# Empower ® vs Optum Bank

The clearest difference is monetization model: Optum Bank at free against Empower ®'s free with in-app purchases. Empower ®'s advantage is chart position (#52 vs unranked) and ratings volume (425K vs 55K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Empower ® against 4.7 for Optum Bank. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Empower ® has 425K ratings behind it against 55K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 18% of Empower ®'s written reviews are positive against 26% of Optum Bank's.

Empower ® ships an update fortnightly, Optum Bank monthly. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Empower ® | Optum Bank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empower/id1001257338/reviews)** | [4.7 (55K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optum-bank/id1322690077/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425K** | 55K |
| Positive reviews | 17.9% of reviews | **25.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#52** | — |
| Size | 480 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Empower Retirement, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1001257337) | [Optum Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133706680) |

## What reviewers say

### Empower ®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empower/id1001257338)

**Currently charting:** #52 Top Free · Finance (US App Store)

This app provides a comprehensive financial overview, consolidating all your accounts in one place. It offers tools to plan for retirement, manage budgets, track net worth, and simulate financial scenarios, making financial management clearer and simpler.

**Highlights:** Consolidated account view, Retirement planning, Budget tracking, Net worth tracking, Investment advice access, Financial scenario simulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good product overall
- 🚀 Sleek design and robust performance
- 🔒 Excellent customer service and support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🤔 Missing key features and functionality
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
- 💻 Forced to use app instead of website

**Reported bugs**

- Face ID/Touch ID not working consistently
- Beneficiary information not displaying correctly
- Crashes when trying to view balance over time
- Unable to enter correct birth dates for beneficiaries

**Requested features**

- Ability to view investment performance history
- Option to enter dollar amounts instead of just percentages
- Faster and more reliable login process
- Restore access to self-directed brokerage accounts
- Provide a way to submit feedback and suggestions within the app


### Optum Bank

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optum-bank/id1322690077)

Manage your health savings and spending accounts with ease. Track balances, understand eligible expenses, pay for healthcare costs, and submit claims for reimbursement. Store receipts and get clear tips to maximize your benefits.

**Highlights:** Track account balances, Understand eligible expenses, Pay for health costs, Submit claims for reimbursement, Store health care receipts, View account transactions

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient and streamlined
- 👍 Easy to check balance and manage contributions
- 💡 Allows digital card in Apple Wallet

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues and app crashes
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🤔 Inconsistent user experience between app and website
- 🤯 Poor technical support and communication

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when submitting reimbursement claims
- Receipts not displaying properly or disappearing
- Investment transfer functionality not working
- Slow performance and loading times

**Requested features**

- Batch claim processing for pharmacy receipts
- Ability to associate receipts with past claims
- Improved receipt management and submission flow
- Consistent data and functionality between app and website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Empower ® free?

Empower ® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Optum Bank free?

Optum Bank is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Empower ® or Optum Bank?

Empower ® is rated higher. Empower ® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 425K ratings, while Optum Bank averages 4.7 from 55K ratings.

### Do Empower ® or Optum Bank have ads?

Neither Empower ® nor Optum Bank shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Empower ® or Optum Bank?

Empower ® ships an update fortnightly, and Optum Bank monthly. Most recently, Empower ® was updated on November 10, 2026 and Optum Bank on November 10, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*