Comparison

Alinma App vs barq

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

Head to head
About

Alinma App

This app offers a comprehensive digital banking experience with advanced features for managing accounts, finances, and cards. It allows users to perform transactions, submit requests, and access various banking services conveniently from their smart devices, including accessibility options for the visually impaired.

Highlights
  • Digital account opening
  • Personal finance application
  • Card issuance and management
  • Instant payment services
  • E-voucher purchases
  • Bill payments
  • Branch and ATM locator
Features
Read full description

As part of our strategy to provide a premium digital banking experience, we are pleased to launch the new Alinma App with a variety of new and advanced features that meet your banking needs. The new Alinma application adopts a new vision of digital banking services, through which we seek to meet the aspirations of our customers and provide an easy and fast digital banking experience. The new Alinma App provides a comprehensive control panel for all products and services, so that you can easily carry out your banking transactions, submit your requests, inquiries and many more, without the need to visit the branch. Alinma New App Features - Easier navigation through a comprehensive control panel - Improved journey with New modern look - Compatible with all smart devices - Quick log in - Specially enabled for the blind and sight-impaired Products & Services via Alinma New App Accounts - Opening new digital account - Opening a personal sub account - Opening a savings account - Opening a family account Finance - Applying and executing personal finance 24/7 - Tracking and monitoring existing and pending finances Alinma Cards - Issuing and activating debit and credit cards 24/7 - Issuing and activating Traveler Card (multi-currency) 24/7 - Managing existing debit and credit cards Alinma Transfers - Instant Payment Service (Sarie) - Charitable Donations - Alinma express - Western Union - SWIFT transfers Marketplace - buy different E-vouchers 24/7 Additional Banking Services - Bills and MOI payments - Emergency cash (card-less withdrawals) - Currency converter - Check book request - Nama product - Traveler Cash - Accredit digital certificates - Digital Updating of ID & Address Details - Instant Savings - Branch appointment reservations Additional Services - Submit complaints - Submit inquiries - Alinma tracker (Branch and ATMs locator) - Information on special promotions and offers

About

barq

Manage your finances with unparalleled convenience and flexibility. This app empowers you to send money internationally, optimize card transactions with dynamic exchange rates, and transfer funds instantly between wallets. Upgrade your financial prowess and live life on your own terms.

Highlights
  • International money transfers
  • Optimized card foreign exchange rates
  • Instant wallet-to-wallet transfers
  • Secure cross-border payments
  • Seamless money management
Features
Read full description

No more guesswork, no more limitations. With barq, the only boundaries are the ones you choose to set for yourself. Upgrade your financial prowess and start living life on your own terms. Offering unparalleled convenience and flexibility, our app empowers you to seamlessly manage your money like never before. Key Features: International Transfers - Securely send money across borders with minimal transaction costs, making global payments a breeze. Cards - Enjoy dynamic foreign exchange rates optimized for your card transactions, ensuring you get the best value when traveling or making international purchases. Instant Wallet-to-Wallet Transfers - Instantly move funds between your various wallets and accounts, facilitating seamless money movement at the tap of a button. Download barq today and unlock a world of financial empowerment, convenience, and rewards. The future of money is here and it’s limitless... حلول تقنية مالية لتحويل حياتك اليومية من خلال تجربة رقمية مبتكرة. برق تطبيق مستوحى منك وبنيناه لك، يسهل عليك كل احتياجاتك. خلي حدود أحلامك تلامس السماء. برق تطبيق ماله آخر..

Screenshots

Alinma App4 screens
barq3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Alinma App at 65% against barq's 39%. Alinma App also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

Alinma App holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 14K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Alinma App's written reviews are positive against 39% of barq's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Alinma App versus barq: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlinma Appbarq
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.5 (14K ratings)
Positive reviews65.2% of reviews — better38.6% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better14K
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size210 MB535 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlinma BankBarraq Finance Company

Customer experience

Alinma App

All ratings13,572 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral1.2%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews287 reviews
Positive65.2%
Neutral2.8%
Negative32.1%

barq

All ratings13,562 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral2.1%
Negative9.7%
Written reviews350 reviews
Positive38.6%
Neutral5.4%
Negative56.0%

User reviews

Alinma App

From 14K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly app
  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Secure transactions
  • 💡 Innovative features
  • 🌟 Excellent banking experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • ⏱️ Slow performance and loading times
  • 🔒 Strict security measures can be inconvenient
  • 💳 Lack of support for international transfers

barq

From 14K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 💳 No fees for international transactions
  • 💰 Instant cashback
  • 💼 Great for international students and travelers
  • 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Technical issues with login and account creation
  • ⏱️ Slow customer support response times
  • 💸 Inconsistent cashback rewards
  • 🔒 Security concerns
  • 🤔 Confusing policies and limitations

Bugs and requests

Alinma App

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login issues and frequent logouts
  • Problems with device registration
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Faster login options (e.g., biometrics)
  • More control over transaction limits
  • Real-time transaction notifications
  • Dark mode option

barq

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent app crashes
  • Issues with international transactions and withdrawals
  • Delayed or missing fund transfers
  • Unreliable cashback system

Requested features

4 requests
  • Expand to more countries
  • Add stock trading and investment options
  • Improve customer support channels
  • Increase cashback rates and consistency

In-app purchases

None

Alinma App

No in-app purchases

None

barq

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alinma App free?
Alinma App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is barq free?
barq is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alinma App or barq?
Alinma App is rated higher. Alinma App averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while barq averages 4.5 from 14K ratings.
Do Alinma App or barq have ads?
Neither Alinma App nor barq shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alinma App or barq?
Alinma App ships an update fortnightly, and barq fortnightly. Most recently, Alinma App was updated on September 17, 2026 and barq on September 24, 2026.

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