Rakuten Bank vs Ally Bank.
Rakuten Bank (R70/100) and Ally Bank (A58/100), 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 Ally Bank 3-1.
| A Ally Bank №55 · OCC 58 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 58 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. OCC | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded US.FDIC | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Ally Bank if…
OCC-chartered direct bank, NYSE-listed (ALLY). One of the original US online-only banks (continuous since 2009). Best-in-class US savings APY among national banks; FDIC pass-through is direct, not partner-bank. The grown-up alternative to Chime/Cash App for depositors who want chartered-bank cover.
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 Rakuten Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Ally Bank won 1 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Ally Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Ally Bank better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Rakuten Bank leads Ally Bank 3–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Ally Bank 58/100 vs Rakuten Bank 70/100. Rakuten Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Ally Bank or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Ally Bank: €0; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Ally Bank: 1.00%; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Rakuten 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, Ally Bank or Rakuten Bank?
Ally Bank holds a Payment inst. licence under OCC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Rakuten Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Ally Bank and Rakuten Bank?
Ally Bank 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?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.