Apple Pay support came to Sparkasse's Giro card in Germany today. First spotted by iphone-ticker.de, the debit card, known as the "Sparkassen-Card," can now be stored in Apple's digital Wallet app, just like the bank's credit cards. This means that savings account customers can use the "most popular card in Germany" with Apple Pay.
Für Birnen und für Eier. Und zwar für alle. Sparkasse mit Apple Pay – jetzt als Erste auch mit girocard (Debitkarte). https://t.co/6BkyUn4QCY #EiwieEinfach #ganznormal #applepay #Applepayfüralle pic.twitter.com/52JUB1R7E8 — Sparkasse (@sparkasse) August 25, 2020
Apple Pay support for a straightforward bank debit card is a first for Germany. The Sparkassen-Karte Basis debit card is has been compatible with Apple Pay since December 2019, but users have to load a balance from their bank account onto that card before they can use it to pay bills or go shopping. With the Sparkasse giro card, users can simply pay for things and the money is taken directly from their bank account.
Apple Pay made its long-awaited debut in Germany back in December 2018 with multiple partners immediately jumping on board, but support from Sparkasse and Commerzebank was conspicuously absent on rollout day. It wasn't until December 2019 that Apple Pay users could add their Visa and Mastercard credit cards to the Wallet app.
Apple Pay first launched in the United States in October 2014. Apple's mobile payment system allows users to make contactless payments for goods and services in retail stores using their iPhone or Apple Watch. You can view the full list of Apple Pay countries and regions on Apple's website.
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The Sparkasse is a cooperative bank - to be more explicit - it's a "Körperschaft Öffentlichen Rechts".lets see:
[LIST=1]
* Annual (or monthly) account fees (stupid)
* Transaction fees for contactless payments
* It costs like 5 bucks to withdraw money from a Sparkassen ATM with a Sparkassen CREDIT CARD while you can use any other direct bank credit card free of charge
* With some Sparkassen you have to pay for each additional "Banküberweisung" (money transfer) even though you already pay that damn fee mentioned in #1
* Horrible App
* You cannot deposit money to different Sparkassen because for some reason they are not all connected so what I basically had to do was ask my money to put money on my bank account and then hand her the money in cash next time I saw her since I no longer lived in the city my Sparkassen Account was made with
* There is probably more I cannot think of right now and it might depend on each "Sparkasse" individually. Which already points out another problem. Each Sparkasse doing its own thing over all
That means:
- they were not allowed to make any profit
- they are also not allowed to make money at several financial markets
- they have a social responsibility and support many local projects
- they have collective wage agreements for their employees
That's all for the good of our entire society.
I'm happy to pay some small fees, for not being a part of an anti social system.
Ask yourself, how other banks pay their bills, if they don't call for fees.
what do you mean with "all their fees"? I pay 2€ for my account management fees and for this I have a get a nationwide branch network. I have a Sparkassen branch right on my street corner. there are dozens in Berlin. I love their services.too little too late, already cancelled and went to a direct bank instead. All their fees for nothing are ridiculous anyway. Some Sparkassen even added a "transaction fee" for contactless payments now.
lets see:bad service? what are you talking about? the Sparkassen-goup is THE bank in Germany. it's the only bank you can rely on, really (and some other small banks). the rest is just shady business (e.g. Deutsche Bank)
[LIST=1]
* Annual (or monthly) account fees (stupid)
* Transaction fees for contactless payments
* It costs like 5 bucks to withdraw money from a Sparkassen ATM with a Sparkassen CREDIT CARD while you can use any other direct bank credit card free of charge
* With some Sparkassen you have to pay for each additional "Banküberweisung" (money transfer) even though you already pay that damn fee mentioned in #1
* Horrible App
* You cannot deposit money to different Sparkassen because for some reason they are not all connected so what I basically had to do was ask my money to put money on my bank account and then hand her the money in cash next time I saw her since I no longer lived in the city my Sparkassen Account was made with
* There is probably more I cannot think of right now and it might depend on each "Sparkasse" individually. Which already points out another problem. Each Sparkasse doing its own thing over all
I'd say I pay about 90% of the time with apple pay in Germany. Shops, Restaurants, Taxi... can think of just one store where it does not work and this is because it does not accept visa. Which won't be an issue with the giro card anymore.Apple Pay in Germany is useless as long as you cannot pay by card anyway at most shops and even restaurants. "Deutsche Gründlichtkeit", but not for digitization.