# BECU vs Columbia Mobile Banking

The clearest difference is rating: BECU at 4.8 against Columbia Mobile Banking's 4.5. BECU also leads on ratings volume (71K vs 22K) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Columbia Mobile Banking's advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 60%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

BECU holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 71K and 22K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of BECU's written reviews are positive against 83% of Columbia Mobile Banking's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BECU ships an update every 2 months, Columbia Mobile Banking every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BECU | Columbia Mobile Banking |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (71K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/becu/id465186865/reviews)** | [4.5 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/columbia-mobile-banking/id953668739/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **71K** | 22K |
| Positive reviews | 59.8% of reviews | **82.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BECU](https://appshunter.io/developer/465186868) | [Columbia Bank (OR)](https://appshunter.io/developer/417267813) |

## What reviewers say

### BECU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/becu/id465186865)

Manage all your financial accounts, both BECU and external, in one place. Track spending, review balances, and handle everyday banking tasks like transfers and mobile check deposits with a user-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Consolidate BECU and non-BECU accounts, Budget based on spending history, Locate ATMs and credit unions, Transfer funds, Deposit checks, Pay bills

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient mobile banking
- 💡 Helpful budgeting and spending tracking features
- 🔒 Secure login process
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Transactions not syncing properly
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app performance
- 🔍 Lacking important features available on website
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive app design
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to expectations

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent transaction reporting between app and website
- Messaging/chat feature not functioning properly
- Mobile check deposit often fails to recognize correct amounts
- Frequent login issues and challenges with multi-factor authentication

**Requested features**

- Add ability to make loan payments and view statements within the app
- Improve transaction search and categorization tools
- Provide option to customize budget categories and time periods
- Integrate credit score checking functionality
- Allow linking of external bank accounts for a more holistic view


### Columbia Mobile Banking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/columbia-mobile-banking/id953668739)

Manage your personal or business banking accounts on the go. This app offers secure access to your checking, savings, and mortgage accounts, with features like mobile check deposit and person-to-person payments. Stay informed with account alerts and easily locate branches and ATMs.

**Highlights:** Mobile check deposit, Send/receive money with Zelle®, Check account balances, Pay bills, Set up account alerts, Find branches/ATMs

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Friendly and helpful staff
- 🚀 Easy to use mobile app
- 💡 Useful mobile deposit feature
- 🔒 Secure banking experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
- ⏱️ Slow transaction processing times
- 🔍 Lack of transparency in account changes
- 🔀 Confusing account management (e.g., merged accounts)

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes during login
- Mobile deposit not working consistently
- Incorrect account balances displayed
- Transfers not showing up in transaction history

**Requested features**

- Improved mobile deposit process
- Real-time transaction updates
- Ability to manage multiple accounts within app
- Enhanced security features (e.g., biometric login)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BECU free?

BECU is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Columbia Mobile Banking free?

Columbia Mobile Banking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BECU or Columbia Mobile Banking?

BECU is rated higher. BECU averages 4.8 out of 5 from 71K ratings, while Columbia Mobile Banking averages 4.5 from 22K ratings.

### Do BECU or Columbia Mobile Banking have ads?

Neither BECU nor Columbia Mobile Banking shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BECU or Columbia Mobile Banking?

BECU ships an update every 2 months, and Columbia Mobile Banking every 3 months. Most recently, BECU was updated on October 30, 2026 and Columbia Mobile Banking on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*