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APIs · head to head

Column vs Neonomics

Column logo

Column

APIs

A nationally chartered US bank that ships its own API, with no middleware in between

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Neonomics logo

Neonomics

APIs

Nordic open banking payments and data, now with UK coverage through Ordo

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Column column publishes no pricing whatsoever, so there is no way to model cost before a sales process, and terms are negotiated per programme which favours larger, more sophisticated buyers.; Neonomics coverage outside the Nordics and the UK is comparatively shallow, so a pan European merchant will find gaps and inconsistent bank behaviour in southern and eastern markets.
  • They diverge on capability: Column covers National bank charter, Neonomics covers Payment initiation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Column and Neonomics actually diverge.

Attributes where Column and Neonomics differ
AttributeColumnNeonomics

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, API), 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 Column

  • National bank charter
  • Direct Federal Reserve access
  • Ledger and accounts
  • International wires
  • Real-time payments
  • Lending
  • Cheque handling
  • Correspondent banking

Only in Neonomics

  • Payment initiation
  • Account information
  • Nordic bank depth
  • UK coverage via Ordo
  • Variable recurring payments
  • Request to pay
  • White label journeys
  • Reconciliation data

What people use each for

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

Column

  • A fintech that has been burned by a middleware provider failing and wants its deposits held by the same entity that provides the APInot Neonomics
  • A payments company needing direct Fedwire and Swift access rather than routing through a correspondent it cannot seenot Neonomics
  • A lender that wants origination, funding and deposit accounts from one chartered institution instead of three counterpartiesnot Neonomics
  • A payroll or treasury platform where same-day settlement certainty matters more than fast onboardingnot Neonomics

Neonomics

  • A Norwegian or Swedish merchant collecting payments directly from bank accounts to avoid card feesnot Column
  • A debt collection agency sending request to pay messages instead of chasing bank transfers manuallynot Column
  • A software vendor embedding pay by bank into an accounting or invoicing product for Nordic customersnot Column
  • A business needing both UK and Nordic bank payment coverage from one suppliernot Column

Where each one falls short

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

Column

  • Column publishes no pricing whatsoever, so there is no way to model cost before a sales process, and terms are negotiated per programme which favours larger, more sophisticated buyers.
  • Onboarding is bank diligence rather than vendor sign-up, and programmes routinely spend several months on compliance review, flow of funds documentation and volume forecasting before the first live transaction.
  • Column selects its customers and declines many, so the charter advantage is only available to programmes it considers acceptable risk, which excludes most early-stage teams.
  • It is United States only, so any programme with international account or local payment needs must add a second banking relationship and reconcile across both.
  • Being the bank means Column also carries the bank's regulatory constraints, so product changes that affect risk, such as new customer segments or higher-risk flows, need approval rather than a configuration change.

Neonomics

  • Coverage outside the Nordics and the UK is comparatively shallow, so a pan European merchant will find gaps and inconsistent bank behaviour in southern and eastern markets.
  • It is a small company relative to Tink and TrueLayer, so supplier viability and the depth of engineering support behind bank API changes are genuine procurement questions.
  • Payment initiation only means the merchant handles settlement, reconciliation and refunds, and there is no chargeback framework to fall back on.
  • Integrating a recently acquired UK business means two regulatory entities and, for a period, two technology stacks, so cross market feature parity is a promise rather than an existing state.
  • Conversion is governed by each bank's own authentication experience, and Nordic BankID flows behave differently from UK app redirects, so a single UX cannot be assumed across the footprint.

Pricing, plan by plan

Column

On request
  • Column Bank Platform$undefined/year
    • Deposit accounts and ledger
    • ACH, wire, RTP and cheque rails
    • International wires over Swift

Neonomics

On request
  • Neonomics platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per customer, typically per initiated payment or per API call
    • Volume commitments and monthly minimums are common
    • Payment initiation only; merchant handles settlement and refunds

Which should you pick?

Choose Column if

  • You need national bank charter.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want direct federal reserve access.
Column review

Choose Neonomics if

  • You need payment initiation.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want account information.
Neonomics review

Questions people ask

Is Column or Neonomics better?
Neither clearly leads. Column starts at On request and Neonomics at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Column or Neonomics?
Column starts at On request and Neonomics at On request.
Does Column or Neonomics run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, API, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Column best used for?
Column is most often used for a fintech that has been burned by a middleware provider failing and wants its deposits held by the same entity that provides the api, a payments company needing direct fedwire and swift access rather than routing through a correspondent it cannot see, a lender that wants origination, funding and deposit accounts from one chartered institution instead of three counterparties, a payroll or treasury platform where same-day settlement certainty matters more than fast onboarding. Of those, a fintech that has been burned by a middleware provider failing and wants its deposits held by the same entity that provides the api and a payments company needing direct fedwire and swift access rather than routing through a correspondent it cannot see are not what Neonomics is typically brought in for.
What can Column do that Neonomics cannot?
Column covers National bank charter, Direct Federal Reserve access, Ledger and accounts, International wires. Neonomics covers Payment initiation, Account information, Nordic bank depth, UK coverage via Ordo.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Column: Is Column actually a bank?

Yes. It is a nationally chartered, FDIC-insured bank, which is why there is no sponsor bank behind it.

Neonomics: Is Neonomics authorised in the UK?

Yes, through the acquisition of Ordo, an FCA authorised open banking payments firm, approved by the FCA and the Norwegian regulator.

Column: How is that different from Synctera or Unit?

Those are technology providers that connect you to a separate sponsor bank. With Column the API provider and the depository institution are the same company.

Neonomics: Does it support variable recurring payments?

Yes in the UK through the Ordo capability, subject to which banks support commercial VRP; support elsewhere is more limited.

Column: What does Column cost?

Nothing is published. Pricing is negotiated per programme.

Neonomics: Does Neonomics hold merchant funds?

No. It initiates payments; settlement, reconciliation and refunds remain with the merchant or its payment provider.

Column: How long does onboarding take?

Expect months. This is bank-grade diligence on your compliance programme, not a vendor sign-up.

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