EthioDirect vs Potly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EthioDirect
Easily and securely send money internationally to Ethiopia. This service offers a fast and convenient way to transfer funds to family and friends with no transaction fees. Funds are settled quickly after sending.
- International money transfers
- Fast settlement
- Secure transactions
- No transaction fees
- Easy to use
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EthioDirect is an international, fast and secure money transferring method to send money to family, friends, and loved ones from anywhere in the world to Ethiopia. Sending money has never been easier. You can send with a few steps and with no transaction fee. Your money will be settled very quickly once you complete sending.
Potly
This app simplifies group savings by acting as a digital contract for informal savings circles. It automates contribution tracking, rotation logic, and payout schedules, eliminating the need for messy chats or spreadsheets. Ensure everyone stays honest and the math is perfect for your savings group.
- Automated contribution tracking
- Rotation logic and payout schedules
- Real-time, shared ledger
- Digital contract enforcement
- Automated winner selection
- Clear payment history
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The Digital Source of Truth for Your Savings Circle. Still using messy WhatsApp chats or paper notebooks to track your group savings? Stop worrying about who paid, whose turn it is, or when the next payout happens. Potly is the unbiased referee for your Equb, Tantine, or Pardna. We don’t touch your money — you keep using the cash or apps you already trust. We just provide the "Digital Contract" that keeps everyone honest and the math perfect. WHY GROUPS TRUST POTLY: • THE MATH IS ON US: No more manual spreadsheets. We handle the contribution tracking, rotation logic, and payout schedules automatically. • DITCH THE MESSY CHATS: Stop scrolling through hundreds of messages to find a payment confirmation. Potly gives you a dedicated, real-time ledger that every member can see. • A SYSTEM BUILT ON TRUST: Our digital rules act as your group’s contract. With automated deadlines and "No Pay, No Win" logic, the app handles the enforcement so you don't have to be the "bad guy." • STRESS-FREE PAYOUTS: When it’s time for a payout, Potly manages the winner selection and turn-management. Just accept your win and celebrate. • TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT TENSION: Every member sees the same data at the same time. Eliminate the "I thought I paid" arguments with clear, unchangeable payment history. HOW IT WORKS: 1. Start a Pot: Set your amount, currency, and cycle (weekly, monthly, etc.). 2. Invite Your Circle: Share a secure group code with your trusted friends. 3. Save & Win: Mark contributions, track the progress bar, and claim the pot when it's your turn. Perfect for freelancers, colleagues, and families who want the benefits of social savings without the management headache. Stop the guesswork. Start the growth. Get Potly. Terms Of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Potly at 100% against EthioDirect's 8%. Potly also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.0). EthioDirect's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (108 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Potly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. EthioDirect asks for nothing beyond the download.
Potly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EthioDirect has 108 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 8% of EthioDirect's written reviews are positive against 100% of Potly's.
EthioDirect ships an update every 8 days, Potly every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EthioDirect | Potly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (108 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 8.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 108 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 104 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Commercial Bank of Ethiopia | Emanuel Biruk Seifegebreal |
Customer experience
EthioDirect
Potly
Bugs and requests
EthioDirect
Reported bugs
29 issues- App cuts off apartment number from address
- Confirmation code not received via email or phone
- Validation for State/Zip Code not accepting numbers
- Unable to log in after logging out, verification code not received
- App crashes when entering bank account number
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- Transaction fails with generic error message
- App flags transactions for fraud
- App doesn't send confirmation number
- App doesn't work consistently, transfers fail for no apparent reason
- Search and payment submission features are unstable
- App blocks access for 10 minutes after failed attempts
- App charges multiple times
- App doesn't recognize US phone numbers for account creation
- No transaction receipt
- Confirmation codes not received for US phone numbers
- App dies before transaction completion
- Confusing 'Its my Dam' donation category
- Static country code cannot be changed
- App rejects multiple cards
- App doesn't allow sending money
- App withdraws money twice
- App doesn't accept phone numbers outside Ethiopia
- Cannot verify legitimate CBE account
- Doesn't allow using phone number only from Ethiopia
- Transaction status remains pending for days
- No option to cancel pending transactions
- Login issues, verification code not received
- Cannot reset password
- Transaction fails for no reason, error message unclear
Requested features
15 requests- Allow users to specify full address
- Provide a contact phone number for USA users
- Add option to store payment information
- Add option to resend from history
- Fix bug where get receipt sends new transfer email
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- Allow foreign mobile numbers for registration
- Accept numbers for State/Zip Code validation
- Allow users to save payment method and address
- Increase transaction limit
- Add option to cancel pending transactions
- Allow email verification as an alternative
- Fix static country code for users
- Add transaction review before completion
- Fix donation category confusion
- Allow deactivation and restart options
Potly
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
EthioDirect
No in-app purchases
Potly
- Potly Pro Monthly$0.991 Month
- Potly Pro Annual$9.991 Year
