App-only challengers (like N26 or Vivid) often open faster with a lighter document trail and slick English apps, but may lack some traditional-bank features. ING and Comdirect offer similar free-if-active current accounts with their own conditions. Genuine free Girocard-first accounts are rarer. DKB's edge is that it is an established, deposit-insured German bank with a strong Visa debit and broad free euro-ATM access — a dependable everyday account rather than the flashiest app. For a side-by-side of newcomer-friendly options, see our collection of banking articles.

The verdict

For someone settled in Germany with a regular income, the DKB Girokonto is a strong, low-cost everyday account: reputable, well-featured, and free when you meet the active-customer condition. For a brand-new arrival, it is very usable once you have completed your Anmeldung and have an address — but plan for the possibility of the passive-customer fee in your first income-free months, keep some cash for Girocard-only shops, and remember it is not a substitute for a Sperrkonto. Verify the current fees, thresholds and foreign-transaction rates on DKB's own site before you open, since these figures are periodically updated.