Alternatives

Best Kestrl alternatives

Kestrl scores 6.7. These are live products NeoBankDB would open next — each with a full review, not a leftover affiliate tile.

6.7Mixed

4.6 user score on Kestrl · compare licences below

KestrlWahedMonzoStarling BankYuh
Editorial score6.77.38.18.17.6
HQLondonNew YorkLondonLondonGland
MonthlyFreemium / subscription SKUs — confirm liveAUM fee on portfolios (live rate on site)Free Personal free No fees whenever possible — live list on yuh.com/en/pricing
ProtectionIf a spending account exists, it is partner-EMI Securities accounts, not a bank deposit scheme —FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per authorisedFSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per bank (StarYuh itself is not a bank. Banking sits at Swissq
Cardmastercardnonemastercardmastercardmastercard
UsersTens of thousands300k+11M+4M+Swiss all-in-one app

Full alternatives

#1 alternative

Wahed

active

Sharia-screened investing. Not a current account.

4.4

New York · 300k+ · Series-era

7.3Solid

Wahed is a screened robo, not a current account. Pair it with a real bank. Do not describe the cash sleeve as FSCS current-account money without reading the entity.

Best for: Muslims who want a screened portfolio without building one from a brokerage blank page.

Why it beats Kestrl

  • Sharia screening is the product
  • Multi-market entities
  • Simple onboarding

Watch-outs

  • Not a bank
  • Fees on AUM
  • Halal ≠ risk-free
Licence
Investment adviser / manager — confirm the local entity
Protection
Securities accounts, not a bank deposit scheme — SIPC/FSCS-class wrapping depends on entity
Monthly
AUM fee on portfolios (live rate on site)

#2 alternative

Monzo

active

UK current account that made banking feel like a group chat.

4.7

London · 11M+ · ~$1.3B raised

8.1Strong

The UK salary account to beat. Pair it with Wise or Revolut if you invoice in euros or dollars. Do not open Monzo expecting a travel-card replacement on the free plan.

Best for: UK residents who want FSCS protection and the best everyday app.

Why it beats Kestrl

  • Full UK bank, FSCS on eligible deposits
  • Pots and salary sorting still class-leading
  • In-app support that actually answers

Watch-outs

  • Not a multi-currency specialist
  • US product is a different, thinner bank
  • Paid plans needed for serious travel
Licence
UK bank
Protection
FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per authorised firm (scheme cap from 1 December 2025) at Monzo Bank Limited.
Monthly
Free · Plus/Premium/Max paid

#3 alternative

Starling Bank

active

The grown-up UK challenger: bank first, app second.

4.7

London · 4M+ · ~$1.1B raised

8.1Strong

If the question is ‘will this still be here in ten years,’ Starling scores at the top of the UK set. Monzo is more fun; Starling is more bank.

Best for: UK individuals and SMEs who want a real bank, not a wallet.

Why it beats Kestrl

  • Conservatively run UK bank
  • Excellent business account
  • Fee-free personal FX spend is still a headline feature

Watch-outs

  • UK-only onboarding
  • App is calmer, less playful than Monzo
  • Fewer ‘lifestyle’ extras
Licence
UK bank
Protection
FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per bank (Starling FSCS information sheet). Joint accounts: £120,000 per holder.
Monthly
Personal free · Business from £0–£7+

#4 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 Kestrl

  • 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

#5 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 Kestrl

  • 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

#6 alternative

Neo Financial

active

Calgary fintech. Not an OSFI bank. Eligible cash sits in trust at CDIC-member institutions.

Calgary · Canadian fintech · Private

6.8Mixed

Neo Financial is not a bank. Neo Financial Technologies Inc. is a Calgary fintech, a FINTRAC money-services business and a payments-Canada PSP. CDIC cover, when it applies, follows the member institution that holds the funds in trust — Peoples Bank of Canada is named on the HISA. File it as a Canadian app with a partner-bank deposit, not as EQ Bank.

Best for: Canadian residents who want the Neo app and will read which CDIC member holds the cash.

Why it beats Kestrl

  • Honest CDIC explainer on the help centre
  • No monthly fee on chequing
  • HISA names Peoples Bank of Canada

Watch-outs

  • Not a bank
  • CDIC is via partner or trust, not Neo itself
  • Chequing DTI is not always named
Licence
MSB and payment service provider
Protection
Neo is not a CDIC member. Eligible funds held in trust at CDIC-member institutions can be covered up to CAD $100,000 per beneficiary per member institution.
Monthly
$0 monthly on chequing, on the September 2026 agreement

Questions

01

Why look beyond Kestrl?

Kestrl is scored 6.7. Weaknesses on this file: Balance-sheet depth. Alternatives above are scored independently, not paid placements.

02

Are these Kestrl 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 Kestrl review