What Finanzcheck.de does

FInanzcheck.de, operated by FFG FINANZCHECK Finanzportale GmbH, is a Hamburg-headquartered online credit comparison portal founded in 2011 that aggregates more than 60 loan offers from 20+ partner banks — including Postbank, ING, Santander/Openbank, TARGOBANK, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, DKB, HypoVereinsbank, Bank of Scotland/Lloyds and the cooperative Volksbank Raiffeisenbank group — for German consumers. Its platform covers Ratenkredit, Autokredit, Baufinanzierung, Umschuldung, Kleinkredit, Privatkredit and Renovierungskredit, augmented by sister brands OFINA and Kredite.com and a B2B variant, finanzcheckPRO. The technology stack is centred on real-time API-style integration with partner banks, a digital account-analysis feature called Kontoblick (via FinTechSystems) that reads 90 days of transactions for income/behaviour verification, BaFin-approved Video-Ident with IDnow and WebID, and a qualified electronic signature to compress origination onto a single digital journey; 170+ phone credit advisors staff a daily 08:00–20:00 hotline alongside the self-service flow.

The business model is commission-based: the comparison service is free and SCHUFA-neutral for consumers, while partner banks pay FINANZCHECK for qualified applications and successfully originated loans, supplemented by Top-Zins-Garantie cash-back mechanics and an affiliate programme. Regulatory licences under §34c, §34d and §34i GewO, plus TÜV Saarland certification and a continuously held eKomi Gold Seal since 2011 (>15,000 reviews, 99.3% positive), underpin the compliance and trust stack. Distribution is anchored on SEO-driven direct web traffic with paid SEM and review-platform referrals; there are no retail branches. The company employs approximately 370 people across offices in Hamburg and Berlin.

Growth and capital history: a four-round venture programme totalling ~$53M USD between 2012 and 2016 (b2venture-led seed/Series A in 2012 and 2014, Highland Europe Series 2 in 2015, HarbourVest-led Series 3 in April 2016 with Acton Capital and Highland Europe) supported product, partner and sub-brand expansion. Day-to-day operations are led by managing directors Eckart Vierkant and Tobias Berthold-Wieschendahl, alongside a CTO (Stefan Link), COO (Andreas Kupke) and CPO (Henrik Westermann); banking/credit expertise is anchored by credit expert Patrick Reuter. The platform reports an average customer saving of more than 35% on interest costs versus the Bundesbank consumer-credit benchmark (2020–2021), positioning the business as a cost-saving intermediary across Germany's fragmented ~1,600-bank retail credit market.

Name

Finanzcheck.de

Legal name

FFG FINANZCHECK Finanzportale GmbH

Website

https://finanzcheck.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FInanzcheck.de is a Hamburg-based, independent online credit comparison portal that aggregates 60+ loan offers from 20+ partner banks for German consumers, providing free, SCHUFA-neutral comparison and a fully digital application with phone advisory support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Credit Comparison Marketplace

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Personal Lending Platforms (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mortgage Comparison, Marketplace & Rate-Shopping Platforms (FSALABAJ)

Keywords

• Credit comparison portal
• Consumer loan brokerage
• Installment loan matching
• Mortgage financing advisory
• Debt refinancing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Loan Origination Commission: FINANZCHECK.de acts as a credit intermediary/broker. Revenue is earned through commissions paid by partner banks and credit providers when a loan application is successfully submitted and a loan contract is signed. The service is free for consumers — banks compensate FINANZCHECK for the customer acquisition and loan origination services provided through the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FINANZCHECK.de operates an independent online comparison portal that aggregates over 60 loan offers from more than 20 partner banks in real time, enabling German consumers to compare installment loans, auto financing, mortgages, and debt refinancing products. The platform supports a fully digital loan application process including Video-Ident identity verification, Kontoblick account analysis, and qualified electronic signature, complemented by telephone advisory from over 170 credit advisors. The service is free for consumers, with revenue generated through commissions from partner banks on successful loan originations.

Product overview

Finanzcheck.de operates as a credit comparison portal with a platform-plus-partner model. The core product is the Kreditvergleich (credit comparison) platform, which aggregates over 60 loan offers from more than 20 partner banks. The offering encompasses Ratenkredit, Autokredit, Baufinanzierung, Umschuldung, Kleinkredit, Privatkredit, and Renovierungskredit as distinct product categories. Supporting features include Kontoblick (digital account analysis), VideoIdent-Verfahren (video identity verification), and Digitale Unterschrift (digital signature) for fully digital loan processing. Two sister brands—OFINA and Kredite.com—extend the company's reach with complementary credit information services. The Top-Zins-Garantie guarantee program differentiates the platform with a price-match promise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OFINA: A sister brand providing credit and loan information, calculators, and guides.
• Kredite.com
• finanzcheckPRO

Products and services

• Kreditvergleich Core credit comparison platform enabling users to compare over 60 loan offers from more than 20 partner banks and select the most suitable financing option for personal use.
• Ratenkredit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35% savings on interest costs vs. German Bundesbank average consumer credit rate (2020–2021 data)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered primary, secondary, core and minor.

