I'd avoid Klarna if you're opposed to all humans getting automated.
They rely heavily on OpenAi.
this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2025
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There is quite a consensus that c24 is the best bank. You get virtual cards for online pay and can send instant transfers for free.
There base model which is totally sufficient is free.
I'm looking for a PayPal (ethical) alternative in the UK/england, if anyone knows of one. My usage, aside from payments to retailers (which isn't strictly necessary) is mainly a convenient way to send/receive small amounts of money from people in the UK but also internationally, mainly Australia and Canada.
This year the PayPal alternative Bluecode is supposed to launch! I'm keeping an eye on that. Otherwise I do a lot of payments by prepayment or (advance) invoice. So it just goes through my bank account directly.
German? Legal disclaimer says switzerland? Cool too though, didn't know them, thanks for the tip!
Oh really, sorry than I was informed wrong on my side, I will edit my comment. Thanks for pointing it out.
Don't know how many banks have implemented this already cause it's kinda brand new, but Europe has made its very own PayPal: https://wero-wallet.eu/
I think it's main use is to send money quickly between friends and family,.don't know if payments are also intended later. But the good news is it's all European, no evil company in the background, only the banks you're already a customer of anyway.
Thanks for suggesting Wero! I tried it out, but unfortunately, they're incompatible with my bank (Deutsche Bank). It does seem super cool, though! I'll follow their progress and hope they add support soon. I appreciate the recommendation.
Everyone that uses Deutsche Bank needs to learn what they’ve done https://youtu.be/ZlIagcttGY0
I'm genuinely very sorry, but I don't have any choice at the moment. As an immigrant to Germany, much of my savings is still back in my home country. My home country has quite complicated laws regarding remitting money abroad, and it becomes significantly easier if the bank handling the remittance on both ends is the same banking entity.
Unfortunately, Deutsche Bank is the only bank that is both reputable and large enough to be stable whilst also operating in both countries. I genuinely have no other choice right now. The minute I can, I would love to switch to Sparkasse, Commerzbank, or any other alternative. But at present, my hands are tied due to these circumstances.
I'm really, really sorry about this situation. I understand the concerns, but I'm not happy about them either.
I could open another account in Sparkasse or Commerzbank, but I'm just transitioning from student to full-time employee in Germany. I don't have much money, and there's no point in keeping my measly amounts in two different bank accounts.
I'm trying my best to make small changes where I can and cut the oligarchs out of my life; I am aware that I'm complicit in their shady dealings by continuing business with Deutsche Bank. Unfortunately, I can only offer my most sincere apologies right now.
Yeah, my options were deutsche Bank or three online banks, two of which have shut down or stolen a bunch of money from customers since my application. Deutsche Bank took eleven weeks to open an account for me, they would never have been my choice otherwise.
Doesn't N26, Revolut etc. also involve the creation of a new bank account? As far as I know they will all lead to a separate IBAN with separate cards etc.
Precisely that was the plan; I'm disabled, and managing to work with a physical bank is hard for me, I thought if I could throw out PayPal and Deutsche Bank in one go, that's the best-case scenario
Apparently they plan to add support for it this year: https://www.db.com/news/detail/20241122-european-digital-payments-app-wero-now-available-for-postbank-customers?language_id=3
In Poland we have instant payments called Blik! Go check it out.
You can do all of that with a normal bank account in Europe.
Vendors will accept debit cards and there's a thing called SEPA Instant Payments.
You do not need 'a PayPal'.
Thrat being said, I keep my 'main bank account' separate from my 'spending bank account' for which I use Revolut.
Debit cards and Revolut use the Visa/MC networks, which are US-based. Revolut even uses Visa for peer-to-peer transactions.
Well, as mentioned. Use your normal bank account.
To the best of my knowledgeable, there no 'pan-European payment system which would replace credit/debit cards'.
For online payments, you can use SEPA Instant Payments or somple bank account transfers. There's also Gyropay, but only for Germany.
If you want to pay for your out-of-pocket vegetables and other small expenses IRL, cash is your only other option.
Some bank also give ability to use "virtual card". You select an amount, add a time frame and it will create a virtual card to use.
Paying online, especially to small vendors
What I have recently been fond of is paying by invoice. I will pay only once I open the package and find the invoice inside via bank transfer. Zero American companies (Paypal, Visa, Mastercard...) are involved this way.
The only drawback is that you have to remember paying and that some online stores - though usually the larger one's - don't support it.
Invoice is great, but here (Germany) it's rarely an option in b2c. Some shops do if you spend A LOT or very frequent. if at all, for first-time customers.
What is this "paying by invoice" you are talking about? (for those not living in that country)
You buy something and the shop just sends you an invoice with your order that says "please pay X within Y days. Here are the possible ways...." And then you do. Usually via wire-transfer.
Is that something that people use in daily life for consumables? the only thing similar I can imagine that we have around is utilities bills that come in the mail to pay water and those things and you have a bunch of days to pay on the ATM if not using direct debit from the bank account.
It was a more common thing but too many people abused it so less and less offer it. Happened to me too. Lost many bucks.
But yes, seems like your utility-bills. Pay however in due time, but pay.
B2B it's still very common though. Just B2C died a bit.
Eh, try smaller shops.
For example, all local book shops around my area with an online presence - except for thalia but they're not locally owned - support paying through invoice.
I haven't had any negative experience yet, although admittedly, my sample size is limited to three since I only started doing it recently. That might be because my orders were relatively small in price though.
Haven't seen invoice as an Option in smaller shops either.
I haven't used any yet and still have PayPal, but would also be interested in migrating to a European one.
Some possible options may be Skrill or Wise? I believe both are based in the UK and available internationally.
Wise processes through Visa, a US company. That makes them as "EU alternative" as your bank's card.
Wait, how do SEPA transfers go through Visa? Do you just mean the card payments?
Ah. Well, I'll be closing that account, then... What about Skrill?
I typically use Wise for foreign transfers. Would that still use Visa? If so, any non US backed alternatives? I typically transfer from Canada to family and personal bank accounts in the UK.
I don't think your use for Wise uses Visa, as Visa is a card company. If you use Wise for card payments, those go through Visa.
Wise is about the only mainstream way to get funds in Canadian or American domestic payment systems and immediately get that money into the European banking network that I know of. Revolut only gives me Swift details for USD, not wire or ACH routing numbers.
N26 reminds me of N64 so i should go with that one.
You literally introduced me to all of these things....
Unfortunately, during my research, it seems like N26 is the worst option. Not only is it supported/funded by Peter Thiel and other American oligarchs, and it has a shady history Source (in German)
Okay so that's a terrible way to make a decision then