Griffin vs Swan Cards
Griffin
griffin.comSwan Cards
swan.ioSide by side
| Figure | Griffin | Swan Cards |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £100/mo | €900/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Banking-as-a-Service Platforms | 7.8 (#11) | 8.8 (#1) |
| API limits | Each organization may make up to 50 concurrent in-flight API requests; exceeding that limit returns HTTP 429. | The default API rate limit is 2,000 requests per IP every five minutes; Sandbox operations also have complexity, depth and concurrency limits. |
| Founded | 2017 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | Paris, France |
| Security | Griffin’s security standards page states that data is encrypted at rest and in transit and that system access is monitored and restricted by least privilege. | Sensitive card-related changes require consent, and Swan cards support 3-D Secure for online payments. |
| Support | Griffin lists [email protected] and a developer Slack community as support and community channels. | The support center covers onboarding, identifications, accounts, cards, transfers, direct debit, merchants and Tap to Pay. |
| What it does | Griffin provides banking-as-a-service infrastructure that companies can use to embed bank accounts, payments, and other financial products through APIs. | Swan lets companies embed bank accounts, cards and payments inside their own products. |
Plans
Griffin
- Business bank accounts£100 a month
- Platform banking monthly package£10,000 a month
- Platform banking onboarding£15,000, paid once
- Platform banking EnterprisePriced on request
Swan Cards
- SandboxFree
- Swan€900 a month
- Swan on demand€2,990 a month
- Swan EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Griffin
Griffin provides banking-as-a-service infrastructure for companies embedding bank accounts, payments, and other financial products through APIs. It operates its own core banking platform and banking license. Business accounts for fintechs and venture-backed startups can be managed online or by API, while embedded savings and bank accounts support customer funds and client money. Payment features include Faster Payments, instant transfers between Griffin accounts, payment webhooks, and Confirmation of Payee. Verify automates KYC and KYB checks and provides onboarding workflows. The REST API uses JSON and includes a free sandbox without fees or an NDA. Griffin also works with tell.money on open-banking integrations. Griffin Bank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Security documentation cites encryption at rest and in transit, monitored access, and least privilege. Business banking starts at £100 per month; platform packages are £10,000 per month, with onboarding from £15,000 one-off.
Swan Cards
Swan Cards provides embedded banking features—accounts, cards, and payments—for companies integrating financial services into their own products. Swan presents its platform to European software companies adding white-labeled banking. Its Mastercard debit cards come in virtual, physical, and digital formats, including single-use virtual cards. They can be added to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet for NFC payments; other digital wallets are not supported. Partners can set spending limits and payment rules based on amount, currency, merchant, city, or country. Card packages have different spending limits and FX fees: Standard, Essential, and Premium list €10,000, €40,000, and €100,000 limits, with fees of 2%, 1%, and 0%, respectively. Swan offers a GraphQL API, a ready-made web banking interface, and an open-source frontend for customization. API calls must originate from a partner’s backend, not a frontend app. The free Sandbox uses fake accounts, cards, and payments. Paid service starts at €2,990/mo.