Charging cards compared — all providers & tariffs
What are charging cards?
Charging cards (also MBS) are digital access credentials for charging at public charging stations. They enable roaming across provider borders and bundle billing into a single invoice. Who stands behind it — CPO & eMSP compared — is explained in a dedicated article.
Which charging card is right for you?
| Driving profile | Recommended solution | Tariff type |
|---|---|---|
|
Home + everyday use Use of AC chargers and Wallbox in the private sector. |
ADAC e-Charge oder Flix Mobility | Subscription or PAYG available |
|
Vielfahrer / Langstrecke Needs reliable access to IONITY and HPC. |
IONITY Card + EnBW mobility+ | Mainly subscriptions with roaming integration |
|
Tesla drivers (out & back) Uses the Supercharger network and public charging infrastructure. |
Chargemap Go Pass / Tesla-Account | PAYG or membership with network access |
|
Ad-hoc-Nutzer Charges sporadically without any fixed planning. |
Aral pulse / Shell Recharge (directly at the column) | PAYG — no minimum term, no contract required |
Important: AC charging
The charging card or the wallbox specifies a certain output (e.g. 11 kW or 22 kW). In practice, however, it is the Onboard-Charger deines Fahrzeugs that limits the maximum possible output — your EV does not charge faster than it can convert internally. The effective output therefore is the niedrigeren Wert of "station" and "vehicle".
All charging card providers compared head-to-head
| Provider / Programm | Type | Cost (approx.) | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADAC e-Charge | Membership / Pay-as-you-go | Normalerweise niedrig beim AC-Wallboxladen somewhat higher with DC charging |
All card-compatible columns (QR/app) |
| Chargemap Go / Pass | Subscription / freemium | Free with limited access; Package somewhat higher than pure AC charging |
Alle Chargemap-gelisteten + Roaming-Netze |
| EnBW mobility+ | Subscription / pay-as-you-go | Normally low with AC charging, somewhat higher with DC charging | EnBW + Hubject WAVE-Roaming |
| E.ON e.Charge | Subscription / pay-as-you-go | Low to medium — depending on the wallbox or electricity tariff | E.ON + Hubject WAVE-Roaming |
| IONITY Card (Passport) | Subscription / pay-as-you-go | Somewhat higher — focus on high-powered DC/HPC | Alle IONITY-Stationen + Hubject WAVE-Roaming |
| Puls mobility† | Subscription / pay-as-you-go | Normal with AC; somewhat higher with DC charging | EnBW infrastructure + Hubject WAVE roaming in 100+ countries |
| Allego Plus† | Subscription / pay-as-you-go | Low to medium depending on the wallbox tariff somewhat higher when fast charging (~DC) |
Allego networks + Hubject WAVE roaming (Europe) |
| EWE Go Ladeplus† | Subscription / pay-as-you-go | Normalerweise niedrig — your electricity tariff also contributes |
EWE stations + Hubject WAVE roaming in 100+ countries |
| ladenetz.de (Roaming) | Infrastructure roaming | Looks different from provider to provider depending on the contract and the term |
Alle Hubject WAVE-kompatiblen Stationen |
| Aral pulse | Einzelstation / Pay-as-you-go | Costs depending on the station; not lower than the price in force on site |
QR-Code + Kreditkarte (Ad-hoc) |
| Shell Recharge | Einzelstation / Pay-as-you-go | Costs depending on the station; not lower than the price in force on site |
Shell + Hubject WAVE-Roaming |
| Tesla Supercharger (open) | Network / pay-as-you-go | Costs as at any column; possibly higher or lower depending on the location |
Tesla-Account oder Plugadapter |
| Flix Mobility | Charging card / subscription | Normalerweise niedrig — your electricity tariff also contributes somewhat higher with publicly available AC charging |
Via the roaming network |
| Tesla Supercharger (open to all EVs) | Network access / Pay-as-you-go + membership | Costs depending on the location and charging time; normally low with AC charging, somewhat higher with DC charging | Nur CCS2 oder NACS (adapierter Ladeanschluss) |
† Puls mobility: so far primarily EnBW stations, growing roaming network.
