Relay vs Vivid Money.
Relay (R68/100) and Vivid Money (V62/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Vivid Money leads Relay 5-2.
| R Relay №43 · FDIC 68 /100 | V Vivid Money №47 · Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services 62 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 68 /100 | 62 /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 | — | €200 /mo |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FDIC | E-money inst. |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | Safeguarded EU.DGS.DE |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 5 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 300 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.2 ★ 8k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.6 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Relay if…
The Profit-First-aligned multi-checking neobank — 20 real checking accounts (not virtual envelopes) and 50 debit cards under one login, with granular multi-user roles. Where Mercury / Bluevine / Novo all give you one operating account plus virtual sub-pockets, Relay gives you 20 separately-FDIC-mapped checking accounts that auto-transfer between each other on percentage- or amount-based rules. That is the structural fit for Mike Michalowicz's Profit First method (Income / Profit / Owner's Pay / Tax / OpEx envelopes), and Relay has been the official Profit First banking platform since 2023. Sponsor bank is Thread Bank (TN-chartered) with a $3M sweep — Thread's May 2024 FDIC consent order was terminated December 2025 with no customer-funds incident at Relay.
Pick Vivid Money if…
Pick if cashback on cards matters more than regulatory depth or rich product breadth.
- Best for fees Vivid Money won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Vivid Money won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Tied
Relay vs Vivid Money — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Relay better than Vivid Money?
Under our v3 methodology, Vivid Money leads Relay 5–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Relay 68/100 vs Vivid Money 62/100. Vivid Money is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Relay or Vivid Money cheaper?
Monthly fee — Relay: €0; Vivid Money: €0. Card FX markup — Relay: Interbank; Vivid Money: Interbank. Vivid 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, Relay or Vivid Money?
Relay holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Vivid Money holds a E-money inst. licence under Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Relay and Vivid Money?
Relay operates in 1 country; Vivid Money 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.