Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Commerzbank vs Smava
Where Commerzbank and Smava differ
| Compare |  Commerzbank |  Smava |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 3.29% to 12.49% | -0.4% to 19.9%Lower |
| Loan amount | €1,500 to €100,000 | €1,000 to €120,000Higher |
| Term | 6 to 119 months | 6 to 120 monthsHigher |
| Credit check | Hard | Soft prequal |
| Funding time | Payout generally within 24 hours after the fully digital application and credit approval | Within a few working days; with digital account check and video ident some banks disburse the same day |
| Representative example | Ratenkredit legally required representative example: effective annual rate 6.64% p.a., fixed nominal rate 6.45% p.a., term 60 months, net loan amount EUR 10,000, 60 monthly instalments of EUR 195.41, total EUR 11,724.55 | Ratenkredit: EUR 50,000 net loan, 60 months, 8.70% effective annual rate, 60 monthly instalments of EUR 1,022.73, total EUR 61,363.57, Vereinigte Volksbank Raiffeisenbank eG |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Marketplace |
| Free early repayment | YesHas it | No |
| Eligibility | At least 18 years old, fixed residence in Germany, current account at a German bank receiving salary or pension, statutory credit check with a Schufa report free of negative entries; private purposes only, not for the self-employed | At least 18 years old, main residence in Germany, current account at a German bank, regular income, sufficient creditworthiness |
| Loan types | Personal | Personal, Car, Debt consolidation, BusinessCovers more |
| Arrangement fee | Not confirmed | 0 EUR |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Fair |
| Use cases | Not confirmed | Home improvement |
Same on both: Rate type (Fixed).
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Key differences
- Commerzbank scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.9.
- Founded is lower at Commerzbank: 1870 vs 2007.
- APR is lower at Smava: -0.4% to 19.9% vs 3.29% to 12.49%.
- Free early repayment: only Commerzbank.
- Loan amount is higher at Smava: €1,000 to €120,000 vs €1,500 to €100,000.
- Term is higher at Smava: 6 to 120 months vs 6 to 119 months.
- Loan types: only Smava offers Car, Debt consolidation, Business.
Our verdict on each
Commerzbank
Commerzbank suits German salaried employees and pensioners with a clean Schufa record who want a fixed-rate instalment loan from a bank they already hold an account with. Interest runs at 3.29% to 12.49% on amounts of €1,500 to €100,000, and payout generally lands within a day of approval.
Smava
Smava suits German borrowers who want one comparison across personal, car, consolidation and business loans, plus home finance, without paying a setup fee. It scores 6 overall, with -0.4% to 19.9% on loans and 3.2% on home finance, but early repayment is not free.
Score breakdown
| Area | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Higher | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.2HigherDirect lender offering personal loans at 3.29% to 12.49%, terms of 6 to 119 and free early repayment on the instalment product. | 9.1Amounts of €1,000 to €120,000, rates of -0.4% to 19.9%, no origination fee of 0 EUR and same day funding. |
| Trust | 9.6Higher | 8.5 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) BAK Nr. 100005 |
Available in 1 country for both.
Ranges side by side
| Fact | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 3.29% to 12.49% | -0.4% to 19.9% |
| Loan amount | €1,500 to €100,000 | €1,000 to €120,000 |
| Term | 6 to 119 months | 6 to 120 months |
A third option
Absa Ghana Instant Loan has apr at -3% to 20%, against 3.29% to 12.49% for Commerzbank and -0.4% to 19.9% for Smava.
Absa Ghana Instant Loan reviewSources behind this comparison
Commerzbank
- commerzbank.de: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Smava
- smava.de: 20 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 80 of 1932 | 118 of 1932 |
| Mortgages | 8 of 719 | 17 of 719 |
| Remortgage deals | 8 of 351 | 14 of 351 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Same day funding | Same day funding |
| Legal entity | Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft | smava GmbH (HRB 97913, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg) |
| Headquarters | Germany | Germany |
| Founded | 1870Lower | 2007 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Mortgages
| Fact | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 4.45% | 3.2%Lower |
| APRC | 4.54% | 3.2%Lower |
| Fixed period | 10 years | 10 years |
| Maximum loan to value | 60% | 110%Higher |
| Product fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage, Home equityCovers more | Purchase, Remortgage |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Commerzbank | Smava | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 3.29% to 12.49%lowest quarter | -0.4% to 19.9%lowest quarter | 8.99 |
| Loan amount | €1,500 to €100,000highest quarter | €1,000 to €120,000highest quarter | €40,000 |
| Term | 6 to 119 monthshighest quarter | 6 to 120 monthshighest quarter | 60 |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Commerzbank
Pros
- You deal with a direct lender, so the bank sets the rate and funds the loan with no broker in between.
