stc Bank vs Carbon.
stc Bank (s76/100) 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. stc Bank leads Carbon 5-1.
| C Carbon №80 · CBN 50 /100 | s stc Bank №17 · SAMA 76 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 50 /100 | 76 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 3.00% | 1.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. CBN | Full bank SAMA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded NG.NDIC | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.4 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 |
| 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 stc Bank if…
First SAMA-licensed digital full bank in Saudi Arabia (received bank licence 2023, originally launched as stc pay in 2017). Backed by Saudi Telecom (stc) — telecom-grade reach across the Kingdom. Multi-currency support and instant onboarding via Absher distinguish it from legacy KSA banks. SAMA Deposit Protection Fund cover.
- Best for fees stc Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection stc Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Carbon won 1 of 3
- Best for ux stc Bank won 1 of 2
stc Bank vs Carbon — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Carbon better than stc Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, stc Bank leads Carbon 5–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Carbon 50/100 vs stc Bank 76/100. stc 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 stc Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Carbon: €0; stc Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Carbon: 3.00%; stc Bank: 1.50%. stc Bank wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Carbon or stc Bank?
Carbon holds a Payment inst. licence under CBN; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. stc Bank holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. stc Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Carbon and stc Bank?
Carbon operates in 1 country; stc 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.