Side-by-side card comparison

Payy vs ARQ: overall score versus use-case fit

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score by 2 points (64 vs 62). Payy Card looks stronger for Funds control and Lowest fees, while ARQ Card comes out ahead for Cashback, Travel, and Transfers.

Information checked Aug 5, 202641 official sources reviewed

01 · Overall score versus use-case fit

ARQ Card is the better all-round starting point

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score in this comparison. Payy Card may be the better fit for Funds control and Lowest fees. A score cannot tell you whether a provider will accept your application or whether every feature will be available where you live, so check the latest provider terms before signing up.

OverallPayy62ARQ64Higher score
CashbackPayy17ARQ41Higher score
TravelPayy27ARQ62Higher score
Funds controlPayy97ARQ52Higher score
Lowest feesPayy57ARQ52Higher score
TransfersPayy68ARQ75Higher score

Choose Payy Card if funds control and lowest fees matter most

Payy Card comes out ahead for Funds control and Lowest fees in this comparison. It is worth a closer look if those are the parts of a card you expect to use most.

  • Self-custody wallet control
  • No monthly or transaction fee
  • Instant virtual Visa with phone wallets

Choose ARQ Card if cashback and travel matter most

ARQ Card comes out ahead for Cashback, Travel, and Transfers in this comparison. It is worth a closer look if those are the parts of a card you expect to use most.

  • Clear four-country residence coverage
  • Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
  • Paid tiers add cashback and earnings

Where each card has the edge

The overall leader does not win every use case, so the reason you want the card matters here.

Overall Score
Payy62
ARQ64

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score by 2 points.

Entry cost & FX
Payy$0 plan · 1–3% FX
ARQ$0 plan · Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply FX

The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option.

Purchase rewards
Payy0% cashback
ARQ0% base · up to 2%

Both cards show the same base cashback rate of 0%.

Funds control
PayySelf-controlled wallet
ARQCustodial balance

Payy Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while ARQ Card uses a custodial balance setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

Everyday access
PayyVirtual · Apple Pay, Google Pay
ARQVirtual + Physical · Apple Pay, Google Pay

ARQ Card lists more card formats and phone-wallet options (4 vs 3).

Money movement
Payy1 stablecoin · Stablecoin transfers; Payy payment links
ARQ4 stablecoins · ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout

ARQ Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (6 vs 3).

02 · Read the shortlist

A closer look at the split decision

Start with the strengths that drive each use-case result, then test them against costs and access.

2 cards compared
Cashback
0%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
1–3%
ATM fee
Not available
Card formats
Virtual
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
1 crypto · 1 fiat
Payout methods
1 crypto · 0 fiat
Cashback
0%-2%
Plan cost
$0
FX fee
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
ATM fee
1–3%
Card formats
Virtual, Physical
Wallet payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Receive methods
2 crypto · 2 fiat
Payout methods
0 crypto · 1 fiat

03 · Compare the details

See how the trade-offs line up

Comparable figures receive a marker; missing or unverified details stay visible instead of becoming an assumed advantage.

Best known Not disclosed
Cards
Payy CardOverall62
ARQ CardOverall64
01

Scores

6 fields
Overall Score
Payy Card
62
ARQ Card
64
Cashback score
Payy Card
17
ARQ Card
41
Travel score
Payy Card
27
ARQ Card
62
Funds control score
Payy Card
97
ARQ Card
52
Lowest fees score
Payy Card
57
ARQ Card
52
Transfers score
Payy Card
68
ARQ Card
75
02

Strengths & trade-offs

2 fields
Strengths
Payy Card
Self-custody wallet control, No monthly or transaction fee
ARQ Card
Clear four-country residence coverage, Virtual, physical and phone-wallet access
Trade-offs
Payy Card
FX can reach 3%, Cash and physical access are constrained
ARQ Card
Provider FX spread remains unclear, Headline cashback requires membership
03

Costs

7 fields
Plan cost
Payy Card
$0
ARQ Card
$0
FX fee
Payy Card
1–3%
ARQ Card
Provider spread unknown; Argentina/Brazil variant charges may apply
Top-up fee
Payy Card
0%
ARQ Card
Standard receive: 3 USDc for USD/crypto and 3 EURc for EUR
Card spending fee
Payy Card
0%
ARQ Card
0%
ATM fee
Payy Card
Not available
ARQ Card
1–3%
Virtual card
Payy Card
Free; instant after KYC
ARQ Card
Free
Physical card
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
$4.99 Standard; $0 Premium
04

