Top 10 Embedded Finance Platforms: Features, Pros, Cons & Comparison

Introduction

Embedded finance platforms are a groundbreaking type of technology that allows non-financial companies to offer banking, payments, and lending services directly within their own websites or apps. Imagine a world where you never have to leave your favorite shopping app to get a small loan, or where your accounting software can issue corporate credit cards to your employees with just one click. These platforms provide the “pipes” and legal rules that make this possible, allowing any business to act like a mini-bank without having to get a banking license themselves.

Using these platforms is very important because it helps businesses keep their customers happy and engaged for longer. Instead of sending a customer to a separate bank website to finish a transaction, everything happens in one place. This creates a much smoother experience and helps businesses earn extra money through transaction fees or interest. In the real world, you see this when an Uber driver gets paid instantly to a digital wallet or when a small business uses Shopify to manage their store and their business bank account at the same time. When choosing a platform, you should look for how easy it is for developers to use, if it can grow with your company, and if it handles all the complicated legal and safety rules for you.

Best for: These platforms are a perfect fit for software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies, large online marketplaces, and retail brands that want to offer more than just products. They are also highly beneficial for logistics and gig-economy platforms that need to pay out money to workers quickly and securely.

Not ideal for: Small local shops or businesses that only have a physical store might not need a full embedded finance platform. If you just need to accept simple credit card payments at a register, a standard payment terminal is much cheaper and easier to set up.

Top 10 Embedded Finance Platforms

1 — Stripe

Stripe is widely considered the gold standard for developer-friendly financial infrastructure. While it started as a way to accept payments, it has grown into a massive platform that offers “Stripe Treasury” for banking and “Stripe Issuing” for creating your own credit cards.

• Key features:
  • Powerful APIs that are very easy for programmers to understand.
  • Allows businesses to create and manage digital bank accounts for their users.
  • Supports instant creation of virtual and physical spending cards.
  • Includes automated tools for handling tax and identity verification.
  • Works in over 40 countries with support for hundreds of payment methods.
  • Provides a “sandbox” mode where you can test everything before going live.
  • Offers pre-built pages for onboarding customers quickly.
• Pros:
  • It has the best technical guides and documentation in the industry.
  • You can start small and add more complex features as your business grows.
• Cons:
  • The fees can be higher than competitors if you have a very large volume of transactions.
  • Customer support is mostly done through email and chat, which can be slow for urgent issues.
• Security & compliance: Top-tier. Includes PCI Level 1, SOC 2, and global encryption standards.
• Support & community: Massive online community; extensive documentation and active developer forums.

2 — Adyen

Adyen is an enterprise-grade platform that is built for very large companies that operate all over the world. It is unique because it handles everything—payments, banking, and card issuing—in one single system, which makes it very reliable for big brands.

• Key features:
  • Unified commerce that connects online and in-person payments perfectly.
  • Built-in tools for detecting fraud and keeping transactions safe.
  • Allows businesses to open multi-currency accounts for international users.
  • Offers deep data insights to help businesses understand how customers spend.
  • Handles all the complicated rules for different countries automatically.
  • Supports advanced card issuing for employee expenses or payouts.
  • Provides a single contract for global operations.
• Pros:
  • It is very stable and can handle a massive number of transactions without crashing.
  • Having one platform for everything makes it much easier to keep track of your money.
• Cons:
  • It is primarily designed for large businesses and can be too expensive for startups.
  • The setup process is much more complex and takes longer than Stripe.
• Security & compliance: Very high. Fully compliant with GDPR, PSD2, and global banking standards.
• Support & community: Professional enterprise support with dedicated account managers for large clients.

3 — Marqeta

Marqeta is a specialist platform that focuses almost entirely on card issuing. If you want to build a very custom card program—like a card that only works at specific gas stations or one that tracks exact spending for a team—Marqeta is the top choice.

