is what the best ADCB card returns a year on our AED 8,000-a-month spend profile, after its annual fee — against AED 4,452 from FAB's best card. That is a AED 80 a year gap on cards alone, before any account or finance rate enters the picture.
Pick FAB for maximum scale and the widest network; pick ADCB if its cashback cards and TouchPoints rewards match your spending. Both are Abu Dhabi-headquartered conventional banks with strong UAE-wide coverage, so the call usually comes down to card fit and specific account perks.
What this means for you
- Both are Abu Dhabi-rooted with wide UAE networks, so branch access is rarely the deciding factor.
- ADCB is well known for cashback cards and the TouchPoints programme; FAB offers a broader premium and travel range.
- FAB's larger balance sheet can matter for large mortgages or corporate needs; ADCB is highly competitive on everyday retail.
- Prefer Islamic banking? FAB uses FAB Islamic; ADCB offers it through Al Hilal Bank.
FAB vs ADCB — the numbers
Fees, rates and salary floors for both banks, read straight from our committed UAE datasets. Each figure links to the issuer's own page and carries the date we last verified it. Where we hold no published figure for a bank, the cell says so — we never show an unknown as a zero.
| What we measured | FAB | ADCB |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards we track | 21 Open to new applicants in our UAE card knowledge bank Our card knowledge bank · source checked 2026-08-11 | 16 Open to new applicants in our UAE card knowledge bank Our card knowledge bank · source checked 2026-08-11 |
| Lowest ongoing annual fee | AED 0 FAB Rewards Indulge Credit Card — free for life Source · source checked 2026-08-11 | AED 0 TouchPoints Gold Credit Card — free for life Source · source checked 2026-08-11 |
| Highest published cashback rate | 12% on flights FAB Travel Credit Card · On flight bookings; requires AED 5,000 min previous-month spend · Needs AED 5,000 monthly card spend · Capped at AED 1,800 of reward a month Source · source checked 2026-08-11 | 50% on cinema ADCB Traveller Credit Card · 50% cashback on movie tickets purchased online in AED; shared cap · Needs AED 5,000 monthly card spend · Capped at AED 1,500 of reward a month Source · source checked 2026-08-11 |
| Cashback on everyday spend | 1% on everything else FAB Cashback Credit Card · All other AED spend; non-AED international = 3% (covered by travel_flights entry). Excludes select MCCs listed separately. · Needs AED 3,000 monthly card spend · Capped at AED 1,000 of reward a month Source · source checked 2026-08-11 | 1.5% on everything else ADCB Traveller Credit Card · 1.5% on domestic AED spends; international non-travel spends do not earn cashback but benefit from 0% FX · Needs AED 5,000 monthly card spend · Capped at AED 1,500 of reward a month Source · source checked 2026-08-11 |
| Lowest card entry salary | AED 5,000/month Lowest published card entry salary — FAB Cashback Credit Card Source · source checked 2026-08-11 | AED 5,000/month Lowest published card entry salary — TouchPoints Gold Credit Card Source · source checked 2026-08-11 |
| Best published savings rate | Not in our deposit dataset — check the bank's published schedule. | 2.25% Super Saver Account · interest · Minimum balance AED 50,000 · Plus up to 2.75% bonus when relationship criteria are met Source · source checked 2026-05-01 |
| Personal finance rate | 4.7%–13.99% FAB Personal Loan · Minimum salary AED 7,000 Source · source checked 2026-08 | 5.24%–14% ADCB Personal Loan · Minimum salary AED 5,000 Source · source checked 2026-08 |
| Car finance rate | 3.79%–6.51% FAB Car Loan · Minimum salary AED 7,000 Source · source checked 2026-08 | from 3.8% (from 1.99% flat) ADCB Car Loan · Minimum salary not published Source · source checked 2026-08 |
| Home finance rate | 3.99%–4.44% FAB Mortgage Loan (Home Finance) · Minimum salary AED 15,000 Source · source checked 2026-08 | from 3.99% ADCB Standard Mortgage Loan · Minimum salary not published Source · source checked 2026-08 |
| Sharia-compliant option | Yes — via FAB Islamic Conventional bank with a Sharia-compliant arm inside the same group | Yes — via Al Hilal Bank Conventional bank with a Sharia-compliant arm inside the same group |
Every figure in this table is read from our committed UAE datasets, not typed by hand: card fees, rates and salary floors from the credit-card knowledge bank (checked 2026-08-11), savings rates from each bank's own published rate sheet, and finance rates from each lender's website or Key Facts Statement. Where we hold no published figure the cell says so — it is never shown as zero.
Real-world value: AED 8,000 a month, in dirhams
A rate table only gets you so far — what matters is what a card returns on your spending. So we ran one stated household profile through the same optimizer that powers our Card Stack Builder, across every card each bank has open to new applicants, and took the best result on each side. Reward caps, minimum-spend gates and annual-fee waivers are all applied exactly as the optimizer applies them. Cards limited to one emirate or to UAE nationals are left out, because most readers can't get them.
