Mashreq Neo vs ila Bank.
Mashreq Neo (M52/100) and ila Bank (i50/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Mashreq Neo leads ila Bank 3-0.
| i ila Bank №74 · ila Bank is the digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait 50 /100 | M Mashreq Neo №66 · CBUAE 52 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 51 /100 | 53 /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. | Payment inst. CBUAE |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded BH.DCS | Safeguarded AE.DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.1 | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.3 · And 4.1 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick ila Bank if…
Digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK B.S.C., Bahrain Bourse: BBK) — one of the GCC's oldest commercial banks (founded 1971). Launched November 2019 as Bahrain's first fully-digital retail bank. CBB Conventional Retail Bank licence sits at the BBK parent; ila is a brand inside that charter, not a separately licensed entity. Bahrain DPS cover BHD 20,000 per depositor flows via the parent licence under CBB Rulebook Volume 6. Conventional banking; for Sharia products from the same group, see KFH Bahrain (separately licensed Islamic bank).
Pick Mashreq Neo if…
Digital arm of Mashreq Bank — one of UAE's oldest private banks. Multi-currency (AED + USD + GBP + EUR) is the structural differentiator vs. AED-only competitors like Liv. AE DPS cover via parent. Mashreq Neo Wealth adds investment access in the same app.
- Best for fees Mashreq Neo won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Mashreq Neo won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Tied
Mashreq Neo vs ila Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is ila Bank better than Mashreq Neo?
Under our v3 methodology, Mashreq Neo leads ila Bank 3–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: ila Bank 50/100 vs Mashreq Neo 52/100. Mashreq Neo is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is ila Bank or Mashreq Neo cheaper?
Monthly fee — ila Bank: €0; Mashreq Neo: €0. Card FX markup — ila Bank: 1.50%; Mashreq Neo: Interbank. Mashreq Neo 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, ila Bank or Mashreq Neo?
ila Bank holds a Payment inst. licence under ila Bank is the digital retail brand of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK B.S.C.) — CBB Conventional Retail Bank licence held at the BBK parent. CBB Rulebook Volume 6 Deposit Protection Scheme cover up to BHD 20,000 per depositor per institution; ila and BBK aggregate against one ceiling because they are the same legal entity. Verify the current DPS ceiling on cbb.gov.bh.; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Mashreq Neo holds a Payment inst. licence under CBUAE; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use ila Bank and Mashreq Neo?
ila Bank operates in 1 country; Mashreq Neo 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.