# FNB Waterloo vs Essence Flex Spend

The clearest difference is rating: FNB Waterloo at 4.6 against Essence Flex Spend's 1.9. FNB Waterloo also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 21) and review sentiment (17% vs 8%). Essence Flex Spend's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

FNB Waterloo holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FNB Waterloo has 1.2K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of FNB Waterloo's written reviews are positive against 8% of Essence Flex Spend's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FNB Waterloo | Essence Flex Spend |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fnb-waterloo/id1434103433/reviews)** | [1.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essence-flex-spend/id6479701344/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **16.7% of reviews** | 7.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 105 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [First Waterloo Bancshares, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/530752142) | [Essence Healthcare, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736959493) |

## What reviewers say

### FNB Waterloo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fnb-waterloo/id1434103433)

Manage your bank accounts securely and conveniently from your mobile device. Check balances, view transactions, transfer funds, and deposit checks by taking pictures. Get started easily with your existing online banking credentials.

**Highlights:** Check account balances, View recent transactions, Transfer money between accounts, Deposit checks by snapping a picture, View deposit history

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


### Essence Flex Spend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essence-flex-spend/id6479701344)

Manage your Flex Card on the go with this secure mobile app. Check balances, scan product barcodes for eligibility, and view account summaries. Retrieve forgotten credentials and report lost or stolen cards.

**Highlights:** Secure card management, Check available balances, Scan product barcodes for eligibility, View account summaries, Retrieve forgotten credentials, Report lost/stolen cards, Set notification preferences

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FNB Waterloo free?

FNB Waterloo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essence Flex Spend free?

Essence Flex Spend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FNB Waterloo or Essence Flex Spend?

FNB Waterloo is rated higher. FNB Waterloo averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Essence Flex Spend averages 1.9 from 21 ratings.

### Do FNB Waterloo or Essence Flex Spend have ads?

FNB Waterloo shows ads; Essence Flex Spend does not.

### Which is updated more often, FNB Waterloo or Essence Flex Spend?

FNB Waterloo ships an update every 4 months, and Essence Flex Spend every 4 months. Most recently, FNB Waterloo was updated on September 24, 2026 and Essence Flex Spend 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.*