stc Bank vs Now Money.
stc Bank (s76/100) and Now Money (N60/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. stc Bank leads Now Money 4-1.
| N Now Money №43 · CBUAE 60 /100 | s stc Bank №16 · SAMA 76 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 60 /100 | 76 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | 1.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. CBUAE | Full bank SAMA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded AE.DPS | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.0 ★ iOS 4.0 · And 3.9 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Now Money if…
Migrant-worker-focused EMI in the UAE. Built-in remittance to South Asia at competitive FX. CBUAE-supervised EMI; not a bank — funds are safeguarded, not deposit-insured. Fills the underbanked segment that Liv/Wio/Mashreq Neo don't directly serve.
Pick stc Bank if…
First SAMA-licensed digital full bank in Saudi Arabia (received bank licence 2023, originally launched as stc pay in 2017). Backed by Saudi Telecom (stc) — telecom-grade reach across the Kingdom. Multi-currency support and instant onboarding via Absher distinguish it from legacy KSA banks. SAMA Deposit Protection Fund cover.
- Best for fees Now Money won 1 of 4
- Best for protection stc Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux stc Bank won 1 of 2
stc Bank vs Now Money — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Now Money better than stc Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, stc Bank leads Now Money 4–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Now Money 60/100 vs stc Bank 76/100. stc Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Now Money or stc Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Now Money: €0; stc Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Now Money: Interbank; stc Bank: 1.50%. Now Money wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Now Money or stc Bank?
Now Money holds a E-money inst. licence under CBUAE; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. stc Bank holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. stc Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Now Money and stc Bank?
Now Money operates in 1 country; stc Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.