Missing Monzo: Looking for Monzo Alternatives
We were sad to hear about Monzo. We’ve worked a lot of hours in this space and we know how hard it is to build something simple and effective that makes a difference for a lot of people. We also know a lot of frustrated people will be looking for a Monzo replacement.
For anyone wondering if Crew will be a good fit, we’ve prepared a brief overview.
(Crew is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Member FDIC.)
What Made Monzo Special?
It’s important to acknowledge what Monzo did right. They proved banking doesn't have to be gray, slow, and full of fees. Monzo had a lot of great features.
The "Pots" System
Being able to divide money helps a lot of people conceptualize their financial picture.
Instant Visibility & Notifications
People came to rely on knowing exactly where every dollar went the second it left the card.
The "Salary Sorter"
Having a way to instantly divide up paychecks helps people do the dirty work of setting aside the money they know they should.
A Clean & Intuitive Interface
All the features in the world don’t do any good if you can’t figure out how to use them.
A Thoughtful & User-focused Experience
Features are great, but they don’t mean nearly as much as being a part of a group that is obsessed with providing you a delightful experience. As you look for a new home, you shouldn't have to give up what you love.
Is Crew Finance a Good Fit for Monzo Users?
Crew was built by people passionate about beautiful design, financial empowerment, and helping you be in control. We’ve tried hard to straddle a line between keeping everything simple while providing a ton of features and customization.
From "Pots" to "High-Yield Pockets"
Monzo users loved their pots. Crew has a similar feature called pockets.
With many fintechs and neobanks, “pots,” “envelopes,” or “buckets” earn little to no interest, or you have to move money into a specific “savings" area to earn a responsible yield. But with Crew every single pocket — and every dollar in those pockets — earns a high-yield APY.1 Whether the money is in a “vacation pocket" or being set aside for groceries, it is working for you. You don't have to choose between organization and earnings.
From "Salary Sorter" to "Autopilot"
Monzo’s Salary Sorter was a great manual tool. Crew’s Autopilot is an evolution. Instead of manually sorting your pay every few weeks, you can set rules for the app to follow automatically.
For instance, you could make a rule that with each check $1,000 is set aside for rent, $250 for food, $200 is reserved for investments, and the rest is free to use. Crew does the math and moves the funds for you. It’s an account that follows your budget for you.
A Focus on the "Whole House"
Monzo has a fantastic individual bank account. Crew is designed to be a banking solution for your whole household.2 If you’re married or have a partner, we offer seamless joint accounts with shared and individual pockets in one view, perfect for yours, mine, and ours situations.
If you’re a parent, we offer integrated kids' accounts with debit cards, automated allowances, or custom spending rules so you can manage the entire household’s operating system in one app.
Where Crew Might Not Be the Right Fit
We understand that Crew might not be the right Monzo replacement for everyone. Here are some factors you might want to consider.
For People Outside of the U.S.
We’ve tried very hard to create the best money management system out there, but Crew is only available to U.S. residents. For those traveling abroad, you can withdraw cash at any ATM3 in the Mastercard, Maestro, or Cirrus network or use your Crew card anywhere Mastercard is accepted,4 but cash deposits are limited to participating U.S. retailers like 7-11, CVS, Walgreens, Dollar General, and more.
If You Want the Simplest Solution
Crew has a lot of power-user features like automated bill reserve, custom rules and triggers, and even webhooks. For people looking for the cleanest possible experience, Crew might not be the right option.
For Those Who Need Business Accounts or Want Monzo Premium Features
Unfortunately, Crew doesn’t currently offer business accounts. Also, every Crew account is the same and there is no premium tier with add-ons like traveler’s insurance or discounted access to airport lounges.
To Help You Decide on a Monzo Alternative
If you’re here, it probably means you’re someone who likes to be informed and you’re probably drowning in information about new accounts. Here is a short list of Crew features you might be interested in.
Crew Features Monzo Users Might Appreciate
- Dividing Funds into Pockets
- Automated Paycheck Splitting
- All Pockets Earn High-yield Interest1
- No Subscription Fees
- No Account Minimums
- Withdraw and Deposit Cash at Participating Locations
- No Fee ACH Transfers
- Virtual Cards
- Instant Notifications
- Custom Rules and Automations
- Web App (If Early Feature Testing is Enabled)
- Automatically Reserves Money for Bills (If Early Feature Testing is Enabled)
We’re Here if You Need Us
We know that changing accounts can be a bit of a hassle. It’s probably not what you were hoping to do this month.
If you decide to give Crew a try, we’ve worked hard to make our onboarding as painless as possible — it takes most people about 2 minutes to open an account. If you have questions about Crew features or transferring over, please reach out. We’d love to help.
If you'd like to give Crew a try, it's free to download, has no subscription fees, and it takes more people two minutes or less to open an account.
Wherever you land, we wish the best for you and your balance.
1. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and may change after account opening. The advertised 2.95% APY is accurate through April 30, 2026. There is no minimum balance or deposit required to obtain the advertised APY. Fees may reduce earnings.
2. Crew is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Member FDIC
3. Crew does not charge ATM fees, and will reimburse fees charged by ATM operators on the first 20 ATM withdrawals your family makes each year. No ATM fees for the first 20 ATM withdrawals your family does annually.
4. The Crew Mastercard® Debit Card is issued by Bangor Savings Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circle design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
