Germany - Credit Card

Credit card "Kreditkarte"
It may come as quite a shock, particularly to expats from the US, that credit cards are not widely accepted in Germany. Some large stores and hotels will accept credit cards, but on the whole you pay by cash (preferably) or with a debit card (see below) when shopping or going to a restaurant. Credit cards can be used for online transactions (as long as you trust the website's security). Be careful though - even though a store will accept credit card transactions for online purchases, they will not necessarily accept a credit card when you shop in person. Most banks charge you a monthly fee (around 5 euros) or a yearly fee (20-25 euros) for the privilege of having a credit card.

In the last years the use and acceptance of credit cards in Germany has increased.