The best bank mobile apps

How do Starling and Monzo compare to the apps from the high street banks?

App banking is getting bigger and bigger. I very rarely log in to online banking on a computer, hardly ever visit a branch and only phone up when there’s a problem.

So it’s vital that I can do everything I need to do on my app. And sadly my main bank for years – Nationwide – is really limited, requiring a card reader to add new payees and missing many of the features that started on new digital banks but increasingly copied by established banks.

I’d go as far as to say that how good a bank’s app is the number reasons to choose a bank for your everyday banking.

Watch my full analysis in this video, or keep reading to see the features broken down app by app.

Bank features compared

I’ve compared the features on 13 different banking apps, from digital challengers Monzo, Starling and Revolut through to high street titans Barclays, Halifax and HSBC.

My top app banking features

So, what do I look for in a banking app? There are all sorts of things you can do – from adding photos of your receipts to individual transactions through to paying in a cheque. Lots of nice to haves.

But there are some basics which are essential – and surprisingly not all banks offer them. Here’s what I’ll check if I am going to use an app.

How easy is it to use?

Ease of use and being able to find everything are really important. Of course the more you use an app, the more familiar it’ll be, but there are some apps which are better than others

Can I set up new payees and amend existing ones?

I hate it when an app won’t let me do everyday things such as set up a new payee or amend a standing order. These are essentials that mean I’ll be able to do the basics whenever I want.

Sometimes there are payment limits on large transactions, largely to combat fraud, and I’m ok with these. It’s rare I transfer big sums so it’s only an occassional inconvenience.

Does it offer instant notifications?

More banks now offer this on their apps, and it’s a handy budgeting feature. You’ll get a notification on your phone as soon as the payment processes allowing you do check the amount is correct and also get aheads up of any fraud.

Can I search old transactions?

I want an app that’ll go back for at least 18 months and also offer filer options such as payments in or out.

Can I copy my account details?

This innovation is simple but so useful. With a couple of taps I can copy by account number and sortcode to share with people, or to enter into direct debit forms.

Does it let me control the card

Finally, it’s essential that my banking app lets me freeze my card. This is a security measure where you can stop anyone using your card if you lose it.

Extra app features I love

I’m a happy camper if the app contains all of the above, but there are extras offered by some banks which you might not be aware exist.

Look out for:

• Able to pay in a cheque (read more on this here)
• Able to see PIN
• Able to see debit card number etc
• Savings pots & features
• Virtual debit cards

App features you don’t really need

Of course, just because a bank app does something all shiny and new, it doesn’t mean you need it.

The biggest one here is being able to add other bank accounts to your app dashboard via Open Banking. This is a great idea, but the banks that do offer it only allow you to connect to a small range of banks.

You’re better off going for an app that is designed for and allows you to connect credit cards such as Yolt or Money Dashboard.

Similarly the auto-savings feature you’ll see with most banks (except Monzo) is a variation of the “Save the change” or “top-up” method where small amounts are transferred from your main account to a savings pot when you spend. There are better options out there, such as those from Plum and Chip.

My top bank apps

So taking the above into account, which apps get my vote?

Monzo & Starling

As you’d expect, the banks which have been created from scratch to work primarily via apps are the best. You can do pretty much everything and more.

I really like the savings and budgeting features in Monzo, especially the way you can connect to IFTT to gamify savings.

If you want to have an easy life banking, then Starling does everything really well.

Revolut is worth a shout too, particularly for its virtual and disposable debit card feature. But as a bank I prefer the other two.

Barclays, Halifax & Lloyds

If you want to stick with an established bank then I was surprised to see how far along Barclays, Halifax and Lloyds have come.

Bank-by-bank app feature lists

Here’s where you can see what each bank offers.

Barclays app

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	No
Banking	Easy transfer	yes
	New payee in app	Need debit card
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Yes
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	Yes Bank of Scotland Halifax Lloyds Nationwide NatWest RBS Santander
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	Yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	3 years +
	Filter in/out	Yes
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	Yes
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes

First Direct app

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	No
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	No
	change SO	No
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	No
Budgeting	Analyse spending	No
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	No
	See upcoming regular payments	Yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	6 months
	Filter in/out	Yes
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	No
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	No
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes

Halifax app

The Halifax Rewards account can earn you £5 a month so it’s worth looking at. Here’s my review.

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	limited
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	Yes Bank of Scotland Barclays Barclaycard First Direct Lloyds M&S Bank MBNA Nationwide NatWest RBS Santander
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	3 years +
	Filter in/out	No
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	yes
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes

HSBC app

As I don’t have the app for this bank there are a few TBCs here.

