Memo Bank vs Ualá.
Memo Bank (M72/100) and Ualá (U49/100), 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.
| M Memo Bank №31 · ACPR 72 /100 | U Ualá №80 · BCRA 49 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 72 /100 | 49 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €449 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.50% | 4.00% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank ACPR | Payment inst. BCRA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €100,000 EU.DGS.FR | Safeguarded AR.SEDESA |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 3 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 6 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.6 ★ 0k reviews | 2.4 ★ 5k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.4 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
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.
Pick Ualá if…
The default Argentine fintech card (~9M users in AR). Wilobank acquisition (2022) gave Ualá a full Argentine banking licence — converts the wallet to a chartered bank for AR depositors. Mexican + Colombian expansions via local subsidiaries. Argentine inflation-hedge yield (Rendimientos) is a near-mandatory product for ARS holders.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Memo Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Ualá won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Tied
Memo Bank vs Ualá — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Memo Bank better than Ualá?
Memo Bank and Ualá are tied 5–5 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Memo Bank 72/100 vs Ualá 49/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Memo Bank or Ualá cheaper?
Monthly fee — Memo Bank: €449; Ualá: €0. Card FX markup — Memo Bank: 0.50%; Ualá: 4.00%. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Memo Bank or Ualá?
Memo Bank holds a Full bank licence under ACPR; deposit guarantee per depositor: €100,000. Ualá holds a Payment inst. licence under BCRA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Memo Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Memo Bank and Ualá?
Memo Bank operates in 1 country; Ualá 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?
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