Comparison

first direct vs TSB Business Mobile

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in accordance with our App terms and conditions • Use in accordance with Apple terms and conditions • This app may be withdrawn at any time, but we’ll always keep you in the loop.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

Manage your TSB Business Banking accounts on the go. View balances and transactions, set up new payees for UK and international payments, and manage standing orders. Securely log in using fingerprint or Face ID.

Highlights
  • View account balances
  • Check transactions
  • Set up new recipients for UK payments
  • Set up new standing orders
  • Set up new recipients for international payments
  • Fingerprint and Face ID login
Features
Read full description

We've made improvements to the Business Mobile app so that now you can see your account balances and transactions. You'll still need to use the app when you set up on Internet Banking: - New recipients for UK payments - New standing orders - New recipients for international payments For extra convenience and security, you’ll also be able to set up both fingerprint and Face ID log in if your device supports it. See http://www.tsb.co.uk/businessapp for full details and answers to all your frequently asked questions. What you need to use this app You’ll need to be a TSB Business Banking customer, registered for Business Internet Banking and have a device running iOS15 or above. Need help? We’ve produced a video to help you download and use the app for the first time. Visit http://www.tsb.co.uk/businessapp if you need a hand. Logging in for the first time When you use the app for the first time, you’ll need to enter your User ID, password and three characters of your memorable information. You’ll then have the option to select a number to get a call back or an SMS with a code to activate the app. Working in partnership with you If you’ve got a suggestion for how we can improve our app, we want to hear it. Drop us a line at authappfeedback@tsb.co.uk. Important information This app is intended for TSB Business Banking customers. Terms and Conditions apply http://www.tsb.co.uk/business/legal/. 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 Business Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: first direct at 4.9 against TSB Business Mobile's 4.1. first direct also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (2K vs 29). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

first direct holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: first direct has 2K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 63% of TSB Business Mobile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

first direct ships an update monthly, TSB Business Mobile every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
first direct versus TSB Business Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterfirst directTSB Business Mobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (2K ratings) — better4.1 (29 ratings)
Positive reviews76.5% of reviews — better63.2% of reviews
Number of ratings2K — better29
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB235 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerfirst directTSB Bank plc

Customer experience

first direct

All ratings1,964 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.0%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews996 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative18.5%

TSB Business Mobile

All ratings28 ratings
Positive78.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews144 reviews
Positive63.2%
Neutral10.4%
Negative26.4%

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 Business Mobile

From 29 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Fast and quick transactions
  • 🔒 Secure banking platform
  • 📱 Works well on mobile devices
  • 💼 Good for business banking

Room to improve

  • ❌ Outdated compared to competitors like Monzo
  • 🐛 App freezes and runs slowly after login
  • 📄 Cannot download bank statements as PDF
  • 🔔 Missing transaction notifications/alerts
  • 💳 Cannot manage direct debits or freeze cards

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 Business Mobile

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Long freeze/pause after login
  • Cheque scanning consistently fails or errors
  • Browser login hangs when entering authentication code
  • App logs out unexpectedly during transactions
  • Cookie preference prompts prevent account access
Show 5 more
  • Cannot load multiple business accounts
  • Transaction date display changed/inconsistent
  • Slow performance and occasional crashes
  • Login denied with correct credentials
  • WiFi dependency for app functionality

Requested features

14 requests
  • Push notifications for incoming/outgoing transactions
  • PDF bank statement downloads
  • Ability to manage multiple business accounts in one app
  • Direct debit cancellation from app
  • Cheque mobile deposit with photo capture
Show 9 more
  • Card freezing functionality
  • Payment approval/countersigning system
  • Standing order creation from app
  • Transaction time stamps
  • Receipt capture and categorization
  • Account linking by alternative identifiers
  • Online payment authentication without app redirection
  • Balance alert notifications for overdraft warnings
  • Transaction history filtering and export options

In-app purchases

None

first direct

No in-app purchases

None

TSB Business Mobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is first direct free?
first direct is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TSB Business Mobile free?
TSB Business Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, first direct or TSB Business Mobile?
first direct is rated higher. first direct averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while TSB Business Mobile averages 4.1 from 29 ratings.
Do first direct or TSB Business Mobile have ads?
Neither first direct nor TSB Business Mobile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, first direct or TSB Business Mobile?
first direct ships an update monthly, and TSB Business Mobile every 3 weeks. Most recently, first direct was updated on November 1, 2026 and TSB Business Mobile on November 3, 2026.

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