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	No
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	No
Budgeting	Analyse spending	No
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	Rolling out
	See upcoming regular payments	Balance After Bills
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	TBC
	Filter in/out	TBC
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	TBC
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	No
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	TBC
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes

Lloyds app

The Club Lloyds account is a decent bet for freebies and interest on savings. Here’s my review.

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	limited
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	Yes Bank of Scotland Barclays Barclaycard First Direct Halifax M&S Bank MBNA Nationwide NatWest RBS Santander
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	3 years +
	Filter in/out	No
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	yes
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes

Monzo

This looks at the free Monzo account. The paid options have some added features. Here’s more on Monzo Plus and Monzo Premium.

Savings	Savings pots	Yes
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	No
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Yes
	Set Budget	Yes
	Add other banks	Not on free
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	Yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	Yes
	Filter in/out	Yes
	Download statements	PDF, CSV, QIF
	Add receipts/notes	Yes
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	Yes
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	No
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes
Extras		Pay friends instantly
		Split bill

Nationwide app

As much as I love Nationwide as building society, I really hate the app. Here’s my review of the Nationwide FlexDirect account.

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	No
	New SO	No
	change SO	No
	pay in cheque	No
	share account details	No
Budgeting	Analyse spending	No
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	No
	See upcoming regular payments	No
	See pending payments	No
	Go back more than one year	15 months
	Filter in/out	No
	Download statements	No
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	No
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	No
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	No
	Update personal info	Not address
	Biometric log in	Yes

Natwest

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	No
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	No
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Yes
	Set Budget	Yes
	Add other banks	Yes Allied Irish Bank Bank of Scotland Barclays Danske Bank First Direct First Trust Halifax HSBC Lloyds Monzo Nationwide NatWest RBS Santander Ulster Bank
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	No
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	Yes
	Filter in/out	Yes
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	No
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	Yes
	Update personal info	No
	Biometric log in	Yes
Extras		Get cash

Revolut

Savings	Savings pots	Yes
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	No
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Yes
	Set Budget	Yes
	Add other banks	Yes Amex Bank of Scotland Barclays Danske First Direct HSBC Halifax Lloyds M&S Bank Monzo Nationwide Natwest RBS Santander Starling TSB Ulster Bank
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	Yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	TBC
	Filter in/out	TBC
	Download statements	PDF, XLS
	Add receipts/notes	Yes
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	Yes
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	No
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes
Extras		Virtual Card
		Group bills

Santander

Another app I don’t currently have access to so there are a handful of gaps.

Savings	Savings pots	No
	Auto savings	No
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	No
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Limited
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	TBC
	See upcoming regular payments	TBC
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	TBC
	Filter in/out	Yes
	Download statements	TBC
	Add receipts/notes	TBC
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	Yes
	Update personal info	TBC
	Biometric log in	Yes

Starling

Starling is a feature packed app. Here’s my full review of the account.

Savings	Savings pots	Yes
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Yes
	Set Budget	Yes
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	Yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	Yes
	Filter in/out	No
	Download statements	PDF, CSV
	Add receipts/notes	Yes
Management	Freeze card	Yes
	See Pin	Yes
	See card number	Yes
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	Yes
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	Yes
	Update personal info	Yes
	Biometric log in	Yes
Extras		Split bill

TSB

This is for the Spend & Save account. Older accounts don’t have the savings pots feature.

Savings	Savings pots	Yes
	Auto savings	Yes
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	No
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	No
	Set Budget	No
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	No
	See upcoming regular payments	No
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	Yes
	Filter in/out	No
	Download statements	No
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	No
	See Pin	No
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	No
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	No
	Update personal info	Not Address
	Biometric log in	Yes

Virgin Money

Here’s my review of the Virgin Money M Plus account, including a video looking at the app in more detail.

Savings	Savings pots	Yes
	Auto savings	No
Banking	Easy transfer	Yes
	New payee in app	Yes
	New SO	Yes
	change SO	Yes
	pay in cheque	Yes
	share account details	Yes
Budgeting	Analyse spending	Yes
	Set Budget	Yes
	Add other banks	No
	Instant notifications	Yes
	See upcoming regular payments	Yes
	See pending payments	Yes
	Go back more than one year	TBC
	Filter in/out	Yes
	Download statements	PDF
	Add receipts/notes	No
Management	Freeze card	No
	See Pin	No
	See card number	No
	Order new card	Yes
	Gambling blocks	No
	Spending controls (eg block contactless)	No
	Update personal info	No
	Biometric log in	Yes