Free Credit Cards 2026

A free credit card has no annual base fee. That saves real money without giving up the benefits of a full credit card. Watch the extra costs, though: foreign currency and ATM fees can make a supposedly free card expensive in everyday use.

Who is it for?

For anyone who wants a credit card without ongoing fixed costs – ideal as a second card, for online shopping or occasional use.

What to look out for

• No annual fee (permanently, not just the first year)
• Low or no foreign currency fee for use abroad
• Check for free cash withdrawals
• Acceptance: Visa and Mastercard are most widely accepted

Recommendations compared

1. Bank Norwegian Visa – The all-round fee-free travel credit card with no extra checking account. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: +15 € · Rating: 9.4/10
2. Consors Credit Card Gold Light – Free credit card with the Consorsbank account and fee-free withdrawals worldwide. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 9.4/10
3. TF Bank Mastercard Gold – Free travel credit card with included travel insurance and a long payment period. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 9.2/10
4. Wise Debitkarte – Multi-currency debit card with a fair exchange rate — ideal for travel and foreign payments. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 9.0/10
5. Easybank Kreditkarte – Flexible credit card with no account requirement — successor to the Barclays Visa. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.8/10
6. Deutschland-Kreditkarte Classic – Well-known free Visa credit card with no account requirement, recommended by Stiftung Warentest. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: +15 € · Rating: 8.7/10
7. Trade Republic Karte – Debit card for the Trade Republic account with 1% Saveback into your savings plan. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.6/10
8. ING Visa Card – Solid Visa debit card with the free ING checking account and a German IBAN. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.5/10
9. C24 Smart Debitkarte – Free debit card with the C24 Smart account and fee-free payments worldwide. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.4/10
10. awa7 Visa – Sustainable free credit card — a tree is planted for every payment. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.4/10
11. BBVA Kreditkarte Classic – Fee-free credit card with free worldwide withdrawals and a German IBAN. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.4/10
12. Moss Credit Mastercard – Business credit card with spend control – Starter with no base fee. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.3/10
13. PAYBACK American Express Karte – Collect points with no annual fee – ideal for PAYBACK fans. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.3/10
14. DKB Visa Debitkarte – Popular debit card with the DKB account — free for active customers. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.2/10
15. Hanseatic Bank GenialCard – Popular fee-free credit card with free worldwide withdrawals. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.2/10
16. Santander BestCard – Free charge card with no foreign currency fee on payments. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.2/10
17. Consors Visa Debit – Free debit card with the Consorsbank account and a German IBAN. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.2/10
18. GMX Mastercard Gold – Free gold credit card with travel insurance and free worldwide withdrawals. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.2/10
19. Revolut Standard – Digital debit card with real-time exchange rates for travel and online payments. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.0/10
20. Klarna Card – Free Visa debit card with no foreign currency fee, ideal for online shopping. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.0/10
21. Norisbank Kreditkarte Standard – Credit card with the Norisbank account — free for active customers, fee-free worldwide. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.0/10
22. bunq Free Prepaid Mastercard – Virtual prepaid Mastercard on a balance basis – without Schufa. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 8.0/10
23. N26 Standard – Free mobile account with debit card and a German IBAN. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 7.4/10
24. American Express Blue Card – Free Amex with cashback and Membership Rewards — note the limited acceptance. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 6.8/10
25. Comdirect Visa Debitkarte – Debit card with the Comdirect account, German IBAN and a free checking account. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 6.8/10
26. Amazon Visa – Credit card for Amazon fans with boosted points for Prime members. Annual fee: 0 € · Bonus: — · Rating: 6.6/10

All information without guarantee (continuously updated). Conditions may change – the provider's details are always decisive. No affiliate links.

Related guides: What costs does a credit card incur? · Applying for a credit card: step by step · The 4 types of credit cards at a glance

Frequently asked questions

Are free credit cards really free?

The annual fee is waived, but there can be extra costs – such as foreign currency fees or cash withdrawal charges. It's always worth checking the provider's price list.

What should I look out for with a free card?

A permanent €0 annual fee (not just the first year), low foreign transaction fees and fair instalment terms. The provider's conditions are always decisive.

Which card suits you best?

Use your personal usage profile to calculate the real annual cost of every card.