†† Allego Plus: fast-charging network across Europe, focused on DE, NL and BE.
†‡ EWE Go Ladeplus: Nordwest-Deutschland + Hubject WAVE-Roaming.
Always check the latest prices with the provider — they change frequently.
Tesla Supercharger for all electric vehicles
Tesla opened its Supercharger network to all brands in 2023. Not only Tesla drivers benefit — more and more EV owners use the network because it keeps growing in Germany and Europe:
| Merkmal | With Tesla membership | Without membership (PAYG only) |
|---|---|---|
| Leistungsband | up to 375 kW (V4 columns), more commonly ~250 kW | |
| Charging connection | CCS2 (standard) · NACS with adapter | CCS2 (standard) |
| Special feature | Plug & Charge (charging starts as soon as you plug in) or a Tesla account | Tesla app or a plug adapter required |
Tesla currently charges at more than 2,000 stations in Germany (as of 2026). The V4 expansion stage offers up to 375 kW and significantly shorter charging times than the previous V2/V3 Superchargers.
For Tesla drivers
With the Tesla membership charging becomes cheaper — depending on where you live, in one of four price zones. If you also drive a non-Tesla, it's worth a look at the app: LadeGuide always shows you when a Tesla column on your route is cheaper than the nearest other provider.
AI-based charging card automation
One advantage of the LadeGuide app over manual trial and error lies in the background: artificial intelligence automates the most complex decisions around charging. Here's what happens:
- Real-time routing by price/charging speed
The AI calculates the optimal charging time for every charging station — based on the latest tariffs, occupancy fees, roaming surcharges and the state of charge of your vehicle. It also takes the charging curve into account: a fast DC charge at 10 % instead of 50 % can cost up to 30 % less time. - Tarifwechsel-Erkennung
As soon as the regular price of an offer increases after the promotional period, the app warns you. You find out in good time whether you should switch or prioritize another provider. - Provider selection per charging session
Instead of always using the same card, the AI compares in real time all compatible cards at the desired station. The difference between the cheapest and the most expensive option can vary at the same charging point — depending on the charging type: normally lower with AC charging, somewhat higher with DC charging, and with a wallbox your electricity tariff counts. - Operating-hours prediction
The AI recognizes patterns in the operating times of the columns: which station is often out of order? Where do you have to wait a long time? It suggests proactive alternatives before you even start. - Price forecast & tariff calendar
Some providers have cheaper tariffs at certain times (e.g. night tariff vs. peak-price charging rates). The AI learns these patterns and suggests you the optimal charging times. - Cost comparison including the "blind factor"
The biggest trick with charging cards is the hidden costs: occupancy fees, roaming surcharges, parking charges. LadeGuide adds these up automatically — and shows you the effektiven Gesamtpreis pro kWh.
For you as the driver: what does this mean?
In short: you save time and money. Instead of comparing hundreds of tariffs, fee structures and locations yourself, the AI takes on this task for you — in real time, with the latest data from every provider offer. This works not only when charging on the go, but also on long trips, where a wrong tariff decision is quickly felt.
Key technologies and standards
| Standard | Funktion | Meaning for users |
|---|---|---|
| OCPP | Standardizes communication between charging station and backend | Enables roaming across provider borders |
| ISO 15118 | Plug & Charge — plug in and pay automatically | No card, no app required |
| Hubject WAVE | Connects over 50 providers with ~400,000 charging points | One card/app for all of Europe — via roaming platforms |
| eMIP | ISO standard for roaming | "eMIP compatible" means: virtually every charging card works |
| QR-Code (Ad-hoc) | Ad-hoc-Start per QR-Code | No contract or app — simply scan and charge |
LadeGuide automatically selects the cheapest card for your trip
LadeGuide calculates in real time which card is cheapest at every charging station — and updates this when tariffs change.
The latest prices of the providers (AC, DC, roaming, base fees) you'll find in the comparison on the Page “Charging costs & charging tariffs”.
Learn more