Skrill or Neteller - Which is the Better Option?

You're on a hot streak and want to up your stakes. Or perhaps you wish to take advantage of a great deposit bonus offer. Or maybe you are just giving online gaming a try. Whatever your reason, it is imperative to have the most optimal deposit method working in your favour when loading your account. Skrill and Neteller are two of the most popular deposit options that most leading iGaming operators include on their sites.

What are Skrill and Neteller?

Skrill (formerly Moneybookers) and Neteller are both e-Wallets focussing on international money transfers. The usage is simple - fund your Skrill/Neteller account either via a direct bank transfer or using a credit/debit card (all major ones are included) followed by depositing into your iGaming account using your Skrill/Neteller details. Most people use e-Wallets for security reasons - since they act as a kind of an intermediary between your bank/credit-card account and your iGaming account, there is no chance of theft of your financial details. Some people also like using e-Wallets since it means that there is no direct link between their personal financial instrument (like a bank account) and a "gambling" site.

Which is the better option - Skrill vs Neteller?

Skrill vs Neteller is a close one as both offer the same basic benefits (they are owned by the same parent company after all!) in the form of good security options (dual verification login), VIP programs, pre-paid cards, country availability etc. However, each trumps the other in some aspects. Let us compare the two to see which works best for you:

• Website: Both serve up a good offering in this regard in the form of a clean, concise and easy-to-navigate website - however, for a slightly more extensive FAQ section and more importantly, a quicker and more helpful customer support system, it's a +1 for Neteller.
• Deposits: The Skrill vs Neteller comparison is hard to separate in this regard as both have very well-refined deposit methods. However, Skrill in general has a lower transaction fee (1.9% vs 2.5%) which makes it a more attractive proposition. Additionally, Skrill also offers Bitcoin transactions and almost double the number of currency options, so it wins out here.
• Withdrawals: Here too, Skrill vs Neteller is a battle of equals as both are equally good with approximately the same transaction fee. However, for a shorter turn-around-time along with the additional benefit of cheque withdrawals, Neteller slightly shades this round.
• Pre-paid Card: Neteller is the clear winner here, with a much higher limit on its card along with almost double the number of currencies on offer and the facility of a Virtual Card on offer.
• VIP Program: Both providers have excellent offerings and if you are a regular user of your e-Wallet, you will reap some great loyalty benefits. Keep in mind though that a fair volume of transactions is needed to really get the most out of the loyalty programs in both Skrill and Neteller.
• Cashback & Promotions: Skrill is slightly more active in trying to entice new registrations with a few good promotional offers. Neteller, on the other hand, currently has almost no new-joiner benefits so it loses out in this regard.

So, if you are trying to decide among Skrill vs Neteller, ask yourself how often and for what reason you are going to be using your e-Wallet account. If it is primarily in the short-term and you're looking to give e-Wallets a try, Skrill is the better option due to its promotional offers and more optimal deposit solutions. On the other hand, if you foresee a longer and more detailed usage, then give Neteller a go for its better customer support, easier interface, more effective withdrawals and a more useful pre-paid card. In other words, Skrill vs Neteller is too close to call as both methods are roughly equal and should suffice for all your requirements - the better one for you depends on what you are looking for. Good luck!