• Postbank (a branch of Deutsche Bank AG)primaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPostbank — eine Niederlassung der Deutsche Bank AG — is one of FINANZCHECK.de's key partner banks. It provides consumer loan products including personal loans and auto financing through the comparison platform. As a universal bank with a large retail branch network, Postbank offers competitive rates for creditworthy borrowers.
• ING DiBa AGprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorING DiBa AG (a subsidiary of ING Group) is a direct bank partner providing personal loan products through the FINANZCHECK.de platform. Known for competitive rates on consumer credit, ING brings a strong digital-first product offering to the platform's comparison ecosystem.
• Santander Consumer Bank (Openbank Deutschland AG)primaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSantander (operating as Openbank Deutschland AG) provides consumer credit and auto financing products through the platform. As one of Germany's largest car finance providers, Santander brings specific strength in auto credit products to the platform.
• Vereinigte Volksbank Raiffeisenbank eGprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe cooperative bank's unit provides consumer loans, auto credits, and small business loans through the platform. As a cooperative institution with regional roots, it offers personalized service and competitive conditions especially for existing cooperative members.
• TARGOBANK AGprimaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTARGOBANK AG provides consumer loans, credit cards, and deposit products. With a focus on accessible lending, TARGOBANK complements the platform's offering with competitive products for a broad range of credit profiles.
• Bank of Scotland (a brand of Lloyds Bank GmbH)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBank of Scotland, operating as a brand of Lloyds Bank GmbH, provides personal loan products through the platform. It brings international banking expertise and competitive online lending rates to the German market via the comparison platform.
• 1822direkt (Frankfurter Sparkasse)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1822direkt, the direct banking subsidiary of Frankfurter Sparkasse, provides online personal loan products through the platform. As a savings bank subsidiary, it offers secure, conservative lending products.
• Commerzbank AGsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommerzbank AG, Germany's second-largest bank, provides mortgage and consumer credit products through the platform. As a DAX-listed commercial bank, it brings institutional credibility and competitive large-scale lending products.
• Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDKB AG, the digital subsidiary of BayernLB, provides online credit products. Known for its low-cost digital banking model, DKB offers competitive personal loan rates through the platform.
• HypoVereinsbank (UniCredit Bank GmbH)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHypoVereinsbank, a subsidiary of UniCredit Bank GmbH, provides commercial and consumer credit products through the platform. With strong regional presence in southern Germany, it complements the platform's coverage.
• norisbank GmbHsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributornorisbank GmbH, a direct bank owned by DKB, provides personal loan products. It focuses on straightforward online lending with competitive rates, complementing the platform's product range for price-sensitive consumers.
• auxmoney GmbHsecondaryOthersauxmoney is a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform and alternative credit provider. It offers installment loans financed by private and institutional investors through the platform, providing access to credit for borrowers who may not qualify with traditional banks.
• IDnow (Video-Ident Partner)coreTechnology or IntegrationIDnow provides the Video-Ident identity verification technology used in the fully digital loan application process. The service is BaFin-approved and enables customers to verify their identity from home via video chat. IDnow is a key enabler of the platform's paperless loan process.
• WebID (Video-Ident Partner)coreTechnology or IntegrationWebID provides an alternative Video-Ident identity verification service for the loan application process. It serves as a backup and complement to IDnow, offering BaFin-compliant remote identity verification via webcam or smartphone.
• ImmobilienScout24minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImmobilienScout24, Germany's leading real estate portal, is a content and referral partner for FINANZCHECK.de's property financing (Baufinanzierung) section. The partnership enables FINANZCHECK.de to offer real estate financing advice alongside ImmobilienScout24's property listings, creating a integrated property purchase journey.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• auxmoney: German peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform offering installment loans financed by private and institutional investors. Notably listed as a FINANZCHECK.de partner bank, demonstrating the cooperative relationship between credit marketplaces and alternative lenders in Germany.
• Creditolo: Smaller German online credit comparison and brokerage platform focused on personal installment loans. Less established than FINANZCHECK.de but competes in the same Ratenkredit comparison niche with similar partner-bank aggregation model.

Regional players

• MoneySuperMarket: UK-based price comparison website covering financial services (insurance, credit cards, loans, mortgages). Operates the same comparison-plus-commission business model as FINANZCHECK.de but in the UK market, serving as a relevant cross-border benchmark for unit economics and growth patterns.
• Bankrate: US-based financial comparison and rate-aggregation platform for mortgages, credit cards, loans, and deposits. Comparable business model to FINANZCHECK.de in terms of aggregating bank offers and earning referral/lead-generation commissions, though operating in the US market.

Direct peers

• Smava: One of FINANZCHECK.de's closest direct competitors in the German online credit comparison market. Smava aggregates personal loan offers from multiple banks, similar to FINANZCHECK.de's core Ratenkredit business model, and was acquired by American Express in 2020.
• Dr. Klein Privatkunden AG: German mortgage and consumer credit broker operating both online and through franchise branch advisors. Comparable to FINANZCHECK.de's Baufinanzierung and personal loan brokerage offering, with a hybrid digital-plus-advisory model.
• LendingTree: US-based online lending marketplace that connects consumers with multiple lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and other credit products. Operates the same commission-based business model as FINANZCHECK.de and represents the closest international analog.
• Interhyp: Germany's largest independent mortgage broker operating a Baufinanzierung comparison platform. Directly comparable to FINANZCHECK.de's Baufinanzierung vertical and a relevant peer for mortgage-credit brokerage market dynamics.

Broad incumbents

• Verivox: German comparison portal primarily known for energy and telecom but also offering credit comparison products. Operates in adjacent verticals with similar marketplace economics and was previously owned by ProSiebenSat.1 and sold to a G+J-affiliated buyer.
• Check24: Germany's largest cross-vertical comparison platform covering insurance, banking, credit, telecom, energy, and travel. Directly competes with FINANZCHECK.de in the credit comparison space, but operates at vastly larger scale with broader product portfolio and stronger brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/finanzcheck_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/finanzcheck.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/finanzcheck-de

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Finanzcheck.de