The Trade Republic Card is one of the most interesting debit cards on the German market. In our detailed card analysis, we show you what makes this card stand out and whether it is worth it!
Trade Republic Card
- Free credit card – permanently without annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide starting at 100 Euro
- 1 percent saveback – on card spending
Trade Republic has been on the market with a securities account for several years now and is also causing a stir with its attractive Trade Republic instant access savings account. Another achievement followed in 2024, when the Trade Republic Card, a checking account, and a child savings account were introduced. The reflective Mirror Card has caused quite a stir. But what do these and the other models offer, and are they worth applying for?
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- What are the advantages of the Trade Republic Card?
- What are the disadvantages of the Trade Republic Card?
- What types of Trade Republic credit cards are available?
- Is Trade Republic reputable?
- What is our experience with the Trade Republic Card?
- How do you apply for the Trade Republic credit card?
- Who would benefit from the Trade Republic Card?
- What alternatives are there to the Trade Republic Card?
- Our conclusion on the Trade Republic Card
What are the advantages of the Trade Republic Card?
The Trade Republic Card offers a number of unique features that make it a particularly recommendable product. In addition, there are some advantages that also exist with other products, but are still worth mentioning.
All the benefits of the Trade Republic Card at a glance:
💳 Free card
🔗 Metal card available (for a fee)
💰No withdrawal fee for a minimum amount of 100 euros
🌍 Card with no foreign currency fee (ideal for travelling)
💵 Cashback credit card
📊 Set daily or monthly limits
Is the Trade Republic Card free of charge?
In Germany in particular, many customers are looking for a free credit card and conveniently find what they are looking for at Trade Republic. The digital card can be applied for by both new and existing customers at no additional cost. The card does not incur any monthly or annual fees.
However, it should be noted that an issuance fee applies depending on the model. The digital card is free of charge, but the standard physical version costs an issuance fee of 5 euros. The metal credit card even incurs an issuance fee of 50 euros. Although this fee is only payable once, it is rather unusual – with other free credit cards, the issuance of the credit card is also free of charge.
💡 Please note: The issuance fee for the Trade Republic Card must be paid again if the card has to be replaced due to loss. The fee is also payable again when the card expires and needs to be renewed.
Is the Trade Republic Card really made of metal?
Another frequently highlighted advantage of the Trade Republic credit card is that one model (the Mirror Card) is made of metal and looks particularly stylish thanks to its reflective design. But is this just a marketing gimmick, or is the card really made of a material comparable to that used for premium credit cards such as the American Express® Platinum Card?
In fact, it depends a little, because the card, which is free when issued, is a purely digital card that can only be used with Google Pay or Apple Pay. On the other hand, if you want the stylish Trade Republic metal card, you have to pay a one-time fee of 50 euros for it to be issued.
Are withdrawals with the Trade Republic Card free of charge?
Basically, there is no withdrawal fee for the Trade Republic Card, but there is a minimum amount of 100 euros.
In concrete terms, this means that you can withdraw cash free of charge with the Trade Republic Card, whether in Germany or abroad. There is no upper limit or limit on the number of withdrawals, which is a very positive feature. However, if you frequently withdraw small amounts, you should be aware of the card’s catch: there is a withdrawal fee of one euro for withdrawals under 100 euros.
💡 Please note: Free withdrawals with the Trade Republic Card are only available with the Classic card and the Mirror card. Unfortunately, there are no free withdrawals with the free digital card.
Is it really free to pay with the card worldwide?
Another special advantage of the Trade Republic Card is that there are no foreign currency fees. This means that this model is also a perfect travel credit card. Whether you pay in US dollars, Swiss francs, or Thai baht, there are no fees when using Trade Republic.
Does the Trade Republic Card actually offer cashback?
The card from Trade Republic is a credit card with cashback. Thanks to our expertise with these credit cards, we took a particularly close look at the 1 percent cashback offered by the card. However, the so-called “saveback” needs to be explained, as it is not a classic cashback that is credited directly to your account.
Instead, you first have to open a stock or ETF savings plan with Trade Republic, with a minimum monthly contribution of 50 euros (different savings plans with this cumulative sum are also possible). Only then can you activate the so-called Saveback, which invests 1 percent of each payment into this savings plan.
