Open outside Europe
Halocard is a US-issued Visa credit card for customers in the US and 120+ countries. N26 serves only eligible European countries.
What is N26?
Halocard is the better N26 alternative for virtual cards, and the only one of the two open outside Europe. N26 is a licensed German bank, launched in Berlin in 2013, whose virtual debit Mastercards are a feature of its app-based current account. N26's virtual cards are debit Mastercards that come with a full German bank account, open only to residents of eligible European countries, and capped at 6 virtual cards. It has a free Standard plan, deposit protection up to €100,000, and is rated 4.2/5 on Trustpilot. Halocard is a US-issued Visa credit card for customers in the US and 120+ countries. Halocard has no free plan, but Essential is free with 3 referrals, and every friend you refer earns you $5 or more a month.
Pros
- Pros: Free Standard plan with one virtual card
- Pros: Deposits protected up to €100,000
- Pros: Spaces sub-accounts
- Pros: Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Pros: Extra virtual cards free on premium plans
- Pros: Rated 4.2/5 on Trustpilot
Cons
- Cons: Eligible European countries only
- Cons: Debit cards tied to a German IBAN
- Cons: Up to 6 virtual cards
- Cons: No per-card billing address
- Cons: No stablecoin or crypto funding
How much does N26 cost?
- Standard
- Free
- Smart
- €4.90/mo
- Go
- €9.90/mo
- Metal
- €16.90/mo
What fees does N26 charge?
- First virtual card, Standard
- Free, with a €10 activation balance
- Extra virtual card, Standard
- €2.59
- Card payments in other currencies
- no fee
- Physical card
- €10
How does Halocard compare to N26?
Halocard is the best N26 alternative for virtual cards. It is a US-issued Visa credit card for customers in the US and 120+ countries, with no bank account to open.
Better choice | N26 | |
|---|---|---|
| What you sign up for | Advantage: Virtual cards, with a US bank account built in | A full German bank account |
| Eligibility | Advantage: US residents and residents of 120+ countries | Residents of eligible European countries |
| Card type | Advantage: US-issued Visa credit card | European debit Mastercard |
| Funding | Advantage: Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bank Transfer, Stablecoins & Crypto | Bank transfer, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| USD bank account | Advantage: Your own US account and routing number | None |
| Virtual cards | Advantage: 3 to 60 cards, by plan | Up to 6 on any plan |
| Pricing | Advantage: From $12 a month, or free with 3 referrals | Free Standard; paid plans from €4.90 a month |
| Support | Advantage: Chat, email, and phone on every plan | In-app chat; phone on paid plans |
| Trust and transparency | Advantage: A regulated US company and card issuer | Advantage: A licensed German bank |
Why Halocard is the better N26 alternative
A US-issued credit card
US platforms that reject European debit cards see a Visa credit card issued in the US.
Up to 60 cards
N26 stops at 6. Give every subscription, tool and ad account its own Halocard.
A billing address on every card
Choose the billing address and cardholder name on each card, for platforms that check them.
N26 FAQ
Does N26 offer virtual cards?
Yes. N26 offers a virtual debit Mastercard, created instantly in the app and usable through Apple Pay and Google Pay. Standard accounts get one free virtual card, with a one-time €10 activation balance, and can add extras for €2.59, up to 6 active cards. Premium plans include extra virtual cards.
How much do N26 virtual cards cost?
The first virtual card is free on the free Standard plan, once you add a one-time €10. Extra virtual cards cost €2.59 each on Standard and are included on Smart (€4.90/mo), Go (€9.90/mo) and Metal (€16.90/mo). Every plan allows up to 6 active virtual cards.
Is N26 a real bank?
Yes. N26 holds a full German banking licence supervised by BaFin, and eligible deposits are protected up to €100,000 under the German deposit guarantee scheme. Halocard, by contrast, is a card provider rather than a licensed bank.
Is the N26 card a credit card?
No. N26's virtual card is a debit Mastercard drawn from your N26 account balance. Halocard is a US-issued Visa credit card for customers in the US and 120+ countries. Halocard works like a debit card: you spend the balance you load, with no credit line and no credit check.
What should I do if a US merchant declines my N26 card?
Pay with a Halocard instead. US services that filter by card country, or expect a US billing address, often reject European debit cards. Halocard is a US-issued Visa credit card for customers in the US and 120+ countries, with a separate card for each merchant and a billing address you choose.
What are the best alternatives to N26 for virtual cards?
If you want virtual cards without opening a European bank account, or you live outside N26's footprint, Halocard is a strong N26 alternative: Halocard is a US-issued Visa credit card for customers in the US and 120+ countries, with 3 to 60 cards and a custom billing address on each.Read the best virtual credit cards in Germany
Disclaimer
Based on public information as of October 2026 (see Sources on our Halocard vs N26 comparison); N26's products, fees and terms may change, so check before you decide. Halocard publishes this page and makes one of the products compared, so verdicts and ticks are our opinion. N26 and its product names are trademarks of their owner, used only to identify its products; Halocard is not affiliated with or endorsed by N26. Not financial, legal or tax advice.