Hello, fellow investor! In this review, we’ll delve into N26 Invest, a fast-growing investment app integrated within the N26 digital bank, to help you decide if it aligns with your investment goals!
We recommend N26 Invest for beginners looking for a straightforward, low-cost way to invest in stocks, ETFs, and cryptos, particularly if you’re already a customer of N26 and enjoy seamless integration with their banking services.
However, the range of available investment options is limited compared to dedicated investment platforms, and there are a few trade-offs to be aware of.
Let’s dive into the details and see if N26 Invest is the right fit for your investment journey!
Overview
Founded in 2013, N26 is a fully licensed digital bank headquartered in Germany, built around a mobile-first approach. It serves around 5 million revenue-relevant customers (roughly 10 million registered accounts) across 24 European markets, and posted its first quarterly profit in Q3 2024.
N26 Invest allows users to invest in stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies directly within the banking app.
In October 2024, N26 expanded stocks and ETFs trading to 12 new markets: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Users can now manage investments alongside everyday banking in a single app.
N26 Invest gives access to over 5,000 stocks and ETFs, with fractional shares from €1 and no trading commission. Automated savings plans are available at no extra cost, making regular monthly investing straightforward. Cryptocurrency trading is also offered, covering major coins including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
As a fully licensed bank, N26 protects cash deposits up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Protection Scheme.
An important distinction on that last point: the €100,000 covers cash held in your N26 bank account. Investments held through N26 Invest fall under separate arrangements – securities are held in custody and remain your property, while crypto carries no compensation protection at all. Worth understanding, since the banking licence is often assumed to cover everything in the app.
Highlights
| 🗺️ Supported countries | 24 European markets |
| 💰 Stocks and ETF fees | No commission |
| 💰 Cryptocurrency fees | 1.5% for Bitcoin, 2.5% for other coins (lower on Metal) |
| 💰 Inactivity fee | €0 |
| 💰 Withdrawal fee | €0 |
| 💵 Minimum deposit | €0 via SEPA transfer; €20 minimum via card or Apple/Google Pay |
| 📍 Products offered | Stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, with fractional shares available |
| 🎮 Demo account | No |
| 📜 Regulatory entity | BaFin and Deutsche Bundesbank |
Pros and cons
Pros
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Easy-to-use and intuitive interface
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Fully integrated with the N26 banking app
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Fractional shares of European and US stocks
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Free, unlimited stock and ETF trades for all customers (across all subscription tiers)
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Ability to set up recurring investment plans
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Integrated cryptocurrency trading directly in the app
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Interest on uninvested cash balances
- Has a banking license, meaning that deposits are insured up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Protection Scheme
Cons
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Limited product range (No option for investing in commodities, derivatives, bonds, options, or other assets)
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Lack of advanced features for seasoned investors
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No desktop trading platform, only mobile
- Limited access to research tools and market analytics
Fees
N26’s pricing splits into trading fees and non-trading fees, and varies by subscription plan. Four plans are available:
- N26 Standard: the free account covering everyday banking;
- N26 Smart: adds features including dedicated sub-accounts;
- N26 Go (formerly N26 You): premium features aimed at travellers and frequent users;
- N26 Metal: the top tier, with the most favourable crypto pricing.
Trading fees
| Product | N26 Standard | N26 Smart | N26 Go | N26 Metal |
| Stocks | No commission | No commission | No commission | No commission |
| ETFs | No commission | No commission | No commission | No commission |
| Crypto | 1.5% BTC 2.5% other coins |
1.5% BTC 2.5% other coins |
1.5% BTC 2.5% other coins |
1.0% BTC 2.0% other coins |
Worth putting the crypto pricing in context: at 1.5% to 2.5% per trade, a round trip costs 3% to 5%, which is expensive against dedicated exchanges typically charging well under 1%. The convenience of trading within your banking app comes at a real cost if you trade crypto with any frequency.
To illustrate how the fees work in practice, we bought fractional shares of NVIDIA.
In the example below, we are buying €10 of NVIDIA fractional shares, with no incurred fee:
When you tap on the “Trading fee” tooltip, you will see more details concerning cost:
Non-trading fees
N26 Invest is transparent on pricing, with no hidden charges. That said, deposit and withdrawal fees vary by country and subscription plan, so check what applies to you.
