Comparison

Access CU vs DryPowder

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

Head to head
About

Access CU

Manage your finances securely and conveniently from your mobile device. Deposit cheques, open new accounts, schedule payments, and transfer funds between accounts. Offers enhanced security features and customization options for a personalized banking experience.

Highlights
  • Remote cheque deposit
  • Open new accounts
  • Download void cheques
  • Schedule transfers and bill payments
  • Canadian to US dollar transfers
  • Enhanced security features
  • Profile customization
Features
Read full description

Manage your finances from anywhere with our secure, easy-to-use mobile app. Features include: - Deposit cheques and stop cheques remotely - Open new accounts and assign custom names - Download void cheques for direct deposits - Add, edit, delete and view favourite transactions - Canadian to US dollar account transfers - Schedule transfers and bill payments and transfer to other members - Enhanced security with password reset, multi-factor authentication, and alerts - Customize background and profile photos To use this app you must be a member of Access Credit Union and have digital banking enabled on your account. Standard service charges still apply to online account services. The use of this mobile app is subject to the privacy and legal terms and conditions that can be found on our website at www.accesscu.ca. Cellular data rates may apply depending on your provider and plan.

About

DryPowder

Features
Read full description

Dry Powder is a free stock-market simulator built for Canada. Start with C$50,000 in simulated capital and practise investing in Canadian and United States stocks and ETFs. Nothing here involves real money: you cannot deposit, withdraw, or trade real funds, and simulated balances have no value. MADE FOR CANADA Canadian dollars by default. TSX and TSX Venture listings alongside NYSE and Nasdaq, each labelled with its exchange and currency, so a Canadian listing is never confused with its U.S. counterpart. HONEST ABOUT PRICES Every price shows its currency, exchange, timestamp, and how fresh it is, plus whether the market is open. This version uses simulated data, labelled as such on every price. REAL ORDER TYPES Market, limit, stop, and stop-limit orders. Buy by share count or dollar amount. Review every order before it is placed, with the simulated commission, slippage, and currency conversion shown up front. UNDERSTAND YOUR PORTFOLIO Allocation by sector and currency, concentration, how evenly your holdings are spread, and your largest recorded decline — described plainly, never as advice. A JOURNAL THAT MAKES TRADES WORTH REVIEWING Every trade creates an entry. Write down what you expected and how long you planned to wait, then read it back later. SHORT LESSONS Stocks and ETFs, bid-ask spread, order types, diversification, currency risk, fees and slippage — and an honest lesson about what a simulator cannot teach. FREE, WITH NO CATCH Every feature is free. No advertisements, no subscriptions, no in-app purchases, and no third-party tracking. Works without an account. Dry Powder is educational software. It is not a broker, gives no investment or tax advice, and recommends no security. Simulated results do not predict real ones.

Screenshots

Access CU4 screens
DryPowder4 screens

Verdict

The call

Access CU and DryPowder are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Access CU versus DryPowder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAccess CUDryPowder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews8.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size189 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAccess Credit Union LimitedRadin Ahmadi

Bugs and requests

Access CU

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • Login loop - username/password/error repeating indefinitely
  • App won't open or launch properly
  • Crashes immediately after update installation
  • Face ID/biometric authentication fails or blocks access
  • App hangs during login process
Show 13 more
  • False 'jailbroken device' detection on legitimate devices
  • Update notification persists despite being current version
  • App won't update despite notification prompts
  • Login page doesn't work in Safari (app uses Safari for login)
  • Password validation errors after updates
  • Accounts disappear during e-transfer process
  • Mobile deposit camera freezes
  • Homepage orientation stuck sideways with non-functional rotation icon
  • App reports 'No Internet connection' on working networks
  • Slow performance specifically on 5G networks
  • Session timeout and random logouts
  • NextStepUsername download error before app quit
  • App freezes on loading screen indefinitely

Requested features

12 requests
  • Fix Face ID and biometric authentication reliability
  • Implement proper multi-factor authentication (MFA)
  • Improve app stability and prevent crashes
  • Streamline update process to avoid deletion/reinstall
  • Enhance mobile deposit feature usability
Show 7 more
  • Add ability to modify or cancel scheduled transfers
  • Improve cellular data connectivity
  • Redesign user interface for better usability
  • Restore features from previous apps (Sunova, Casera)
  • Add credit card information access
  • Implement dark mode option
  • Reduce unnecessary permission requests

DryPowder

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Access CU

No in-app purchases

None

DryPowder

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Access CU free?
Access CU is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DryPowder free?
DryPowder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Access CU or DryPowder have ads?
Neither Access CU nor DryPowder shows ads.

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