Cora vs Mercado Pago.
Cora (C51/100) and Mercado Pago (M50/100), 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 leads Cora 6-0.
| C Cora №71 · BACEN 51 /100 | M Mercado Pago №72 · BACEN 50 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 51 /100 | 51 /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 | Payment inst. BACEN | Payment inst. BACEN |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded BR.FGC | Safeguarded AR.SEDESA |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 5 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 4 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 1.5 ★ 18k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Cora if…
Brazilian SMB neobank with the strongest working-capital credit-line product among BACEN payment institutions. Cora Crédito underwrites loans on bank-statement signal — same model as Mercado Crédito but without the marketplace-flow dependency. Free Conta PJ keeps customer-acquisition friction low; credit-line draws generate the revenue. Backed by ~$230M from Tiger Global, Greenoaks Capital, others. ~300K BR business accounts.
Pick Mercado Pago if…
The dominant LatAm digital wallet by user count (~50M+ actives across AR, BR, MX, CL, CO). MercadoLibre subsidiary, public via NASDAQ: MELI. The high-inflation hedge play — Argentine yield product (Rendimientos) is a near-mandatory account for ARS holders.
- Best for fees Mercado Pago won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Mercado Pago won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Mercado Pago won 2 of 2
Cora vs Mercado Pago — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Cora better than Mercado Pago?
Under our v3 methodology, Mercado Pago leads Cora 6–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Cora 51/100 vs Mercado Pago 50/100. Mercado Pago is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Cora or Mercado Pago cheaper?
Monthly fee — Cora: €0; Mercado Pago: €0. Card FX markup — Cora: 1.50%; Mercado Pago: Interbank. Mercado Pago 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, Cora or Mercado Pago?
Cora holds a Payment inst. licence under BACEN; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Mercado Pago holds a Payment inst. licence under BACEN; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Cora and Mercado Pago?
Cora operates in 1 country; Mercado Pago operates in 5 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?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.