• Key features:
  • “Just-in-Time” funding which allows you to fund a card at the exact moment a purchase is made.
  • Highly customizable rules for where and how much a user can spend.
  • Instant virtual card issuance that works with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
  • Advanced webhooks that send data to your software in real-time.
  • Supports both credit and debit card programs.
  • Global reach with support for multiple languages and currencies.
  • Powerful dashboards for managing thousands of cards at once.
• Pros:
  • It offers the most control over individual transactions of any platform.
  • It is the “blank canvas” for companies that have very unique spending needs.
• Cons:
  • It focuses on cards, so you might need another tool for other banking features.
  • The technical requirements are high, meaning you need skilled developers to set it up.
• Security & compliance: Enterprise-level. Includes audit logs, encryption, and SOC 2 compliance.
• Support & community: Strong professional support and high-quality technical documentation.

4 — Unit

Unit is a modern “Banking-as-a-Service” platform that makes it incredibly fast for software companies to launch banking features. They focus on simplicity and speed, helping teams go from an idea to a live product in just a few weeks.

• Key features:
  • A complete toolkit for accounts, cards, payments, and lending.
  • A beautiful “Compliance Dashboard” that shows all your legal checks in one place.
  • Simple APIs that hide the complexity of dealing with old bank systems.
  • Built-in support for ACH transfers, wires, and check deposits.
  • Allows you to create “white-label” banking apps that look like your own brand.
  • Automated customer verification (KYC) built directly into the flow.
  • Strong partnerships with established, safe banks.
• Pros:
  • It is one of the fastest ways to launch a full banking product.
  • The platform is very intuitive and easy for small product teams to manage.
• Cons:
  • Currently, it is mostly focused on the United States market.
  • You are somewhat limited by the specific features and rules of their partner banks.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II and bank-grade encryption. They handle most compliance tasks for you.
• Support & community: Very helpful onboarding and dedicated customer success teams.

5 — Galileo (a SoFi company)

Galileo is one of the most established names in the industry. It provides the “financial nervous system” for some of the world’s biggest digital banks and neobanks. It is built for companies that need massive scale and extreme reliability.

• Key features:
  • An AI-powered fraud protection system called “AI Shield.”
  • Support for high-volume card issuing and complex ledger management.
  • Integrated tools for digital banking, payments, and lending.
  • Offers “Human-in-the-Loop” security for reviewing unusual activity.
  • Highly scalable infrastructure that processes billions of dollars.
  • Supports both consumer and business banking use cases.
  • Advanced APIs for custom financial workflows.
• Pros:
  • It has a long track record of reliability with the world’s largest fintechs.
  • The built-in AI tools for security are some of the best in the market.
• Cons:
  • The technology can feel a bit “older” and more complex than newer platforms like Unit.
  • It can be expensive to get started, making it better for established firms.
• Security & compliance: Top-tier security with dedicated anti-fraud systems and SOC 2 certification.
• Support & community: Full enterprise support available 24/7.

6 — Treasury Prime

Treasury Prime is unique because it connects you directly to a network of different banks. Instead of being stuck with just one bank partner, they give you the flexibility to choose the bank that best fits your specific business model.

• Key features:
  • A “Multi-bank” network that lets you switch bank partners if needed.
  • Direct relationships with bank partners for better control and trust.
  • Automated account opening and real-time transaction monitoring.
  • Supports ACH, wires, and physical/virtual card programs.
  • Includes a marketplace of third-party partners for extra features like tax help.
  • Focuses on “Compliance Done Right” with shared oversight between you and the bank.
  • Offers a “sandbox” for developers to build and test safely.
• Pros:
  • You get the security of working directly with a bank while using modern software.
  • It is excellent for companies that are very worried about “vendor lock-in.”
• Cons:
  • You have more responsibility for managing the bank relationship than with other platforms.
  • It can take longer to get approved because you are dealing with a real bank’s rules.
• Security & compliance: Highly secure with direct FDIC insurance through bank partners.
• Support & community: Strong documentation and consultative support from financial experts.

