Comparison

FTB Mobile vs Tax Refund Guide Status Check

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FTB Mobile

Check the status of your California state income tax refund. Make secure online tax payments directly from your bank account, with options to pay immediately or schedule for the future.

Highlights
  • Check refund status
  • Make online tax payments
  • Schedule future payments
  • Pay from bank account
  • No registration required
Features
Read full description

The FTB Mobile App is an official app of the Franchise Tax Board. Refund Status Check the refund status of your California state income tax return. Make a Payment Use Web Pay to pay your taxes online from your bank account. No registration required. Pay today or schedule payments up to one year in advance.

About

Tax Refund Guide Status Check

This app provides guidance on checking the status of your IRS tax refund. It simplifies information from irs.gov to help you understand typical refund timelines and how to track your refund if it's delayed.

Highlights
  • IRS refund status information
  • Refund timeline explanations
  • Guidance on delayed refunds
  • How to check status electronically
  • When to call the IRS
Features
Read full description

ADVICE: The information provided here has been collected from the official website irs.gov. Our commitment is to facilitate, collect and simplify all the information available there. We ARE NOT an official entity and we are not the owner or responsible for the information shared here. This application does not collect any type of information from users. Where is my IRS refund? Generally issued within 21 days after a tax return is electronically filed or within 42 days after paper returns are mailed. If you filed your federal tax return and expect to get a refund, but it’s taking too long, you may be wondering: where’s my IRS refund? Here we explain how to check the status of your refund check when it’s taking longer than expected. How long does it take to receive an IRS refund? Typically, most refunds are issued in less than 21 days. The IRS may take longer to issue a refund, especially when a return: - Needs further review in general - Is incomplete - Is affected by identity theft or fraud - Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit - Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, which could take up to 14 weeks to process How to check your federal tax refund status Once you send your tax return, you can start checking on the status of your refund within: - 24 hours after e-filing a tax year 2021 return. - 3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2019 or 2020 return. - 4 weeks after mailing a paper return. You can check the status of your IRS refund in two ways: electronically or by phone. How to use The easiest way to find out your refund status is by using the Where’s My Refund tool. Will help you to check your IRSX tax refund status, finding your state and filling all the information. In order to check your refund status, you will need to have the following on hand: - Social Security Number. - Filing status. - Your exact refund amount This IRS tool will display the refund status of the tax year you choose. If you need other return information, such as payment history, prior year adjusted gross income, or other tax record, you should view your Online Account. Calling the IRS You can also check the status of your refund by calling an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You can find the phone number of your local IRS office by using our IRS Office near me tool. You should call the IRS only if: - It’s been more than 21 days since you e-filed your tax return. - It’s been more than 42 days since you mailed your paper tax return. - The Where’s My Refund tool says the IRS may provide more information to you over the phone. What if my refund was lost, stolen, or destroyed? If this situation applies to you, you can file a claim online to request a replacement check if it has been more than 28 days from the date the IRS mailed your refund. You can check the Where’s My Refund tool for detailed information on how to file a claim if your refund is lost, stolen, or destroyed. Tax Transcripts Do you need information from a tax return you filed 3 years ago? Don’t worry, you can get this information by requesting a tax transcript from the IRS. Keep on reading and find out how to do it. How do I get my Tax Transcript? There are three main ways to request your tax transcript from the IRS. Install now and discover it. Solve all your questions with our app: Do I need an appointment to visit the IRS office? How can I change my address with the IRS? How do I contact the IRS for a tax question? How do I make an appointment with my local IRS office? How do I speak directly with an agent at the IRS? How long can the IRS collect taxes? What is the IRS mailing address for filing a tax return?

Screenshots

FTB Mobile4 screens
Tax Refund Guide Status Check4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: FTB Mobile at every 13 months against Tax Refund Guide Status Check's every 39 months. FTB Mobile also leads on ratings volume (50 vs 5) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.3 for FTB Mobile against 2.4 for Tax Refund Guide Status Check. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FTB Mobile has 50 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 0% and 0% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FTB Mobile ships an update every 13 months, Tax Refund Guide Status Check every 39 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
FTB Mobile versus Tax Refund Guide Status Check: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFTB MobileTax Refund Guide Status Check
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (50 ratings)2.4 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings50 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 13 months — betterEvery 39 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.2 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB36 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFranchise Tax BoardWinamic

Customer experience

FTB Mobile

All ratings40 ratings
Positive30.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral13.6%
Negative86.4%

Tax Refund Guide Status Check

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

FTB Mobile

No in-app purchases

None

Tax Refund Guide Status Check

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FTB Mobile free?
FTB Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tax Refund Guide Status Check free?
Tax Refund Guide Status Check is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FTB Mobile or Tax Refund Guide Status Check?
Tax Refund Guide Status Check is rated higher. FTB Mobile averages 2.3 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Tax Refund Guide Status Check averages 2.4 from 5 ratings.
Do FTB Mobile or Tax Refund Guide Status Check have ads?
Neither FTB Mobile nor Tax Refund Guide Status Check shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FTB Mobile or Tax Refund Guide Status Check?
FTB Mobile ships an update every 13 months, and Tax Refund Guide Status Check every 39 months. Most recently, FTB Mobile was updated on November 3, 2026 and Tax Refund Guide Status Check on November 3, 2026.

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