Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
KakaoBank vs Salt Bank
KakaoBank
Salt Bank
Higher score in this comparison
Where KakaoBank and Salt Bank differ
| Compare | KakaoBankReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Salt BankReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | ₩0 | RON 0 |
| Currencies | 9 | 19Higher |
| Free ATM withdrawals | ₩0 | RON 900 |
| Transfer fee | 0 KRW - interbank transfer and automatic transfer fees waived, plus all-bank and convenience-store ATM deposit, transfer and withdrawal fees | 0 commission for incoming and outgoing payments in Romania |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 |
| Local account details | Not confirmed | IBAN |
Same on both: Currency conversion fee (0%).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Salt Bank scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 8.9.
- Salt Bank is available in 9 more countries.
- Currencies is higher at Salt Bank: 19 vs 9.
- Support channels: only Salt Bank offers Email.
- Audience: only KakaoBank offers Business, Teen.
- Audience: only Salt Bank offers Expats, Travelers.
- Pricing model: only Salt Bank offers Low FX.
Our verdict on each
KakaoBank
KakaoBank suits Korean residents, businesses and teens who want a fee-free everyday account run from an app, with a currency conversion fee of 0% and a variable rate of 0.1%. The 2016 bank is licensed by the Financial Services Commission (Korea), so money sits with a regulated bank rather than an e-money firm.
Salt Bank
Salt Bank is built for expats and travellers who bank across Romania and further afield: 19 currencies sit on the same account, local receiving details are iban, and Banca Nationala a Romaniei supervises the bank, with a savings option alongside that pays out at maturity. It scores 7.7 in the comparison.
Score breakdown
| Area | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Monthly fee of KRW 0, currency conversion fee of 0% and interbank and ATM fees waived. | 9.4Monthly charge of RON 0, conversion of 0% and 0 commission for incoming and outgoing payments in Romania in Romania. |
| Offer | 9.1Variable interest at 0.1% on easy access terms, 9 currencies, 1-3 days remittance. | 9.5HigherA fixed deposit at 5.3% to 5.9% over 3 to 12, under EU DGS up to EUR 100,000. |
| Trust | 8.4 | Not confirmed |
Spending 1,000 abroad
KakaoBank
0
0% of 1,000
Salt Bank
0
0% of 1,000
Both come to the same total.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Savings accounts | 408 of 1420 | 73 of 1420 |
| Multi-currency accounts | 167 of 348 | 24 of 348 |
| Online banks | 124 of 402 | 17 of 402 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | Not confirmed | Banca Nationala a Romaniei (National Bank of Romania) P.J.R. 40-043 |
| South Korea | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for KakaoBank: 1. Additional countries for Salt Bank: 10.
A third option
Skrill has currencies at 47, against 9 for KakaoBank and 19 for Salt Bank.
Skrill reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Business, Teen | Expats, Travelers |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee | No monthly fee, Low FXCovers more |
| Features | Free ATM, Digital only | Free ATM, Digital only |
| Legal entity | KakaoBank Corp. (주)카카오뱅크 | Salt Bank S.A. |
| Headquarters | South Korea | Romania |
| Founded | 2016 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Chat | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Savings
| Fact | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 0.1% | 5.3% to 5.9%Higher |
| Rate type | Variable | Fixed |
| Term | Not confirmed | 3 to 12 months |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | RON 500 |
| Access terms | No contract period and no deposit limit; domestic residents aged 14+; interest settled monthly and paid the following day | 3, 6 or 12 month terms in RON, EUR or USD; interest paid at maturity to the current account; deposits guaranteed up to EUR 100,000 per depositor by FGDB |
| Account kind | Easy access | Fixed |
Money transfer
| Fact | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery time | 1-3 days | Not confirmed |
| Payout methods | Bank, Cash pickup | Not confirmed |
| Fee to send 1,000 | ₩4,900 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | KakaoBank | Salt Bank | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0%below the median | 0.5% |
| Currencies | 9above the median | 19highest quarter | 5 |
Median across 536 listed accounts.
