NZeTA vs ABTC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NZeTA
This official government app allows you to quickly request and pay for your New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) and the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). It streamlines the process by enabling passport and credit card scanning, and supports group applications.
- Request NZeTA
- Pay IVL
- Scan passport for details
- Scan credit/debit card
- Group applications (up to 10)
- Fastest application method
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NZeTA – Get it before you go Download this free official New Zealand government app and use it to request your NZeTA and pay the IVL. The app is the fastest way to request an NZeTA and should take you less than 5 minutes. You can use the app to scan your passport to upload your details and scan your credit or debit card for ease of payment. You can request and pay for up to 10 NZeTAs in one transaction for your family or group. What are the NZeTA & IVL? The NZeTA is a border security measure introduced by the New Zealand Government on 1 October 2019. To find out more, visit the Immigration New Zealand website. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/nzeta Most visitors coming to New Zealand must pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). The IVL is a way for you to contribute directly to the tourism infrastructure you use and help protect the natural environment you enjoy during your stay in New Zealand. For more information on the IVL, visit this website https://www.mbie.govt.nz/immigration-and-tourism/tourism/tourism-funding/international-visitor-conservation-and-tourism-levy/. The Legal stuff Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will use the information you provide in this app about yourself or others, including photographs, to assess NZeTA requests. Information may also be used to improve INZ’s services and administration of the Immigration Act 2009. See our privacy statement (https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/site-information/privacy) for more information about our handling of personal information and your rights. The use of this app is subject to our terms of use https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/site-information/terms-of-use. It is your responsibility to ensure that to the best of your knowledge the information you provide via this app is accurate and that you answer the questions truthfully and correctly. The information will be retained and will become part of New Zealand immigration records. INZ may provide information to other agencies in New Zealand and overseas where such disclosure is required or permitted by the Privacy Act 1993, or otherwise required or permitted by law.
ABTC
This app provides approved cardholders with a digital version of their APEC Business Travel Card. Access real-time status updates and use your virtual card for efficient travel through APEC economies.
- Virtual ABTC card access
- Real-time ABTC status updates
- Secure sign-on with unique token
- Digital passport renewal reflection
- Pre-clearance status updates
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The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) App – the Virtual ABTC – is an official APEC App of the APEC Business Mobility Group. The ABTC App – the Virtual ABTC – is a new method for travelling on the ABTC. It brings the ABTC Scheme into the modern and digitized world of global travel and provides approved cardholders from fully participating APEC Member Economies with a more efficient, convenient and user-friendly service. The ABTC App – the Virtual ABTC – provides cardholders the ability to access their ABTC on their smart device. This new Virtual ABTC is in addition to the physically printed ABTC and allows for the immediate use of the ABTC for travel when entering APEC Economies. Features of the Virtual ABTC include: Real time data - The Virtual ABTC provides cardholders and officials with real-time information on the status of their ABTC. Any changes made to their application will be immediately reflected when the cardholder opens or refreshes the ABTC App, including: - if Pre-Clearance to enter an Economy has been approved, updated, etc., - the ABTC itself has expired, or - the cardholder’s passport has been renewed. Secure Sign on - An approved ABTC cardholder will be sent an email with a unique token (an application number), along with a link to download the ABTC App. There are no changes to existing application or entry procedures for an ABTC. The Virtual ABTC is essentially a digital version of the ABTC: when passing through international ports on your ABTC, you will be required to present the Virtual ABTC, as instructed by a Port Official either when entering the APEC fast track lane or when entering an Economy. For more information on the Virtual ABTC, please visit the APEC Website: http://apec.org/Groups/Committee-on-Trade-and-Investment/Business-Mobility-Group/ABTC-Mobile-Application where you will also find frequently asked questions for ABTC cardholders: http://apec.org/-/media/Files/Groups/BMG/ABTC-Mobile-Application---FAQs-for-Digital-Card-Holders.pdf Note: You must be an approved cardholder for an ABTC from a fully participating APEC Member Economy and have received pre-registration and login credentials from your Home Economy to be able to access and use the Virtual ABTC. For more information, please visit the APEC Website: http://apec.org/Groups/Committee-on-Trade-and-Investment/Business-Mobility-Group/ABTC
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ABTC at 4.8 against NZeTA's 4.4. NZeTA's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months) and chart position (#179 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ABTC holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NZeTA has 902 ratings behind it against 118, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of NZeTA's written reviews are positive against 22% of ABTC's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
NZeTA ships an update every 6 weeks, ABTC every 5 months. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.
| Parameter | NZeTA | ABTC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (902 ratings) | 4.8 (118 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 30.5% of reviews — better | 22.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 902 — better | 118 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #179 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 117 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment | Department of Home Affairs |
Customer experience
NZeTA
ABTC
User reviews
NZeTA
From 902 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Quick and easy process
- 👍 Straightforward instructions
- ⏱️ Fast approval times
- 📤 Convenient email confirmation
- 🔒 Secure payment processing
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inconsistent photo capture
- 🤖 Automatic photo taking without user control
- 🔄 Repeated app crashes or freezes
- 🤷♀️ Unclear error messages
- 📤 Status updates not always reflected in app
ABTC
From 118 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Efficient electronic card for immigration
- 👍 Convenient mobile access
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Business travel made easy
- 👍 Helpful for business in Asia
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent server errors
- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 App not working during trips
- 🐛 Unreliable
- 🐛 Constantly logged out
Bugs and requests
NZeTA
Reported bugs
4 issues- Passport scanning issues due to reflections
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices
- Payment processing failures or double charges
- Loss of application data when app is closed
Requested features
4 requests- Option to manually upload photos
- Ability to add multiple travelers in one session
- Clearer instructions and error handling
- In-app status tracking and updates
ABTC
Reported bugs
11 issues- Server error
- Login issues
- App not working
- Unable to access card
- Error retrieving details
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- DOB field bug
- App not loading
- Server error during registration
- Constantly logged out
- Difficulty logging in after phone change
- 'Forget me' button placement
Requested features
4 requests- Support Apple Wallet
- Allow offline backups
- Bring back physical cards
- FaceTime login option
In-app purchases
NZeTA
No in-app purchases
ABTC
No in-app purchases









