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Last year I was staring at my bank statement and thought: why am I paying account maintenance fees at all, when other banks will give me money for switching to them? That question led me to a strategy that earned me a total of €750 in checking account (Girokonto) sign-up bonuses within 14 months. Three targeted bank switches, each with a clear plan and precise timing.

Before you think this is illegal or morally questionable: it's completely legal and explicitly welcomed by the banks. They actively court new customers with these bonuses. I simply did what millions of Germans do every year, just more strategically and with better documentation.

Why Banks Pay Sign-Up Bonuses in the First Place

Banks don't give money away out of pure charity. According to an analysis by Stiftung Warentest (the German consumer testing foundation) from February 2025, acquiring a new customer costs German banks an average of between 150 and 300 euros in marketing spend. A direct sign-up bonus is therefore often cheaper than traditional advertising and delivers measurable results.

Banks are betting that many customers will stay after receiving the bonus and generate revenue over the long term through account fees, overdraft interest or product sales. For us, that means we can use this calculation to our advantage without breaking any rules.

My Three Bank Switches in Detail

Switch 1: Commerzbank, March 2025, €150 Bonus

My first targeted bank switch took me to Commerzbank. The terms were clear: open a checking account, show at least €700 in monthly deposits, and use it actively for three months. The bonus was paid out in the sixth month.

I set up my salary as a standing order, moved three direct debits over and used the debit card (Girocard) regularly for shopping. After exactly 182 days, €150 was in my account. Timing mattered because Commerzbank ended its promotion at the end of March 2025.

Switch 2: ING, July 2025, €100 Bonus Plus €50 Referral

In the summer I switched to ING. There was €100 for opening the account with proof of active use. The definition of active was more precise: at least five transactions per month with the Visa debit card, and at least €1,000 in deposits.

I deposited my salary, used the card for all my daily purchases and also recommended the account to my sister. That earned another €50 referral bonus once she met the conditions. Together, €150 for this switch.

Switch 3: Comdirect, November 2025, €150 Bonus

My third switch went to Comdirect. The promotion ran until December 2025 and promised €150 for three consecutive salary deposits of at least €1,000 and three monthly card payments. The payout came in the fourth month after opening the account.

I opened the account on November 4, 2025, moved my salary there starting in December and redirected three direct debits. In February 2026, the €150 was in my account. In parallel, I kept my old account at ING, because I was by then using a savings account there with an attractive interest rate.

The Legal Side: Is Bank Hopping Allowed in Germany?

Short answer: yes. There is no law that forbids you from opening several checking accounts or using accounts specifically for bonuses. The banks know this and factor it in. They protect themselves through their terms: new customers are only people who haven't had an account at that bank in the last 6 to 24 months.

I still recommend reading each promotion's terms carefully. Some banks reserve the right to deny bonuses if they classify behavior as abusive. In practice, that rarely happens as long as you meet the minimum usage period and show real activity.

My Step-by-Step Strategy

Checking account sign-up bonus: €750 by switching banks in 2026

Here is my proven system that let me collect the €750 in account opening bonuses:

  • Research current offers on comparison sites like Biallo.de or Check24, and filter for sign-up bonuses of €75 and up
  • Check the terms closely: how long do you have to use the account? What minimum deposit is required? How many transactions are demanded?
  • Plan a maximum of three bank switches per year to keep track and to avoid burdening your Schufa (German credit bureau) record with too many inquiries
  • Document every step: opening date, bonus terms and payout date in a simple spreadsheet
  • Make sure you meet all bonus conditions before you close the account again
  • After receiving the bonus, wait at least two more months before closing, so you don't stand out as a pure bonus collector

Which Banks Currently Pay Account Opening Bonuses?

The bonus landscape changes constantly. As of January 2026, the following offers are active: Commerzbank is currently offering €100 again for new customers with a minimum of €700 in deposits over three months. Santander Consumer Bank pays €125 for €1,200 in deposits and five card transactions per month over three months.

Norisbank had a €150 promotion until the end of 2025, but it has expired. Targobank offers €100 for active use over six months. The conditions for active use differ from bank to bank, which is why an individual checking account bonus comparison is so important.

Common Mistakes When Switching Banks for Bonuses

Closing Too Quickly

Many people close their new account immediately after receiving the bonus. That can lead the bank to claw back the bonus if the terms specify a minimum usage period after payout. I always wait two additional months.

Not Reading the Terms Carefully

On my first attempt with a Sparkasse before this series, I missed out on €50 because I hadn't used the Visa card often enough. The condition was ten transactions in three months, and I only had seven. Since then, I read every piece of fine print twice.

Too Many Accounts at Once

More than three parallel checking accounts quickly become hard to manage. You lose track of direct debits, deadlines and conditions. I recommend a maximum of two new accounts per half year in addition to your main account.

What Happens to My Schufa Record?

Checking account sign-up bonus: €750 by switching banks in 2026

Every account opening is reported to the Schufa. That's normal and not a problem at first. It only becomes critical if you open five or more accounts within a few weeks. That can be interpreted as risky behavior.

With my three bank switches over 14 months, I saw no negative effect whatsoever on my Schufa score. I checked my score before and after using the free self-disclosure, and it stayed constant in the very good range at around 97 percent.

Is the Effort Really Worth It?

For me, the time investment was manageable. For each bank switch, I invested about three hours: one hour of research and comparison, 30 minutes for opening the account online, 30 minutes for standing orders and redirecting direct debits, and one hour spread over the following months for monitoring the account.

That makes nine hours in total for €750, so an hourly rate of a good €83. On top of that, being actively engaged with my finances made me more attentive in general. Along the way, I discovered, for example, unnecessary subscriptions that I canceled, saving even more.

If you're interested in optimization strategies in general, my article on checking direct debits and cleaning up subscriptions might also be relevant for you. There I describe how I save €140 a year by systematically reviewing my withdrawals.

Additional Optimization: Combining With Other Subsidies

While carrying out my bank switches, I also used the Bildungsprämie (education bonus) for continuing education in parallel, which earned me another €500. Combinations of different legal sources of money like these add up quickly.

The trick is to proceed systematically and use various opportunities in parallel without losing track. A simple spreadsheet with all ongoing promotions, deadlines and conditions helps enormously.

The Long-Term View: What Comes After the Bonus

After the bonus phase ends, I face the same question every time: keep or close? My rule is simple: if the account stays free and offers me real added value, I keep it. I still use ING today as a savings account because the interest rate is right.

I closed Commerzbank after seven months, because from the seventh month on, account fees would have been charged without enough value in return. I'm keeping Comdirect for now, because it stays free and I find the integrated brokerage account interesting.

That way, pure bank hopping sometimes turns into a real improvement of my banking relationships. Not every switch has to be temporary.