Comparison

NCBA NOW vs Africa Forward

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NCBA NOW

Manage your banking needs with this app, offering features for both customers and non-customers. Perform various payments, manage accounts, and access customer support conveniently.

Highlights
  • eCitizen Government services payment
  • Account balance hiding/unhiding
  • Credit card bill payment and statement viewing
  • Debit & Credit Card Set/Change PIN
  • Insurance premium payments
  • M-Pesa to NCBA Account transfer
  • KRA domestic payments (iTax)
Features
Read full description

The NCBA NOW App has exciting features that make your banking experience with NCBA Bank fast and convenient. Enjoy the following features and so much more when you download the NCBA NOW App: • Transfer with confidence — recipient names now appear instantly when you enter a phone number, helping you send funds accurately. • Enjoy faster branch visits — initiate your cash deposit and/or withdrawal on the NCBA NOW app before reaching the counter, with no transaction forms needed. • Open your NCBA account anytime, anywhere - no queues, just a seamless start to your banking journey. • Payment of eCitizen Government services • Hide/unhide your account balance • Credit card bill payment balance and statement viewing • Debit & Credit Card Set PIN and Change PIN • Insurance premium payments • M-Pesa to NCBA Account transfer • KRA domestic payments (iTax) • Unit Trust accounts management • Details of your Relationship Manager • Fast contact to NCBA contact centre via telephone, email and WhatsApp • Secure payment options via RTGS, EFT and Pesalink • Lipa na M-Pesa services (PayBill / Buy good / Till) directly from your account • Top up for Expressway toll payments • Buy and sell forex through the FX Now feature

About

Africa Forward

Features
Read full description

Running alongside the Africa Forward Summit on 12 May, the forum brings together 2,000 leaders and decision-makers from Africa and France. Co-hosted by Bpifrance, Business France and Proparco, the event will feature dynamic discussions on co-industrialisation and co-innovation, plus a host of B2B meetings. Get ready for the Africa Forward I Inspire & Connect business forum, taking place on 11 May 2026. Africa Forward app is your go-to tool for the event.  Use it to: - Stay up to date with the live programme, - Grow your professional network by connecting with fellow attendees, - Access all the essential details, including schedules, venues and your event badge, - And if you’re part of a Business France programme, keep track of your personalised meeting itinerary. Africa Forward app is designed to help you get the most out of your forum experience.

Screenshots

NCBA NOW4 screens
Africa Forward3 screens

Verdict

The call

NCBA NOW and Africa Forward are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NCBA NOW ships an update every 2 months, Africa Forward every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
NCBA NOW versus Africa Forward: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNCBA NOWAfrica Forward
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (20 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews14.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings20 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size118 MB125 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNIC Bank Kenya PLCBpifrance

In-app purchases

None

NCBA NOW

No in-app purchases

None

Africa Forward

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NCBA NOW free?
NCBA NOW is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Africa Forward free?
Africa Forward is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do NCBA NOW or Africa Forward have ads?
Neither NCBA NOW nor Africa Forward shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NCBA NOW or Africa Forward?
NCBA NOW ships an update every 2 months, and Africa Forward every 3 months. Most recently, NCBA NOW was updated on November 6, 2026 and Africa Forward on November 9, 2026.

Other comparisons