Which blocked account provider is cheapest for Germany in 2026?

On set-up fee alone (as published 2026-06-18): Expatrio €89 (rising 7 July 2026), Edubao €99 + €70 refundable buffer, Fintiba €159; Coracle's opening fee was shown as 'coming soon' — verify on coracle.de. But the set-up fee is the small number against the €11,904 you deposit. The transfer of that €11,904 (fees + exchange rate) usually costs more than the set-up fee, so compare total transfer cost, not just the headline price.

Do I get my money back if my German student visa is refused?

All four major providers (Fintiba, Expatrio, Edubao, Coracle) advertise a refund or money-back path if your visa is refused. The details differ — read exactly what is refunded (set-up fee, buffer, or everything) and what proof of refusal they require. This refund term is the most important thing to check before you pay.

What is the difference between Fintiba and Expatrio?

Both are widely accepted by German embassies. Fintiba (€159 set-up + €9.90/month, as of 2026-06-18) is a German-bank product with a BaFin deposit guarantee up to €100k and a no-fee in-house transfer. Expatrio (€89 + €5/month, rising 7 July 2026) bundles health insurance, a free German bank account and cashback in its Value Package. Choose on what you need bundled and on which one your specific consulate accepts.

Does the blocked account include health insurance?

Not by default — health insurance is a separate mandatory requirement, but some providers bundle it. Expatrio's Value Package and Fintiba's Plus include health insurance; Coracle integrates KKH public health insurance (up to €300/year). A bundle can be cheaper than buying separately, but only if it matches what you actually need.

How should students from Russia, Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan fund the blocked account?

SWIFT transfers from Russian and Belarusian banks are blocked; from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan they work but cost more. Fund the account through a non-sanctioned route — an EU Wise/Revolut account or a bank in Armenia, Georgia or Kazakhstan. The transfer of the €11,904, not the set-up fee, is the real cost and obstacle, so solve the transfer route first, then pick the provider.

Blocked account for Germany (2026-27): Fintiba vs Expatrio vs Edubao vs Coracle

The short answer

Every non-EU student needs a blocked account (Sperrkonto) to prove €11,904 for the year, released at €992/month after arrival (DAAD / Make it in Germany, 2026-27). Four providers cover almost the whole market: Fintiba, Expatrio, Edubao, Coracle. Their set-up fee (€89–€159) is the small number — it is dwarfed by the €11,904 you have to move into the account. So choose on the things that actually cost or save you money: refund if your visa is refused, how the €11,904 is transferred (fees + exchange rate), embassy acceptance, and whether health insurance is bundled.

We sell none of these products and take no commission for this page. Numbers below are what each provider published on 2026-06-18 — verify on their own site before paying, because they change (Expatrio's price rises on 7 July 2026).

The four providers, side by side

	Set-up fee	Monthly	Refund if visa refused	Transfer of the €11,904	Notable
Fintiba	€159 one-off	€9.90/mo	Yes	Fintiba Transfer — no transfer fee	German bank; BaFin deposit guarantee up to €100k; insurance add-on (Plus)
Expatrio	€89 (rising 7 Jul 2026)	€5/mo (rising)	Yes (money-back)	Flywire	Value Package bundles health insurance + free German bank account + cashback
Edubao	€99 + €70 buffer	€6/mo	Yes (money-back)	Own transfer flow (escrow via Lemonway)	Local offices ("come with your parents"); 7 languages incl. Russian
Coracle	"Coming soon" on their site 2026-06-18 — verify	low / not stated	Check	Local-currency transfer	KKH public health insurance up to €300/yr; non-profit positioning; €80 buffer returned with first payout

The "buffer" (Edubao €70, Coracle €80) is a small extra you deposit and get back — not a fee. Read it as a refundable cushion, not a cost.

What actually matters (it isn't the set-up fee)

The set-up fees span €89–€159 — a €70 spread on an €11,904 commitment. Don't optimise the small number. Optimise these:

Refund if the visa is refused. All four advertise a money-back / refund path if you don't get the visa. This is the single most important term — read exactly what is refunded (set-up fee? buffer? everything?) and on what proof. This is the protection against losing money on a refusal.
How the €11,904 is transferred. This is where the real money leaks. An international transfer can cost 1–3% in fees and a worse exchange rate — on €11,904 that is €120–€350+, several times the set-up fee. Fintiba advertises a no-fee in-house transfer; Expatrio uses Flywire; Coracle highlights local-currency transfer. Compare the all-in landed cost, not the headline fee.
Embassy / consulate acceptance. The account is worthless if your German mission doesn't accept that provider. Most accept Fintiba and Expatrio widely; confirm for your specific consulate before paying.
Bundled health insurance. Public/registered health insurance is mandatory for the visa too. Expatrio's Value Package and Fintiba's Plus bundle it; Coracle integrates KKH public insurance. A bundle can be cheaper than buying separately — but only if you need exactly what's in it.
Speed and support language. If your appointment is close, opening speed matters. Edubao and Expatrio market fast online opening; Edubao and Coracle offer support in Russian and other CIS-relevant languages.

For CIS and sanctioned-banking students — the transfer trap

If you bank in Russia or Belarus, SWIFT transfers are blocked; from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the wider CIS transfers work but cost more. For these students the transfer of the €11,904 — not the set-up fee — is the real obstacle and the real cost.

Fund the account through a non-sanctioned route: an EU Wise/Revolut account, or a bank in Armenia, Georgia or Kazakhstan.
Compare the provider's transfer method against doing the transfer yourself — sometimes a provider's in-house transfer is cheaper than a bank wire, sometimes not.
Coracle's local-currency transfer and Edubao's localized flow are aimed at exactly this friction; verify they support your country before committing.

Our position (and why this page exists)

A provider's own advice always points to its own account — that's not dishonest, it's just their business. We sell no blocked account and earn no commission here, so we can say the boring true thing: the providers are broadly similar, the set-up fee is the least important number, and your real decision is refund terms + transfer cost + embassy acceptance. Pick the one that clears those three for your consulate and your bank.

Bottom line

All four (Fintiba, Expatrio, Edubao, Coracle) do the same core job: hold €11,904 and release €992/month.
The €89–€159 set-up fee is the small number — the transfer of the €11,904 is where you actually win or lose money.
Read the refund-on-refusal terms before anything else, and confirm your embassy accepts the provider.
CIS students: solve the transfer first (non-sanctioned route), then pick the provider.

Take the quiz to see whether the German route fits your profile — and where the Sperrkonto sits on your timeline.