Review: Vivid Money

Vivid is a financial product that combines the worlds of banking and investing in one simple mobile app. It was born out of frustration with a system where a customer only really ever provides value for banks, getting nothing but fees and commissions in return. Vivid (frequently called either "Vivid Money", "Vivid App" or "Vivid Bank") offers users a refreshing and high-tech digital banking experience. Built on Solarisbank's banking platform, fintech Vivid is a true financial "one-stop-shop" app: payments and transfers, an interest on your current account, 3000+ ETFs & stocks from companies all over the world along with over 300 cryptocurrencies on top of an ability to store funds in over 100 currencies.

Vivid claims it's here to make managing your finances easy and give you confidence that your funds are constantly at work, on top of enjoying cashback on all purchases and savings plans. Does this claim reflect reality or are these just loud marketing slogans? Read our Vivid bank review below and find out if it's the right choice for you.

Vivid's unique selling point is quite straightforward. This German neobank targets an audience curious about the world of investments that considers starting a crypto investment journey in a safe and simple environment. There is an additional angle of "help users grow their money" at play - a few features revolve around "no action required" small-scale incremental investment. These include rounding up your everyday purchases to the next Euro and investing this spare change with every card payment. Vivid's customer research identified these frequent tiny injections in your savings account as the most effective way to form a habit of consistently contributing to your financial health. Another way Vivid attempts to make your first steps on the investment journey is by introducing fractional stocks, meaning you can start with as much as €1 and scale up your portfolio once you feel comfortable enough.

But before we jump in, you might also be interested in checking out some of our ratings, awards and comparisons Vivid was mentioned in:

Vivid Standard is a free plan that serves as a convenient way to "dip your toes" and experience the platform without committing too much time that requires no money at all. You still get most of the benefits of the paid flagship "Prime" plan, except you do not get rewarded for making payments with your Vivid card, pay a higher fee when trading assets and only have €200 free ATM withdrawal limit (compared to €1000 for Prime plan users). This is a practice we fully support - providing the user with a complete product for free, giving them a chance to get "hands-on" with the app and various benefits it offers before having to commit to a paid subscription.

Important Note: This account type is only free for active Vivid users. Inactive accounts incur a management fee of €3,90 per month. "Active" customers are defined as users who meet at least one of the following conditions:

• At least one card transaction performed during the month
• Account balance of over €1'000

So the conclusion is simple - if you use your account at least from time to time, the subscription stays free. If you don't.. Well, in that case we suggest you close your Vivid account using a dedicated feature in the app (or on the desktop version).

Spending in over 150 currencies while saving money on fees, free checking accounts with separate IBANs under a single login, getting stocks as your cashback for card payments abroad and great investment options - Vivid Prime is a very strong entrant to the "bank accounts with cards combined with crypto" category. Definitely worth it for someone who is looking to pick up investing as a newly formed habit. Vivid Saving Plans are a complement to that offering, allowing you to invest in your favourite "collections", ranging from the giants of game industry or NFT or Metaverse-focused businesses to thematic packs like a bundle of the top German stocks.

Limited Time Offer! All new users signing up via Vivid links on Fintech Compass get 30 days of Vivid Prime trial absolutely for free with "no strings attached". A great opportunity to try it out and see if that's the right product for you, so make sure to download the app while the trial is still available.

Plan comparison table can be found below. Interested? Visit Vivid's official website and make your own decision after getting hands-on experience with the product.

Vivid turned out to not be exactly what you're looking for? Take a look at some of the alternatives suggested by our team of experts, read our detailed reviews of these and find your dream partner on the investment journey. We also suggest you take a look at our curated list of the best investment platforms available on the market today.

Are you looking for a new bank? We also have collections of top digital and mobile-first banks both for banking as an individual and for business banking.

Being a newcomer in high-tech and innovative industries is tough. It is especially challenging when the industry in question is banking: highly-regulated, dominated by traditional banks with their huge market shares and insane brand awareness thanks to hundreds of years of history. And it gets borderline impossible when the primary market you want to target is as conservative and stuck-in-the-past as Germany. However, against all odds, Vivid succeeds in that, continuously growing even in today's turbulent market. That alone is a good indicator of how attractive Vivid's banking product is.

Sure, it might not be as powerful of a crypto exchange as some "Crypto-only" platforms like industry pioneer Kraken or global crypto trading powerhouse eToro are. And yes, it might not have the user base neobanking superstar Revolut has. But the unique mix of digital-first banking, hassle-free investments and a variety of features for budgeting and savings Vivid offers is definitely something worth experiencing yourself.

To sum it up, Vivid has a strong proposition for individuals looking for a "all-in-one" digital finance app. The fees are somewhat high, but if your investment volumes are not in the tens of thousands, the added convenience, cashback options and a variety of security mechanisms in place more than make up for the costs. Vivid is a great choice for anyone looking to kick off their crypto investment journey, just like it is one of the best mobile banking options. This is even more true in case you're looking to form a habit of keeping track of your expenses and thinking about growing your wealth. Besides, a free trial (with a free metal bank card in a stylish purple color!) gives you ample time to check Vivid out yourself and decide if it's worth it that way.