Kakao Bank vs Nubank PJ.
Kakao Bank (K78/100) and Nubank PJ (N53/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. A close tie.
| K Kakao Bank №10 · KDIC 78 /100 | N Nubank PJ №63 · FDIC 53 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 78 /100 | 53 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | 1.10% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank KDIC | Payment inst. FDIC |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €50,000,000 KR.KDIC | Safeguarded BR.FGC |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 3 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 2 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 3.8 ★ 50k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 | 4.8 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.7 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Kakao Bank if…
Largest Korean digital bank by user count (~24M). Public on KOSPI since 2021. Deep integration with KakaoTalk messenger — distribution moat. Mini Stock fractional investing is a strong consumer-investing entry point.
Pick Nubank PJ if…
Brazil's default SMB neobank — 3M+ business accounts on a free Conta PJ with PIX instant transfers, FGC-protected deposits up to BRL 250,000 per customer per institution, and Nu Invest integration for idle-cash CDB / LCI / LCA / Tesouro Direto yield. Backed by Nubank Holdings (NYSE: NU), the largest neobank in LATAM by market cap. Operating as a BACEN-supervised full financial institution under Nu Pagamentos S.A., distinguished from US / EU SMB neobanks by genuine full-bank licensing and FGC cover — deposit insurance is real, not a partner-bank pass-through.
- Best for fees Kakao Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Kakao Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Nubank PJ won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Nubank PJ won 2 of 2
Kakao Bank vs Nubank PJ — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Kakao Bank better than Nubank PJ?
Kakao Bank and Nubank PJ are tied 4–4 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Kakao Bank 78/100 vs Nubank PJ 53/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Kakao Bank or Nubank PJ cheaper?
Monthly fee — Kakao Bank: €0; Nubank PJ: €0. Card FX markup — Kakao Bank: Interbank; Nubank PJ: 1.10%. Kakao 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, Kakao Bank or Nubank PJ?
Kakao Bank holds a Full bank licence under KDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: €50,000,000. Nubank PJ holds a Payment inst. licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Kakao Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Kakao Bank and Nubank PJ?
Kakao Bank operates in 1 country; Nubank PJ operates in 3 countries. 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.