Rakuten Bank vs Novo.
Rakuten Bank (R77/100) and Novo (N72/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Rakuten Bank leads Novo 4-2.
| N Novo №30 · FDIC 72 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №13 · JFSA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 72 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FDIC | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | $250,000 US.FDIC | €10,000,000 JP.DICJ |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 3.0 ★ 1k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.5 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
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.
Pick Rakuten Bank if…
Largest Japanese internet-only bank by customer count (~14M+) and the only TSE Prime-listed pure-play net bank (TYO: 5838, IPO 21 April 2023 — the largest Japanese IPO in five years at the time). Originally chartered as eBank in 2001; acquired by Rakuten Group (TYO: 4755) in 2009. Structural moat is the Rakuten Points + Rakuten Card + Rakuten Securities + Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Ichiba ecosystem — points cross-pollinate across the entire surface area. Full FSA Banking Act licence; statutory DICJ member at the JPY 10,000,000 ceiling.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Rakuten Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Rakuten Bank won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Novo won 2 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Novo — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Novo better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Rakuten Bank leads Novo 4–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Novo 72/100 vs Rakuten Bank 77/100. Rakuten Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Novo or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Novo: €0; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Novo: Interbank; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Novo or Rakuten Bank?
Novo holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €10,000,000. Rakuten Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Novo and Rakuten Bank?
Novo operates in 1 country; Rakuten 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?
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