Wio vs Liv..
Wio (W77/100) and Liv. (L59/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Wio leads Liv. 5-1.
| L Liv. №44 · CBUAE 59 /100 | W Wio №13 · CBUAE 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 59 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. CBUAE | Full bank CBUAE |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded AE.DPS | €250,000 AE.DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.0 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Liv. if…
First UAE digital-only bank — Emirates NBD subsidiary launched 2017. Targets millennials with free account + lifestyle features. Direct AE DPS cover via parent's CBUAE charter — structurally cleaner than partner-bank competitors.
Pick Wio if…
UAE-native digital full-bank, CBUAE-licensed since 2022. Backed by ADQ + Alpha Dhabi + Mubadala + e&. Instant onboarding via Emirates ID and a multi-currency core (AED + USD + EUR + GBP) make it the strongest local-licensed competitor to Liv. and Mashreq Neo. AE DPS cover under the new UAE Deposit Protection Scheme.
- Best for fees Wio won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Wio won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Wio won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Liv. won 1 of 2
Wio vs Liv. — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Liv. better than Wio?
Under our v3 methodology, Wio leads Liv. 5–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Liv. 59/100 vs Wio 77/100. Wio is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Liv. or Wio cheaper?
Monthly fee — Liv.: €0; Wio: €0. Card FX markup — Liv.: 1.50%; Wio: Interbank. Wio 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, Liv. or Wio?
Liv. holds a E-money inst. licence under CBUAE; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Wio holds a Full bank licence under CBUAE; deposit guarantee per depositor: €250,000. Wio is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Liv. and Wio?
Liv. operates in 1 country; Wio 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.