# ila vs NBB

ila and NBB both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of ila's written reviews are positive against 41% of NBB's. ila also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). NBB's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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 ila against 4.7 for NBB. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3K and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of ila's written reviews are positive against 41% of NBB's.

ila ships an update weekly, NBB every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ila | NBB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ila/id1480238512/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nbb/id1529224397/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3K** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | **76.7% of reviews** | 41.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 309 MB | 690 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bank ABC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1205979867) | [National Bank of Bahrain](https://appshunter.io/developer/791480929) |

## What reviewers say

### ila

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ila/id1480238512)

A digital, mobile-only bank designed around your financial needs. Open accounts, manage money, and access banking services instantly from your smartphone. Offers features for saving, spending, and earning rewards.

**Highlights:** Instant account opening, Virtual and physical debit cards, Tiered interest on savings, Foreign currency accounts, Rewarding credit cards with cashback, Community saving groups, Mobile money transfers

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💳 Best banking app
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💚 Excellent customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🤔 Limited currency support
- 💰 High exchange rates
- 🔒 Geo-restricted access
- 📱 Needs iPad app version

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and error messages
- Account opening process problems
- Frequent app crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- In-app transaction notifications
- Support for more countries and currencies
- Dedicated numeric keypad for login


### NBB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nbb/id1529224397)

Open accounts, manage finances, and transfer money securely. This app allows for quick account opening, easy bill payments, and comprehensive card management. Access transaction history, loan balances, and savings schemes.

**Highlights:** Open accounts instantly, Secure money transfers, Pay utility bills, Manage credit and debit cards, Review transaction history, Track savings schemes, Find ATMs and branches

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth onboarding process
- 🚀 Quick and efficient account setup
- 💡 Useful features like mobile number-based money transfers
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Seamless app experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring login and password reset issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent app behavior after updates
- 🐛 Inability to access certain features (e.g., fixed deposits) through the app
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Incompatibility with older devices and OS versions

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- OTP mechanism not working correctly
- Inability to update personal information (e.g., CPR) through the app
- Disappearance of credit cards and other features after updates

**Requested features**

- Expand digital banking capabilities (e.g., fixed deposits, international transfers)
- Improve stability and reliability of the app
- Provide better guidance and troubleshooting for common issues
- Enhance the overall user experience with more intuitive design and functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ila free?

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

### Is NBB free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ila or NBB?

ila is rated higher. ila averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3K ratings, while NBB averages 4.7 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do ila or NBB have ads?

Neither ila nor NBB shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ila or NBB?

ila ships an update weekly, and NBB every 2 weeks. Most recently, ila was updated on September 22, 2026 and NBB on September 23, 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.*