7 — Swan

Swan is a European-focused platform that is designed for “Horizontal SaaS”—meaning software for things like accounting, HR, or freelancer tools. They handle all the heavy lifting so you can focus on your main product.

• Key features:
  • Provides local IBANs for many European countries like France, Germany, and Spain.
  • Quick and easy card issuance with physical and virtual card options.
  • A simple, white-labeled banking interface that you can put your logo on.
  • Assumes all the risk for payments and fraud so you don’t have to.
  • Fully compliant with European (SEPA) payment rules.
  • Integration can be done in weeks rather than months.
  • Simple, flat-rate pricing that is easy to understand.
• Pros:
  • It is the best choice for businesses that only operate in Europe.
  • It removes almost all the “regulatory headache” from the business owner.
• Cons:
  • It is not well-suited for businesses that need complex, multi-party payments.
  • It is mostly limited to the European market.
• Security & compliance: Fully compliant with PSD2 and European banking laws. They act as the regulated entity.
• Support & community: Very active in the European tech scene with excellent onboarding guides.

8 — Rapyd

Rapyd is the “Global Fintech-as-a-Service” platform. If your goal is to build a financial product that works in many different emerging markets—like Latin America or Southeast Asia—Rapyd is a very strong contender.

• Key features:
  • Connects to over 900 different payment methods worldwide.
  • Offers embedded payments, payouts, wallets, and card issuing through one API.
  • Allows for local bank transfers in dozens of countries.
  • Built-in tools for handling different currencies and exchange rates.
  • Simplified compliance for global operations.
  • Supports massive marketplaces with thousands of sellers and buyers.
  • Provides a single dashboard to manage a global business.
• Pros:
  • It has the widest global reach of almost any platform.
  • It makes it much easier to enter new countries without setting up a local office.
• Cons:
  • Because it covers so much ground, the technical setup can be complicated.
  • Customer support can be inconsistent across different regions.
• Security & compliance: High. Operates with local licenses in many different jurisdictions.
• Support & community: Extensive documentation; professional support available for enterprise clients.

9 — Solaris

Solaris is a pioneer in the “Banking-as-a-Service” world in Europe. They are a fully licensed bank themselves, which means they can offer deeper banking services than some of the “middleware” platforms on this list.

• Key features:
  • A full European banking license that they “lend” to their partners.
  • Support for digital bank accounts, cards, and consumer lending.
  • Advanced identity verification tools (Know Your Customer).
  • Can handle complex financial products like crypto-wallets or brokerage accounts.
  • Focused on large-scale European platforms and digital banks.
  • Highly modular architecture—pick only the pieces you need.
  • Deep expertise in European financial regulation.
• Pros:
  • Since they are a bank, there is no “middleman” between you and the financial source.
  • They are a very trusted and proven partner in the European market.
• Cons:
  • The setup process is very rigorous and can be slow due to bank rules.
  • It is a more “premium” option that can be expensive for early-stage startups.
• Security & compliance: Bank-grade security. They are regulated by the European central banks.
• Support & community: High-quality professional support with a strong focus on technical stability.

10 — Maroo

Maroo is a specialized platform that focuses on the wedding and events industry. While it is niche, it perfectly shows how “Vertical Embedded Finance” works by building tools just for one type of business.

• Key features:
  • Built-in “Pay Later” options specifically for large wedding expenses.
  • Automated payment splits for multiple vendors (like photographers and caterers).
  • Simple invoicing and payment tracking for event planners.
  • “Book Now, Pay Later” features to help businesses close more deals.
  • Designed for high-value transactions with lower fraud risk.
  • Includes a beautiful, user-friendly interface for both vendors and couples.
  • Focused on the specific cash flow needs of service providers.
• Pros:
  • It solves very specific problems that general platforms like Stripe might ignore.
  • The user experience is tailored perfectly for the events industry.
• Cons:
  • It is a niche tool and cannot be used for general business purposes.
  • It doesn’t offer the deep “building blocks” that a developer platform would.
• Security & compliance: Safe and secure, focusing on protecting high-value transactions.
• Support & community: Excellent personal support for wedding and event professionals.

