# CBD vs Beam

The clearest difference is ads: Beam at none against CBD's shown. Beam also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). CBD's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

CBD holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 807 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 39% of CBD's written reviews are positive against 47% of Beam's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

CBD ships an update every 2 weeks, Beam every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | CBD | Beam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbd-instant-digital-banking/id524929197/reviews)** | [4.6 (807 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beam/id560637969/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 807 |
| Positive reviews | 39.2% of reviews | **46.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 419 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Commercial Bank of Dubai](https://appshunter.io/developer/524929200) | [GBC S.A.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1230943315) |

## What reviewers say

### CBD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbd-instant-digital-banking/id524929197)

Manage your finances on the go with a secure and fast mobile banking app. Open accounts, apply for credit cards and loans, and make instant transfers and payments. Enjoy exclusive lifestyle offers with your debit or credit card.

**Highlights:** Instant account opening, Credit card and loan applications, Instant money transfers, Utility bill payments, 1,000+ lifestyle offers, Secure mobile banking

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Excellent services
- ⭐ Fast and easy
- ⭐ Wonderful experience
- ⭐ Very good bank
- ⭐ Convenient and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Hungry for money
- 🚫 Worst customer service
- 🚫 Slow and unhelpful chatbots
- 🚫 Difficult to transfer money
- 🚫 App not working after update

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and login issues
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Transferring money not working

**Requested features**

- Improve app performance and stability
- Enhance security features
- Introduce advanced budgeting and money management tools
- Provide better customer support


### Beam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beam/id560637969)

This app offers personalized deals and dollar rewards from local stores. Merchants can create targeted marketing campaigns to connect with specific customer profiles. It aims to help customers save money, businesses increase profits, and reduce waste.

**Highlights:** Personalized offers from stores, Earn rewards in dollars, Merchant campaign creation, Targeted offers to user profiles, Pay with your phone, 10% back on every spend

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Rewarding with cash back and discounts
- 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
- 🔒 Secure payment method
- 👍 Smooth and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and technical issues
- ❌ Limited merchant acceptance and availability
- 🕰️ Slow and unreliable payment processing
- 💸 Unauthorized charges and deductions from accounts
- 🔍 Poor customer support and lack of responsiveness

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- Payment transactions fail or get stuck
- Account verification and card linking issues
- Rewards and credits not properly tracked or applied

**Requested features**

- Expand merchant network and availability
- Improve payment reliability and speed
- Provide better customer support channels
- Add Apple Watch support
- Introduce more rewards and discounts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CBD free?

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

### Is Beam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CBD or Beam?

CBD is rated higher. CBD averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Beam averages 4.6 from 807 ratings.

### Do CBD or Beam have ads?

CBD shows ads; Beam does not.

### Which is updated more often, CBD or Beam?

CBD ships an update every 2 weeks, and Beam every 4 months. Most recently, CBD was updated on October 23, 2026 and Beam on October 23, 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.*