4 ms·

>make banking apps not work anymore If you live in a country where you have to use your phone for banking and can't use the web then you need to talk to your p

by swiley 6y ago

>make banking apps not work anymore If you live in a country where you have to use your phone for banking and can't use the web then you need to talk to your politicians. That seems like a pretty extreme violation of your freedom. As much as I dislike the US at least we don't have that.

jlokier 6y ago
Some banks and bank-like products only make themselves available by mobile app. It's a commercial decision, and seems to have been a trend with some "challenger" banks. I have two of those, and I chose them because of unique banking features (not the mobile app) not offered by other banks which I found valuable. It's nothing to do with the country. To be honest it would be nice to have web access as well (or even phone banking), but we take what we can get.
- kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
  It's never safe to bank from a computer you can't control. I would always consider a phone to be compromised. These are the richest targets going for exploits so why risk it.
  - jlokier 6y ago
    Although I agree with you, it turns out which banks and similar facilities you use can greatly affect the amount of credit you have access to, how you can use it, and how long the process takes. During this pandemic I've found that to be a big deal, much more important than whatever technology or access method is offered.
- berdario 6y ago
  I recently opened 3 bank accounts. It's not only the challenger banks: nowadays banks will also encourage you to use their app for 2FA. You can use a proprietary token instead, but you'd have to pay for it (the app instead is free). 2FA sms is not supported with some banks (and that's good). I think the UK is an exception, since for 2 of the banks I had accounts with, they just used a 2nd "memorable" password as "2FA" (avoiding the requirement of a smartphone)
- toastal 6y ago
  In Thailand the bank I have, Kasikorn, charges for ATM usage outside of the registered province even from the same network... UNLESS you use their cardless withdraw that uses some QR code for TOTP that requires the app (that will attempt to block phones with root access). You can use the website as well for some things, but it requires SMS-based OTP with no supported alternatives. I'd switch banks or at least branches to this new province, but my current visa won't allow it (and for whatever reason, you cannot transfer accounts but need to open a new one).
  - swiley 6y ago
    Yeah that's Thailand though. Your king doesn't even let you visit PornHub if he's not in the mood.
sdwolfz 6y ago
I live in the UK and have used 5 banking apps so far (not all of them at the same time): - Barclays (App won't work with LineageOS, website is horrible). - Monzo (App only, no website, works with LineageOS). - Revolut (App only, no website, works with LineageOS). - TransferWise (Web and App, both work well, but never tried it on LineageOS). - ING Home Bank (App won't work with LineageOS, website is manageable, but still a pain compared to the app). Of course I don't have to use any of these, but there are clear advantages to using any of them, depending on the situation (you wouldn't take a mortgage from TransferWise, split bills with Barclays, and hold foreign currency in Monzo, mainly because they don't support that). Also you don't have to use a phone, just walk around without one, make people email you instead of calling, and ask people for directions instead of looking at a GPS map. My point is, I paid for my phone (me alone, nobody else chipped in) so I want to use every feature it provides without restrictions, as it is my property. That goes for both taking screenshots and using apps. And when it's not possible, I look for alternatives. Right now none are practical, nor feasible, so all I got left are tricks like scrcpy and rants on forums ;).
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- zrobotics 6y ago
  Question: if there's no website, how TF are you supposed to use Monzo or Revolut from a proper computer? Is there really no way to do something simple like xfer money or view balance without using your phone? If so, why did you even open an account, I'm assuming that since you are on this site you are at least a little bit technically inclined. Just looked, and apparently Revolut is 1) app only 2) tied to a mobile number. So not only is it annoying to use, but likely also susceptible to sim jacking. Again, why would anyone want to use this; I hate having to deal with wells fargo (they bought a loan I have) but even they seem less crappy. Not trying to hate on OP, I'm just shocked at how crap their service appears to be.
  - sdwolfz 6y ago
    > Question: if there's no website, how TF are you supposed to use Monzo or Revolut from a proper computer? You can't. That's why you don't use them for serious work. > why did you even open an account Different use cases, different circumstances. I don't depend on them but they give good exchange rates and zero fees when transferring or spending money abroad. It's the "it just works" and "fast and cheap" effect that the traditional banks don't have. And opening an account is done online, and you get access to your account in hours, compared to Barclays which took 2 months of ping pong, when I first moved into the UK (since I did not have a bill issued in my name at my UK address I could not open an account, so I could not pay my landlord rent so I could get an address to open an account, fun times). Without that Monzo account I could have not been paid in my first 2 months. But if you want to know how crap Revolut really is, try contacting their support to report a bug in their app, they don't have an email, but instead ask you to get in touch with them on Facebook.
yiyus 6y ago
In which kind of bubble do you live where not making web apps available for your clients is seen as an extreme violation of freedom? As long as it is possible to go to the bank to do whatever you need to do, I do not think politicians have anything to say. Sometimes you don't have to, but it's much more convenient. For example, I can use my bank app just with my fingerprint. To use the web app, I either have to login with my phone (reading a QR code) or have to use one of those devices where you insert your card and enter a couple of codes (if I find it...).
- m4rtink 6y ago
  Dictating what you can use on a device you own or else they won't do business with you is rude & clear violation of one's freedom.
  - yiyus 6y ago
    If some bank tells me I have to use certain app to make business with them, it's my choice to do it or not, but they are not violating my freedom. And I find saying this is an "extreme violation of your freedom" insulting for those who are actually seeing their freedom violated.
Jonnax 6y ago
Violation of someone's freedom is a pretty silly stance, when there's plenty of banks to choose from.