- Installments run at 3.29% to 12.49% on a fixed basis, and early repayment is free.
- Payout generally lands within a day once a fully digital application is approved, and the loan carries same day funding.
Cons
- The credit check is hard: hard, and eligibility wants a Schufa report free of negative entries.
- Lending covers private purposes and personal loans only, so the self-employed are excluded.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre only.
Smava
Pros
- Loan amounts run €1,000 to €120,000 with terms of 6 to 120
- Loan types cover personal, car and debt consolidation in one comparison
- A soft prequalification credit check (soft prequal) means you can check rates before a full application
Cons
- Free early repayment: no, so paying a loan off early carries a cost
- Credit needed is fair, and eligibility also requires a German bank account and regular income
- A marketplace, so the rate you get depends on which partner bank responds and the final offer comes from them
Who each suits
Commerzbank
Who it suits
- Adults living in Germany permanently whose salary or pension is paid into a current account at a German bank.
- Borrowers happy with one fixed rate for the whole term who can clear the balance early at no extra cost.
- Homebuyers and remortgagers who can live with a maximum loan to value of 60%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Self-employed applicants, as the instalment loan is for private purposes only.
- Borrowers chasing the lowest headline rate: Cashspace ES shows 0% and Monzo Flex 10% to 23%, but neither is a German bank loan for residents here.
Smava
Who it suits
- Adults in Germany with a current account at a German bank and regular income
- Anyone consolidating debts, funding a car or improving a home who wants to compare offers rather than one lender
- Borrowers who want a fixed rate over 6 to 120 on a personal loan
Who should look elsewhere
- People who want to repay a loan early at no cost
- Borrowers without regular income or a German current account
- Anyone needing a variable-rate loan, since the model is fixed rate
Current offers
Commerzbank
Current offer
Bonus
Automatic individual rate advantage on Ratenkredit for free use concluded online or in the app: 0.01% to 0.6% p.a. lower rate
Valid until further notice; only for Ratenkredite zur freien Verfügung concluded via the online application or app; contracts via comparison portals excluded; amount depends on term and creditworthiness
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Smava
Current offer
Bonus
500 EUR Amazon.de voucher on taking out a loan: 500 EUR Amazon.de voucher
Loan of at least EUR 30,000 concluded via the 'Zum Kreditvergleich mit Gutschein' button only; voucher sent by email after the 14-day withdrawal period has passed; restrictions apply per amazon.de/gc-legal
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Cheaper-goes-does-not-exist guarantee: One-off compensation of the difference if a comparable domestic bank offer is cheaper
Applies to loans brokered via smava; amount follows the offers received in the smava credit comparison, stated without hidden conditions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Commerzbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Commerzbank
What interest rate do I pay on a Commerzbank instalment loan?+
The instalment loan is fixed-rate, so fixed rates of 3.29% to 12.49% apply for the whole term. The legally required representative example also sets out the effective annual rate, the nominal rate, the term, the net amount borrowed, the monthly instalment and the total repaid, which makes the real cost easy to check before applying.
How much can I borrow, and over what term?+
Amounts run €1,500 to €100,000 on the instalment loan, and the term runs 6 to 119. You repay in fixed monthly instalments, so a longer term lowers each payment but raises the total repaid, while a shorter term does the opposite.
Smava
What does Smava charge for setting up a loan?+
There is no origination fee on the personal loan: the arrangement fee is 0 EUR, and the product fee is €0. What you pay instead is interest on the borrowed amount, which is priced at -0.4% to 19.9% for your own profile.
How much can I borrow and over what term?+
Loan amounts run €1,000 to €120,000, and terms run 6 to 120. The rate model is fixed, so the figure you are offered is set at the start and does not drift with market moves.
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