# Commerzbank photoTAN vs ElsterSecure

Commerzbank photoTAN and ElsterSecure both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of ElsterSecure's written reviews are positive against 51% of Commerzbank photoTAN's. Commerzbank photoTAN's advantage is ratings volume (2K vs 130) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Commerzbank photoTAN against 4.7 for ElsterSecure. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Commerzbank photoTAN has 2K ratings behind it against 130, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of Commerzbank photoTAN's written reviews are positive against 84% of ElsterSecure's.

Commerzbank photoTAN ships an update every 2 months, ElsterSecure every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Commerzbank photoTAN | ElsterSecure |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/commerzbank-phototan/id577752083/reviews)** | [4.7 (130 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elstersecure/id1579060331/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 130 |
| Positive reviews | 51.4% of reviews | **84.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 153 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Commerzbank AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/366609904) | [Bayerisches Landesamt fuer Steuern](https://appshunter.io/developer/1018163928) |

## What reviewers say

### Commerzbank photoTAN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/commerzbank-phototan/id577752083)

Approve online banking transactions securely and quickly with push notifications or by scanning a graphic. Offers a streamlined activation process for immediate use.

**Highlights:** One-click order approval via push notification, Scan photoTAN graphics to generate TANs, Digital first activation with VideoIdent, High security for online and mobile banking, Device security checks

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure and simple
- 👍 Available in English
- 🚀 Really great system, works very well and very quick

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 It keeps crashing and not working
- 🐛 The app didn't scan the image even after multiple attempts
- 🐛 The app is not working and I'm not able to login to my account
- 🐛 Impossible to upgrade, the upgrade fails with an error message
- 🐛 Crashes on launch, crashes on iPhone XS/XS Max

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with iOS 12 and iPhone XS/XS Max
- Camera won't load after iOS 8 upgrade
- Crashes on launch, crashes on iPhone XS/XS Max

**Requested features**

- Allow pasting from clipboard for password
- Extend mobile TAN to more countries
- Add cloud backup option
- Add passcode lock for protection


### ElsterSecure

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elstersecure/id1579060331)

This app simplifies logging into your tax account by using your smartphone for authentication. Once set up, you won't need certificate files or usernames for access. It's designed for secure and convenient tax-related logins.

**Highlights:** Smartphone-based authentication, Eliminates need for certificate files, Simplifies tax account logins, QR code scanning for setup, Secure user account management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Commerzbank photoTAN free?

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

### Is ElsterSecure free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Commerzbank photoTAN or ElsterSecure?

Commerzbank photoTAN is rated higher. Commerzbank photoTAN averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while ElsterSecure averages 4.7 from 130 ratings.

### Do Commerzbank photoTAN or ElsterSecure have ads?

Neither Commerzbank photoTAN nor ElsterSecure shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Commerzbank photoTAN or ElsterSecure?

Commerzbank photoTAN ships an update every 2 months, and ElsterSecure every 4 months. Most recently, Commerzbank photoTAN was updated on October 29, 2026 and ElsterSecure on October 30, 2026.

---

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