One household, AED 8,000 a month on the card (AED 96,000 a year), on a salary of AED 20,000 a month. Both banks are scored on exactly this basket, so the comparison is like-for-like.
- GroceriesAED 2,000
- DiningAED 1,200
- Online shoppingAED 1,200
- Utilities & billsAED 800
- FuelAED 700
- FlightsAED 500
- HotelsAED 300
- CinemaAED 200
- Everything elseAED 1,100
- Rewards earnedAED 2,952
- Perks you'd actually useAED 1,800
- Annual fee (year 2 onwards)−AED 300
- Rewards earnedAED 2,732
- Perks you'd actually useAED 1,800
- Annual fee (year 2 onwards)None
Change the split — more groceries, less travel, a different total — and the winner can change with it. That is the point: there is no bank that is better for everyone, only a card that is better for a given basket. Run your own numbers in the Card Stack Builder.
FAB vs ADCB — side by side
Beyond the figures, a neutral comparison of what can be verified publicly about how each bank operates — scale, account types, card line-ups, digital experience and network reach. Rates and fees move, so confirm any number above on each bank's published schedule of charges before you commit.
| Dimension | First Abu Dhabi Bank | Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Scale & home emirate | The UAE's largest bank by assets, headquartered in Abu Dhabi (formed from the 2017 NBAD–FGB merger). | One of the UAE's largest banks, headquartered in Abu Dhabi (2019 merger with UNB and Al Hilal Bank). |
| Conventional vs Islamic | Conventional; Sharia-compliant accounts and cards are offered through FAB Islamic. | Conventional; Sharia-compliant banking is offered through its Al Hilal Bank arm. |
| Everyday accounts | Current, savings, salary-transfer and multi-currency accounts, plus premium/elite tiers for higher balances. | Current, savings and salary-transfer accounts, plus Privilege and Private tiers. |
| Credit-card line-up | A broad range spanning cashback, air-miles/travel and premium cards, with Etihad Guest tie-ins on some products. | Known for cashback cards and the TouchPoints rewards programme, alongside travel and lifestyle cards. |
| Digital & app experience | A full-featured mobile app for payments, cards and transfers; widely used, if less singled-out than ENBD’s app. | The app covers day-to-day banking, card controls and rewards redemption; well-rated across app stores. |
| Branch & ATM footprint | One of the widest branch and ATM networks in the UAE, densest in Abu Dhabi. | A wide UAE-wide branch and ATM network, strongest in Abu Dhabi. |
| Notable fees | Follow FAB’s published schedule of charges; card annual fees are commonly spend- or salary-waived — confirm current terms. | Follow ADCB’s published schedule of charges; card fee waivers are typically spend-linked — confirm current terms. |
FAB vs ADCB — FAQ
Are FAB and ADCB both Abu Dhabi banks?
Yes. Both First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank are headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operate nationwide across the UAE.
Which has better cashback cards?
ADCB is particularly known for its cashback cards and TouchPoints rewards, but FAB also offers cashback and rewards cards. The best card depends on your monthly spend by category — our Card Stack Builder ranks them by what you’d actually earn.
Is FAB bigger than ADCB?
Yes. FAB is the UAE’s largest bank by assets, formed from the 2017 NBAD–FGB merger. ADCB is also among the UAE’s largest, enlarged by its 2019 merger with Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank.
Do both offer Islamic accounts?
Yes — FAB through FAB Islamic and ADCB through its Al Hilal Bank arm.
Where can I check exact fees?
Fees and rates change frequently, so confirm the current figure on each bank’s published schedule of charges. This page compares what’s neutrally verifiable — networks, card ranges, accounts and digital experience.
FAB or ADCB — which card actually earns more?
On a stated AED 8,000 a month of card spend, the best ADCB card (ADCB LuLu Platinum Credit Card) returns AED 4,532 a year after its annual fee, against AED 4,452 from FAB's best (FAB Cashback Islamic Credit Card) — a gap of AED 80. Both figures come from the same optimizer the Card Stack Builder runs, so change the spend split and the answer can flip.
Which pays more on savings, FAB or ADCB?
On the rates in our UAE deposit dataset, we hold no published savings rate for FAB; ADCB publishes 2.25% (Super Saver Account · interest · Minimum balance AED 50,000 · Plus up to 2.75% bonus when relationship criteria are met). Rates are the bank's own published figures and move — compare the full market on our UAE savings account finder.
Is a personal loan cheaper at FAB or ADCB?
FAB's published personal-finance rate is 4.7%–13.99% (FAB Personal Loan · Minimum salary AED 7,000); ADCB's is 5.24%–14% (ADCB Personal Loan · Minimum salary AED 5,000). Both are taken from the lender's own page or Key Facts Statement — the rate you are offered depends on the bank's credit assessment. Compare every UAE lender on our UAE loan finder.
← Back to the UAE bank comparison hub to see all head-to-heads and bank profiles.
Neutral comparison for information only — not financial advice or a recommendation of either bank. Every figure above is the bank's own published number as recorded in our datasets on the verification date shown beside it; bank details, fees and card terms change, so always confirm the current figure on each bank's official website before deciding.