Check24
 | |
| Type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Price comparison |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , Germany |
| Services |
|
| Legal form | GmbH |
| Website | www |
Check24 is a German online price comparison company based in Munich. It offers comparisons of insurance policies, energy tariffs, financial products, and internet and mobile phone plans. The company began as an insurance comparison service in 1999.[1][2]
History
[edit]The business began in 1999 as einsurance, an insurance comparison company founded in Munich by Henrich Blase and colleagues.[1] Venture capital firm Accel invested in the company in 2007.[3]
In 2008, einsurance.de, moneyworld.de and tarifvergleich.de were combined to form Check24. The website offered comparisons of insurance, financial products, energy tariffs and telecommunications plans.[4] The company later added travel bookings.[1]
At the end of 2015, Check24 had motor insurance policies for 1.05 million vehicles in its portfolio.[5] The following year, Manager Magazin described the company as Germany’s leading comparison portal.[6]
Check24 began operating in Spain in 2020. Its Madrid office was the company’s first outside Germany.[2]
Services and business model
[edit]Check24 compares offers from insurance companies, energy suppliers and telecommunications providers. Users can take out insurance or apply to switch their energy or telecommunications provider through the website.[7] The company earns commissions from providers for contracts arranged through Check24.[8]
In its insurance business, Check24 acts as a broker, advising customers and arranging policies with insurers.[9] The website also offers bookings for package holidays, flights, hotels and rental cars.[10]
Check24 Steuer is the company's free software for preparing and submitting German income-tax returns.[11] It covers employment income, pensions, investments, rental income, as well as income from self-employment and business activities.[12]
Marketing
[edit]During UEFA Euro 2024, Check24 promoted its app by giving away Germany-themed football shirts made by Puma. Since the start of the event, the company had increased distribution to total of 5 million shirts.[13]
Legal and regulatory issues
[edit]Following a Bundeskartellamt investigation, Check24 agreed in February 2026 to stop preventing energy suppliers from offering lower prices elsewhere.[14]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Timmermann, Anja (31 August 2012). "Die Checker aus München". Abendzeitung (in German).
- 1 2 Lozano, Elena (24 April 2024). "Check24, el gigante alemán de los comparadores, crece en España tras invertir 50M para ser "el Booking de los seguros"". El Español (in Spanish).
- ↑ "Check24". Accel. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ "CHECK24 geht online – Deutschlands großes Vergleichsportal bringt Licht in den Tarifdschungel" (Press release) (in German). CHECK24 Vergleichsportal GmbH. 14 October 2008 – via openPR.
- ↑ Fromme, Herbert (15 June 2016). ""Das Internet gewinnt"". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German).
- ↑ Dohms, Heinz-Roger (20 October 2016). "Mittelständler auf Speed". Manager Magazin (in German).
- ↑ "Über CHECK24". CHECK24 (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ Fonrobert, Daniela; Müller, Tom (2 December 2025). "Wie Check24 sein Geschäft ausweitet – und was Kunden wissen müssen". SWR (in German).
- ↑ "Urteil im Verfahren BVK gegen Check24". AssCompact (in German). 6 April 2017.
- ↑ "Urlaub buchen – Pauschalreisen bis 60% günstiger". CHECK24 Reisen (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ Leine, Jörg. "Steuer-Apps und Steuersoftware 2026". Finanztip (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ "Programmumfang von SteuerCHECK". CHECK24 (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ Schlenk, Caspar; Rinke, Florian (20 June 2024). "Check24-Gründer verrät Trikot-Geheimnis: So läuft die größte Marketing-Aktion der Fußball-EM". OMR (in German).
- ↑ Deutsche Presse-Agentur (24 February 2026). "Check24 verzichtet auf Preisklauseln bei Energieversorgern". Die Welt (in German).