Rakuten Bank vs Qonto.
Rakuten Bank (R70/100) and Qonto (Q51/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Rakuten Bank leads Qonto 5-3.
| Q Qonto №70 · Payment institution license 51 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 51 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €9 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.70% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded EU.DGS.FR | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 8 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.8 ★ 50k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.3 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Qonto if…
Pick if you run an EU SME and need multi-currency invoicing, accounting integrations, and proper receipts.
Pick Rakuten Bank if…
Largest Japanese internet-only bank by customer count (~14M+) and the only TSE Prime-listed pure-play net bank (TYO: 5838, IPO 21 April 2023 — the largest Japanese IPO in five years at the time). Originally chartered as eBank in 2001; acquired by Rakuten Group (TYO: 4755) in 2009. Structural moat is the Rakuten Points + Rakuten Card + Rakuten Securities + Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Ichiba ecosystem — points cross-pollinate across the entire surface area. Full FSA Banking Act licence; statutory DICJ member at the JPY 10,000,000 ceiling.
- Best for fees Rakuten Bank won 2 of 4
- Best for protection Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Qonto won 2 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Qonto — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Qonto better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Rakuten Bank leads Qonto 5–3 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Qonto 51/100 vs Rakuten Bank 70/100. Rakuten Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Qonto or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Qonto: €9; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Qonto: 1.70%; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Rakuten Bank wins more fee rows (2 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Qonto or Rakuten Bank?
Qonto holds a Payment inst. licence under Payment institution license (France, 2018); EU passport across served markets; filed for full French banking license in July 2025; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Rakuten Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Qonto and Rakuten Bank?
Qonto operates in 8 countries; Rakuten 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.