N26 is a digital-only German challenger bank that’s arrived in the UK. Does it offer anything different? Here’s what you need to know.
N26 calls itself a bank account for real people; it offers everything you can do with a traditional bank, but N26 says it will be easier, and from anywhere.
The bank officially launched in the UK in November 2018 after carrying out early trials of its app. We’ve highlighted the key features of N26, to help you decide whether it’s the option for you.
Download N26 now for free
- Take control of your finances with one app
- Great for international travellers
- Set payment limits, change your PIN, lock and unlock your card
- Make no-fee transactions anywhere in the world
What is N26?
N26 offers a digital-only current account with a modern banking app that gives you spending insights and lets you control your finances, all on your phone.
N26 is already operating in Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium and a wide range of other European countries. It’s now in the UK and has plans to establish itself in the US, too.
Video: Alex Weber, head of international markets, on why N26 is different
How does N26 work?
When you sign up with N26 you will be sent a 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 Black and N26 Metal to find out more about them.
The three of them all operate on the same app, whose features include:
- Make transfers. Send, receive and even request money from friends instantly.
- Google Pay. N26 supports Google Pay, so you can use your phone to make payments in stores, and also use Google Pay to make purchases online.
- International transfers. By partnering with TransferWise, N26 supports international transfers into 19 foreign currencies directly within the app. It claims to be six times cheaper than using traditional banks.
- In-app security. Set and change daily spend/withdrawal limits, reset your PIN, lock or unlock your card and enable or disable online or foreign payments.
- Spending statistics. Get automatic categorisation and breakdowns of your purchases. You can also create your own personal tags to organise your transactions.
- Spaces. Saving up for a particular goal, like a bike or a holiday? Put money into small sub-accounts away from your main spending pot. Like they say – out of sight, out of mind.
- MoneyBeam. Lets you send money to smartphone contacts, without even knowing their bank account details. Money is sent to fellow N26 users instantly, or within two days if they’re not with N26.
- UK account number and sort code (only supported in the UK). You’ll be able to set up direct debits and receive and make payments the way you would with a traditional bank like Barclays or Lloyds.
How does the app look?
Real-time info and alerts
See your spending in real-time, and get notifications for transactions. Even contactless payments show up instantly.
Spending insights
See where all your money goes. Breaking it down into categories like groceries or transport might help you budget.
Save smarter with 'Spaces'
N26's 'Spaces' feature lets you squirrel money away in sub-accounts. Away from your spending pot.
Widely accepted cards
Your N26 Mastercard is accepted in over 200 countries. So make payments and withdraw money wherever you are.
Using N26 abroad
Cash withdrawals in pounds are free of charge. For ATM withdrawals in other currencies, N26 makes a surcharge of 1.7% of the withdrawal.
You can avoid this fee if you pay for an item with your Mastercard. There is no fee for making purchases in foreign currency.
In addition to this, N26 has partnered with Transferwise, which makes transfers into European currencies seamless.
N26 fees and limits
N26 does have some rates and charges that you should be aware of.
- UK customers get fee-free cash withdrawals, up to the daily limit of £2,500.
- If you make foreign cash withdrawals with your debit card, you’ll be charged 1.7% of the amount taken out.
- The maximum daily limit for in-store or online payments is £5,000.
- The maximum monthly limit on card payments is £20,000.
Is N26 safe?
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 and cons of N26
Pros
- Easy to manage and track your spending real time
- Your account can be accessed on your phone or via N26’s web app
- In-app security features such as card lock/unlock
- All payments, both national and international, completed within one working day
- Fee-free card transactions abroad
- Safe and secure.
- Partnership with TransferWise means seamless transfers from Euros to 19 currencies
- MoneyBeam lets you transfer money to friends and family instantly
- Unlimited cash withdrawals in GBP
Cons
- 1.7% surcharge for foreign currency withdrawals, although this is competitive with other European banks
- No bank branches so not for you if you like face-to-face service
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Frequently asked questions
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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
How long does it take before funds are available once my direct deposit from my salary is paid? Thank you.
Hello Mychal,
Thank you for your comment.
Please note that N26 transfer transactions are completed within one banking day. However, due to the opening times of the participating banks, one banking day may stretch to two working days.
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
What is the Swift/BIC code for paying to N26 bank?
Hello Karin,
Thank you for your comment.
SWIFT/BIC code for N26 BANK GMBH, UK BRANCH is NTSBGB21 plus the XXX which is the bank code. You should verify the bank code from your financial institution.
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 understand there is a fee for deposits over a certain amount. Does this apply to my salary being deposited by my employer?
Hello Pete,
Thank you for your comment.
Upon checking, N26 doesn’t charge any fees to receive transfers or salary payments, so you will receive 100% of whatever amount your employer sends.
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