Comparison Table

Evaluation & Scoring of Embedded Finance Platforms

To help you decide which tool is the best investment for your time and money, we have scored them based on seven key areas.

Which Embedded Finance Platform Tool Is Right for You?

Choosing a platform is a big decision. You should base your choice on where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow.

Solo Users and Early Startups

If you are just one person or a tiny team trying to see if your idea works, Stripe is the clear winner. You can sign up in minutes, and you don’t have to pay anything until you actually make a sale. It is very “safe” because so many other people use it.

Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs)

If you are a growing software company in the US, Unit is an excellent choice because it lets you look like a much bigger bank without hiring a huge legal team. If you are in Europe, Swan is the equivalent choice for speed and simplicity.

Mid-Market and Large Enterprises

For companies that are already making millions of dollars, reliability and cost become the most important factors. Adyen or Galileo are the heavyweights that can handle massive scale. If you are a big bank looking to partner with fintechs, Treasury Prime is built just for your needs.

Budget and Scalability Needs

If you have a very tight budget for every transaction, you might want to look at Adyen, as they offer better rates for high volumes. If you need a system that can handle thousands of card transactions every second, Marqeta is the best specialist for that job.

Security and Compliance Requirements

If you are in a highly regulated field like healthcare or government, you should choose a partner that is a licensed bank itself, like Solaris, or a platform with deep bank relationships like Treasury Prime. They offer the “tightest” compliance controls.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is an embedded finance platform?

It is a technology service that lets a normal company (like a store or a software app) offer banking and payment services inside their own product without needing their own bank license.

2. Is embedded finance the same as BaaS?

They are very close. “Banking-as-a-Service” (BaaS) is the back-end technology, while “Embedded Finance” is the final product that a customer actually uses in an app.

3. Do I need a banking license to use these?

No. One of the main reasons companies use these platforms is so they can use the platform’s license instead of getting their own.

4. How long does it take to set up?

It depends on the platform. Simple tools like Stripe or Swan can take just a few weeks. Complex systems for big banks can take six months or more.

5. Are these platforms safe for my money?

Yes, most of them partner with real, insured banks. This means the money is usually protected by the government (like FDIC in the US) up to a certain amount.

6. Can I build my own credit card with these?

Yes. Platforms like Marqeta and Stripe Issuing are built specifically to let businesses design and mail out their own branded physical or virtual cards.

7. Which platform is best for Europe?

Swan and Solaris are the leaders in Europe because they are built specifically to follow European laws and use the local IBAN system.

8. Can I offer loans using embedded finance?

Yes. Many platforms like Stripe and Rapyd have “Embedded Lending” tools that let you give your customers small loans or “Pay Later” options.

9. Will my customers know I’m using a platform?

Usually, no. Most of these tools are “white-labeled,” which means your customers only see your brand and your logo, even if the technology is running in the background.

10. What happens if the platform goes out of business?

This is a risk to consider. However, because your money is usually held at a separate, regulated bank, your funds are typically safe even if the software company has trouble.

Conclusion

Embedded finance is changing the way we interact with money. It makes banking feel like a natural part of our daily lives rather than a separate chore. If you are a builder looking to create something new, the best tool is the one that removes the most friction from your path. For some, that will be the “easy button” of Stripe. For others, it will be the “blank canvas” of Marqeta.

The most important insight is that the “best” tool is the one that fits your specific customers. A wedding planner needs different financial tools than a global logistics company. By picking a platform that matches your industry and your goals, you can create an experience that feels like magic for your users. As the world becomes more digital, embedding finance isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore—it is becoming the new standard for how great businesses are built.