Memo Bank vs Carbon.
Memo Bank (M72/100) and Carbon (C50/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Memo Bank leads Carbon 6-2.
| C Carbon №79 · CBN 50 /100 | M Memo Bank №31 · ACPR 72 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 50 /100 | 72 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €449 /mo |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 3.00% | 0.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. CBN | Full bank ACPR |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded NG.NDIC | €100,000 EU.DGS.FR |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.6 ★ 0k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.4 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.4 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Carbon if…
Nigerian credit-led digital bank (formerly Paylater). CBN microfinance bank charter — same regulatory tier as Kuda/OPay (₦2M NDIC microfinance ceiling, not ₦5M DMB full-bank). Credit-line access is the structural differentiator vs. spending-account-led Kuda.
Pick Memo Bank if…
The French mid-market SME bank that fills the structural gap between Qonto (freelancer-and-SME-led, ACPR credit institution) and chartered legacy banks (BNP Paribas Business, Société Générale Business). Full ACPR credit-institution licence with DGS protection. Mid-market SME tier (€1M-100M revenue) is the target audience; API-first treasury + Pennylane integration is the SMB-tech moat.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Memo Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Carbon won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Memo Bank won 2 of 2
Memo Bank vs Carbon — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Carbon better than Memo Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Memo Bank leads Carbon 6–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Carbon 50/100 vs Memo Bank 72/100. Memo Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Carbon or Memo Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Carbon: €0; Memo Bank: €449. Card FX markup — Carbon: 3.00%; Memo Bank: 0.50%. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Carbon or Memo Bank?
Carbon holds a Payment inst. licence under CBN; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Memo Bank holds a Full bank licence under ACPR; deposit guarantee per depositor: €100,000. Memo Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Carbon and Memo Bank?
Carbon operates in 1 country; Memo Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.