Fintiba Plus vs Basic: Which Blocked Account Should You Choose?

The Fintiba Upsell

Fintiba is arguably the most trusted Blocked Account provider by German embassies worldwide. However, when you go to their app to open an account, you are immediately forced to make a decision: Fintiba Basic or Fintiba Plus?

The marketing pushes you heavily toward Fintiba Plus. But do you actually need it, or is it just an expensive upsell?

Fintiba Basic: Just the Bank

Cost: €89.00 Setup Fee + €4.90/month

Fintiba Basic provides exactly one thing: The Sperrkonto (Blocked Account). You deposit your €11,208, they issue the confirmation certificate for your visa, and they pay out €934 a month when you arrive in Germany.

What's missing? Health insurance. You must independently contact a provider like AOK, TK, or Mawista, apply for insurance, and coordinate the digital M10 notification to your university yourself.

Fintiba Plus: The Full Bundle

Cost: Varies (Usually waives the setup fee, but locks you into an insurance contract).

Fintiba Plus is their "all-in-one" package. It bundles the blocked account with either Public Health Insurance (DAK/TK) or Private Insurance (Mawista), plus free incoming travel insurance.

The Massive Advantage: Bureaucratic automation. Fintiba instantly issues both your blocked account certificate and your health insurance certificate in the exact format the German embassy requires. They also automatically notify your university.

The Hidden Danger of Fintiba Plus: If you are over 30 years old, or studying a preparatory course (Studienkolleg), you are not eligible for cheap public insurance. Fintiba Plus will automatically funnel you into Mawista Student (Private Insurance).

While Mawista is incredibly cheap (€35/month), it is private insurance. If you accept this bundle, you will be permanently locked out of the German public healthcare system for the rest of your degree. You can never switch back to TK or AOK.

The Verdict

Choose Fintiba Plus IF: You are under 30, directly enrolling in a Bachelor's/Master's, and you actively select DAK/TK Public Insurance in the bundle.

Choose Fintiba Basic IF: You are over 30, in Studienkolleg, or if you want the freedom to independently choose and negotiate your own health insurance provider without being locked into Fintiba's ecosystem.

Use our Blocked Account Calculator to see how the €4.90 monthly fees add up over a 2-year Master's degree.