Relay vs Chipper Cash.
Relay (R68/100) and Chipper Cash (C62/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. A close tie.
| C Chipper Cash №48 · FCA 62 /100 | R Relay №43 · FDIC 68 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 62 /100 | 68 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. FCA | Partner-bank FDIC |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded NG.NDIC | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 9 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | 5 coins | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.5 | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.6 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Chipper Cash if…
Pan-African EMI — operates in 9+ African countries + UK + US. Multi-jurisdiction licensing means no single full-bank protection. ~5M users. Backed by Bezos Expeditions, Tiger Global. Anchors the pan-African angle alongside Mukuru.
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.
- Best for fees Relay won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Chipper Cash won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Relay won 1 of 2
Relay vs Chipper Cash — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Chipper Cash better than Relay?
Chipper Cash and Relay are tied 3–3 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Chipper Cash 62/100 vs Relay 68/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Chipper Cash or Relay cheaper?
Monthly fee — Chipper Cash: €0; Relay: €0. Card FX markup — Chipper Cash: 1.00%; Relay: Interbank. Relay 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, Chipper Cash or Relay?
Chipper Cash holds a E-money inst. licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Relay holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Chipper Cash and Relay?
Chipper Cash operates in 9 countries; Relay 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.