Sony Bank vs Memo Bank.
Sony Bank (S69/100) and Memo Bank (M56/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Sony Bank leads Memo Bank 5-2.
| M Memo Bank №59 · ACPR 56 /100 | S Sony Bank №41 · JFSA 69 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 56 /100 | 69 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €449 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.50% | 0.15% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. ACPR | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded EU.DGS.FR | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.6 ★ 0k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.4 | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Memo Bank if…
The French mid-market SME bank that fills the structural gap between Qonto (freelancer-and-SME-led, ACPR credit institution) and chartered legacy banks (BNP Paribas Business, Société Générale Business). Full ACPR credit-institution licence with DGS protection. Mid-market SME tier (€1M-100M revenue) is the target audience; API-first treasury + Pennylane integration is the SMB-tech moat.
Pick Sony Bank if…
Japan's longest-running internet-only bank (operational since June 2001) — predates Rakuten Bank's eBank acquisition and tied with SBI Sumishin for first-net-bank tenure. The structural specificity is multi-currency forex strength: foreign-currency deposit accounts in 12+ currencies plus retail FX margin trading, the deepest retail-FX product among Japanese chartered net banks. Wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, in turn part of Sony Group Corporation (TYO: 6758). Sony Bank ≠ Sony Pay / Sony Mobile Wallet — the bank holds a full Banking Act licence, the wallet brands do not.
- Best for fees Sony Bank won 2 of 4
- Best for protection Sony Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Sony Bank won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Memo Bank won 2 of 2
Sony Bank vs Memo Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Memo Bank better than Sony Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Sony Bank leads Memo Bank 5–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Memo Bank 56/100 vs Sony Bank 69/100. Sony Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Memo Bank or Sony Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Memo Bank: €449; Sony Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Memo Bank: 0.50%; Sony Bank: 0.15%. Sony 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, Memo Bank or Sony Bank?
Memo Bank holds a E-money inst. licence under ACPR; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Sony Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Sony Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Memo Bank and Sony Bank?
Memo Bank operates in 1 country; Sony 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.