# STC Bank vs barq

The clearest difference is update cadence: STC Bank at every 5 days against barq's fortnightly. STC Bank also leads on ratings volume (45K vs 14K). barq's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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 — 4.7 for STC Bank against 4.5 for barq. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45K and 14K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 38% of STC Bank's written reviews are positive against 40% of barq's.

STC Bank ships an update every 5 days, barq fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | STC Bank | barq |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (45K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stc-bank/id6458546150/reviews)** | [4.5 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barq/id6463204586/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **45K** | 14K |
| Positive reviews | 38.4% of reviews | **39.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 461 MB | 536 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STCPay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1364197139) | [Barraq Finance Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661513071) |

## What reviewers say

### STC Bank

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stc-bank/id6458546150)

Manage your finances securely and easily with a wide range of digital banking services. Perform transactions, manage cards, and access various account features all within a single application.

**Highlights:** Manage multiple accounts, Local & international transfers, Card management (mada & Visa), Bill payment, Financing options, Saving accounts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and convenient
- 🚀 Good and fast
- 💡 Merge STC Pay and STC Bank into one app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sluggish performance and technical issues
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🐛 Unreliable registration and account setup
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect error messages
- Inability to add funds or transfer money
- Compatibility issues with older devices
- Inconsistent app behavior

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved user experience
- Better customer support
- Expand availability beyond Saudi Arabia


### barq

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barq/id6463204586)

Manage your finances with unparalleled convenience and flexibility. This app empowers you to send money internationally, optimize card transactions with dynamic exchange rates, and transfer funds instantly between wallets. Upgrade your financial prowess and live life on your own terms.

**Highlights:** International money transfers, Optimized card foreign exchange rates, Instant wallet-to-wallet transfers, Secure cross-border payments, Seamless money management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💳 No fees for international transactions
- 💰 Instant cashback
- 💼 Great for international students and travelers
- 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Technical issues with login and account creation
- ⏱️ Slow customer support response times
- 💸 Inconsistent cashback rewards
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🤔 Confusing policies and limitations

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Issues with international transactions and withdrawals
- Delayed or missing fund transfers
- Unreliable cashback system

**Requested features**

- Expand to more countries
- Add stock trading and investment options
- Improve customer support channels
- Increase cashback rates and consistency


## Frequently asked questions

### Is STC Bank free?

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

### Is barq free?

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

### Which has better reviews, STC Bank or barq?

STC Bank is rated higher. STC Bank averages 4.7 out of 5 from 45K ratings, while barq averages 4.5 from 14K ratings.

### Do STC Bank or barq have ads?

Neither STC Bank nor barq shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, STC Bank or barq?

STC Bank ships an update every 5 days, and barq fortnightly. Most recently, STC Bank was updated on November 7, 2026 and barq on November 6, 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.*