Comparison

first direct vs Bip

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in accordance with our App terms and conditions • Use in accordance with Apple terms and conditions • This app may be withdrawn at any time, but we’ll always keep you in the loop.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

Bip

This app offers cardless credit with no hidden fees, allowing users to manage their spending and finances easily. It provides features like spending caps, instant balance updates, and 24/7 support for a secure and controlled financial experience.

Highlights
  • Cardless credit access
  • Spending caps and control
  • Instant balance updates
  • No hidden fees
  • 24/7 in-app support
  • Boosted payment options
  • Safe and secure payments
Features
Read full description

This is cardless credit you control. Bip is the cardless credit app with absolutely no hidden fees. Experience the simplicity of Bip and join a growing community of people wanting to go cardless. Check your eligibility today to be a part of it. Smart finance and money management - here’s what you’ll get with Bip: Quick and simple setup - Check your eligibility (there’s no impact on your credit score), then apply and add Bip to Apple Pay and you’re good to go. If you’ve already checked your eligibility online, simply pick up your application in app to continue. Tap. Cap. Control - Set yourself Spending Caps, get instant balance updates and copy your Bip details from within the app to spend online. With no card, there’s less hanging around. No hidden fees - Just one interest rate. No annual charges, no late payment or over limit fees and nothing extra for using Bip abroad. 24/7 support - In-app messaging means that you’ll always have support to help you with any questions you may have. Need help setting your Spending Caps? Want general advice about your cardless credit? We’re on standby. Boosted Payments - See how much you could save yourself by paying more off each month. Use the in-app payment slider to compare boosted payments against your minimum. Safe and secure payments - Supported by Mastercard, Bip has the standard fraud prevention and purchase protections you’d get with a regular credit card. Apple Pay is both a safe and secure way of making contactless purchases, and just as easy as a plastic credit card. Decide how credit works for you – managing your credit has never been easier. Download today to get started! Representative 39.9% APR (variable). Starting credit limit from £250 to £1,200. Don’t forget: Failure to make payments on time or to stay within your credit limit may make obtaining credit in the future more expensive and difficult. Credit available only to UK residents aged 18 and over. Subject to status. Terms apply. The APR and credit limit applicable to your account will depend on our assessment of your application. Credit is provided by NewDay Ltd. NewDay Ltd and NewDay Cards Ltd are companies registered in England and Wales with registered numbers 7297722 and 4134880 respectively. They form part of the NewDay group of companies. The registered office for these companies is 7 Handyside Street, London, N1C 4DA. NewDay Ltd and NewDay Cards Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with numbers 690292 and 682417 respectively. NewDay Ltd is also authorised by the FCA under the Payment Services Regulation 2017 (ref no: 555318) for the provision of payment services. Bip is a trademark of NewDay Cards Ltd, which is used under license by NewDay Ltd.

Screenshots

first direct4 screens
Bip4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: first direct at none against Bip's shown. first direct also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (77% vs 49%). Bip's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: first direct has 2K ratings behind it against 7, 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 49% of Bip's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

first direct ships an update monthly, Bip weekly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
first direct versus Bip: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterfirst directBip
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (2K ratings) — better4.4 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews76.5% of reviews — better49.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2K — better7
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB183 MB
Age rating4+17+
Developerfirst directNewDay Ltd

Customer experience

first direct

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

Bip

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive49.0%
Neutral3.9%
Negative47.1%

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

Bip

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

first direct

No in-app purchases

None

Bip

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is first direct free?
first direct is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bip free?
Bip is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, first direct or Bip?
first direct is rated higher. first direct averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Bip averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do first direct or Bip have ads?
Bip shows ads; first direct does not.
Which is updated more often, first direct or Bip?
first direct ships an update monthly, and Bip weekly. Most recently, first direct was updated on October 29, 2026 and Bip on October 29, 2026.

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