The table below summarises the non-trading fees:
| Type of fee | N26 Standard | N26 Smart | N26 Go | N26 Metal |
| Subscription | €0.00/month | €4.90/month | €9.90/month | €16.90/month |
| Inactivity | €0.00 | €0.00 | €0.00 | €0.00 |
| Custody | €0.00 | €0.00 | €0.00 | €0.00 |
| Bank transfer | €0.00 | €0.00 | €0.00 | €0.00 |
| Debit or credit card | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Apple or Google Pay | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| ATM withdrawals | Variable | Variable | Variable | Variable |
The 3% card deposit fee deserves attention. On a €500 deposit that is €15 before you have bought anything – which entirely undoes the benefit of commission-free trading. SEPA transfers are free, so funding that way is almost always the better route.
Note also that subscription costs should be weighed against what you actually use. Paying €16.90 monthly for Metal to get better crypto pricing only makes sense at meaningful trading volumes – €203 a year buys a lot of the 0.5% saving on Bitcoin trades.
Products and markets
N26 Invest offers a deliberately focused range: stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies.
Users get access to over 5,000 stocks and ETFs (roughly 1,400 stocks and 1,500 ETFs depending on the market, plus ETCs), with fractional shares from €1 and no trading commission. On the crypto side, N26 supports close to 400 coins including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
N26 also offers three ready-made funds matched to different risk profiles – conservative, balanced, and dynamic. These are actively managed portfolios for users wanting diversified exposure without selecting individual holdings. Note that unlike stock and ETF trading, these funds carry management fees, so check the ongoing charge before assuming the commission-free pricing applies here.
The platform does not support bonds, forex, CFDs, options, or futures. ETCs (exchange-traded commodities covering gold, silver, and platinum) are available in selected markets, offering limited indirect commodity exposure.
That narrow range is a genuine design choice rather than an oversight. For someone building a straightforward long-term portfolio around index ETFs, everything necessary is there. For anyone wanting bonds, options, or access beyond the listed markets, it will feel constraining quickly.
If you need broader product coverage, our BrokerMatch tool can point you toward platforms suited to more experienced investors.
| Products | Availability |
| Stocks | ✔ |
| ETFs | ✔ |
| Cryptocurrencies | ✔ |
| Bonds | ✘ |
| Forex | ✘ |
| CFDs | ✘ |
| Options | ✘ |
| Futures | ✘ |
Furthermore, N26 also offers interest on uninvested cash (savings account), and as a fully licensed bank, your deposits should be protected up to 100k€ – more details below.
Stocks and ETFs
Users can easily explore and invest in a broad selection of stocks and ETFs directly through the N26 app under the “Investments” tab.
This feature offers access to global stocks, including US stocks and ETFs tracking well-known indices. With fractional shares available starting from just €1, investing becomes accessible to all users, regardless of their budget.
Cryptocurrencies
N26 Invest also provides access to cryptocurrencies, enabling users to trade a diverse range of digital assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many others.
This feature is seamlessly integrated into the banking app under the “Finances” tab, offering a convenient way for users to explore crypto trading without needing an additional platform.
N26 Investment plans
N26 also offers Investment plans, which allow users to set up recurring investments in stocks or ETFs at no extra cost.
This feature enables users to build wealth over time through automated monthly contributions, making it simple for even novice investors to benefit from dollar-cost averaging.
How to create an investment plan on the N26 App?
1. Access investment plans:
- Open the N26 app and navigate to the “Investments” tab.
- Tap on “Start a healthy habit” to begin setting up a recurring investment plan.
- For illustrative purposes, we selected the VWCE ETF, although you can opt for stocks or other ETFs of your choice.
2. Configure and activate the plan:
- Set the investment amount (e.g., €300) and the frequency (e.g., monthly).
- Review the plan details, including fees (€0 – Free) and the start date.
- Tap “Confirm” to activate your plan. You can manage your plan anytime – track, pause, or cancel it through the “Investment plans” section.
N26 Interest on uninvested cash
For users who prefer to keep funds in their accounts, N26 provides the opportunity to earn interest on uninvested cash through its Instant Savings feature.
The earned interest is paid in euros (€) and is protected up to €100,000 by the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme. Similar to the fees section, the interest rates may vary depending on your plan and location.
Since we’re based in Portugal, the current interest rate offered on uninvested cash for the N26 Standard plan is 0.25%. Note that N26 Metal new customers receive an interest rate lower than the ECB deposit facility rate (currently 2.25% as of August 2026), while existing customers and lower tiers receive flat rates depending on their plan and country. Rates are subject to change at any time.
To learn more about the interest rates available in your country and the specific N26 plan you choose, please visit the N26 website.
