Best albo alternatives

#1 alternative

Nubank

active

Latin America’s default digital bank, listed in New York.

4.7

São Paulo · 100M+ · Public (NU)

8.1Strong

If you live in Brazil, Nu is the control account every comparison starts from. If you do not, skip it.

Best for: Residents of Brazil (and Nu’s other LATAM markets) who want the default digital bank.

Licence

Financial institution / credit card issuer

Protection

FGC on qualifying deposit products up to R$250,000

Monthly

No annual fee on core card

#2 alternative

Wise

active

The mid-market FX rail everyone else is measured against.

4.7

London · 16M+ · Public (WISE)

8.6Strong

The control for cross-border. Pair with a licensed local bank for salary protection. Never describe Wise personal as a UK bank account.

Best for: Anyone who receives or sends money across borders for a living.

Licence

EMI (personal)

Protection

Safeguarded EMI funds in the UK — not FSCS. Local bank details may sit at partner banks.

Monthly

Free personal · Wise Business subscription optional

#3 alternative

11Onze

active

Catalan community fintech. El Canut is the app, not a Banco de España bank.

Barcelona · Community-scale · Member / community-era

6.2Mixed

11Onze is a Catalan fintech community. El Canut can show an IBAN and a card. That is not Abanca. Keep a Spanish credit-institution account for salary if you want FGD. Score the app as a wallet and a gathering place, not as a bank.

Best for: Catalan users who want a community app and already keep salary at a real bank.

Licence

Fintech community / wallet — not a Spanish credit institution

Protection

Not Spanish FGD unless a named bank holds the balance. Treat El Canut as a wallet + aggregator until the statement names a credit institution.

Monthly

Account SKUs — confirm live

#4 alternative

Algbra

active

UK ethical / Sharia-screened EMI. FCA FRN 952360. Not FSCS.

London · UK ethical-fintech scale · EMI-era

6.5Mixed

Algbra is an EMI. FSCS stays with Starling and Monzo. Use this for screened spend, not rent. The 2025 Mastercard principal-issuer step is a card fact, not a bank licence.

Best for: UK residents who want a screened spend account and will keep salary at Starling or Monzo.

Licence

Authorised EMI — Algbra FS UK Limited, FRN 952360

Protection

Safeguarded e-money, not FSCS. Algbra’s own copy says the scheme covers banks, not EMIs.

Monthly

Confirm live ethical-account tariff

#5 alternative

B89

active

Peruvian Visa principal. Not an SBS bank. Prepaid and cross-border, not FSD.

Lima · Fintech-scale · Venture / regional

6.3Mixed

B89 is a Lima fintech. Visa principal member. Not an SBS bank. Peruvian FSD does not follow a prepaid brand. The live site sells borderless payments, not a salary current account. Keep sol deposits at a member bank of the Fondo de Seguro de Depósitos.

Best for: Peru users who need a Visa rail or a payout, and already keep salary at an SBS bank.

Licence

Fintech. Not an SBS bank

Protection

Not Peruvian FSD. FSD covers SBS banks, financieras and cajas — not a Visa principal prepaid. Treat B89 as payments.

Monthly

Card / FX SKUs — confirm live

#6 alternative

Bankiom

active

Dubai AI-wealth pitch. Not a CBUAE bank. Keep the name so stale roundups cannot pretend it is a current account.

Dubai · Lifestyle leftover · Private

5.0Caution

Bankiom is not a bank. The 2021 pitch was a millennial digital bank with a partner-issued card. The 2026 homepage is an autonomous AI wealth agent. Liberty House, DIFC, is an office, not a licence. Do not open a salary file here.

Best for: Nobody looking for a UAE salary account. Listed so a 2021 directory cannot launder it into a bank.

Licence

Fintech. Not a CBUAE bank

Protection

Not a CBUAE bank deposit. Live site is an AI wealth agent. Historic cards sat at an unnamed partner. Treat as a software pitch, not an account.

Monthly

Product unclear — confirm live