stc Bank vs Mercury.
stc Bank (s76/100) and Mercury (M70/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Mercury leads stc Bank 5-2.
| M Mercury №32 · FDIC 70 /100 | s stc Bank №17 · SAMA 76 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 71 /100 | 76 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | 1.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FDIC | Full bank SAMA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | $250,000 US.FDIC | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.4 ★ 1k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.6 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.5 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Mercury if…
Pick if you run a US LLC or C-Corp and want $5M sweep FDIC coverage. Personal accounts not supported.
Pick stc Bank if…
First SAMA-licensed digital full bank in Saudi Arabia (received bank licence 2023, originally launched as stc pay in 2017). Backed by Saudi Telecom (stc) — telecom-grade reach across the Kingdom. Multi-currency support and instant onboarding via Absher distinguish it from legacy KSA banks. SAMA Deposit Protection Fund cover.
- Best for fees Mercury won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Mercury won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Mercury won 2 of 2
stc Bank vs Mercury — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Mercury better than stc Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Mercury leads stc Bank 5–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Mercury 70/100 vs stc Bank 76/100. Mercury is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Mercury or stc Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Mercury: €0; stc Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Mercury: 1.00%; stc Bank: 1.50%. Mercury 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, Mercury or stc Bank?
Mercury holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. stc Bank holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Mercury and stc Bank?
Mercury operates in 1 country; stc 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.