Comparison

first direct vs TSB Mobile Banking

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Check account balances
  • View transaction history
  • Pay family and friends
  • Simplified money management
  • Mobile banking convenience
Features
Read full description

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in accordance with our App terms and conditions • Use in accordance with Apple terms and conditions • This app may be withdrawn at any time, but we’ll always keep you in the loop.

About

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.

Highlights
  • View all accounts
  • Check balances
  • Pay bills
  • Send and move money
  • Secure login (fingerprint/face ID)
  • Open current accounts
Features
Read full description

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

first direct4 screens
TSB Mobile Banking4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

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

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
first direct versus TSB Mobile Banking: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterfirst directTSB Mobile Banking
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (2K ratings) — better4.8 (1K ratings)
Positive reviews76.6% of reviews — better73.2% of reviews
Number of ratings2K — better1K
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size254 MB290 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerfirst directTSB Bank plc

Customer experience

first direct

All ratings1,959 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.0%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews981 reviews
Positive76.6%
Neutral4.9%
Negative18.6%

TSB Mobile Banking

All ratings1,038 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews856 reviews
Positive73.2%
Neutral7.6%
Negative19.2%

User reviews

first direct

From 2K App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

None

first direct

No in-app purchases

None

TSB Mobile Banking

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is first direct free?
first direct is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TSB Mobile Banking free?
TSB Mobile Banking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, first direct or TSB Mobile Banking?
first direct is rated higher. first direct averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while TSB Mobile Banking averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.
Do first direct or TSB Mobile Banking have ads?
TSB Mobile Banking shows ads; first direct does not.
Which is updated more often, first direct or TSB Mobile Banking?
first direct ships an update monthly, and TSB Mobile Banking every 3 weeks. Most recently, first direct was updated on September 24, 2026 and TSB Mobile Banking on September 22, 2026.

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