Novo vs Mercado Pago Empresas.
Novo (N72/100) and Mercado Pago Empresas (M69/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Mercado Pago Empresas leads Novo 4-2.
| M Mercado Pago Empresas №38 · BACEN 69 /100 | N Novo №28 · FDIC 72 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 69 /100 | 72 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 2.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank BACEN | Partner-bank FDIC |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €250,000 BR.FGC | $250,000 US.FDIC |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 7 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | 3 coins | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 3.5 ★ 30k reviews | 3.0 ★ 1k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Mercado Pago Empresas if…
The LATAM SMB-and-merchant payments platform with the deepest marketplace integration in the region — integrated with MercadoLibre / Mercado Livre, the largest e-commerce marketplace in Latin America. Multi-country coverage (BR, AR, MX, CO, CL, UY, PE) plus the marketplace network effect makes Mercado Pago Empresas the structural default for any LATAM-operating SMB that touches the MercadoLibre ecosystem. Free business account + card-acceptance terminals (Point) + online payment gateway + working-capital loans (Mercado Crédito) underwritten on platform sales data — the structural answer for any SMB selling on Mercado Livre / Mercado Libre marketplaces and the default e-commerce checkout across BR / AR / MX / CO / CL. Payment-institution model (not a bank), so customer funds are NOT FGC / national-DGS protected. Parent MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) is the dominant e-commerce + fintech platform across LATAM.
Pick Novo if…
The integration-first US business neobank. Boost is the structural feature: Stripe and Square payouts arrive 1-2 business days earlier than at any competitor, which materially shifts cash-flow timing for e-commerce sellers and agencies invoicing on net-30. The third-party app marketplace (~11+ named integrations including Wise for cross-border) is deeper than Bluevine, Mercury, or Found, and Middlesex Federal Savings has been the continuous sponsor bank since launch — uncommon stability in BaaS. Trade-off: $250K single-bank FDIC ceiling (no sweep), no yield product, and weaker multi-user permissions than Relay.
- Best for fees Novo won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Mercado Pago Empresas won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Mercado Pago Empresas won 1 of 2
Novo vs Mercado Pago Empresas — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Mercado Pago Empresas better than Novo?
Under our v3 methodology, Mercado Pago Empresas leads Novo 4–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Mercado Pago Empresas 69/100 vs Novo 72/100. Mercado Pago Empresas is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Mercado Pago Empresas or Novo cheaper?
Monthly fee — Mercado Pago Empresas: €0; Novo: €0. Card FX markup — Mercado Pago Empresas: 2.50%; Novo: Interbank. Novo 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, Mercado Pago Empresas or Novo?
Mercado Pago Empresas holds a Partner-bank licence under BACEN; deposit guarantee per depositor: €250,000. Novo holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Mercado Pago Empresas and Novo?
Mercado Pago Empresas operates in 7 countries; Novo operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
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