Softwr

APIs · head to head

Backbase vs Solaris

Backbase logo

Backbase

APIs

Digital and AI-native engagement banking platform for customer-facing banking experiences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Solaris logo

Solaris

APIs

German banking as a service with a full banking licence and a live regulatory problem

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Backbase pricing scales with assets under management and AI API calls, meaning cost grows as the bank itself grows and adopts more AI features, which is a less predictable cost curve than a flat per-seat model.; Solaris baFin appointed a special representative in 2022 and extended the mandate in July 2024, so a partner is joining a bank under active supervisory monitoring, with slower approvals and heavier compliance demands as a direct consequence.
  • They diverge on capability: Backbase covers Digital banking front end, Solaris covers German banking licence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backbase and Solaris actually diverge.

Attributes where Backbase and Solaris differ
AttributeBackbaseSolaris
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Backbase

  • Digital banking front end
  • Digital onboarding
  • Customer engagement workflows
  • AI-native banking OS positioning
  • Core-agnostic integration
  • Small business banking modules

Only in Solaris

  • German banking licence
  • IBAN accounts
  • Card issuing
  • Lending as a service
  • Digital assets and custody
  • SEPA payments
  • KYC and onboarding
  • Deposit protection

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Backbase

  • An established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking systemnot Solaris
  • A credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflowsnot Solaris
  • A newer bank wanting an engagement layer built for AI-driven interaction from the outsetnot Solaris
  • A bank consolidating several separate digital banking front ends into one platform across retail and business bankingnot Solaris

Solaris

  • A retailer or platform launching a German current account or card product without applying for its own licencenot Backbase
  • A fintech that needs deposit taking and lending, which an e-money licence cannot providenot Backbase
  • A European business needing German IBANs because customers reject foreign IBANs for salary and direct debitnot Backbase
  • A company requiring German statutory deposit protection on customer balances as a product claimnot Backbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Backbase

  • Pricing scales with assets under management and AI API calls, meaning cost grows as the bank itself grows and adopts more AI features, which is a less predictable cost curve than a flat per-seat model.
  • It sits above, not instead of, a core banking system, so adopting it does not reduce a bank's overall vendor count or technology complexity; it adds a specialised layer.
  • As with any customer-facing banking platform, an outage or performance issue directly affects the bank's customers, so the operational stakes of vendor reliability are high.
  • Implementation for a large bank spans multiple modules and integration points, and realistic timelines run well beyond a simple software rollout.
  • Pricing opacity means a bank cannot benchmark Backbase against competing engagement banking platforms without engaging each vendor's own sales process separately.

Solaris

  • BaFin appointed a special representative in 2022 and extended the mandate in July 2024, so a partner is joining a bank under active supervisory monitoring, with slower approvals and heavier compliance demands as a direct consequence.
  • BaFin fined Solaris EUR 6.5 million in March 2024 for systematically late suspicious activity reports and EUR 500,000 for breaching large exposure limits between January 2022 and March 2024, which is a track record a partner inherits reputationally.
  • Solaris has previously needed BaFin approval before onboarding new corporate clients, which can turn a commercial decision to launch into a regulatory timetable outside your control.
  • The 2024 restructuring involved job cuts and the closure of parts of a business unit, so product lines a partner depends on may not have the engineering behind them that the sales process implies.
  • SBI Holdings acquired majority control in 2025, so strategic direction now sits with a Japanese financial group whose priorities for the European business may differ from the roadmap you were sold.

Pricing, plan by plan

Backbase

On request
  • Backbase$undefined/year
    • Pricing scales with users, modules, assets under management and AI API calls
    • Custom quote required, not published

Solaris

On request
  • Solaris banking as a service$undefined/year
    • Quoted per partner, typically setup fee plus monthly platform fee
    • Per account, per card and per transaction charges on top
    • Interchange sharing arrangements negotiated per programme

Which should you pick?

Choose Backbase if

  • You need digital banking front end.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want digital onboarding.
Backbase review

Choose Solaris if

  • You need german banking licence.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want iban accounts.
Solaris review

Questions people ask

Is Backbase or Solaris better?
Neither clearly leads. Backbase starts at On request and Solaris at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backbase or Solaris?
Backbase starts at On request and Solaris at On request.
Does Backbase or Solaris run on more platforms?
Backbase runs on Web, iOS, Android. Solaris runs on Web, API.
What is Backbase best used for?
Backbase is most often used for an established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking system, a credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflows, a newer bank wanting an engagement layer built for ai-driven interaction from the outset, a bank consolidating several separate digital banking front ends into one platform across retail and business banking. Of those, an established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking system and a credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflows are not what Solaris is typically brought in for.
What can Backbase do that Solaris cannot?
Backbase covers Digital banking front end, Digital onboarding, Customer engagement workflows, AI-native banking OS positioning. Solaris covers German banking licence, IBAN accounts, Card issuing, Lending as a service.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backbase: Does Backbase replace our core banking system?

No, it is a customer engagement layer that sits above and integrates with an existing core banking system.

Solaris: Does Solaris have a real banking licence?

Yes. Solaris SE is a German credit institution, which is why it can offer deposits and lending, unlike e-money based competitors.

Backbase: How does pricing work?

It scales with factors including number of users, modules implemented, assets under management and AI API calls; exact numbers require a quote.

Solaris: Is the BaFin action still live?

The special representative appointed in 2022 had the mandate extended in July 2024, and fines were issued in March 2024. Treat supervisory oversight as an active condition in your diligence.

Backbase: Is it suited to business as well as retail banking?

Yes, it includes modules specifically for small business banking engagement alongside retail.

Solaris: Who owns Solaris now?

SBI Holdings of Japan agreed in December 2024 and January 2025 to take a majority stake of over seventy per cent for around EUR 100 million.

Share

Related pages

More on Backbase

More on Solaris

Keep looking

Other head to heads