Updated September 29, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Postbank vs Smava
Postbank vs Smava: the differences
| Compare |  Postbank |  Smava |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 3.25% to 14.3% | -0.4% to 19.9%Lower |
| Loan amount | €3,000 to €80,000 | €1,000 to €120,000Higher |
| Term | 12 to 120 months | 6 to 120 months |
| Credit check | Hard | Soft prequal |
| Funding time | A few days: review normally takes two business days, plus a few days until the money arrives | Within a few working days; with digital account check and video ident some banks disburse the same day |
| Representative example | Net loan amount EUR 10,000, effective annual rate 9.67%, nominal rate 9.27% p.a., term 84 months, 85 instalments of EUR 164, total amount EUR 13,724 (Postbank Privatkredit direkt) | 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 and regular salary, wage or pension payments of sufficient amount; creditworthiness required | At least 18 years old, main residence in Germany, current account at a German bank, regular income, sufficient creditworthiness |
| Loan types | Personal, Debt consolidation, Car | Personal, Car, Debt consolidation, BusinessCovers more |
| Credit needed | Poor | Fair |
| Arrangement fee | Not confirmed | 0 EUR |
Same on both: Rate type (Fixed), Use cases (Home improvement).
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Key differences
- Postbank scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.9.
- APR is lower at Smava: -0.4% to 19.9% vs 3.25% to 14.3%.
- Free early repayment: only Postbank.
- Loan amount is higher at Smava: €1,000 to €120,000 vs €3,000 to €80,000.
- Loan types: only Smava offers Business.
Our verdict on each
Postbank
Postbank lends directly at 3.25% to 14.3% on amounts of €3,000 to €80,000, with a fixed rate and free early repayment. It suits German adults with regular income who want a known monthly cost and can wait a few days for the money to arrive.
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 | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Higher | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.3HigherBreadth of the offer: €3,000 to €80,000 across 12 to 120, fixed rate with early repayment free. | 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 | 9.2Higher | 8.5 |
Feature by feature
| Loan types | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Yes | Yes |
| Debt consolidation | Yes | Yes |
| Car | Yes | Yes |
| Business | No | Yes |
| Use cases | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement | Yes | Yes |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 85 of 1932 | 118 of 1932 |
| Loans for bad credit | 48 of 275 | 63 of 275 |
| Debt consolidation loans | 31 of 425 | 48 of 425 |
| Mortgages | 10 of 719 | 17 of 719 |
| Remortgage deals | 9 of 351 | 14 of 351 |
| Car loans | 21 of 431 | 31 of 431 |
| Home improvement loans | 37 of 562 | 56 of 562 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany |
Available in 1 country for both.
Also worth a look
Absa Ghana Instant Loan has apr at -3% to 20%, against 3.25% to 14.3% for Postbank and -0.4% to 19.9% for Smava.
Absa Ghana Instant Loan reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Not confirmed | Same day funding |
| Legal entity | Postbank, a branch of Deutsche Bank AG | smava GmbH (HRB 97913, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg) |
| Headquarters | Germany | Germany |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2007 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Mortgages
| Fact | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | Not confirmed | 3.2% |
| APRC | Not confirmed | 3.2% |
| Fixed period | Not confirmed | 10 years |
| Maximum loan to value | Not confirmed | 110% |
| Product fee | €0 | €0 |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage | Purchase, Remortgage |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Postbank | Smava | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 3.25% to 14.3%lowest quarter | -0.4% to 19.9%lowest quarter | 8.99 |
| Loan amount | €3,000 to €80,000highest quarter | €1,000 to €120,000highest quarter | €40,000 |
| Term | 12 to 120 monthshighest quarter | 6 to 120 monthshighest quarter | 60 |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Postbank
Pros
- APR of 3.25% to 14.3% compares favourably with the 12.25% median for personal loans on this site.
- Fixed rate for the whole term (fixed), so the monthly outlay does not drift upward.
- Free early repayment, so a windfall can clear the balance without a charge.
Cons
- The rate runs to the top of the 3.25% to 14.3% range for thinner files, and the check is hard.
- Because direct lender lending puts the decision with the bank, funding takes a few days rather than landing at once.
- Borrowing runs through DE, so it is aimed at people with German income rather than applicants abroad.
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
Postbank
Who it suits
- Adults past a minimum age with a regular salary, wage or pension payment, which is what eligibility asks for.
- Borrowers who want the rate fixed to the end of the term, since fixed rate applies.
- People who expect to overpay and finish sooner, since early repayment is free.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone chasing interest free borrowing, since Cashspace ES quotes 0%.
- Readers who want to draw and repay repeatedly rather than take one fixed instalment loan, who should weigh Monzo Flex at 10% to 23%.
- Borrowers who want a second opinion on price, since Cashspace publishes PHP 12 to PHP 36 to set beside 3.25% to 14.3%.
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
Postbank
Current offer
Bonus
Tagesgeld new deposits action: 3.2% p.a. interest for 6 months
New deposits only, total Postbank savings balance must increase
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Wertpapierdepot online opening credit: EUR 25 credit
Open a securities account online by 30 September 2026
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 | Postbank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Postbank
What rate would I pay on a Postbank loan?+
Postbank quotes an APR of 3.25% to 14.3% on its direct private loan, which sits against a median of 12.25% for personal loans on this site. The rate is fixed (fixed) for the whole term, so the instalment you sign up for is the one you keep paying.
How much can I borrow and how long can I take to repay it?+
Borrowing runs from €3,000 to €80,000 with terms of 12 to 120, so a larger sum means a longer commitment. It is a direct lender arrangement (direct lender), which means your application sits with the bank rather than with a broker who passes details around.
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.