Plans

2 fields
Available plans
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
3 plans: Standard, Premium, Prestige
Top cashback plan
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
Prestige: 2%
05

Everyday use

8 fields
Network
Payy Card
Visa/Other network
ARQ Card
Mastercard
Card formats
Payy Card
Virtual
ARQ Card
Virtual, Physical
ATM withdrawals
Payy Card
Not available
ARQ Card
Available
Mobile wallets
Payy Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
ARQ Card
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apps
Payy Card
iOS, Android
ARQ Card
iOS, Android
Daily spending limit
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Monthly spending limit
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
ATM limit
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
06

Funding & transfers

5 fields
Networks
Payy Card
Polygon, Payy Network
ARQ Card
Ethereum, Polygon, Tron
Crypto deposits
Payy Card
Stablecoins: USDC
ARQ Card
Stablecoins: USDC, USDT
Fiat deposits
Payy Card
Bank-account deposit
ARQ Card
USD receive, EUR receive
Transfers
Payy Card
Stablecoin transfers; Payy payment links
ARQ Card
ARQ P2P; USD ACH payout
Payout currencies
Payy Card
Not disclosed
ARQ Card
USD
07

Rewards

3 fields
Base cashback
Payy Card
0%
ARQ Card
0%
Max cashback
Payy Card
0%
ARQ Card
2%
Reward currency
Payy Card
No cashback
ARQ Card
USDc cashback
08

Earn

5 fields
Advertised APY
Payy Card
Not offered
ARQ Card
Up to 4.5% APY
How it works
Payy Card
Not offered
ARQ Card
Earn on spending balance, Optional earn vault
Separate deposit
Payy Card
Not offered
ARQ Card
Yes
Use balance for spending
Payy Card
Not offered
ARQ Card
No
Lock-up
Payy Card
Not offered
ARQ Card
No
09

Trust & availability

4 fields
Custody
Payy Card
Self-custody
ARQ Card
Custodial
Control until payment
Payy Card
You keep control
ARQ Card
Provider controls funds
Card issuer
Payy Card
Third National / Rain
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
Card processing
Payy Card
Rain
ARQ Card
Not disclosed
10

Sources

2 fields
Official sources
Payy Card
5
ARQ Card
36
Last reviewed
Payy Card
Aug 5, 2026
ARQ Card
Aug 5, 2026

04 · The trade-off

ARQ Card is the stronger all-round choice

ARQ Card finishes ahead with an Overall Score of 64 versus 62 for Payy Card. The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option. Both cards show the same base cashback rate of 0%.

Payy Card still comes out ahead for Funds control and Lowest fees, which may matter more than the overall result if that is how you plan to use the card. Payy Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while ARQ Card uses a custodial balance setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

ARQ Card lists more stablecoins and ways to send money out (6 vs 3). Before applying, confirm availability in your country and recheck the provider's current fees and reward conditions.

If one card now looks like the better fit, you can check the latest application terms on the provider site or read our full Payy Card and ARQ Card reviews first.

05 · Common questions

Payy vs ARQ FAQ

Is Payy or ARQ better overall?

ARQ Card has the higher Overall Score (64 vs 62). That does not make it better for everyone: your preferred fees, rewards, way of holding funds and country availability can change the practical choice.

Which has lower fees, Payy or ARQ?

The starting plan and FX figures are tied, or the providers have not published enough matching information to name a lower-cost option. Compare plan, FX, card-spend, top-up and ATM charges separately because one fee does not represent the full cost.

Which has better cashback, Payy or ARQ?

Both cards show the same base cashback rate of 0%. Maximum rates may depend on tiers, caps, categories or other conditions, so the entry rate and reward asset matter too.

How do Payy and ARQ differ on custody?

Payy Card uses a self-controlled wallet setup, while ARQ Card uses a custodial balance setup. Neither approach is always better, so choose the level of control you are comfortable with.

How current is this Payy vs ARQ comparison?

The latest information check for these two cards was August 5, 2026, using 41 official sources in total. Each full card review lists its own check date, sources and anything the provider has not clearly disclosed.

06 · Try another angle

Compare either card with a nearby alternative, or build a different pair in the comparison workspace.

Open the comparison workspace