You can also find other alternatives of brokers and digital banks offering high interest in our cash interest tool.
Safety and regulation
As a fully licensed digital bank, N26 is regulated by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank, which places it under the same supervisory framework as established German banks.
Protection differs by asset type, and the distinction matters:
- Cash deposits: covered up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Protection Scheme;
- Stocks and ETFs: covered by the German Investor Compensation Scheme for 90% of losses up to €20,000. Note that securities are held in custody and remain your property – compensation applies only if segregated assets cannot be returned, which is a narrower scenario than a bank failure;
- Cryptocurrencies: no compensation coverage at all.
For crypto specifically, N26 partners with Bitpanda Asset Management GmbH, BaFin-licensed and using custodial cold storage. Since 30 December 2024, EU crypto services fall under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), setting harmonised requirements on governance, custody, and consumer protection. MiCA is a meaningful improvement on the previous position, but it does not extend deposit guarantees or investor compensation to crypto holdings.
Overall, N26 is a relatively young institution with a shorter track record than incumbent banks, but it holds a full banking licence under top-tier supervision – a stronger position than most fintech investment apps, which typically operate as investment firms rather than banks.
Trading platform
While N26 accounts are accessible via web and mobile, N26 Invest is available only on mobile. It is fully integrated into the banking app, making it straightforward to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and crypto in a few taps alongside your everyday banking.
The mobile-only limitation is worth weighing. There is no desktop interface for reviewing holdings on a larger screen, no advanced charting, and no order types beyond the basics. For a long-term investor making periodic contributions that is rarely a problem; for anyone wanting to analyse positions in depth, it is a real constraint.
The simplicity of the mobile app makes it an ideal choice for beginner investors.
However, one drawback is the lack of a desktop version, which limits access to the mobile platform.
Additionally, more experienced traders might find the platform lacking in advanced tools and analytics, which could make it less appealing to those seeking in-depth research features or more sophisticated trading options.
Account opening
Opening an N26 account is simple and can be done entirely online in just a few minutes. Just follow these steps:
1. Start your application: Go to the N26 website, choose your country of residence, and then click on “Open free bank account” to proceed.
2. Verify and set up: Confirm your email, download the N26 app, and go through the identity verification process. You’ll need to provide some personal and tax information along the way.
3. Create a password and enter a promo code: Set a secure password for your account, and to receive a €30 bonus, simply enter the promo code “nunodanm36988c” and redeem it.
4. Start investing: After verifying everything, your account will be active, and you’re ready to start investing in N26!
Customer support
N26 provides several ways for you to get in touch with customer support, ensuring help is always within reach. The easiest and most effective way is to open a secure chat directly through the N26 app while logged in. This allows N26 to verify your identity and provide the most accurate support.
You can reach support daily from 07:00 to 23:00 CET, including Sundays and holidays. If you’re an N26 Premium subscriber (Smart, You, or Metal), you also have the option to call the support hotline, as long as you’re calling from the phone number linked to your account.
If you don’t yet have an account and have general questions, you can open a visitor chat or send an email. If you ever lose access to your account or can’t log in, simply open a visitor chat, and the N26 team will help you out.
Countries available
N26 Invest is available across most of N26’s European markets, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and others.
N26 Crypto has a narrower footprint, currently available to eligible customers in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and several other markets. Coverage has expanded over time, so check N26’s site for the current position in your country.
Bottom line
N26 Invest offers a straightforward route into investing for anyone who already banks with N26 or wants everything in one app. Commission-free stock and ETF trading, fractional shares from €1, free automated savings plans, and a full banking licence make a reasonable combination for someone starting out.
Three things to weigh before deciding:
- Fund by SEPA transfer, not card. The 3% card deposit fee undoes the benefit of commission-free trading entirely – €15 on a €500 deposit before you buy anything;
- Crypto pricing is expensive. At 1.5% to 2.5% per trade, a round trip costs 3% to 5%, well above dedicated exchanges;
- The product range is narrow and mobile-only. Fine for a simple ETF portfolio, limiting if you want bonds, options, or desktop access.
Set against dedicated brokers, N26 Invest trades breadth for convenience. If you value having banking and investing in one place and intend to build a simple long-term portfolio, that trade-off works well. If you want a wider instrument range or lower crypto costs, a specialist platform will serve you better.
Looking for alternatives? Try our investment platform comparison tool and BrokerMatch.
We hope this review helps you decide whether N26 Invest fits your goals. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us.
