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APIs · head to head

Griffin vs i2c

Griffin logo

Griffin

APIs

UK banking-as-a-service from a company that holds its own full banking licence

From
£100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
i2c logo

i2c

APIs

Configurable card issuing and banking processing platform for banks and programme managers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Griffin platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.; i2c developer experience lags API-native competitors, and teams expecting Stripe-grade documentation and sandboxes find an enterprise integration project instead.
  • They diverge on capability: Griffin covers Bank accounts by API, i2c covers Configurable product engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Griffin and i2c actually diverge.

Attributes where Griffin and i2c differ
AttributeGriffini2c
Starting price£100/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer month with usage drawdownquote

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, REST 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 Griffin

  • Bank accounts by API
  • UK payment rails
  • Integrated ledger
  • Automated onboarding
  • Debit cards
  • Interest on balances

Only in i2c

  • Configurable product engine
  • Credit and instalments
  • Multi-currency
  • Fraud and risk tooling
  • Digital banking front ends
  • Global scheme connectivity

What people use each for

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

Griffin

  • A wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an EMI safeguarding accountnot i2c
  • A lender wanting UK accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itselfnot i2c
  • A fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the API provider to be the same entitynot i2c
  • A platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trailnot i2c

i2c

  • A bank wanting credit, debit and prepaid portfolios on one processor rather than threenot Griffin
  • An issuer in a market where local scheme and currency support rules out US-centric processorsnot Griffin
  • A programme manager launching instalment products without building a lending corenot Griffin
  • A credit union replacing an ageing processor without writing custom code for product rulesnot Griffin

Where each one falls short

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

Griffin

  • Platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.
  • It is UK-only, so a business with European or US operations needs a second banking provider and a second integration for those entities.
  • It is a young bank with a small balance sheet relative to incumbents, and enterprise counterparties still ask hard questions about concentration risk.
  • Holding a banking licence means Griffin applies bank-grade due diligence to its own clients, so onboarding is slower and more selective than an EMI-based provider.
  • Feature breadth is narrower than long-established providers, particularly in card programme management and in payment types beyond core UK rails.

i2c

  • Developer experience lags API-native competitors, and teams expecting Stripe-grade documentation and sandboxes find an enterprise integration project instead.
  • Implementations lean on i2c or partner professional services, so timelines and costs are set by a services queue rather than by your own engineering speed.
  • Pricing is per active card and per transaction with monthly minimums, none of it published, so comparing bids requires modelling your own portfolio carefully.
  • Configuration flexibility means product behaviour lives in platform settings rather than in your repository, which complicates version control, testing and audit trails.
  • As a private company with a broad global footprint, regional support depth is uneven, and a programme in a smaller market may get thinner service than a flagship account.

Pricing, plan by plan

Griffin

£100/month
  • Business Banking$100/month
    • From 100 pounds per month
    • Interest or commission from around 1.75 percent AER variable
    • Operational accounts and UK payment rails
  • Platform Banking$3500/month
    • One-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds
    • Minimum monthly spend of 3,500 pounds, drawn down by usage
    • Higher committed tiers at 5,000 and 10,000 pounds with discounts
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Bespoke account structures and volumes
    • Negotiated interest or commission share

i2c

On request
  • i2c processing platform$undefined/year
    • Per-active-card and per-transaction processing fees
    • Minimum monthly commitments by programme
    • Implementation and configuration professional services

Which should you pick?

Choose Griffin if

  • You need bank accounts by api.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want uk payment rails.
Griffin review

Choose i2c if

  • You need configurable product engine.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want credit and instalments.
i2c review

Questions people ask

Is Griffin or i2c better?
Neither clearly leads. Griffin starts at £100/month and i2c at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Griffin or i2c?
Griffin starts at £100/month and i2c at On request.
Does Griffin or i2c run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, REST API, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Griffin best used for?
Griffin is most often used for a wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an emi safeguarding account, a lender wanting uk accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itself, a fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the api provider to be the same entity, a platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trail. Of those, a wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an emi safeguarding account and a lender wanting uk accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itself are not what i2c is typically brought in for.
What can Griffin do that i2c cannot?
Griffin covers Bank accounts by API, UK payment rails, Integrated ledger, Automated onboarding. i2c covers Configurable product engine, Credit and instalments, Multi-currency, Fraud and risk tooling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Griffin: Is Griffin actually a bank?

Yes. It received a UK banking licence with restrictions in March 2023 and a full licence in March 2024 after exiting mobilisation.

i2c: Does i2c issue the cards itself?

No. It processes; issuance sits with a bank or licensed issuer, and in most markets you need that relationship separately.

Griffin: What does it cost?

Business banking from 100 pounds a month; platform banking from a 15,000 pound onboarding fee plus a 3,500 pound monthly minimum drawn down by usage.

i2c: Can it handle revolving credit?

Yes. Credit, instalments and buy-now-pay-later sit on the same platform as debit and prepaid, which is unusual among modern processors.

Griffin: Does it cover Europe?

No. Griffin is a UK bank serving UK accounts and UK payment rails.

i2c: Is it self-serve?

No. Expect a configuration-led implementation with professional services rather than signing up and calling an API.

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