Apps and Mobile Banking at Online Banks

ING DIRECT iPhone App

I find it odd that the best online savings accounts, especially those with checking or bill pay features, have been slow to adopt mobile banking platforms.

Bank of America, Citi, and Chase all have iPhone apps designed to allow access to your account. But there is only one online bank that has an Android and iPhone app (that I could find). And that is ING DIRECT.

In fact, they’ve had an app for quite some time, but they just recently rolled out a full-scale version which includes advanced features like bill pay and money transfers. Here’s a quick look at the new app from ING DIRECT:

SmartyPig Mobile Website

I use a couple of apps to manage my banking. I see all my bank accounts using the Mint.com app. And I log in for specifics using the Bank of America app and the ING DIRECT app.

While online banks have been slow to get their apps up, some do have websites designed for mobile devices. From my limited research I found that only WT|Direct, ING DIRECT, and SmartyPig have mobile sites.

You can usually find a mobile site by replacing the “www” with a “m” in your mobile browser’s address bar.

If you know of one that I missed, please let me know and I’ll add it to the list. Also, let me know how do you do your mobile banking? Which apps do you use?

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Robin

I despise Chase so much. It is evil! It's the worst bank ever. Orwellian in every way. HOWEVER, I will stay with them solely because their iPhone app totally rocks. I can do anything with it I can do online. ANYTHING. It is awesome. I can pay people, transfer money, do quickpay, wire transfers, add payees, just everything. I heart this app. I only wish it belonged to another bank that didn't charge $50 overdraft fees. Chase's entire business model is all about setting up road traps, waiting for customers to fall into them, then racking up obscene fees. Can't believe it's legal. Okay so anyway.... Once other banks have a similar app, I would move to them in a heartbeat. But Chase's app has made my business and personal banking a breeze.

Oh also, it's instant up to date. I sorta like Mint, but Mint lags behind days of data. For example, if I update right now, the balances reflect what they were 2-3 days ago. Not live, not online.

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Andrew

ING does NOT have an Android mobile banking app, they only have this for iPhone and Blackberry. Their "ATM finder" android app does not even close to count as a mobile banking app.

Christine

I agree Karen. They do offer that feature on their website but not on the iphone app. :-(

Karen

Oh, and I also use Mint's app. I only wish it allowed you to enter manual transactions for cash purchases, that would be really convenient.

USAA has an app for both iPhone and Android. Things I can do with it:

1. Check the balance on all my accounts (checking, loans, insurance, etc.)
2. Initiate a funds transfer
3. Deposit a check! (it cues up the camera and gives me alignment points to snap a shot of the endorsed check, no visit to a bank or ATM required)
4. Get roadside assistance if I get in an accident, along with a checklist of things to do

The ability to deposit checks with my phone is half the reason I switched to USAA in the first place (the other half is their refunding of transaction fees when using any ATM.)

I use Mint.com's iphone app. It gives me a pretty good snapshot of my balances. I don't find the need to make transfers or other stuff with my acounts while I am out and about so I usually just do them at home. Therefore, I don't feel the need to get a bank-specific iphone app.

Sidenote: Everytime I read about SmartyPig, the "spider pig" song from the Simpson's movie runs though my head. lol

Apps and Mobile Banking at Online Banks

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