There is also a maximum Saveback of 15 euros per month, which corresponds to a monthly card usage of 1,500 euros. The Trade Republic Saveback is accumulated for one month and then invested in the selected savings plan on the second day of the following month.
💡 Please note: Saveback is credited to all regular transactions made with the Trade Republic Card. There is no Saveback on transfers (e.g., to other PayPal accounts), cash withdrawals, investments, or deposits. Gambling and cash-like transactions are also excluded.
Is the change function with the Trade Republic Card an advantage?
Another potential advantage of the Trade Republic Card is the so-called change function (also known as Trade Republic Round up). Basically, this means that you can “round up” every payment and invest the difference in a savings plan (stocks or ETFs). It is also possible to use a multiplier (1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x).
Specifically, the Trade Republic Round up function works as follows for an example payment of 7.80 euros (20 cents difference to the next full euro):
- Investment with 1x multiplier: 20 cents
- Investment with 2x multiplier: 40 cents
- Investment with 3x multiplier: 60 cents
- Investment with 5x multiplier: 1 euro
- Investment with 10x multiplier: 2 euros
When rounding up, you can also choose which stock or ETF savings plan to invest in. Unlike Saveback, however, there is no minimum amount or simultaneous savings plan of at least 50 euros.
💡 Please note: Rounding up or change at Trade Republic is an innovative feature – but please note that you always pay the difference and therefore do not receive any money from Trade Republic as a gift.
Is the card really available without a credit check?
Another advantage of the Trade Republic Card is that you can apply for it without a credit check. This is because it is a debit card.
Specifically, this means that regardless of your SCHUFA score, you can open a Trade Republic securities account and then apply for the card there. If you are already an existing customer, you don’t even need to go through a video identification process, so applying for the Trade Republic credit card only takes a few seconds.
Do you also earn interest with the Trade Republic Card?
Some sources claim that the Trade Republic Card also earns interest. While this is partly true, it is not directly related to the debit card. Rather, Trade Republic credits an attractive interest rate to any balance in the clearing account (also known as Trade Republic call money). We are familiar with a similar feature from the Revolut checking account.
This is important in relation to the Trade Republic Card in that you can only use the card with existing credit. This credit in the clearing account then earns a correspondingly high interest rate, which makes the product even more attractive! As things stand, Trade Republic currently always offers the ECB deposit rate, making the offer one of the best in the instant access savings account comparison.
Can I set a daily or monthly limit for my Trade Republic Card?
With the Trade Republic Card, you can set certain limits via the Trade Republic app to protect yourself from high expenses in the event of loss or theft. If these limits are exceeded, transactions will be automatically declined. You can adjust and update the limits as needed.
Trade Republic Card
- Free credit card – permanently without annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide starting at 100 Euro
- 1 percent saveback – on card spending
What are the disadvantages of the Trade Republic Card?
Although the Trade Republic Card is generally very well received, it is important to be aware of its disadvantages.
Does the Trade Republic Card have any weaknesses?
In fact, there are a few disadvantages to the digital debit card that you should be aware of. For one thing, withdrawals with this card are not free, which negates one of the key advantages of the product.
In addition, you cannot pay everywhere without a physical card. The Trade Republic Card only works if a merchant also accepts digital payments.
As the only credit card in your wallet, the purely digital version of the Trade Republic Card is not really recommended.
Wouldn’t a credit card be better?
Another problem is that there is no real Trade Republic credit card and this is related to the problem of the acceptance of the debit card. For example, the Trade Republic Card can only be used to provide limited guarantees, such as for checking into a hotel or renting a car. In addition, you have no additional credit line and therefore no additional liquidity.
Is there an obligation to invest in stocks with Trade Republic?
Another negative aspect is that the Trade Republic Card cannot be opened independently of a securities account. Those who have no interest in investing in stocks and are also wary of ETFs will certainly be less happy with the card.
So if you want to make full use of the card, you basically have to invest in ETFs or stocks at the same time. This can be seen as a positive or negative, but it certainly means that the card is not suitable for every target group.
