Alternatives

Best Albert alternatives

Albert scores 5.9. These are live products NeoBankDB would open next — each with a full review, not a leftover affiliate tile.

5.9Caution

4.7 user score on Albert · compare licences below

AlbertAlly BankSoFiChimeVaro Bank
Editorial score5.97.77.87.17.3
HQLos AngelesDetroitSan FranciscoSan FranciscoDraper
Monthly$19.99–$39.99 subscription plans (auto-renew) — the actual price$0 on core spend/save$0 on Checking and SavingsFree$0 on the core bank account
ProtectionFDIC pass-through on eligible Cash/Savings at naFDIC up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bSoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Core cover is $250,Pass-through FDIC up to $250,000 per depositor, FDIC up to $250,000 at Varo Bank, N.A. — not pas
Cardmastercardmastercardmastercardvisavisa
UsersConsumer fintech scaleDirect-bank scale10M+22M+US digital bank

Full alternatives

#1 alternative

Ally Bank

active

US online bank. OCC. FDIC. No branches on purpose.

4.8

Detroit · Direct-bank scale · Listed (NYSE: ALLY)

7.7Solid

Ally Bank is the US salary object on this alphabetical list. OCC, FDIC, Detroit. Chime and Albert are fintechs. SoFi Bank and Varo Bank are the other charters. Use Ally when you want the deposit at the name on the app.

Best for: US persons who want a real online bank for salary and savings, not a partner-bank debit.

Why it beats Albert

  • The brand is the bank
  • FDIC at Ally Bank
  • $0 core

Watch-outs

  • US persons only
  • Not Wise for FX
  • Invest sleeve is a broker
Licence
Ally Bank, Member FDIC, national bank
Protection
FDIC up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category — at Ally Bank, not a fintech partner
Monthly
$0 on core spend/save

#2 alternative

SoFi

active

SoFi Bank, N.A. is an OCC national bank and FDIC member. Investing sits in a different company.

NaN

San Francisco · 10M+ · Public (SOFI)

7.8Solid

Yes, SoFi is a real bank. SoFi Bank, N.A. holds an OCC national charter and is FDIC-insured. That is the whole point of this file. Deposits live at the bank. Stocks live at SoFi Securities LLC, which is SIPC, not FDIC. Use it for a US salary and savings. Keep a proper FX app for anything that is not the dollar.

Best for: US persons who want a real national bank plus a brokerage in one login — not a partner-bank neobank.

Why it beats Albert

  • OCC national bank, not a sponsor-bank wrapper
  • FDIC at SoFi Bank, N.A.
  • $0 monthly fee and no minimum balance

Watch-outs

  • US only
  • Headline savings APY is gated
  • Investing is not FDIC-insured
Licence
National bank charter
Protection
SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Core cover is $250,000 per depositor per ownership category at SoFi Bank. SoFi’s own FDIC page: the bank does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per category. Additional cover up to $3M is only via the opt-in Insured Deposit Program at participating banks — not the core checking balance.
Monthly
$0 on Checking and Savings

#3 alternative

Chime

active

US spend account with early paycheck and no monthly fee.

4.7

San Francisco · 22M+ · $2.3B raised

7.1Solid

Correct product for a US paycheck, wrong product if you need a chartered bank or to wire overseas. Always name Bancorp/Stride when someone asks ‘is Chime FDIC insured.’

Best for: US hourly and salaried workers who want early direct deposit and no monthly fee.

Why it beats Albert

  • Genuinely free everyday account
  • Get Paid Early is the feature people actually use
  • Huge in-network ATM footprint

Watch-outs

  • Chime is not a bank — read the partner line
  • Trustpilot is ugly; account locks dominate the 1-star pile
  • Not for international lives
Licence
Partner-bank fintech
Protection
Pass-through FDIC up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category at The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. Chime itself is not FDIC-insured (Chime About).
Monthly
Free

#4 alternative

Varo Bank

active

Varo Bank, N.A. is an OCC national bank. FDIC sits on Varo’s own name, not a partner bank.

NaN

Draper · US digital bank · Private

7.3Solid

Varo is a bank. The OCC gave Varo Bank, N.A. a national charter in 2020, and FDIC cover sits on that name. If you are tired of “banking services provided by [partner bank]”, this is the cleaner US file. It is still a US-only, one-person account. It is not a travel IBAN and not a joint household bank.

Best for: US residents who want a neobank app that is actually a bank.

Why it beats Albert

  • OCC national bank on its own charter
  • FDIC at Varo Bank, N.A.
  • $0 monthly fee

Watch-outs

  • US only, individual accounts only
  • No joint account
  • Higher savings APY is gated
Licence
National bank charter
Protection
FDIC up to $250,000 at Varo Bank, N.A. — not pass-through via a partner (Varo About: “FDIC-insured up to $250,000 with us”).
Monthly
$0 on the core bank account

#5 alternative

Yuh

active

Yuh is not a bank. Swissquote Bank Ltd is. esisuisse cover is CHF 100,000, shared.

Gland · Swiss all-in-one app · Swissquote (100% after July 2025)

7.6Solid

Yuh is not a bank. The English homepage says it in one paragraph: Swissquote Bank Ltd provides the banking, FINMA authorises that bank, and esisuisse cover is CHF 100,000 shared with Swissquote. July 2025 ended the PostFinance joint venture. If you already hold cash at Swissquote, do not count CHF 100,000 twice. Zak is Bank Cler. Neon sits at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. Read those files separately.

Best for: People who live in Switzerland and want spend plus invest, and who accept Swissquote as the bank.

Why it beats Albert

  • Official line: Yuh is not a bank
  • Swissquote Bank Ltd is named
  • esisuisse CHF 100,000 is printed

Watch-outs

  • Shared cap with any Swissquote cash you already hold
  • Swiss residency
  • Not Zak, not Neon, not Alpian
Licence
Fintech app — not a bank
Protection
Yuh itself is not a bank. Banking sits at Swissquote Bank Ltd, FINMA-authorised. esisuisse covers eligible deposits up to CHF 100,000. Yuh and Swissquote are one entity, so the cap is shared.
Monthly
No fees whenever possible — live list on yuh.com/en/pricing

#6 alternative

Chase UK

active

J.P. Morgan Europe Limited trading as Chase. UK bank, PRA/FCA, FSCS up to £120,000.

London · UK digital bank · JPMorgan Chase

7.6Solid

Chase UK is a bank. The legal name is J.P. Morgan Europe Limited. PRA-authorised, FCA-regulated, FSCS up to £120,000. It is a useful UK current account with honest travel spend. It is not Revolut’s multi-country stack and not a US Chase login. UK tax residents only.

Best for: UK residents who want a JPMorgan current account in an app, with FSCS, and cheap travel spend.

Why it beats Albert

  • Real UK bank, not an EMI
  • FSCS £120,000
  • £0 monthly

Watch-outs

  • UK residents only
  • No overdraft
  • App-only
Licence
UK bank
Protection
FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per bank (Chase UK FSCS page) at J.P. Morgan Europe Limited.
Monthly
£0

Questions

01

Why look beyond Albert?

Albert is scored 5.9. Weaknesses on this file: Price; Charter. Alternatives above are scored independently, not paid placements.

02

Are these Albert alternatives available in the same countries?

Coverage is per product. Open the country page and the individual review — a UK bank licence does not travel, and an EMI is not FSCS.

03

How do I compare them side by side?

Use Compare on any card, up to four products, then open compare.

Back to the Albert review