When searching for the right credit card, you may come across a special type – the black credit card. In addition to luxury cards, there are black credit cards that are easier to apply for than others. But what is the significance of the color?
The best black credit cards compared
Hanseatic Bank GenialCard
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free withdrawals abroad*
- Free payments worldwide**
- Repayment in small, flexible installments
easybank Visa
- Promotion: 50 Euro bonus
- Free credit card
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Free loan up to 2 months
easybank Platinum Double
- Promotion: 50 Euro starting credit
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Extensive insurance coverage
- Free Platinum partner cards
Deutschland Credit Card Classic
- Promotion: up to 30 Euro Bonus
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Repayment by direct debit in small rates or in full
- Recommended by Stiftung Warentest (04/2026)
N26 Metal
- 16,90 Euro per Month
- Exclusive metal Mastercard debit card
- Free cash withdrawals abroad
- Smartphone insurance up to 2.000 Euro
The myth surrounding the black credit card has been around for a while now, as providers such as American Express® issue premium credit cards that are very difficult to obtain. But who actually has a chance of getting one of these credit cards?
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- The best black credit cards compared
- What is a black credit card?
- What black credit cards are available?
- What are the advantages of a black credit card?
- What are the disadvantages of a black credit card?
- How do you get a black credit card?
- What types of black credit cards are there?
- How much does a black credit card cost?
- When is a black credit card worthwhile?
- How do we gain experience with a black credit card?
- Black credit card: Our conclusion
In addition to luxury credit cards, there are also some cheaper or even free black credit cards that are also worth considering. In this guide, we present all models in detail and explain the requirements you need to meet.
What is a black credit card?
Traditionally, credit cards are usually only available in standard, gold, or platinum designs. However, there are now also a few black credit cards available.
These include the black American Express card, the black easybank credit card, and the black Commerzbank credit card. But what exactly is this credit card all about, and what does the color actually mean?
easybank Visa Credit card
former Barclays Visa
- Free credit card without annual fees
- Free payments worldwide – no foreign transaction fees
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free loan for up to 2 months
- Flexible repayment options
- Compatible with existing bank account
The black credit card with a black design
There are basically two types to choose from. On the one hand, a black credit card is a regular credit card that simply stands out thanks to its design.
Although this may give the credit card a particularly elegant look, in this case the color does not offer any advantages beyond the visual effect. This could be a black Mastercard or a black Visa card. With a regular credit card, it is not the design that is important, but the services behind it.
The black credit card as a luxury credit card
However, there is also the phenomenon of luxury credit cards. A “real” black credit card is usually only issued to a limited group of customers.
This is because credit cards are not normally available to people with average incomes, but only to those with a certain level of income. Among other things, they promise many exclusive benefits that are not accessible to everyone. Probably the best-known example of these luxury cards is the black American Express Centurion Card, which is only available by invitation.
What black credit cards are available?
In this section, we would like to take a closer look at the individual models. These can differ significantly from one another and are therefore suitable for different purposes. We have compared the most important providers:
Hanseatic Bank GenialCard
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free withdrawals abroad*
- Free payments worldwide**
- Repayment in small, flexible installments
easybank Visa
- Promotion: 50 Euro bonus
- Free credit card
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Free loan up to 2 months
easybank Platinum Double
- Promotion: 50 Euro starting credit
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Extensive insurance coverage
- Free Platinum partner cards
Deutschland Credit Card Classic
- Promotion: up to 30 Euro Bonus
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Repayment by direct debit in small rates or in full
- Recommended by Stiftung Warentest (04/2026)
N26 Metal
- 16,90 Euro per Month
- Exclusive metal Mastercard debit card
- Free cash withdrawals abroad
- Smartphone insurance up to 2.000 Euro
The Deutschland Kreditkarte Classic comes with no annual fee and, in addition to this advantage, naturally impresses with its black design. The card is issued by Hanseatic Bank. There ist also a premium version, the Deutschland Kreditkarte Gold, which may be of interest to anyone who needs insurance in addition to excellent services.