How long do you have to wait for the card?
Initially, the card was only available via a waiting list. However, this now seems to be a thing of the past. Anyone who applies for the Trade Republic Card now receives it immediately. Since applying for the combination of a securities account and card is also quick, it can now be done in just a few minutes.
What types of Trade Republic credit cards are available?
The Trade Republic Card is currently available in three different versions. You can apply for the following types of Trade Republic Card:
| 📆 Annual fee | ↪️ Issuance fee | |
|---|---|---|
| 💳 Virtual Trade Republic Card | 0 euros | 0 euros |
| 💳 Trade Republic Classic Card | 0 euros | 5 euros |
| 💳 Trade Republic Mirror Card | 0 euros | 50 euros |
You can already see that the annual fee is 0 euro in all cases.
The plastic card (Trade Republic Classic Card) costs 5 euros to issue, while the metal card, known as the Mirror Card, costs 50 euros, which is still relatively inexpensive compared to other metal credit cards.
Otherwise, there is little difference between the services offered by the various Trade Republic Card models. The only difference is in cash withdrawals. These are not possible with the virtual card, but they are with the two physical cards.
Is Trade Republic reputable?
Trade Republic is a German company based in Berlin-Pankow, founded in 2015 and now employing several thousand people. Initially launched as a smartphone-only bank, Trade Republic has also been offering traditional online banking since 2021. The initial focus was not on products such as credit cards, but exclusively on trading.
As the name of the bank suggests, its primary aim is to encourage people to try their hand at securities and crypto trading.
This has changed over the years, as Trade Republic has invested not only in increasing its workforce but also, and in particular, in its product portfolio thanks to several successful rounds of financing.
What is our experience with the Trade Republic Card?
Of course, we, as the reisetopia financial experts, have tested the card extensively and can report first-hand on our experiences with the Trade Republic Card – and our conclusion is positive. This is mainly because applying for the card is extremely quick. Even as a new customer, the identification process is very quick. As an existing customer, applying for the card takes only a few seconds.
Using the card is also extremely easy. You can set up the card and the Saveback with the appropriate savings plan very easily in online banking or even more easily in the smartphone app. Here you can also change the settings at any time, for example, with regard to rounding up payments.
Payments with the card work smoothly in retail stores and online. However, it should be noted that the digital card can only be used to make payments at online retailers that accept Apple Pay. Otherwise, you can only pay online if you use either the Trade Republic Classic card or the Trade Republic Mirror card.
Once you have set up Saveback and Round Up, which takes a few minutes to select a savings plan, the credits are processed without any problems. The credits are displayed transparently and invested automatically, allowing you to build up your own assets without any effort on your part.
Due to our positive experience with the product and the absence of any problems, we have not had any contact with customer service to date. However, according to the review platform Trustpilot, other customers’ experiences are acceptable, which is a comparatively positive conclusion when compared to other banks. Recently, however, there has been increased criticism of Trade Republic’s customer service, particularly with regard to response times and response quality.
Across all products, we at reisetopia have also had positive experiences with Trade Republic. In particular, the simple trading via the app is highly recommended, especially since the conditions are also very attractive. The credit for investments also works excellently.
In order to find the best financial products for you, we have been conducting independent and comprehensive comparisons for years. To do this, we test offers according to fixed criteria such as fees, services, and customer service, and compare the results transparently. This way, you can be sure to make a well-informed decision.
Have our reisetopia financial tips helped you? Then please rate us on Trustpilot!
How do you apply for the Trade Republic credit card?
Applying for the Trade Republic Card is quick and easy. As a new customer, simply follow the link in this article and then complete the following steps:
- Download the Trade Republic smartphone app
- Enter your details to register for the Trade Republic securities account (Trade Republic requires comparatively little information compared to other banks)
- Complete the registration and carry out the identification process (the video identification process is particularly quick)
- Get an idea of the various functions of the Trade Republic app and also test the online banking
- Wait a bit for an email notification that you can finally have the card issued
- After confirmation, go to the app and you can apply for the card in a few seconds.
