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Alternatives

Best livi alternatives

livi scores 7.1. These are live products this desk would open next — each with a full review, not a leftover affiliate tile.

7.1Solid

4.7 user score on livi · compare licences below

liviAirstar BankAnt BankWiseKestrl
Editorial score7.17.37.38.66.7
HQHong KongHong KongHong KongLondonLondon
MonthlyDigital SKU — confirm livePersonal fees often waived — confirm liveDigital-bank SKU — confirm liveFree personal Freemium / subscription SKUs — confirm live
ProtectionDPS up to HK$800,000 per depositor per bank at LHong Kong DPS up to HK$800,000 per depositor perHong Kong DPS up to HK$800,000 per depositor perSafeguarded EMI funds in the UK — not FSCS. LocaIf a spending account exists, it is partner-EMI
Cardvisavisavisamastercardmastercard
UsersHK virtual-bank scaleHK virtual-bank scaleAlipayHK-adjacent16M+Tens of thousands

Full alternatives

#1 alternative

Airstar Bank

active

HKMA virtual bank. Xiaomi in the cap table. DPS up to HK$800k.

Hong Kong · HK virtual-bank scale · Xiaomi + AMTD

7.3Solid

Airstar is one of eight HKMA virtual banks. DPS is the safety line. Xiaomi is the shareholder, not the deposit. Ant Bank is the Alipay-shaped sibling, not a substitute licence.

Best for: Hong Kong residents who want an HKMA virtual bank with a named DPS cap.

Why it beats livi

  • HKMA bank
  • DPS HK$800k
  • FX hours

Watch-outs

  • HKID / residency
  • Not a UK/EU IBAN
  • Virtual-bank fee waivers can expire
Licence
Virtual / digital bank
Protection
Hong Kong DPS up to HK$800,000 per depositor per bank
Monthly
Personal fees often waived — confirm live
Full Airstar Bank reviewAirstar Bank alternativesVisit Airstar Bank

#2 alternative

Ant Bank

active

HKMA virtual bank. Ant International. AlipayHK is distribution, DPS is the bank.

4.2

Hong Kong · AlipayHK-adjacent · Ant International

7.3Solid

Ant Bank (Hong Kong) is an HKMA virtual bank. AlipayHK is how people find it. DPS is how deposits come back. Airstar is the Xiaomi-shaped peer. Neither is a stored-value facility.

Best for: Hong Kong residents already in AlipayHK who want a DPS bank, not a wallet.

Why it beats livi

  • HKMA bank
  • DPS HK$800k
  • AlipayHK distribution

Watch-outs

  • HK residency
  • Ant parent is not the deposit
  • Not a UK/EU IBAN
Licence
Virtual / digital bank — Ant Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
Protection
Hong Kong DPS up to HK$800,000 per depositor per bank
Monthly
Digital-bank SKU — confirm live
Full Ant Bank reviewAnt Bank alternativesVisit Ant Bank

#3 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.

Why it beats livi

  • Honest FX — the number others hide
  • Local details that make you look domestic
  • Business platform that scales past the card

Watch-outs

  • Not a bank in the UK — no FSCS on the EMI wallet
  • Account reviews can freeze funds mid-invoice
  • ATM and spend caps on the free plan
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
Full Wise reviewWise alternativesVisit Wise

#4 alternative

Kestrl

active

UK app for Muslim money habits. Not a bank.

4.6

London · Tens of thousands · Seed / grant-era

6.7Mixed

Kestrl is a habit layer. Keep a Monzo/Starling/high-street account for the actual deposit. Halal branding does not move FSCS.

Best for: UK Muslims who want a money app that speaks their constraints, with a real bank still underneath.

Why it beats livi

  • Category honesty
  • Habits UX
  • Family angle

Watch-outs

  • Not a licensed bank
  • Partner-rail complexity
  • UK-first
Licence
App + partner EMI/bank rails
Protection
If a spending account exists, it is partner-EMI or bank — not Kestrl-as-bank
Monthly
Freemium / subscription SKUs — confirm live
Full Kestrl reviewKestrl alternativesVisit Kestrl

#5 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.

Why it beats livi

  • Tax set-asides
  • App craft
  • Free core

Watch-outs

  • Not a bank
  • Not for headcount
  • US only
Licence
Fintech with partner banks
Protection
FDIC via Piermont Bank and partners
Monthly
Free core
Full Found reviewFound alternativesVisit Found

#6 alternative

Varo Bank

active

The rare US neobank that is actually a bank.

4.6

San Francisco · 7M+ · Bank holding + private capital

7.2Solid

When a US page asks ‘is it a real bank?’, Varo is the yes. Chime and Current are the no-with-an-asterisk.

Best for: US users who want a neobank app without the partner-bank asterisk.

Why it beats livi

  • It is a bank
  • FDIC on its own name
  • App-only distribution

Watch-outs

  • US only
  • APY with hoops
  • Brand quieter than Chime
Licence
National bank charter
Protection
FDIC insured as Varo Bank, N.A. — not pass-through theatre
Monthly
No monthly on core checking
Full Varo Bank reviewVaro Bank alternativesVisit Varo Bank

Questions

01

Why look beyond livi?

livi is scored 7.1. Weaknesses on this desk: Geography; Name collision. Alternatives above are scored independently, not paid placements.

02

Are these livi alternatives available in the same countries?

Coverage is per product. Open the country desk 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 the compare desk.

Back to the livi review