Deutschland Credit Card Classic
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free payments worldwide*
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide**
- Repayment by direct debit in small rates or in full
- Apple Pay and Google Pay compatible
- Recommended by Stiftung Warentest (04/2026)
Another free option is the easybank credit card, if you are interested in a product from easybank (formerly Barclays). This black Visa card allows free payments worldwide and is ideal for traveling.
easybank Visa Credit card
former Barclays Visa
- Free credit card without annual fees
- Free payments worldwide – no foreign transaction fees
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free loan for up to 2 months
- Flexible repayment options
- Compatible with existing bank account
Exclusive credit card – Amex Black Card
This category of black credit cards covers premium credit cards that are not accessible to everyone. By far the most sought-after black credit card is American Express’s “Black Card”: the Centurion Card. However, this card can only be obtained by invitation. Among other things, it offers numerous status benefits with many different partners and includes just about every important insurance policy. However, you can only get the Amex Centurion Card if you already have a certain amount of spending on your American Express Platinum Card.
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
You can find other types of credit cards in our credit card comparison. Here, you can also search according to your individual wishes and requirements and find the best credit card for you.
What are the advantages of a black credit card?
Owning a black credit card offers you special benefits that can be useful in everyday life and when traveling.
High credit card limit
One advantage is that you often benefit from higher credit card limits compared to conventional credit cards. These allow you to make much larger purchases and thus be financially flexible. This does not mean that black credit cards have no limits.
Extensive travel benefits
Black credit cards often offer generous travel benefits. These include comprehensive travel insurance such as international health insurance, travel cancellation insurance, and free payments abroad.
The card is also a credit card with lounge access and preferential treatment for hotel reservations. However, it is always important to check the relevant terms and conditions for the selected credit card.
Additional services
Holders of black credit cards are usually offered attractive additional services. These include an exclusive personal concierge service, preferential treatment in hotels and restaurants, and special offers. Depending on the credit card model, additional services often include a second partner card and other additional cards.
Status symbol
Finally, there is the status factor. Owners of black credit cards symbolize a certain financial and social status.
All advantages at a glance:
- Higher credit card limit
- Extensive travel benefits
- Additional services
- Status symbol
What are the disadvantages of a black credit card?
Anyone who wants to apply for a card like this should also be aware of the disadvantages and take them into account.
Strict eligibility requirements
Customers with a higher income are often selected to receive one of these credit cards. This excludes many consumers who may not meet the necessary eligibility requirements.
With the black American Express Centurion, the only way to obtain this product is to receive an invitation from American Express. A credit check is also usually a requirement for those who wish to apply for this credit card.
High interest rates
Interest rates may also be higher than for other cards. This can lead to significant costs if the cardholder does not pay off the outstanding amount in full.
This refers to interest rates such as those for the installment payment option, which are quite high with the easybank Platinum Double card.
High fees
Black credit cards tend to have higher annual fees than others. One reason for this is the additional services that these credit cards offer in return. This point will be explored in more detail later in the article.
All disadvantages at a glance:
- Strict qualification requirements
- High interest rates
- High fees
How do you get a black credit card?
The requirements for applying for a credit card and for conventional credit cards are similar across different providers. These basic requirements therefore also apply to a black credit card.
Requirements:
- Minimum age of 18
- Information about financial situation (employment, income, living situation, credit rating if applicable)
- Residence in Germany
However, the more exclusive credit card models are only available to a limited extent, as most require certain conditions to be met. Only certain customer groups meet these requirements. These include, among other things, a very high monthly income, which in most cases must have been maintained for several years.
Even then, some providers only allow you to apply for a luxury credit card if you are invited. This means that you cannot apply for such a card yourself. Therefore, this type of credit card stands for exclusivity and extravagance in this sense.
Why is a black credit card worthwhile?
Anyone interested in this type of credit card model may wonder what advantages it actually offers. As with all credit cards, whether prepaid, debit, charge, or revolving, not every model is suitable for the same purpose.
However, it should be emphasized that, as already mentioned, apart from their elegant design, they usually offer no other advantages over credit card models of other colors.
Although there are many free black credit cards that are particularly attractive due to their favorable terms and conditions, this usually has nothing to do with their visual design.
What types of black credit cards are there?
Anyone looking for the right credit card will quickly come across many different models. However, not all of them are suitable for everyone, as there are different types available. Those cards can also come in different types. These differ particularly in terms of usage and payment options.
