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So just use the web site. Typically, the only thing an app offers that the web site doesn't is paper check scan and deposit. Do you really need this? I don't

So just use the web site. Typically, the only thing an app offers that the web site doesn't is paper check scan and deposit. Do you really need this? I don't. Lots of people seem to be unaware that a web site can be pinned to your home screen with an icon --- just like an app.

369548684892826 2y ago
Apps offer built in biometric login, websites don’t. So that’s one difference, and maybe it’s also the answer to the question of why they don’t allow rooted devices which might allow bypassing biometric checks.
- jqpabc123 2y ago
  Biometrics may help solve a problem but they also create a new one. Tying account access to one small, portable, highly vulnerable device with questionable reliability is an inherently bad idea in my opinion. Lose access to the device for any reason (lost, stolen, dropped, the fingerprint reader fails or the phone simply dies) and you also lose access to your account. I prefer to simply create decent login credentials and store them only in my head --- not in a app and not in a web browser either. This way, when (not if) my phone stops working, I can immediately switch to an older backup phone without missing a beat.
  - 369548684892826 2y ago
    No disagreement here, I was just trying to answer OP's original question. I tie my bank accounts to two devices in case one goes wrong, and neither of those leave the house to reduce the chance of getting lost or stolen.
  - k310 2y ago
    I keep banking apps off my phone and run them only on an iPad that never leaves home. It's a little clumsier for scanning checks. No biggie. Of course, the phone has Apple Pay and keychain access ... The "benefit" of Apple Pay is that by regular use, I am constantly reminded where the phone is. The watch hasn't griped about leaving the phone home when I take a spin around the "estate" here, so I'll check on that today. Matter of fact, neither does the phone when I drive off, leaving the other Apple goodies home. More settings to check.
  - xelamonster 2y ago
    That's not really how biometric app login works here. Credentials are configured locally and used as an alternative to the existing login method. Nothing changes about how you login with other devices, you can still choose to use your username and password on the device with biometrics enabled even.
geremiiah 2y ago
Maybe it's different in the US, but in many EU banks you now have to use the app for 2FA. Some banks offer alternatives but many don't.
- jqpabc123 2y ago
  And when your phone dies??? I'm not aware of any US bank that *requires* an app. This rules out access from a desktop doesn't it?
  - cesarb 2y ago
    > And when your phone dies??? You use the same procedure you used to register that phone, to register a new one. > This rules out access from a desktop doesn't it? Using the phone for 2FA means you are accessing from a desktop, and using the phone only as an extra confirmation for the transaction.
    - evgen 2y ago
      You can also get a mobile PIN device from the bank that uses the chip in your card to authenticate access and transactions. This infra has been around for a while and predates using your phone for this step in the transaction process.
    - jqpabc123 2y ago
      You use the same procedure you used to register that phone, to register a new one. May not be possible if you need your old phone to login. This reminds me of Internet Service Providers who direct you to get support online when failure to get online is the very reason why you need support.
  - prmoustache 2y ago
    It also happpens when ordering stuff online depending on the level of security used by the online shop. If your phone die, you replace it or do your operations at the ATM or at the counter during opening hours.
wingerlang 2y ago
Where I live you could barely survive without the bank app for daily payments. Sometimes is has maintenance around 1AM, which often coincides with trying to pay a bill after a night out. Causes some scrambling to find cash, or try another bank app.
denysvitali 2y ago
Some banks in the EU do not even have an e-banking website (all app-only). Revolut is another example of an app-first / app-only bank, but I can think of plenty of other examples for my country

369548684892826 2y ago

Apps offer built in biometric login, websites don’t. So that’s one difference, and maybe it’s also the answer to the question of why they don’t allow rooted devices which might allow bypassing biometric checks.

jqpabc123 2y ago
Biometrics may help solve a problem but they also create a new one. Tying account access to one small, portable, highly vulnerable device with questionable reliability is an inherently bad idea in my opinion. Lose access to the device for any reason (lost, stolen, dropped, the fingerprint reader fails or the phone simply dies) and you also lose access to your account. I prefer to simply create decent login credentials and store them only in my head --- not in a app and not in a web browser either. This way, when (not if) my phone stops working, I can immediately switch to an older backup phone without missing a beat.
- 369548684892826 2y ago
  No disagreement here, I was just trying to answer OP's original question. I tie my bank accounts to two devices in case one goes wrong, and neither of those leave the house to reduce the chance of getting lost or stolen.
- k310 2y ago
  I keep banking apps off my phone and run them only on an iPad that never leaves home. It's a little clumsier for scanning checks. No biggie. Of course, the phone has Apple Pay and keychain access ... The "benefit" of Apple Pay is that by regular use, I am constantly reminded where the phone is. The watch hasn't griped about leaving the phone home when I take a spin around the "estate" here, so I'll check on that today. Matter of fact, neither does the phone when I drive off, leaving the other Apple goodies home. More settings to check.
- xelamonster 2y ago
  That's not really how biometric app login works here. Credentials are configured locally and used as an alternative to the existing login method. Nothing changes about how you login with other devices, you can still choose to use your username and password on the device with biometrics enabled even.

geremiiah 2y ago

Maybe it's different in the US, but in many EU banks you now have to use the app for 2FA. Some banks offer alternatives but many don't.

jqpabc123 2y ago
And when your phone dies??? I'm not aware of any US bank that *requires* an app. This rules out access from a desktop doesn't it?
- cesarb 2y ago
  > And when your phone dies??? You use the same procedure you used to register that phone, to register a new one. > This rules out access from a desktop doesn't it? Using the phone for 2FA means you are accessing from a desktop, and using the phone only as an extra confirmation for the transaction.
  - evgen 2y ago
    You can also get a mobile PIN device from the bank that uses the chip in your card to authenticate access and transactions. This infra has been around for a while and predates using your phone for this step in the transaction process.
  - jqpabc123 2y ago
    You use the same procedure you used to register that phone, to register a new one. May not be possible if you need your old phone to login. This reminds me of Internet Service Providers who direct you to get support online when failure to get online is the very reason why you need support.
- prmoustache 2y ago
  It also happpens when ordering stuff online depending on the level of security used by the online shop. If your phone die, you replace it or do your operations at the ATM or at the counter during opening hours.

wingerlang 2y ago

Where I live you could barely survive without the bank app for daily payments. Sometimes is has maintenance around 1AM, which often coincides with trying to pay a bill after a night out. Causes some scrambling to find cash, or try another bank app.

denysvitali 2y ago

Some banks in the EU do not even have an e-banking website (all app-only). Revolut is another example of an app-first / app-only bank, but I can think of plenty of other examples for my country