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Updated October 14, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team

Mercury vs N26

Mercury scores 8.8 and N26 9.1 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
N26

N26

Higher score in this comparison

9.1/10
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Mercury

Mercury

8.8/10
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Where Mercury and N26 differ

Mercury vs N26
CompareMercuryMercuryReviewSee alternativesSee alternativesN26N26ReviewVisitVisit
Monthly fee$0€0
Deposit protectionFDIC up to USD 250,000EU DGS up to EUR 100,000
Currency conversion fee1%0%Lower
Currencies40from 35
Local account detailsUs ACHIBAN
Free ATM withdrawals$0€2
Transfer feeACH and domestic wires free; USD international wires free, OUR option $15; non-USD international wires 1% FX feeFree: no extra charge for Wise-powered international transfers; MoneyBeam domestic transfers free

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

  • N26 scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.8.
  • Founded is lower at N26: 2013 vs 2017.
  • N26 is available in 20 more countries.
  • Currency conversion fee is lower at N26: 0% vs 1%.
  • Local account details: only Mercury offers Us ACH.
  • Local account details: only N26 offers IBAN.
  • Support channels: only N26 offers Phone.
  • Audience: only Mercury offers Business, Freelancer.
  • Audience: only N26 offers Expats, Travelers, Student.
  • Pricing model: only N26 offers Low FX.

Our verdict on each

Mercury

Mercury in the United States is a fintech business-account platform with cards, invoicing, bill pay and spend management. It offers team access roles and syncs transactions with QuickBooks Online, Xero and NetSuite; partner banks remain distinct from Mercury.

Read the full Mercury review

N26

N26 suits people who want banking costs to stay flat and who move money across currencies often: the monthly fee is €0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%. It is aimed at expats, travelers, students and teens, and savings sit alongside the everyday account.

Read the full N26 review

Score breakdown

Mercury vs N26
AreaMercuryN26
Cost9.1Monthly fees of $0 and a minimum deposit of $0; the site conversion median is 0.5% and Mercury's is 1%.9.4HigherFees of €0 monthly and 0% to convert sit at position 1 of 500 and 1 of 312.
Offer9.2An easy-access easy access balance for business and freelancer, paying 3.5% that is variable, with free ATM use and joint accounts.9.5HigherAimed at expats, travelers and student, holding from 35 currencies, with a joint account, digital-only service and easy-access savings.
Trust8.38.5Higher

Availability and regulation

Mercury vs N26
CountryMercuryN26
GermanyNot confirmed
United StatesNot confirmed

Additional countries for Mercury: 1. Additional countries for N26: 21.

Spending 1,000 abroad

Mercury

10

1% of 1,000

N26

0

0% of 1,000

N26 comes out 10 lower in this example.

Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.

Where they rank in our lists

Mercury vs N26
RankingMercuryN26
Savings accounts472 of 142022 of 1420

Where these facts come from

Mercury

  • mercury.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
  • en.wikipedia.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026

N26

  • n26.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026

Every fact side by side

Mercury vs N26
FactMercuryN26
AudienceBusiness, FreelancerExpats, Travelers, Student, Teen
Pricing modelNo monthly feeNo monthly fee, Low FXCovers more
FeaturesFree ATM, Joint accountFree ATM, Joint account, Digital onlyCovers more
Legal entityMercury Technologies, Inc.N26 Bank SE
HeadquartersUnited StatesGermany
Founded20172013Lower
Support channelsEmail, Chat, Help centreEmail, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more

Savings

Mercury vs N26
FactMercuryN26
Headline rate3.5%Higher0.3% to 1.5%
Rate typeVariableVariable
Minimum deposit$0Not confirmed
Access termsOn-demand access: unlimited USD wires, ACH, real-time payments and checks between personal, joint and trust accounts100% flexible: deposit and withdraw any amount, whenever you want
Account kindEasy accessEasy access

Money transfer

Mercury vs N26
FactMercuryN26
Exchange rate markupNot confirmed0%
Delivery timeNot confirmedInstant to 1 business day
Payout methodsNot confirmedBank, Card
Fee to send 1,000Not confirmed€0

Where each stands against the rest

Mercury vs N26
FactMercuryN26Median
Currency conversion fee1%above the median0%below the median0.5%
Currencies40highest quarterfrom 35highest quarter5

Median across 536 listed accounts.

Pros and cons

Mercury

Pros

  • Business tools and accounting integrations are described.

Cons

  • Mercury is a fintech platform, not itself a bank
  • partner-bank protections are not platform guarantees.

N26

Pros

  • Deposits are protected through EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, with N26 Bank SE supervised by BaFin in Germany.
  • The savings pot is easy access and fully flexible, so deposits and withdrawals happen in any amount, whenever you want.
  • Support is broad for an app-based bank, running on email, chat and phone.

Cons

  • The savings rate is variable and sits at 0.3% to 1.5%, below the 3% median across savings accounts on the site.
  • Local payment details run on iban, so UK sort codes and US ACH numbers are not part of the standard setup.

Who each suits

Mercury

Who it suits

  • US businesses comparing account-management, team-access and accounting-sync tools.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Businesses requiring Mercury itself to be the deposit-taking bank or a platform-level protection guarantee.

N26

Who it suits

  • Expats, travelers, students and teens who want spending and savings in the same app, with from 35 currencies to hold.
  • Readers who move money across borders, since transfers arrive in Instant to 1 business day and pay out to a bank account or a card.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Pixpay FR, because its monthly fee of €3.99 suits readers who will put regular use through the account rather than those who want a fee-free everyday account.
  • bunq Spain Bank Account, because a currency conversion fee of 3% suits readers banking mainly in euros and converting rarely.

Current offers

Mercury

Current offer

  • First period offer

    Mercury Plus first month waived on annual pricing: $35/mo waived until Dec 31, 2026

    Mercury Plus plan billed annually (15% off)

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Bonus

    Xero and Amazon gift card with Mercury Plus and Pro: 6 months free Xero + $100 Amazon gift card

    Mercury Plus or Mercury Pro plan; Xero/Amazon terms apply

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Bonus

    Mercury Personal included with any business plan: $240/year Personal subscription covered

    Requires an active Mercury business account in good standing

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

N26

Current offer

  • Bonus

    1% travel cashback: 1% cashback for up to 12 months on qualifying Mastercard transactions outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK

    N26 Go and Metal customers only; enrolment required via in-app message, email or push notification; up to 12 months

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Country by country

Mercury vs N26
CountryMercuryN26
AustriaNoYes
BelgiumNoYes
DenmarkNoYes
EstoniaNoYes
FinlandNoYes
FranceNoYes
GermanyNoYes
GreeceNoYes

8 of 22 countries where either is available.

Questions about each

N26

What does N26 cost to keep open each month?+

The everyday account is free to run: the monthly fee is €0, and N26 sits at position 1 of 500 brands on that column. Spending, savings and support all sit in the same app, so holding the account costs nothing to maintain.

How much does it cost to convert or send money abroad?+

Foreign currency conversion costs 0%, and the exchange rate margin is 0%. The transfer fee is free: no extra charge is added to Wise-powered international transfers, and MoneyBeam domestic transfers are free. That keeps the cost of moving money abroad close to nothing.

How quickly do transfers arrive, and how can I be paid?+

Transfers are delivered in Instant to 1 business day, and the money can be paid out to a bank account or to a card. Short waits matter if you pay rent or a supplier in another currency and need the funds to land the same day.

Is my money protected, and who supervises the bank?+

Protection runs through EU DGS up to EUR 100,000. The account is held by N26 Bank SE, which sits under BaFin supervision in Germany, so eligible deposits sit under the EU guarantee rather than a plain e-money balance. That is the part to weigh if you keep a larger balance on the account.

Other options to compare

N26

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Mercury

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