Best alt.bank 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

Agibank

active

Brazilian bank for people the branches ignored. FGC, not a wallet.

Porto Alegre · 6M+ · Listed (Agi Inc. / NYSE path 2026)

6.8Mixed

Agibank is a Banco Central bank with FGC. Put it next to Nubank as a different object: hubs and payroll credit versus a purple card. Do not list it as a fintech wallet.

Best for: Brazilians who want a bank that still has a human desk, with FGC on the deposit.

Licence

Bank (Banco Agibank)

Protection

FGC up to R$250,000 per CPF per member institution on eligible deposits

Monthly

Pack-dependent

#3 alternative

Brex

active

US start-up cards and spend. Not a bank, on purpose.

3.9

San Francisco · Tens of thousands of firms · $1B+ raised historically

7.3Solid

Brex is a card and spend platform. Ramp is the rival. Mercury is the checking account you put underneath.

Best for: US start-ups that want Ramp-class cards with a slightly different religion.

Licence

Commercial card + treasury partners

Protection

Treasury/cash sits at partner banks or money-market — cards are credit/charge

Monthly

Card program; rewards-funded for eligible start-ups

#4 alternative

Found

active

US banking for the self-employed: taxes, invoices, and a debit card.

4.8

San Francisco · Self-employed base · Series-era (Allianz x others)

7.3Solid

Found is the freelancer current account. Novo is generic SMB. Relay is multi-entity ops.

Best for: US freelancers who hate QuickBooks more than they hate banks.

Licence

Fintech with partner banks

Protection

FDIC via Piermont Bank and partners

Monthly

Free core

#5 alternative

Novo

active

Simple US business checking for freelancers and small LLCs.

4.5

New York · 200k+ businesses · ~$140M raised

6.9Mixed

Novo is the on-ramp. Relay or Mercury is the upgrade.

Best for: US sole-props who found Mercury too start-up and Chase too 1998.

Licence

Fintech with partner banks

Protection

FDIC via Middlesex Federal and partners

Monthly

Free checking

#6 alternative

Relay

active

US business banking with unlimited accounts for operators who like boxes.

4.2

Toronto / US ops · Tens of thousands of firms · Series-era

7.4Solid

Relay is the P&L-in-accounts business bank. Mercury is the fundraising screenshot.

Best for: US operators who want twenty accounts instead of one Mercury skinned as a spreadsheet.

Licence

Fintech with partner banks

Protection

FDIC via Thread Bank and partners

Monthly

Free core · paid automations