Pros and cons
KakaoBank
Pros
- No monthly charge, with interbank, automatic transfer and all-bank ATM fees waived on transfers
- Currency conversion fee of 0%, which ranks joint top of 312 brands on cost
- Free ATM access and a digital-only service, with interest settled monthly and paid the next day
Cons
- Interest is modest, at a variable 0.1% against a 3% median
- Currencies are limited to 9, behind the 9 median for everyday accounts
- Remittances cost KRW 4,900 and take 1-3 days
Salt Bank
Pros
- Help is available by email, chat and phone.
- Cash withdrawals come with a free allowance of RON 900.
- Term deposits run in RON, EUR or USD and the interest lands in the current account at maturity.
Cons
- The service is digital only, per free atm and digital only, so there is no branch counter for cash or paperwork.
- Local receiving details are iban only, which limits how money can be received from other markets.
- The fixed deposit needs a minimum of RON 500 and ties the money up for the whole term.
Who each suits
KakaoBank
Who it suits
- Domestic residents who want everyday banking with no monthly charge
- Small businesses that need business and teen banking and frequent transfers
- Teens opening a first account at a minimum age
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone holding a single currency, since 9 is short of the 350 seen site wide
- Savings seekers, because a variable 0.1% sits well under the 3% median
- People wanting cash abroad fast, since remittances take 1-3 days and cost KRW 4,900
Salt Bank
Who it suits
- Expats and travellers named under expats and travelers, who want local and overseas money in the same account.
- Anyone paid in and out in Romania, since 0 commission for incoming and outgoing payments in Romania there.
- Savers who can wait for interest at maturity and collect it in the current account.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not a fee-based decision: Skrill charges €0 a month and eToro £0, so price alone does not separate them.
- Not for people who need UK sort code or US routing numbers for incoming pay, since local details are iban only, the gap to weigh against PayPal Colombia.
Current offers
Salt Bank
Current offer
First period offer
Prima luna este gratuit (first month free): First month of any Salt plan free
Applies to the Salt, Salt Everyday and Salt Premium plans on opening
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
13-lea salariu (13th salary campaign): An extra salary when you bring your salary to Salt
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | KakaoBank | Salt Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| France | No | Yes |
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Ireland | No | Yes |
| Italy | No | Yes |
| Netherlands | No | Yes |
| Portugal | No | Yes |
8 of 11 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
KakaoBank
Is there a monthly fee for a KakaoBank account?+
There is no monthly charge on the account, which ranks joint top of 500 brands on that measure. Transfers are also free: interbank and automatic transfer fees are waived, together with deposit, transfer and withdrawal fees at all-bank and convenience-store ATMs. The balance earns a variable 0.1%, settled monthly and paid the following day.
What interest does the account pay and is it fixed?+
The rate is variable at 0.1%, and it moves rather than being locked in. That is well under the 3% median across the site, and there is no notice period to serve and no cap on the balance, so money can be taken out whenever. It is a spending and payment account rather than a home for savings.
Salt Bank
What does a Salt Bank account cost?+
The monthly fee is RON 0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%, so there is no monthly or conversion charge to budget for. Payments in and out in Romania run at 0 commission for incoming and outgoing payments in Romania, and cash withdrawals include a free allowance of RON 900. The conversion fee sits at rank 1 among the brands compared.
Is my money protected at Salt Bank?+
Deposits are covered by EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, so a balance up to that limit is repaid by the scheme if the bank fails. The Romanian guarantee fund FGDB guarantees deposits per depositor as well, and the bank answers to Banca Nationala a Romaniei under licence P.J.R. 40-043.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- KakaoBank vs Cake by VPBank
- KakaoBank vs Scotiabank Uruguay Cuenta Digital
- Salt Bank vs Vivid Money
- Salt Bank vs Nequi
- Salt Bank vs monobank
- Salt Bank vs Mox Bank
- Salt Bank vs Fortuneo
- Salt Bank vs Satispay
- Salt Bank vs Nu Colombia
- Salt Bank vs Finom
- Salt Bank vs Qonto
- Salt Bank vs iuvoSAVE
- KakaoBank vs N26
- Salt Bank vs PagBank
- Salt Bank vs Bigbank FI
Related by the facts
KakaoBank
Salt Bank