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Updated
EU-based digital bank N26 no longer offers bank accounts in the UK – it announced in February 2020 that it would stop operating here due the UK’s decision to leave the EU. If you are looking for a digital current account, read our guide outlining alternatives to N26.
On 11 February 2020, N26 issued the following statement: “With the UK having left the EU, we will in due course be unable to operate in the UK with our EU banking licence, so we will be leaving the UK and closing all accounts. We’ve made careful plans to support customers, and we are sorry to have to leave.”
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£125 switch incentive
Best for
£100 switch incentive
Best for
App experience
Best for
Market leading interest rate(1.25%)
Like most challengers, it’s good for people who are looking for a fresh, mobile first approach to banking.
We’ve highlighted the key features, pros and cons of N26, to help you decide whether it’s the option for you.
N26 launched in the UK in November 2018, entering the market to compete with British-born Monzo and Starling, as well as Revolut.
N26 is a digital-only current account, with a modern banking app that shows spending insights and gives you control your finances.
N26 is already operating in Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium and a wide range of other European countries. It has more than 3 million customers and has recently launched in the US, too.
When you sign up with N26 you will be sent a cool, clear, contactless Mastercard.
N26 offers a free basic current account, plus two premium options that are now also available in the UK. Read our reviews of N26 You and N26 Metal to find out more about them.
The three of them all operate on the same app, whose features include:
N26 does have some rates and limits that you should be aware of.
Travelling with N26 is cheaper than using most cards from traditional banks, as it doesn’t charge any fees for foreign currency transactions.
However, while cash withdrawals in pounds are free of charge, for ATM withdrawals in other currencies, N26 makes a surcharge of 1.7% of the withdrawal.
Also, be aware that at the moment N26 does not support international money transfers. You can only send and receive money from other UK accounts.
Every N26 bank account has deposit protection: the compensation scheme of German banks guarantees up to €100,000 (about £85,000 – the same amount as the UK equivalent scheme).
N26 also offers a Bug Bounty programme. This means cash rewards to encourage security researchers to track down bugs or vulnerabilities.
The app itself has a three-tier security procedure protecting your account and transactions. Your account can only be paired to one smartphone at a time, you must log in to your account using your password or fingerprint, and you must verify all online and offline transactions with your PIN.
Pros
Cons
If compared to traditional banks, N26 is really competitive, especially for travelling abroad. You can use your card anywhere without being charged any fees, apply quickly online and enjoy a really slick banking app that’s packed with features.
However, it’s no longer operating in the UK. For a UK-based digital bank check out the likes of Starling.
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates banking apps to determine their value against similar products on the market.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.
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Eligibility asks for a smartphone, I own one but prefer to do banking on a larger screen on a tablet which I tend to have on me most of the time – can I still apply for an account and use the app on a wifi tablet or is the mobile phone line absolutely necessary?
Hi dwl321,
Thanks for contacting Finder.
In order to use your N26 account, you need a smartphone : either an iPhone (5s or newer, at least iOS 11) or an Android (6.0 or newer). Only one device can be connected per account.
If you want use your table, you need to directly contact N26 for further instructions.
I hope that helps.
Kind Regards,
Faye
I want to make a very large amount of money from an heritage how much would I be able to deposit into my account
Hi Steve,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder! You can deposit any amount on your N26 account N26 doesn’t charge any fees to receive transfers or salary payments, so you will receive 100% of whatever amount your sender transfers.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
Is there a monthly fee for a basic account?
Hi Tracy-ann,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
An n26 basic account is free of charge to set up and no monthly fees. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
What happens about the information of mine you receive if I’m declined to open an account?
Hi Courtney,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
If you are asking about the personal information you provided N26 when you applied to open an account with them, it would be best to speak with them directly as to how they handle these information. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Is this just like any ordinary bank account? Is there a monthly charge for this card?
Hi Kendacie,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
N26 is a bank but it is different from other banks because it comes with other features. For example, N26 is a digital-only current account that comes with banking mobile app. For this reason, you won’t be seeing a physical bank for N26 but rather all your transactions would take place in your app.
Upon checking, there’s no mention of any monthly charge. However, N26 makes a surcharge of 1.7% of withdrawals made with non-pound currencies.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
What is the daily cash lodgement
Hi G,
Thank you for your inquiry.
The maximum daily limits (total sum within 24 hours) for card payments are:
ATM withdrawals: 2.500 GBP
In-store or online payments: 5.000 GBP
You can set your own daily ATM withdrawal and payment limits within our limits directly in the app by tapping My Account then Card settings.
The maximum daily limits (rolling 24 hours) for bank transfers are:
Incoming transfers: No limit
Outgoing transfers: 50.000 GBP
The maximum monthly limits (total sum) are:
Card payments: 20.000 GBP
Hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Val
May I have more than one N26 account. IE uk in pounds sterling and Spain in Euros?
May my wife and myself have a joint N26 UK account in Sterling?
Hi Tony,
Thank you for leaving a question. The app itself has a three-tier security procedure protecting your account and transactions. Your account can only be paired to one smartphone at a time. If you are planning in opening another account with N26 which would be Spain in Euros then yes this can be paired with a different smartphone.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Val
Why can I not login my account via the web address? My app works fine but I can not login anymore on my computer? Please can you tell me what I do wrong?
Hi Peter,
Thank you for your comment.
There might be several reasons as to why you’re unable to log in to your N26 account into the computer. Since you mentioned that you’re able to log in through the app, it means there’s nothing wrong with your account access, but with your computer. You may try using a different browser, or go incognito and try to access your account. It’s also possible that there is some antivirus blocking the website.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
I just made an account today and the app is working, however, my mum has Barclays Bank account and she transferred me £10 into this account and it’s been 2 hours and I have not received when will I receive it. Please get back to me as soon as you can. Thank you!
Hi Cediqua,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Transferring money from a bank account to N26 can take up to one business day. If after one day and you still haven’t got your money, you might want to directly get in touch with N26’s customer support.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Can international wire transfer be sent from US banks into my N26 account, and how long will it take to reflect in my account in Italy if yes?
Hi Jade,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Upon checking, it is not possible to send money from a US bank to your N26 account. As of now, transfers can only be done within European regions.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua