Your cookie choices

We use necessary cookies to make this site work. With your permission, analytics cookies help us understand usage and marketing cookies support advertising.

You can reject non-essential cookies and still use the site. Change your choices anytime in Cookie settings.

Cookie settingsCookie policy

Updated October 17, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team

N26 vs Novo

N26 scores 9.1 and Novo 9.2 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
N26

N26

9.1/10
Visit
Novo

Novo

Higher score in this comparison

9.2/10
Visit

What sets them apart

N26 vs Novo
CompareN26N26ReviewVisitVisitNovoNovoReviewVisitVisit
Monthly fee€0$0
Deposit protectionEU DGS up to EUR 100,000FDIC up to USD 250,000
Local account detailsIBANUs ACH
Free ATM withdrawals€2$7
Transfer feeFree: no extra charge for Wise-powered international transfers; MoneyBeam domestic transfers freeStandard ACH $0; Express ACH and outgoing wire provider fees shown before sending
Currency conversion fee0%Not confirmed
Currenciesfrom 35Not confirmed

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

  • Novo scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
  • N26 is available in 20 more countries.
  • Local account details: only N26 offers IBAN.
  • Local account details: only Novo offers Us ACH.
  • Support channels: only N26 offers Phone.
  • Audience: only N26 offers Expats, Travelers, Student.
  • Audience: only Novo offers Business, Freelancer.
  • Pricing model: only N26 offers Low FX.
  • Features: only N26 offers Joint account, Digital only.

Our verdict on each

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

Novo

Novo is a US business-banking fintech. It sends a physical debit card to the primary owner when the account is opened, and a virtual card can be activated after approval.

Read the full Novo review

Score breakdown

N26 vs Novo
AreaN26Novo
Cost9.4HigherFees of €0 monthly and 0% to convert sit at position 1 of 500 and 1 of 312.9.3Monthly fee $0, minimum deposit $0 and transfer fee $0 on the business checking account.
Offer9.5HigherAimed at expats, travelers and student, holding from 35 currencies, with a joint account, digital-only service and easy-access savings.9.1
Trust8.5Not confirmed

Availability and regulation

N26 vs Novo
CountryN26Novo
GermanyNot confirmed
United StatesNot confirmed

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

How they place

N26 vs Novo
RankingN26Novo
Savings accounts22 of 142020 of 1420
Money transfer services11 of 156410 of 1564

Every fact side by side

N26 vs Novo
FactN26Novo
AudienceExpats, Travelers, Student, TeenBusiness, Freelancer
Pricing modelNo monthly fee, Low FXCovers moreNo monthly fee
FeaturesFree ATM, Joint account, Digital onlyCovers moreFree ATM
Legal entityN26 Bank SENovo Platform Inc.
HeadquartersGermanyUnited States
Founded2013Not confirmed
Support channelsEmail, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers moreChat, Email, Help centre

Savings

N26 vs Novo
FactN26Novo
Headline rate0.3% to 1.5%Not confirmed
Rate typeVariableNot confirmed
Minimum depositNot confirmed$0
Access terms100% flexible: deposit and withdraw any amount, whenever you wantOn-demand access, no minimum balance requirement
Account kindEasy accessCash management

Money transfer

N26 vs Novo
FactN26Novo
Exchange rate markup0%Not confirmed
Delivery timeInstant to 1 business daySame-day with Express ACH; FedNow transfers in seconds
Payout methodsBank, CardCovers moreBank
Fee to send 1,000€0$0

Where each stands against the rest

N26 vs Novo
FactN26NovoMedian
Currency conversion fee0%below the medianNot confirmed0.5%
Currenciesfrom 35highest quarterNot confirmed5

Median across 536 listed accounts.

Pros and cons

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.

Novo

Pros

  • Both physical and virtual card access are described.

Cons

  • Virtual-card activation follows account approval.

Who each suits

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.

Novo

Who it suits

  • US business owners who want physical and virtual debit-card access through Novo.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Applicants expecting virtual-card activation before account approval.

Current offers

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

Novo

Current offer

  • Bonus

    Novo cashback on eligible purchases: 1% cashback with a Novo checking account balance under $5,000; 2% with a balance of $5,000 or more

    Requires a Novo checking account; rate depends on account balance; eligibility subject to final Novo determination

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Country by country

N26 vs Novo
CountryN26Novo
AustriaYesNo
BelgiumYesNo
DenmarkYesNo
EstoniaYesNo
FinlandYesNo
FranceYesNo
GermanyYesNo
GreeceYesNo

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.

Novo

Which tools can connect with the banking setup?+

Accounting, payments and payroll tools can be connected so that information stays in step across the business. A change made in one place carries through to the others without retyping. Owners who already use established bookkeeping routines can keep those habits in place while adding more reach.

Can a business grow without changing banks?+

The platform is designed to handle more volume as a company grows, so owners can plan ahead without adding extra busywork. Its features are meant to scale with the operation rather than forcing a move to a larger bank. Keeping the same banking setup while the business expands can make transitions smoother for owners and the people they work with.

Other options to compare

N26

Visit

Novo

Visit