Barclays: Credit Cards in Germany
If you are considering getting a credit card in Germany, Barclays is one of the best options. In fact, many German rankings and reviews have rated Barclays Visa as one of the best real credit cards without the need to open a current account.
Barclays Visa card is one of the most popular credit cards in Germany. It’s a free credit card that you can use in Germany and other countries at no cost. The main advantage of this card is that you can pay and withdraw money in any currency and in any country for free.
Credit card Barclays Visa offers excellent conditions, including free payments and cash withdrawals (even in foreign currencies), plus there are no monthly fees! It’s a great option for daily life in Germany as well as for worldwide travels. You can get the Barclays Visa without opening a current account with Barclays bank.
Barclays Visa credit card – Review
About Barclays bank
What do you need to know about Barclays bank before getting one of their cards? Like many other credit cards and bank accounts offered in Germany, Barclays isn’t a German bank but operates and has branches in Germany.
Barclays is a British universal bank based in London. With over 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays is present in over 40 countries and employs about 83,500 people. You will be in good hands when choosing a credit card from this provider.
Besides credit cards, Barclays is a fully pledged bank offering diverse banking services. Since 1991, there is a Barclay’s branch in Hamburg with over 650 employees.
Why Barclays?
Barclays Visa is currently one of the best real credit cards on the German market.
You probably have come across several credit cards in Germany, but not all of them are real. In fact, Germans rarely use proper credit cards with credit line but rather pay with a prepaid card that is tied to the current account.
Read this article to learn why Germans don’t use credit cards.
However, Barclays Visa is one of the few real credit cards with a credit line up to 10,000 EUR. You can use it in many ways, for example, if you need to buy an expensive item or pay for a vacation. Such cards can also serve as security deposits for booking rental cars, etc.
From the start, assuming you have a good credit score, you usually will get a monthly credit limit of about 2,500 EUR.
Yet, the amount can be increased after a few months. To top up the balance, you can connect the card to your checking account at any bank.
Besides, you can use it to withdraw cash free of charge at all ATMs with a Visa symbol both in Germany and abroad. The currency doesn’t matter; the service remains to be free.
Highlights of Barclays card:
- Visa credit card
- No monthly fee
- Credit limit up to 10,000 EUR
- Free worldwide cash withdrawals
- Free worldwide payments
- 0% interest rate for spendings under 500 EUR; otherwise interest rate is 18.38%
- No fees for transactions in foreign currencies
- Online application via video legitimation or PostIdent
How does repayment work?
You can pay money borrowed at Barclays back in several ways. This can be done as partial payment with higher interest fees, installment payments with an individual interest rate, manual one-time balance settlement via your linked current account with only one click, or the option to change the payback method to 100% direct debit in the app.
Pros and cons of Barclays card
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| No monthly fee | Withdrawals only from 50 EUR free of charge |
| Free worldwide cash withdrawals | No insurance included |
| Free worldwide payments | German website & customer service |
| No bank account is required | Difficult to get approval |
| 0% interest rate for spendings under 500 EUR; | |
| No fees for transactions in foreign currencies |
About the Barclays card:
| Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Card type | Visa |
| Credit card type | Revolving & Charge |
| Credit score check | Yes |
| No bank account is required | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes |
Overview of fees and features
| Feature | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual or monthly fee | 0 EUR |
| Interest rate | 0% for spendings under 500 EUR; otherwise, 18.38% |
| Payments abroad (EU, non-EU) | 0 EUR |
| Cash withdrawals in Germany | 0 EUR |
| Cash withdrawals abroad (EU, non-EU) | 0 EUR |
Daily card limits
| Feature | Limit |
|---|---|
| Payments with a card | No limit |
| Cash withdrawals in Germany | 500 EUR |
| Cash withdrawals abroad | 500 EUR |
| Credit limit | up to 10,000 EUR |
This credit card is suitable for every situation you will face while living in Germany or traveling abroad, in particular:
- In everyday life
With the Barclays credit card, you can withdraw cash free of charge at all ATMs with a Visa symbol worldwide.
Hence, it’s free whether you take out cash at a Sparkasse branch or a Commerzbank. Besides, contactless payments make it super easy to buy things on the go, e.g. to shop at the supermarket.
- When traveling
It never was so easy to pay and withdraw money abroad as will Barclays card. All payments and cash withdrawals are free of charge worldwide. The currency doesn’t matter too.
- While studying
Barclays credit card is also available to students, assuming they meet all the criteria. There is also an exception, where students can get a card even without a significant regular income.
However, they will enjoy lower monthly credit since they earn less money than typical employees.
How to get a Barclays credit card?
Applying for a Barclays card is straightforward, but you need to meet the requirements first:
- Age – 18 years or older
- Valid ID
- Registered in Germany
- Have a regular monthly income
- For non-EU nationals: residence permit + proof of income (payslip or similar)
- Good credit score (SCHUFA)
After that, you can go ahead and apply for the card by doing the following:
- Fill out a card application with personal data online
- Identity verification via video or PostIdent
- Application acceptance by Barclays
- Dispatch of the documents
- Credit card and PIN by post
You shouldn’t apply for this card if you have a negative credit score (SCHUFA). You can check it beforehand on this website.
Also read our article on best credit cards in Germany.
