Cash withdrawal: 2,010,000 activated ATMs
In order to not bear unnecessary fees when withdrawing cash as a Comdirect customer, it is important to note an important principle:
- withdraw cash within Germany ⇒ Girocard
- withdraw cash abroad ⇒ Visa credit card
Withdrawing cash abroad is always free of charge!
Also the exchange in a foreign currency through ATMs is free of charge!
The cash withdrawal abroad is easy to explain: Cash withdrawals at any ATM with the Visa sign (about 2 million worldwide) – no matter what country and what bank it belongs to – is free of charge.
As often as you want. There is no limit! Even if you live abroad for some time (academic year, work and travel, etc.).
There are regions, where ATMs add the withdrawal fee directly to the withdrawal amount. In my experience, this applies to the USA, Thailand, Canada and Mexico. The Comdirect bank is one of only two German banks that refunds these foreign fees. You can find out how to do this on the following page ⇒ Instructions for the refund of charges (German article).
Note: Outside Germany, any cash withdrawal with the Visa credit card is free of charge!
Cash: 10,000 free possibilities within Germany
Within Germany, you have the agony of choice as a Comdirect customers of how to get cash. These are:
- all ATMs of the Cash Group
- at most Shell petrol stations
- all Penny and Rewe supermarkets
Please only use the Comdirect Girocard for cash withdrawals within Germany. When using the Visa credit card, unnecessary fees would incur.
More than 10,000 possibilities to withdraw cash free of charge in Germany!
Cash Group (ATMs of other cooperating banks)
Since 1998, the major German private banks have formed a network of ATMs. This is called Cash Group. Comdirect, being a subsidiary to 80-percent of the Commerzbank, is one of them.
Likewise, the Deutsche Bank with their investments Postbank and Berliner Bank as well as UniCredit with its Germany-brand “HypoVereinsbank”, are part of the network.
Withdrawals at ATMs with this sign are free of charge too.
As a Comdirect customer, you can withdraw cash with the Girocard at all ATMS with the Cash Group sign free of charge. There are several thousand of them distributed throughout Germany.
One may note as a rule of thumb:
Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank and Postbank.
Alternatives to ATMs
As ATMs are usually located on or in the branch offices of the banks and they are mainly situated in medium to large cities, it was quite hard for some direct banking customers to get cash free of charge.
This is not a problem anymore for Comdirect customers, because the bank has entered into collaborations with a petrol station chain and with two supermarket chains so far, in order to ensure a wide-ranging possibility of free cash supply.
As I myself live on the countryside and have to drive at least 15 minutes to the nearest ATM of the Cash-Group, I appreciate these alternatives. In the neighbouring village, there is one of about 1,300 German Shell petrol stations and also a Penny supermarket.
Withdrawing cash at a Shell petrol station
At the Shell petrol stations, there are no ATMs. To get the cash, you simply enter the petrol station checkout and show your Comdirect Girocard and ask for a cash withdrawal.
Without a minimum amount or minimum purchase, you can withdraw cash free of charge up to Euros 200 at once. For this, your bank card is inserted into a separate card terminal and you will be prompted to enter your personal identification number (PIN).
Consequently, you receive the money directly from the cash desk of the petrol station.
In this photo, I have inserted the excerpt of the financial report (quarterly bank statement in PDF-format), as the transactions are only saved up to 180 days in the online banking system. This withdrawal test was made some months ago.
Cash through Penny and Rewe supermarkets
Receipt to the test.
In order to get paid cash, the supermarkets established a minimum purchase of Euros 20, because the cash withdrawals will be charged with the receipt together with the same debit from the account.
Euros 20 minimum purchase
For this article, I bought groceries in the amount of Euros 25.48 and told the staff member at the checkout that I wanted to withdraw another Euros 50 from the account.
This is separately stated on the receipt. You will only see the total amount in the debiting of the account, but without withdrawal fees!
There is only one entry of the total amount.
For the eager beavers of interest: the value date of the debit took place on the following banking day. Using this information right (purchases on Friday and Saturday) should be interest-friendly for people, who are currently in the red!
Summary
As a customer of the Internet bank Comdirect, one does not need to pay any fees for cash withdrawals. One even has virtually a free ATM-choice. Within Germany, one has more than 10,000 possibilities to get the money free of charge.
Of course, your Comdirect cards also work at the ATMs of the Sparkasse (savings bank) and the Volksbank, but charges will apply. Being a clever and cost-conscious bank customer, you should avoid this option.
For the sake of completeness: At the DKB, all ATMs within Germany are free of charge. However, one is no customer of the Comdirect. Unless you have both accounts!
More detail pages regarding the Comdirect Bank:
- Cash deposit at Comdirect
- Immediate overdraft facility for the free current account
- Opening the Comdirect Tagesgeld-PLUS (saving account)
