But in choosing a German bank, newcomers face a maze of options – from traditional German banks charging monthly fees to app‑based digital banks promising speed and simplicity. Several respondents said they avoided German banks entirely for this reason. Rebecca Loades, who lives in Berlin and is from the UK, said she tries “to avoid German banks as much as possible” because “different language support is minimal”. Digital banks win on everyday experienceA clear pattern emerged around day‑to‑day banking: foreign residents tend to favour digital or mobile banks for speed, transparency and ease of use. A smaller but notable group said they combine both – using digital banks for everyday spending and legacy banks for savings or recurring payments.

Source: The Local March 06, 2026 02:42 UTC