Paying with
the SocialCard

The SocialCard is a Visa debit card. It does not differ from other Visa debit cards issued by credit institutions either in terms of functionality or design. The Socialcard is available as a plastic card or as a digital card for use in a smartphone.

You cannot order the SocialCard. Only municipalities and authorities that use the SocialCard can issue the card.

• iOS/Apple: App Store
• Android/Google: Play Store

After downloading, please open the "secupay app". You will be asked once to register for the "secupay app" with your mobile phone number and to set a password to open the "secupay app". To complete the registration, you will receive an SMS with a six-digit registration code to the mobile phone number that you have given to the card-issuing office (e.g. social welfare office). Please enter this code in the "secupay app".

After successful registration, your digital card will be displayed directly in the "secupay app". In order to be able to use the card, it still has to be activated. To do this, please enter the authorization code and card code that you received separately. The e-mail was sent to the e-mail address you provided to the card-issuing office (e.g. social welfare office).

You can download the "secupay app" here:

• iOS/Apple: App Store
• Android/Google: Play Store

In the e-mail from "no-reply@socialcard.de" you will find important data to set up the "secupay app", which you absolutely need to activate your digital card. Please download the "secupay app", open it and follow the instructions for setting up the app.

Please check first whether you might find the e-mail in the SPAM folder. Sender of the e-mail is "no-reply@socialcard.de".

Please use our contact form. We will resend the data to the e-mail address registered with the card-issuing office.

You can pay with your card wherever you see the Visa logo; in local shops – at more than one million retailers in Germany – or on the Internet.

If you want to pay on the spot in the shop, simply use the Apple Pay or Google Pay function.

• Apple Pay: In Wallet, select the card you want to pay with. If your iPhone has Face ID, press the side button twice. If your iPhone has Touch ID, press the home button twice. Hold the top of the iPhone against the card terminal until a tick appears on the iPhone and the confirmation "Done". For more information, go to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201472
• Google Pay: Unlock your smartphone. Hold the smartphone to the card terminal and wait until a tick appears on the smartphone. That's it! Further information is available at https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6160491?hl=en

If you have received a plastic card, payment in shops works as follows: Hold your card within a few centimeters of the payment terminal - where you see the contactless symbol. Basically, please have your PIN ready, which you may have to enter at the terminal for payment. For small amounts, you may not need to enter your PIN. Successful payment is confirmed by an acoustic or optical signal.

If you want to pay online with your SocialCard, please select payment by Visa in the checkout of the online shop. You will then be asked to enter your card number and the validity of the card. You can view the card number of your digital cards in the "secupay app" under the menu item "Cards". For security reasons, you must confirm online payments by entering a so-called TAN. This TAN will either be sent to you by SMS or displayed in the "secupay app".

Please note: You can only use your SocialCard to pay on the Internet if you have provided your e-mail address and mobile phone number when registering. Subsequent registration of this data is not possible.

If you use the "secupay app", the TAN is displayed directly in the app. If you do not use the app, the TAN will be sent to you by SMS to the mobile phone number you entered during registration.

You can find the complete card number in the "secupay app" in the menu item "Cards" under "Card details".

Yes, this is possible. If you want to pay online with the card, select in the checkout of the online shop that you want to pay with Visa. Then enter your card number and the validity of the card in the online shop. For security reasons, you must confirm payments on the Internet by entering a so-called TAN. This TAN will be sent to you by SMS to the mobile phone number you entered during registration.

Please note: If you did not provide a mobile phone number when registering, it is not possible to pay online! A subsequent registration of your mobile phone number is unfortunately not possible. 

Unfortunately, for security reasons, it is mandatory that a TAN is sent to you either by SMS or via the "secupay app". If you do not have a mobile phone on which either the SMS can be received or the "secupay app" can be used, it will not be possible to use the card for online purchases.

If you want to withdraw cash, you can do so conveniently and free of charge while shopping in the shop. Please note that a small minimum purchase of five to ten euros is often required to use the cash service when shopping. A maximum of up to EUR 200 can be withdrawn per purchase. You can find out here. which shops offer this service.

Alternatively, you can also withdraw cash from ATMs. Please note that there are charges for this, which are debited directly to your credit balance. If you have a plastic card, you will need the PIN for your card. If you have a digital card, you can only use ATMs that are also NFC-enabled and do accept the SocialCard.

If you withdraw cash from an ATM with your SocialCard, EUR 2.00 will be debited directly from your credit balance. For example, if you withdraw EUR 50.00, you will be charged EUR 52.00.

You can use the "secupay app" to check how much credit is left on your SocialCard at any time.

Alternatively, you can also check your credit balance online. To do so, please click here.

You can check your transactions at any time via the "secupay app".

If you do not use the "secupay app", you can also view your transactions online. You can find the turnover query here.

In the "secupay app" you will find information about your current credit balance and the transactions you have made with the card. If you want to pay for online purchases with the card, you will receive the necessary TAN via the "secupay app".

Only the office from which you received the SocialCard can load funds onto the card. Your cash benefit will be automatically credited to your Visa Debit Card by the office/agency when it is due.

No, this is not possible. Only the card-issuing office/office can transfer credit to your card.

Please check whether our FAQ can help you solve the problem. Alternatively, please use the contact form to send us your questions.

Please block Google Pay or Apple Pay and the "secupay app" on your smartphone yourself. You can find out how to do this here:

Apple (iOS)

Google (Android)

Please then contact the card-issuing office and also report the loss of the smartphone or digital card there. You will then receive a new SocialCard there.

Please block your card online here.

Please then contact the card-issuing office (e.g. social welfare office or job centre) to apply for a new card.

If you use a plastic card and no longer know the PIN that goes with it, please use our online form. We will show you your PIN directly online.

Please use contact form and let us know that you need a new PIN. We will unblock your card and send you your PIN by text message to the mobile phone you provided when registering with the card-issuing office/agency. The card is immediately ready for use again with this PIN.

No, your SocialCard and the associated PIN may only be used by you and may not be passed on to other persons.

You can find the currently valid terms of use directly in the secupay app or you can download them here.

The Terms of Use are available in German and English only.