BOV Mobile vs Monese
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BOV Mobile
Manage your finances on the go with this banking app. Access all your accounts, loans, and perform transfers. Pay bills, top up mobile numbers, and send money instantly to friends and family.
- Stop a card function
- FaceID authentication
- Credit card activation
- Account and loan access
- Inter-account transfers
- Mobile number payments
- Bill payments
- BOV Signatures for internet banking
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Features: • If you lost your credit card while in Malta or abroad simply use the Stop A Card function. • FaceID is now available. • Activate your credit cards using the in-app Apple Pay link. Access your financials on the go. • You can access all of your accounts including your loans in one easy app. • Perform transfers within your accounts. • Send money to your family and friends using their mobile number. Once you authorise a payment, it goes through – no waiting, no holding! • Top up anyone with a GO or Epic (+356) mobile number while in Malta or abroad. • Pay bills using your smartphone. ARMS, GO, Epic and Melita are among the most popular. • Access internet banking using your smartphone’s BOV Signatures feature and benefit from even more features – payments, investments and more! Happy Linking! • Update your BOV credit cards. Follow the in-app Apple Pay link to set up your credit cards and pay in store. Security • iOS 11 and over is required for this new update. • BOV Mobile will not run if an iPhone does not meet the new security requirements. Do you have any questions? Call our Customer Service Centre on (+356) 2131 2020 with any queries about BOV Mobile.
Monese
This app offers a digital banking alternative, allowing users to manage multiple currencies, send and receive money internationally, and access a contactless debit card. It provides budgeting tools, real-time notifications, and features like savings pots and virtual cards for secure online payments.
- Multi-currency accounts (GBP, EUR, RON)
- Contactless Mastercard debit card
- International money transfers
- Virtual card for online payments
- Savings pots
- Real-time spending notifications
- Credit score building (UK only)
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Monese is the banking alternative you’ve been waiting for. We’re the money app that helps you budget smartly, spend wisely and switch between currencies in a flash. Whether you need a GBP, EUR or RON account (or all 3!), you’ll be able to manage your money straight from your phone and enjoy the flexibility to live, work, travel, study and thrive wherever life takes you. We even have business accounts! Join over 2 million people and open a Monese mobile money account today. It’s simple, fuss-free and easy – so how does it work? • Open a GBP, EUR or RON account, straight from your phone • Easily switch between currencies and manage your money all in one place • Get a contactless Mastercard debit card you can use globally – online, in-store or at ATMs • Spend abroad with no extra fees on card spending and ATM withdrawals • Quickly send and receive money locally and internationally in multiple currencies • Create a virtual card and pay online or in-store for an extra layer of security • Open a joint account to easily spend, share and save with a loved one, roommate or friend With our feature-rich smartphone app, you’ll also get: • Real-time notifications: Instant updates whenever you use your account • A detailed spending overview: Full transparency around your transactions • Savings pots: Put money aside for something special • Apple Pay: A fast, easy and secure way to pay with your Apple Pay • Automatic Direct Debits and recurring payments: the easy way to pay for things like mobile phone contracts, rent, or gym memberships Plus, you can also: • Build your credit score: Use Credit Builder to grow your credit history and savings at the same time (UK only) • Link your PayPal account: Manage your PayPal balance and transactions from Monese, and add your Monese card to your PayPal wallet • Enjoy state-of-the art security features: 3D Secure, card locking, strong encryption and biometric login • Get instant account statements in PDF or XLS whenever you need Enjoy the convenience of being able to send and receive money straight from your phone, get your salary paid in, set up Direct Debits and recurring payments, all while maintaining a complete overview of your earning, spending and saving. Withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide for free, within generous allowances, and add money to your account by bank transfer, debit card, or with cash at over 84,000 locations in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal or Spain. You can open an account with us regardless of your citizenship or financial history, as long as you’re at least 18 years old and live in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Monese at 4.7 against BOV Mobile's 4.0. Monese also leads on ratings volume (2.4K vs 5) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). BOV Mobile's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support 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.
Monese holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Monese has 2.4K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of BOV Mobile's written reviews are positive against 19% of Monese's.
BOV Mobile ships an update every 3 months, Monese every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BOV Mobile | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (5 ratings) | 4.7 (2.4K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | 18.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 2.4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 203 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bank of Valletta p.l.c. | Monese LTD |
Customer experience
BOV Mobile
Monese
In-app purchases
BOV Mobile
No in-app purchases
Monese
No in-app purchases