Finally, you should bear in mind that the card can only be used if there is credit in your Trade Republic account. You can top up your account either by bank transfer or with other credit cards, and ideally this takes just a few seconds. This means that, in the best case scenario, you can use the card just a few seconds after opening your account.
Linking to Apple Pay or Google Pay and setting up the Saveback and Roundup options also takes just a few seconds and a few clicks.
Trade Republic Card
- Free credit card – permanently without annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide starting at 100 Euro
- 1 percent saveback – on card spending
Who would benefit from the Trade Republic Card?
The Trade Republic Card is certainly attractive to a broad target group. However, it should be noted that the offer is aimed more at young people. There are no bank advisors and no traditional branch bank services. If you have any questions, you will have to make do with the telephone service of a call center and an email account.
Furthermore, the use of the app and online banking is also tailored to young people. Those who are less confident with technology will encounter problems when setting up and potentially also using the various additional functions.
However, the card is attractive for anyone who wants to receive attractive cashback with their credit card, which is otherwise only offered at this level by American Express credit cards. In combination with a long-term free credit card, this is almost unheard of in Germany, which is what makes the Trade Republic Card so attractive.
Trade Republic is ideal for those who want to combine a credit card with wealth accumulation and also benefit from high interest rates and easy trading with savings plans. The combination with Saveback in particular makes the card extremely worthwhile in this regard.
The card is also worthwhile for travel, as the elimination of foreign currency fees and free withdrawals starting at 100 euros make the card a very attractive option abroad. Especially when you consider that you also benefit from Saveback for payments in other currencies without fees, the product is highly attractive.
What alternatives are there to the Trade Republic Card?
Due to its connection to a securities account and various detailed conditions, the Trade Republic Card is certainly not for everyone, which is why we have also taken a look at other attractive options that can be applied for!
Among the free credit cards, there are a wide variety of models from a wide range of banks. Our favorites among the free credit cards include the following three cards in particular:
Hanseatic Bank GenialCard
The Hanseatic Bank GenialCard is an excellent choice for anyone who values financial freedom and fair terms and conditions. With no annual fee, free payments worldwide, and free cash withdrawals abroad, it clearly stands out from other credit cards.
Thanks to its ease of use and flexible repayment options, it is a reliable companion not only when traveling, but also in everyday life. For us, the Hanseatic Bank GenialCard is the number one recommendation for anyone who values convenience and transparency.
Hanseatic Bank GenialCard
- 0 euro annual fee
- Free payments worldwide*
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide**
- Repayment in small and flexible installments
TF Bank Mastercard Gold
Among the free Mastercards, TF Bank’s gold credit card is also one of our top recommendations. This free credit card is a reliable companion when traveling, as there are no foreign currency fees, meaning payments can be made worldwide free of charge.
The included travel insurance rounds off the package and makes the TF Bank Mastercard Gold a highly recommended travel credit card. Anyone who needs additional liquidity will find the TF Bank credit card an attractive option, as the TF Bank Mastercard Gold offers an interest-free payment period of 51 days, which means that cardholders receive free credit for this period.
TF Bank Mastercard Gold
- Free credit card
- Payments worldwide without any fees
- Travel cancellation insurance included
- Foreign health insurance included
Barclays Visa
The Barclays Visa is also a promising choice among free credit cards. It offers fee-free cash withdrawals and payments worldwide, making it an indispensable companion when traveling.
In addition, it offers an interest-free credit limit of up to two months, providing financial flexibility at no extra cost. With these advantages, the Barclays Visa is the perfect choice for anyone who values reliability and cost efficiency.
Barclays Visa Credit card
- Free credit card
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide
- Free payments worldwide
- Free loan up to 2 months
Our conclusion on the Trade Republic Card
In summary, the hype surrounding the Trade Republic credit card is certainly understandable. The product is not suitable for everyone and differs from other free credit cards in many ways. However, those who use the card wisely and can benefit from Saveback can look forward to a highly attractive debit card. However, we recommend that interested parties also consider using a real credit card!
Trade Republic Card
- Free credit card – permanently without annual fee
- Free payments worldwide
- Free cash withdrawals worldwide starting at 100 Euro
- 1 percent saveback – on card spending
Disclaimer: Investments involve risks. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
