Bleap vs Novo
Both Bleap and Novo clear the checkouts our readers ask about most. Here is where the two part ways on fees and verification.
Both issue on Mastercard; verification is ID + proof at Bleap versus Business KYC at Novo; only Bleap takes crypto top-ups.
Bleap is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee. Novo is the better fit for power users who need bank-transfer funding.
The short version of the matchup
| Field | Bleap | Novo |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
| Card type | Crypto Card | Digital Bank / Neobank |
| KYC | ID + proof | Business KYC |
| Card issuance fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free ($0 monthly, no minimum balance) |
| Top-up fee | 0% | — |
| FX fee | 0% | — |
| Crypto funding | Yes | No |
| AI tool support | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney | — |
| Risk level | Low-Medium | Low |
| Our rating | 9.8 | 8.3 |
| User reviews | 932 | 926 |
| Best for | All-rounder · AI subscriptions | App Store / Play · Free issuance |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
Where they split
- Multi-task users get more from Bleap — it clears more of the checkouts we run through our test suite.
- Bleap can sit on a crypto balance; Novo cannot, so the call depends on how you fund it.
- In our scoring, Bleap finished ahead of Novo — not by a mile, but enough to tilt a tiebreak.
- If risk rating weights your choice, Novo is the calmer of the two.
Two cards, one decision
Bleap is the cheaper card to hold: free to create and no top-up fee, against free and no top-up fee at Novo. Novo earns its keep only if you need bank-transfer funding.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Bleap scores 9.8/10 against Novo's 8.3/10 in our tests, but the two split on fees, KYC and crypto funding. Read the table above, then match it to the checkouts you actually run.
Bleap is the cheaper card to run. Both Bleap and Novo issue virtual cards for free; Bleap reloads at 0%, while Novo publishes no top-up percentage.
Bleap asks for ID + proof at signup; Novo asks for Business KYC. If a light sign-up is the priority, the one with the lower KYC label is the faster route.
Both show up in 3 of the same test scenarios, including PlayStation Network, Minecraft Store, Airbnb. They overlap on a good share of checkouts, so the choice between them matters most on those pages. Where one is accepted and the other is not usually comes down to the billing country and 3-D Secure handling.
Where both show up
Bleap and Novo both landed in our top picks for 3 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
🎮 Gaming 2
🧳 Travel & Productivity 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇪🇺 Europe (EEA) · 🇺🇸 US — the country guides group every range we track from there.
What our charge log shows
Every count here is a real charge attempt we placed on that range, renewals included, with the gateway response recorded. Weeks tracked is how long the range has been in the programme: