Best Pepper alternatives

#1 alternative

ONE ZERO

active

Israel’s first new bank in decades. Bank of Israel licence. Digital private banking.

Tel Aviv · 180,000 customers (their homepage, 2026) · Private / OurCrowd-era — confirm live

7.0Solid

One Zero Digital Bank Ltd is a Bank of Israel licensed bank — restricted licence 30 December 2019, full licence 10 January 2022, first new Israeli bank in decades. That is the file. Pepper is Bank Leumi’s digital account, not a separate charter. ONE ZERO is the charter. Their English homepage pitches digital private banking and an in-app open in around seven minutes, and prints 180,000 customers. Eligible deposits follow Israeli banking law for a licensed bank; this review does not invent a shekel insurance cap the page did not state. Not a tourist account.

Best for: Israeli residents who want a licensed digital bank rather than a Big Three app skin.

Licence

Licensed bank — One Zero Digital Bank Ltd

Protection

One Zero Digital Bank Ltd is a Bank of Israel licensed bank (restricted licence 2019, full licence January 2022). Eligible deposits follow Israeli banking law for a licensed bank. This file does not invent a shekel cap the homepage did not print.

Monthly

Digital private-banking packs — confirm live in-app

#2 alternative

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.

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

#3 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

#4 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.

Licence

National bank charter

Protection

FDIC insured as Varo Bank, N.A. — not pass-through theatre

Monthly

No monthly on core checking

#5 alternative

Current

active

US consumer neobank with a debit card, pockets, and teen accounts.

4.7

New York · 4M+ · ~$400M raised

7.0Solid

Put Current next to Chime and Varo. Varo is the actual bank. Current is the app.

Best for: US consumers who want Chime-class UX with pockets and a teen SKU.

Licence

Fintech with partner banks

Protection

FDIC via Choice Financial Group / program banks

Monthly

Free · paid Current Premium