Comparison

MB WAY vs novobanco

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

Head to head
About

MB WAY

This app simplifies payments by linking your mobile number to your bank card. Send, request, and receive money, split bills, and pay online or in-store using QR codes or NFC. It also offers virtual cards for secure online shopping and allows cash withdrawals at ATMs.

Highlights
  • Send, request, and receive money
  • Split bills with contacts
  • Generate MB NET virtual cards
  • Pay in-store with QR Code or NFC
  • Pay online with mobile number
  • Withdraw cash at ATMs
  • Track subscriptions and recurring payments
Features
Read full description

The MB WAY app is SIBS' digital solution that simplifies payments in one place! Link your mobile number to your bank card to Send, Request, and Receive money, Split bills, Generate MB NET virtual cards, shop online and in-store with QR Code or NFC, and earn rewards. Track subscriptions and recurring payments, withdraw cash, and use MULTIBANCO with MB WAY. With MB WAY Pulse, pay even when your phone is off, without battery, or without internet. All of this always with SIBS security guarantee. The MB WAY app is the No.1 payment app in Portugal and already a reference, with more than 6,5 million users who use its advantages daily, making it the favorite payment app of the Portuguese. FUNCTIONALITIES How to pay with MB WAY? To pay in-store, when paying for your purchases in physical shops, simply select "Pagar com MB WAY" button and choose the "QR Code" or "NFC" option. - QR Code: After the merchant enters the amount, scan the QR code. If the amount exceeds the PIN limit, confirm with your MB WAY PIN, touch ID, or face ID. - NFC: Tap your phone on the terminal. If the amount exceeds the limit, confirm in the app and tap again. To pay online, select MB WAY as the payment method, enter your mobile number, and confirm the payment via notification and your MB WAY PIN. How to buy with MB NET? When paying for your online purchases, access the MB WAY app and generate an MB NET card in the "Cartões MB NET" option. Then, on the merchant's website, select pay with card and enter the details of the MB NET card you generated. How to use MULTIBANCO? To use the "Utilizar MULTIBANCO” option with the MB WAY app, you must choose the amount you want to withdraw and enter your MB WAY PIN or touch ID. Then, with the generated code, go to a MULTIBANCO ATM, press the green key and choose the "Withdraw Money" option. You can also generate a code for someone else to go to MULTIBANCO to withdraw. You can also use this option “Utilizar MULTIBANCO” to carry out other operations available at MULTIBANCO. How to send money? Simply tap "Send Money," select a contact, enter the amount, and confirm the transaction. The money will be available immediately in the recipient's account. For amounts over €2,000, you must join MB WAY Verified and authenticate the transactions with facial recognition. How to request money? To request money, simply select the "Pedir Dinheiro" button in the app, select the contact you want to request money from, indicate the amount, and confirm the operation. You can also request the amount through your personal QR Code. How to split an account? To split an account, simply select the "Dividir Conta" button. Then, select the contacts with whom you want to split the bill, indicate the amount of the bill, and confirm the operation. How to join authorized payments? To manage your subscriptions or recurring payments through "Pagamentos Autorizados", simply select this payment method on the participating partner, enter your mobile phone number, confirm on your MB WAY, enter your PIN for confirmation and you're done! How to activate MB WAY? 1. Link your bank card at an ATM (MULTIBANCO) 2. Download the app for free and activate it with your mobile number MB WAY is the only official digital payments app from SIBS, accepted by all major banks in Portugal. How to activate MB WAY pulse? Use MB WAY pulse to make contactless payments through another device: bracelet, key ring or clip for your watch, but with the cards you have associated with MB WAY. You can now make purchases with MB WAY pulse without having to have your smartphone with you. How to activate MB WAY Verified? Joining MB WAY Verified is part of the MB WAY activation process. You can also activate it in the "MAIS - DEFINIÇÕES" menu or during a money transfer. The process is simple: just submit an ID document (ID Card, Passport, or Residence Permit) and complete facial recognition.

About

novobanco

This banking app offers a secure, intuitive, and fast experience that adapts to your needs. It simplifies operations with auto-fill, allows for personalized viewing preferences, and lets you suggest new features. Track account activity, manage cards, and make payments easily.

Highlights
  • Auto-fill for operations
  • Customizable display preferences
  • Suggest new features
  • Account summary and balances
  • Credit card management
  • Mobile payments with Appe Pay
  • Transaction categorization
Features
Read full description

A app do novobanco, para além de segura, intuitiva e rápida, é uma app que aprende consigo e que se vai ajustando a si: • simplifica a forma como faz as operações, com preenchimento automático de dados, para que não perca tempo; • possibilidade de personalizar as suas preferências de visualização, desde a forma como prefere ver a informação, mais gráfica ou textual, até ao tamanho de letra; • E ainda, lhe permite propor novas funcionalidades ou customizações que são essenciais para si. A app do novobanco tem ainda: Um ecrã inicial com o resumo das principais opções; saldos e movimentos das suas Contas; a sua Posição Integrada; os cartões de crédito associados e acesso rápido à opção de carregamentos para que acompanhe a atividade das suas Contas de forma simplificada. Visualização de movimentos de conta para todas as contas associadas com categorização de acordo com o tipo de despesa/receita, incluindo para contas de outros bancos. Menu e uma navegação muito intuitiva, que lhe permite aceder a todas as opções de personalização e de utilização num único ecrã. Com o Appe Pay faça as suas compras de forma fácil, rápida e segura. Realize comodamente pagamentos através do seu iPhone ou Apple Watch. Adicione o seu cartão novobanco à Carteira do seu iPhone. Em caso de dúvida ou sugestões, envie-nos um e-mail para mobile@novobanco.pt

Screenshots

MB WAY4 screens
novobanco4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: novobanco at 4.5 against MB WAY's 2.5. novobanco also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

novobanco holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 66 and 251 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 8% of MB WAY's written reviews are positive against 20% of novobanco's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MB WAY ships an update monthly, novobanco fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MB WAY versus novobanco: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMB WAYnovobanco
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (66 ratings)4.5 (251 ratings) — better
Positive reviews7.7% of reviews20.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings66251 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size233 MB90 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSIBS FPSNovo Banco, S.A

Customer experience

MB WAY

All ratings66 ratings
Positive34.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative60.6%
Written reviews117 reviews
Positive7.7%
Neutral8.5%
Negative83.8%

novobanco

All ratings251 ratings
Positive88.0%
Neutral2.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews55 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral3.6%
Negative76.4%

In-app purchases

None

MB WAY

No in-app purchases

None

novobanco

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MB WAY free?
MB WAY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is novobanco free?
novobanco is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MB WAY or novobanco?
novobanco is rated higher. MB WAY averages 2.5 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while novobanco averages 4.5 from 251 ratings.
Do MB WAY or novobanco have ads?
Neither MB WAY nor novobanco shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MB WAY or novobanco?
MB WAY ships an update monthly, and novobanco fortnightly. Most recently, MB WAY was updated on September 22, 2026 and novobanco on September 4, 2026.

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