first direct vs TSB Mobile Banking
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
first direct
Manage your finances on the go with this intuitive mobile banking application. Easily check balances, view transactions, and transfer funds to friends and family. This app simplifies everyday money management, with more enhancements planned for the future.
- Check account balances
- View transaction history
- Pay family and friends
- Simplified money management
- Mobile banking convenience
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Your everyday just got a whole lot easier. Even better banking has arrived. At the coffee shop, deciding if it’s a skinny soy latte or a cup of tea. In a taxi stuck in traffic, wondering how much you’ve saved for your trip to Machu Picchu. On a rollercoaster, planning the decorations for your dog’s third birthday party… Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, our new and improved mobile app makes banking even simpler. From checking your balances and viewing transactions to paying family and friends, mobile banking takes all the hassle out of everyday money stuff. You can now do more than ever from the comfort of your own phone - and if that’s not exciting enough, this is just the start of our mini digital revolution, with loads more improvements on the way. So go on. Get yourself up to date. Update now >> • Free to use, but providers may charge for download and usage • Use in accordance with local laws and check charges if using abroad • Use in accordance with our App terms and conditions • Use in accordance with Apple terms and conditions • This app may be withdrawn at any time, but we’ll always keep you in the loop.
TSB Mobile Banking
Manage your finances conveniently from your mobile device. View all your accounts, check balances, pay bills, and transfer funds. Secure login options like fingerprint and face ID are available.
- View all accounts
- Check balances
- Pay bills
- Send and move money
- Secure login (fingerprint/face ID)
- Open current accounts
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Say hello to your TSB Mobile Banking App. Manage all your TSB accounts securely in one place. Check your balance, make payments, move money into Savings Pots and stay in control of your cards—anytime, anywhere. With the TSB app, you can: - Log in fast with Face ID or fingerprint. - Make payments, transfer money and manage standing orders or Direct Debits. - Freeze or unfreeze your card, view your PIN & card details, and order a replacement. - Add your card to Apple Wallet/Google Pay. - Use Savings Pots and Save the Pennies to grow your savings. - Track spending with Spend & Save tools. - Identify transactions easily with retailer logos. Simple. Secure. Designed to help you stay on top of your money. What you’ll need: - To use this app, you must be a personal TSB customer with a device running Android 9.0 or above. - UK residency is required to apply for new products. Need help? - Visit our Mobile App FAQs: https://www.tsb.co.uk/help/mobile-app/faqs.html. - Use our interactive guide if you're having trouble logging in: https://www.tsb.co.uk/login-issues.html. - Check our Service Status to confirm everything is running smoothly: https://www.tsb.co.uk/help-and-support/service-message.html. Got feedback or spotted an issue? We’d love to hear from you. Share your ideas or report any problems at appideas@tsb.co.uk so we can continue improving your TSB app experience. Important information This app is intended for TSB personal Internet Banking customers. Terms and conditions apply, see 'Ways to bank with us' on: https://www.tsb.co.uk/legal/. Coverage and Location Our app and services may be affected by your phone's signal and functionality. In some countries it may be illegal to use some internet and mobile banking services. Please check before you travel. TSB Bank plc. Registered office: Henry Duncan House, 120 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4LH. Registered in Scotland, no SC95237. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 191240. TSB Bank plc is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: first direct at none against TSB Mobile Banking's shown. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for first direct against 4.8 for TSB Mobile Banking. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2K and 1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 73% of TSB Mobile Banking's.
first direct ships an update monthly, TSB Mobile Banking every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | first direct | TSB Mobile Banking |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (2K ratings) — better | 4.8 (1K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.6% of reviews — better | 73.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2K — better | 1K |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 254 MB | 290 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | first direct | TSB Bank plc |
Customer experience
first direct
TSB Mobile Banking
User reviews
first direct
From 2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and accurate
- 🔒 Excellent security
- 💡 Helpful customer service
- 👍 Consistent and reliable
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🔒 Overly complex security measures
- 💡 Outdated and basic design
- 🔒 Frustrating authentication process
- 🐛 Buggy cheque deposit feature
TSB Mobile Banking
From 1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient and fast
- 🔒 Secure banking
- 💡 Helpful staff
- 👍 Reliable and trustworthy
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficult to find features
- ⏱️ Slow updates and maintenance
- 🔒 Strict security measures
- 🤖 Poor chatbot and support
Bugs and requests
first direct
Reported bugs
4 issues- App freezing and crashing
- Issues with cheque deposit functionality
- Problems with multi-device authentication
- Inconsistent behavior when updating payee details
Requested features
5 requests- Dark mode option
- Improved transaction history and insights
- Ability to edit scheduled payments and payees
- Streamlined payment flow
- Better categorization and budgeting tools
TSB Mobile Banking
Reported bugs
5 issues- Login issues after updates
- Inability to pay in cheques through the app
- Payments to approve feature not working
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
- Syncing issues between app and website
Requested features
5 requests- Notifications for payments and deposits
- Dark mode option
- Ability to view transaction history beyond 3 months
- Option to approve payments directly in the app
- Easier way to reset login details
In-app purchases
first direct
No in-app purchases
TSB Mobile Banking
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is first direct free?
Is TSB Mobile Banking free?
Which has better reviews, first direct or TSB Mobile Banking?
Do first direct or TSB Mobile Banking have ads?
Which is updated more often, first direct or TSB Mobile Banking?
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