Banks in Saudi Arabia 2026: a ranking built on verified facts
A ranking of banks in Saudi Arabia that serve private customers, built only on verifiable facts: since when the bank has been operating, whether it holds its own current rating from a recognised agency, whether it publishes reports, whether you can open an account remotely and send instant sarie payments, and whether its prices, deposit rates and complaints procedure are published. Banks in the Kingdom are licensed and supervised by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Every fact links to its source with the date we checked it. We do not compare the size of rates or fees. This is not financial advice. Places are not for sale.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arab National Bank (anb) | 66 | 1979 | Not verified | Not verified | App Account online Instant payments |
| 2 | Riyad Bank | 66 | 1957 | Not verified | Yes | Agency rating App Account online Instant payments 24/7 |
| 3 | Bank AlJazira | 62 | 1975 | Not verified | Yes | Agency rating App Account online 24/7 |
| 4 | Alinma Bank | 59 | 2006 | Not verified | Not verified | App Account online 24/7 |
-
- Licensed since
- 1979
- Deposit protection
- Not verified
- Agency rating
- Not verified
Pros
- Wide range of products for private customers
- Long track record as a licensed bank
- Publishes annual reports
- Has a mobile app
Details Visit site ↗ 66% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 1957
- Deposit protection
- Not verified
- Agency rating
- Yes
Pros
- Wide range of products for private customers
- Long track record as a licensed bank
- Holds its own current rating from a recognised agency
- Publishes annual reports
Details Visit site ↗ 68% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 1975
- Deposit protection
- Not verified
- Agency rating
- Yes
Pros
- Wide range of products for private customers
- Long track record as a licensed bank
- Holds its own current rating from a recognised agency
- Publishes annual reports
Details Visit site ↗ 64% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 2006
- Deposit protection
- Not verified
- Agency rating
- Not verified
Pros
- Wide range of products for private customers
- Publishes annual reports
- Has a mobile app
- New customers can open an account without visiting a branch
Details Visit site ↗ 63% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- Al Rajhi Bank (45% backed by facts)
- Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) (59% backed by facts)
- Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) (48% backed by facts)
- The Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB) (41% backed by facts)
How we calculate the Score
40%
Safety
The year the bank was licensed (from the central bank's register or, where the register shows no date, from the official website), membership of a deposit protection scheme, a current rating of the bank itself from a recognised agency (a parent group's rating does not count) and published annual reports.
25%
Digital services
Whether there is a mobile app, whether a new customer can join without visiting a branch, whether the bank supports the national instant payment system, and whether 24/7 support with a human agent is available.
15%
Products
How many of six main retail lines the bank offers: current account, savings or deposits, cards, consumer loans, mortgages and investments.
20%
Transparency
Whether tariffs and current deposit rates are published without logging in (we count the fact of publication, not the level of the rate), whether the complaints procedure is described, and how many branches the bank has in the country.
How to choose a bank
Check the licence in the register
Only banks licensed by the central bank or supervisor may take deposits. Find the bank in the register on the regulator's website and make sure the licence is valid: the National Bank in Belarus, the Bank of Russia, ARDFM in Kazakhstan, KNF in Poland, BaFin in Germany.
Find out whether your money is protected
Check whether the bank belongs to a deposit protection scheme, which accounts it covers and what the compensation limit is. These are national rules and can change, so read them on the scheme's own website.
Read the tariffs, not the advert
The cost of an account is set by the contract and the price list: maintenance fees, cash withdrawals, transfers, conditions for a free plan. Make sure the document is current and keep a copy of the terms you signed up to.
Compare rates on the day you decide
Deposit and loan rates change often, so we do not publish them. Look up the rate on the bank's official website on the day you apply, and read the terms: duration, top-ups, early withdrawal, effective rate.
Think about how you will use the bank
If you need cash and face-to-face help, look at branches near you; if not, look at the app and support. Your account in one bank does not have to be your only one.
Protect access to your account
Install the app only from a link on the bank's official website, check the site's address, and never share codes from messages. Bank staff do not ask for them on the phone.
Know where to complain
First file a written complaint with the bank and keep its reference number. If the answer does not satisfy you, go to the financial ombudsman where one exists or to the supervisor, then to court. The route is usually published on the bank's website.
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses banks in Saudi Arabia?
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Banks state this on their own websites, usually in the footer (for example, "regulated by the Saudi Central Bank"). To be sure, compare the bank's legal name with the list of licensed banks on the SAMA website, sama.gov.sa.
Are bank deposits protected in Saudi Arabia?
SAMA's rules on deposit protection are published in its online rulebook, which our bot could not open, and the banks' pages we checked do not describe the scheme. So the deposit protection fact is empty for Saudi banks rather than marked yes or no. Ask your bank or SAMA how your deposit is protected.
What is sarie?
Sarie is the Saudi instant payment system: transfers between local bank accounts are instant and work 24/7, and you can send money using a mobile number instead of an IBAN. We mark a bank as supporting fast payments if its own website offers sarie transfers.
Why are some large banks not in the ranking?
We rank a bank only when at least 60% of its facts are confirmed on official pages. Many Saudi bank websites load prices, contacts and reports with scripts that our bot cannot read, and the SAMA site could not be opened, so some large banks are shown in the "not yet ranked" block until the missing facts are verified.