Better conditions than the Volksbank loan: How to secure top interest rates with smart alternatives
9 Jul 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
Does your Volksbank loan seem too expensive? You're not alone, as online providers often hide interest rate advantages of up to three percentage points. Discover here how to systematically find the best alternatives to the Volksbank loan with better conditions and significantly reduce your financial burden.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Interest rate differences of up to four percentage points between local banks and online providers are not uncommon and can mean thousands of euros in savings.
Debt restructuring can reduce the monthly burden by over 20 percent and improves financial overview by consolidating loans.
The prepayment penalty for consumer loans is legally capped at a maximum of one percent of the remaining debt, which often makes changing very attractive.
Viele Kreditnehmer bleiben aus Gewohnheit bei ihrer Hausbank und zahlen dadurch oft unnötig hohe Zinsen von über sieben Prozent. Eine Umschuldung oder die Wahl eines alternativen Anbieters kann die monatliche Rate erheblich reduzieren und über die Laufzeit eine Ersparnis von mehreren tausend Euro bedeuten. Dieser Artikel zeigt Ihnen in drei Schritten, wie Sie vorgehen: Wir analysieren die Konditionen, vergleichen digitale Anbieter und geben Ihnen eine konkrete Anleitung, um erfolgreich den Anbieter zu wechseln und so die für Sie passenden Alternativen zum Volksbank Kredit mit besseren Konditionen zu finden.
Cost Analysis: Why Your Existing Loan Might Be Too Expensive
An average instalment loan in Germany has an effective annual interest rate of around 7.11 percent. Many borrowers even pay higher interest rates at their local bank without realizing it. Let’s assume you have taken out a loan of 20,000 euros with an interest rate of eight percent. Simply reducing the interest rate by two percentage points can lower your interest costs by over 1,000 euros over a five-year term. The conditions depend heavily on your individual creditworthiness, but the market often offers cheaper options. A closer look at your current contract is the first step to significant savings. With an existing instalment loan for refinancing, you can often save a lot of money. This analysis shows why comparing is essential to achieving financial benefits.
Market Overview: Digital Providers as a Powerful Alternative
Digital lending platforms and direct banks have revolutionised the market, often offering significantly better terms. While traditional banks have high operating costs, online providers benefit from streamlined structures and pass these advantages on. Interest rates below four percent are not uncommon for those with good credit ratings. A crucial advantage is speed: A loan application can often be completed fully digitally in less than 15 minutes. Here are some of the main advantages of digital providers:
Lower Interest Rates: Online providers undercut branch banks by an average of up to 40 percent.
Fast Processing: The credit decision and payout often occur within 24 hours.
High Flexibility: Many digital loans allow free special repayments or early settlement.
Transparent Comparison: Platforms make it possible to compare dozens of offers with a single enquiry.
These factors make a credit comparison with TÜV seal a powerful tool for anyone looking to reduce their financial burden. The next step is the concrete implementation of the debt restructuring.
Guide to Debt Restructuring: Four Steps to a Cheaper Loan
Refinancing is the process of replacing an old, expensive loan with a new, cheaper one. This process is simpler than many assume and can be carried out in four clear steps. The key to success lies in thorough preparation and careful comparison of offers. Refinancing is almost always worthwhile if the interest savings exceed the costs incurred. Follow these systematic steps:
Determine remaining debt: Request the exact remaining debt and repayment date from your current bank.
Compare offers: Use an online comparison calculator to make non-binding condition inquiries at several banks.
Conclude a new loan agreement: Choose the best offer and complete the new contract digitally or by post.
Settle the old loan: The new bank transfers the loan amount directly to the old bank to settle the loan.
By refinancing existing loans, you not only gain financial benefits but also a better overview of your finances. However, there are additional expert tips to maximise the outcome.
Expert tips for maximizing your savings
To secure the best possible terms, you should be aware of some legal and practical details. One important aspect is the prepayment penalty that a bank can charge for early repayment. Our expert tip: For consumer loans, this penalty is legally capped at a maximum of one percent of the outstanding balance if the remaining term is over twelve months. If the remaining term is less than twelve months, it's only 0.5 percent. This regulation can be found in § 502 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Another tip is to apply for the loan together with a second applicant, which often improves creditworthiness by more than 20 percent and leads to better interest rates. Also, check if by consolidating multiple loans you can not only save on interest but also improve your credit score. With this knowledge, you can further increase potential savings.
Conclusion: Act now and optimise your finances
The interest landscape for loans is constantly changing, and digital providers are creating new opportunities for consumers. Instead of sticking with expensive old loans out of habit, you can reduce your financial burden by hundreds or even thousands of euros per year through targeted comparison and rescheduling. Thanks to digital solutions, the process is now faster and more transparent than ever before. Take the opportunity to actively shape your finances and benefit from the best conditions available on the market. Request an individual loan analysis now: Have your financial situation checked for free and receive specific suggestions for interest optimisation.
More useful links
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) offers datasets on loans and online transactions.
Deutsche Bundesbank contains statistics on interest rates and yields for consumer loans to private households (installment loans).
Verbraucherzentrale provides tips on saving on loans and credits.
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive article on the topic of credit.
KfW provides information on domestic support for private individuals.
Deutsche Bundesbank explains how tight monetary policy affects bank interest rates.
Bankenverband provides tips on balancing the overdraft.
Deutsche Bundesbank offers statistics on deposit and loan interest rates.
FAQ
Was ist eine Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung?
Die Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung ist eine Gebühr, die eine Bank erheben kann, wenn Sie einen Kredit mit fester Zinsbindung vor dem Ende der Laufzeit zurückzahlen. Sie entschädigt die Bank für die entgangenen Zinseinnahmen. Für Verbraucherkredite, die nach dem 10. Juni 2010 abgeschlossen wurden, ist sie auf maximal ein Prozent der Restschuld begrenzt.
Wie lange dauert eine Kreditumschuldung?
Dank digitaler Prozesse kann eine Umschuldung sehr schnell gehen. Nach dem Einreichen aller Unterlagen bei der neuen Bank dauert die Prüfung und Auszahlung oft nur wenige Werktage. Der gesamte Prozess von der Angebotsanfrage bis zur Ablösung des alten Kredits kann in unter einer Woche abgeschlossen sein.
Welche Unterlagen benötige ich für eine Umschuldung?
In der Regel benötigen Sie die letzten zwei bis drei Gehaltsnachweise, Ihre Kontoauszüge der letzten Monate, eine Kopie Ihres Personalausweises und den bestehenden Kreditvertrag oder eine Ablösebescheinigung Ihrer alten Bank, aus der die genaue Restschuld hervorgeht.
Ist eine Konditionsanfrage bei einer anderen Bank Schufa-neutral?
Ja, eine reine „Anfrage Kreditkonditionen“ ist Schufa-neutral und beeinflusst Ihren Score nicht. Erst wenn Sie einen verbindlichen Kreditantrag stellen, wird ein Merkmal eingetragen. Vergleichsportale nutzen ausschließlich die neutrale Konditionsanfrage.
Kann ich auch einen Dispokredit umschulden?
Ja, eine Umschuldung des Dispokredits ist besonders empfehlenswert. Dispozinsen liegen oft bei über zehn Prozent. Die Ablösung durch einen Ratenkredit mit einem Zinssatz von beispielsweise vier Prozent kann die Zinskosten um mehr als die Hälfte senken.
Lohnt sich eine Umschuldung auch bei kurzer Restlaufzeit?
Wenn die Restlaufzeit unter zwölf Monaten liegt, lohnt sich eine Umschuldung oft nicht mehr, da die Ersparnis durch die anfallenden Gebühren aufgezehrt werden kann. Eine genaue Berechnung ist aber immer sinnvoll, da die Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung bei kurzer Laufzeit auf 0,5 Prozent sinkt.
