Varo Money vs Nubank PJ.
Varo Money (V82/100) and Nubank PJ (N53/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Varo Money leads Nubank PJ 5-4.
| N Nubank PJ №63 · FDIC 53 /100 | V Varo Money №04 · OCC 82 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 53 /100 | 82 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.10% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. FDIC | Full bank OCC |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded BR.FGC | $250,000 US.FDIC |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 3 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | 2 coins | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 3.8 ★ 50k reviews | 4.2 ★ 8k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.8 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.7 | 4.6 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Nubank PJ if…
Brazil's default SMB neobank — 3M+ business accounts on a free Conta PJ with PIX instant transfers, FGC-protected deposits up to BRL 250,000 per customer per institution, and Nu Invest integration for idle-cash CDB / LCI / LCA / Tesouro Direto yield. Backed by Nubank Holdings (NYSE: NU), the largest neobank in LATAM by market cap. Operating as a BACEN-supervised full financial institution under Nu Pagamentos S.A., distinguished from US / EU SMB neobanks by genuine full-bank licensing and FGC cover — deposit insurance is real, not a partner-bank pass-through.
Pick Varo Money if…
First US neobank to receive an OCC national bank charter (July 2020). Direct FDIC member — your money sits at Varo Bank, N.A., not a sponsor. Headline 5.00% APY savings rate on the first $5K with direct deposit — among the highest in the US neobank market.
- Best for fees Varo Money won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Varo Money won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Nubank PJ won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Tied
Varo Money vs Nubank PJ — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Nubank PJ better than Varo Money?
Under our v3 methodology, Varo Money leads Nubank PJ 5–4 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Nubank PJ 53/100 vs Varo Money 82/100. Varo Money is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Nubank PJ or Varo Money cheaper?
Monthly fee — Nubank PJ: €0; Varo Money: €0. Card FX markup — Nubank PJ: 1.10%; Varo Money: Interbank. Varo Money 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, Nubank PJ or Varo Money?
Nubank PJ holds a Payment inst. licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Varo Money holds a Full bank licence under OCC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Varo Money is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Nubank PJ and Varo Money?
Nubank PJ operates in 3 countries; Varo Money 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.