by swiley 6y ago

jlokier 6y ago

Some banks and bank-like products only make themselves available by mobile app. It's a commercial decision, and seems to have been a trend with some "challenger" banks. I have two of those, and I chose them because of unique banking features (not the mobile app) not offered by other banks which I found valuable. It's nothing to do with the country. To be honest it would be nice to have web access as well (or even phone banking), but we take what we can get.

kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
It's never safe to bank from a computer you can't control. I would always consider a phone to be compromised. These are the richest targets going for exploits so why risk it.
- jlokier 6y ago
  Although I agree with you, it turns out which banks and similar facilities you use can greatly affect the amount of credit you have access to, how you can use it, and how long the process takes. During this pandemic I've found that to be a big deal, much more important than whatever technology or access method is offered.
berdario 6y ago
I recently opened 3 bank accounts. It's not only the challenger banks: nowadays banks will also encourage you to use their app for 2FA. You can use a proprietary token instead, but you'd have to pay for it (the app instead is free). 2FA sms is not supported with some banks (and that's good). I think the UK is an exception, since for 2 of the banks I had accounts with, they just used a 2nd "memorable" password as "2FA" (avoiding the requirement of a smartphone)
toastal 6y ago
In Thailand the bank I have, Kasikorn, charges for ATM usage outside of the registered province even from the same network... UNLESS you use their cardless withdraw that uses some QR code for TOTP that requires the app (that will attempt to block phones with root access). You can use the website as well for some things, but it requires SMS-based OTP with no supported alternatives. I'd switch banks or at least branches to this new province, but my current visa won't allow it (and for whatever reason, you cannot transfer accounts but need to open a new one).
- swiley 6y ago
  Yeah that's Thailand though. Your king doesn't even let you visit PornHub if he's not in the mood.

sdwolfz 6y ago

I live in the UK and have used 5 banking apps so far (not all of them at the same time): - Barclays (App won't work with LineageOS, website is horrible). - Monzo (App only, no website, works with LineageOS). - Revolut (App only, no website, works with LineageOS). - TransferWise (Web and App, both work well, but never tried it on LineageOS). - ING Home Bank (App won't work with LineageOS, website is manageable, but still a pain compared to the app). Of course I don't have to use any of these, but there are clear advantages to using any of them, depending on the situation (you wouldn't take a mortgage from TransferWise, split bills with Barclays, and hold foreign currency in Monzo, mainly because they don't support that). Also you don't have to use a phone, just walk around without one, make people email you instead of calling, and ask people for directions instead of looking at a GPS map. My point is, I paid for my phone (me alone, nobody else chipped in) so I want to use every feature it provides without restrictions, as it is my property. That goes for both taking screenshots and using apps. And when it's not possible, I look for alternatives. Right now none are practical, nor feasible, so all I got left are tricks like scrcpy and rants on forums ;).

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
zrobotics 6y ago
Question: if there's no website, how TF are you supposed to use Monzo or Revolut from a proper computer? Is there really no way to do something simple like xfer money or view balance without using your phone? If so, why did you even open an account, I'm assuming that since you are on this site you are at least a little bit technically inclined. Just looked, and apparently Revolut is 1) app only 2) tied to a mobile number. So not only is it annoying to use, but likely also susceptible to sim jacking. Again, why would anyone want to use this; I hate having to deal with wells fargo (they bought a loan I have) but even they seem less crappy. Not trying to hate on OP, I'm just shocked at how crap their service appears to be.
- sdwolfz 6y ago
  > Question: if there's no website, how TF are you supposed to use Monzo or Revolut from a proper computer? You can't. That's why you don't use them for serious work. > why did you even open an account Different use cases, different circumstances. I don't depend on them but they give good exchange rates and zero fees when transferring or spending money abroad. It's the "it just works" and "fast and cheap" effect that the traditional banks don't have. And opening an account is done online, and you get access to your account in hours, compared to Barclays which took 2 months of ping pong, when I first moved into the UK (since I did not have a bill issued in my name at my UK address I could not open an account, so I could not pay my landlord rent so I could get an address to open an account, fun times). Without that Monzo account I could have not been paid in my first 2 months. But if you want to know how crap Revolut really is, try contacting their support to report a bug in their app, they don't have an email, but instead ask you to get in touch with them on Facebook.

yiyus 6y ago

In which kind of bubble do you live where not making web apps available for your clients is seen as an extreme violation of freedom? As long as it is possible to go to the bank to do whatever you need to do, I do not think politicians have anything to say. Sometimes you don't have to, but it's much more convenient. For example, I can use my bank app just with my fingerprint. To use the web app, I either have to login with my phone (reading a QR code) or have to use one of those devices where you insert your card and enter a couple of codes (if I find it...).

m4rtink 6y ago
Dictating what you can use on a device you own or else they won't do business with you is rude & clear violation of one's freedom.
- yiyus 6y ago
  If some bank tells me I have to use certain app to make business with them, it's my choice to do it or not, but they are not violating my freedom. And I find saying this is an "extreme violation of your freedom" insulting for those who are actually seeing their freedom violated.

Jonnax 6y ago

Violation of someone's freedom is a pretty silly stance, when there's plenty of banks to choose from.