N26

N26 strips retail banking down to a phone app, a card, and a current account that appeals to people who want their banking to live on the screen rather than in a branch. By our assessment, that clean app-first setup is its real strength: quick setup, tidy controls, and a modern feel that many traditional banks still do not match. The downside is the obvious one for a digital bank: no full branch network, less of the hand-holding some customers want, and a service model that depends on comfort with app-only banking. In practice N26 feels light and immediate, with spending alerts, transfers, and account management all pushed into the app, while the number in the name stays part of the brand. It sits among the better-known European neobanks, and it is aimed at people who are fine with banking that starts and ends on a screen.