# Absa Banking vs iStore Pay

The clearest difference is update cadence: Absa Banking at every 9 days against iStore Pay's every 2 months. Absa Banking also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Absa Banking ships an update every 9 days, iStore Pay every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Absa Banking | iStore Pay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absa-banking/id1085620596/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 409 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Absa Bank Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/619957263) | [ZA Online Store (Pty) Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529412106) |

## What reviewers say

### Absa Banking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absa-banking/id1085620596)

Manage your bank accounts, approve transactions, and enhance security with advanced biometrics. Simplify payments, get instant statements, and withdraw cash without a card. Enjoy convenient banking features like a virtual assistant and prepaid purchases.

**Highlights:** Approve/reject transactions, Facial biometrics security, Virtual assistant (Abby), Instant payments (PayShap), Card management (lock/replace), Cardless ATM withdrawals, Prepaid airtime/data/electricity

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless app experience
- 🔒 Secure banking
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Convenient features (e.g. airtime, data purchases)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🔍 Difficult to access account details
- 🤔 Confusing verification process
- 🚫 Lack of support for older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues after device migration
- Incorrect payment references and confirmations
- Inability to access certain account types
- Timezone-related date/time issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit recurring payments
- Option to view credit card balance
- Improved transaction history and reporting
- Geo-payment feature like other banks


### iStore Pay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istore-pay/id6760385155)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Absa Banking free?

Absa Banking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iStore Pay free?

iStore Pay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Absa Banking or iStore Pay have ads?

Neither Absa Banking nor iStore Pay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Absa Banking or iStore Pay?

Absa Banking ships an update every 9 days, and iStore Pay every 2 months. Most recently, Absa Banking was updated on September 29, 2026 and iStore Pay on September 21, 2026.

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