- Prepaid credit card: You can get one of these without a credit check because it just works on a credit basis and doesn’t give you any credit. You need to load money onto it before you can use it.
- Charge credit card: Here, the bank pays the bills for you. After a while, the amount they paid is taken out of your account.
- Revolving credit card: Here, the bank issues a credit that must then be repaid. However, this does not have to be done in full at a specific time, but can also be debited in installments. However, the outstanding amount is subject to high interest rates.
- Debit card: These credit card models are linked to a checking account. Paid amounts are therefore debited directly from the account.
Based on these features, you can then choose a suitable credit card in this color in combination with your own financial needs. However, there are other aspects that are particularly important for finding the ideal card.
Haven’t found the right credit card yet? Then check out our reisetopia financial picks:
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How much does a black credit card cost?
As with any other credit card, you should make sure that certain requirements are met. In summary, this means that free models should not charge excessive fees elsewhere to compensate for the annual fee.
You should also make sure that the annual fee is waived permanently, if applicable. Some free credit cards are only free for a certain period of time.
If there is an annual fee, it should be reasonable and the credit card should offer corresponding benefits to make it worthwhile. In the case of premium credit cards, a high annual fee is only justified if corresponding services such as comprehensive insurance packages are offered.
Services such as cash withdrawals, deposits, and payments abroad in foreign currencies should not incur excessive fees. Those who travel frequently may be surprised by high additional costs.
If these aspects are particularly relevant to you, you should take a close look at the terms and conditions. One example of a model that is particularly worthwhile abroad is the easybank Platinum Double. With this model, you can make payments abroad free of charge and even withdraw money free of charge.
easybank Platinum Double
former Barclays Platinum Double
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free transactions worldwide
- Free platinum partner card
- Travel cancellation insurance
- Worldwide health insurance
- Rental car insurance
When is a black credit card worthwhile?
However, this is not the case with luxury credit cards, where the black color really does make a statement. With selected providers, the dark design stands for extra-class benefits that are only available to a limited number of customers.
As a result, the benefits are particularly exclusive and not particularly relevant for people with normal incomes. Among other things, there are various travel benefits, such as access to VIP lounges, chauffeur and limousine services, and many more.
In addition, such an exclusive credit card also provides you with access to personal assistance and a high level of security thanks to exclusive insurance packages.
A premium credit card also is beneficial at golf clubs, with some providers offering various discounts that cardholders can benefit from. In some cases, invitations to exclusive events are also included.
How do we gain experience with a black credit card?
Our team of around 40 employees has taken a close look at black credit cards to offer you comprehensive insights into their experiences. With many years of expertise in the field of credit card offers, we regularly conduct tests and update our information to present our experiences to you in a credit card comparison.
Our evaluation criteria are based on various factors, including the fees charged, the billing method, and the additional services offered by the bank. These criteria enable us to highlight clear advantages and disadvantages. We pay particular attention to the added value for customers to ensure that the recommended credit cards are optimally suited to individual needs. We conduct our evaluations several times a year to ensure that our information is always up to date.
Black credit card: Our conclusion
A black credit card is not just a luxury model that is very difficult to obtain. These exclusive credit cards promise top-class services, but also come with very high fees and strict requirements. However, there are other credit card models in Germany that also have a black design and promise favorable terms. In general, however, it is not just the color that matters when it comes to credit cards, but the services they offer.
Hanseatic Bank GenialCard
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free withdrawals abroad*
- Free payments worldwide**
- Repayment in small, flexible installments
easybank Visa
- Promotion: 50 Euro bonus
- Free credit card
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Free loan up to 2 months
easybank Platinum Double
- Promotion: 50 Euro starting credit
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Extensive insurance coverage
- Free Platinum partner cards
Deutschland Credit Card Classic
- Promotion: up to 30 Euro Bonus
- 0 Euro annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Repayment by direct debit in small rates or in full
- Recommended by Stiftung Warentest (04/2026)
N26 Metal
- 16,90 Euro per Month
- Exclusive metal Mastercard debit card
- Free cash withdrawals abroad
- Smartphone insurance up to 2.000 Euro
