Checking Account – ING

Opening a current account at ING

Opening an ING account is free and comes with a Visa Girocard card (0.99€ / month) and it can be done online by sending an application and it takes one week to get your ING checking account ready. There are a number of requirements and steps that your application goes through before your account is ready. With an individual or joint account, you can receive an overdraft facility of €500 after initiating a request, and any amount over €500 later.

ING Account opening requirements

The following are the necessary requirements for one to open a current account with ING;

• You live and work in Germany.
• Have a good credit score.
• You have attained the legal age.
• Have a regular monthly income.
• You are a freelancer and not a trader (for those who are self-employed).
• Must have the same primary residence (for a joint account).

Application Steps

You first have to fill out an online account application and submit it. The next step is to verify your identity in person in the post office using the PostIdent or online through a video call. ING will then send you an encrypted mail with necessary documents and important digits. Once you have received the encrypted email, you will receive access data for telebanking by post and the internet. An iTAN list will later be sent to you by post where you will find your Visa card and Girocard. Finally, your pin for the Girocard will be sent through the post, and at this point consider your account ready to use.

Mobile app

ING has a mobile app that is available both on iOS (Apple Pay) and Android platforms (Google Pay) secure and simple to use during transactions since your payment information is encrypted. Using the mobile app is free of charge and easy to set up both on Google and Apple Pay. The account is programmed to allow photo transfer, account balance alarm, block and manage cards.

With the app, you get a real-time push notification and just in case a third party misuses your access data, the bank compensates for your financial loss.

You are guaranteed safety since your payment information is encrypted.

The apple app allows you to pay with your touch ID while using your iPhone and/or Press a side button on your Apple watch when you hold your phone near the reader.

Features of ING checking account

Your ING VISA card (debit card) comes with the following convenience;

• VISA Girocard (0.99€ per month).
• Withdraw from as low as 50 Euros at 97% of ATMs in Germany
• Allows VISA card and contactless payment worldwide.
• Sync your VISA card and pay on the go with Apple Pay or Google Pay

Your ING Girocard (maestro debit card) comes with the following convenience;

• Costs €0.99 monthly
• Free withdrawal from as low as €50 at all ING ATMs.
• This card allows you to withdraw up to 200 Euros free of charge as long as you have a purchase value of 5 Euros from particular shops such as dm, Netto Marken-Discount, ALDI SÜD, REWE, PENNY Markt, and toom Baumarkt. 

How do you deposit your money?

Different banking institutions charge a fee to deposit money but this service is free at ING ATMs. You can use your Girocard to deposit up to 5000 Euros a day.

Prices and services of ING current account

Services

ING offers account management through internet banking and it has to undergo authentication via a banking app. Account-holders receive monthly statements by post and their platforms allow direct debits in euros.

They charge an amount fee for their services as scaled below;

• • FREE cash withdrawals from a minimum of 50 euros
  • FREE account management for account holders below the age of 28 and salaried accounts with a receipt of money of at least € 700/month.
  • FREE payment for goods and services on the internet and at the cash register with PIN for purchases up to 50 euros in Germany and countries with euro currency at VISA acceptance points.
  • Account management fee of € 4.90/month for salaried accounts with a receipt of money less than € 700/month.

Pros of Having a VISA card and Girocard from ING

• You can block your card if lost or stolen.
• You can order a replacement PIN for the cards by yourself
• It’s easy to unblock the card by yourself just in case you entered the wrong pin.

Cons of ING current account

• ING does not operate any cash registers for deposits or withdrawals. ING offers bank counter withdrawal as an alternative through ReiseBank at a fee of 0.25% of the amount withdrawn. But of course you can just withdraw cash at a normal ATM in Germany for free.