# Essential CU vs ABT Mobile Banking

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Essential CU at 82% against ABT Mobile Banking's 33%. Essential CU also leads on ratings volume (4.5K vs 62) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). ABT Mobile Banking's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Essential CU holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essential CU has 4.5K ratings behind it against 62, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Essential CU's written reviews are positive against 33% of ABT Mobile Banking's.

Essential CU ships an update every 3 months, ABT Mobile Banking monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential CU | ABT Mobile Banking |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-cu/id953483907/reviews)** | [4.6 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abt-mobile-banking/id1250495533/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.5K** | 62 |
| Positive reviews | **81.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 114 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Essential Credit Union](https://appshunter.io/developer/875874546) | [Anthem Bank & Trust](https://appshunter.io/developer/1250495532) |

## What reviewers say

### Essential CU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-cu/id953483907)

Manage your credit union accounts conveniently from your mobile device. Access account information, transfer funds, pay bills, and deposit checks on the go. Easily locate ATMs and branches with this secure and user-friendly application.

**Highlights:** Check account balances, View transaction history, Transfer funds, Pay bills, Send money to contacts, Deposit checks, Find ATMs and branches

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and easy to use
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Useful features like check deposit
- 🔒 Secure with Touch ID login

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and technical issues
- ⚠️ Unreliable account access and information
- 💤 Outdated and frustrating interface
- 🤯 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Account information not displaying correctly
- Deposit issues and delays
- Compatibility problems with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to lock debit card
- Faster credit card payment updates
- More account management features
- Apple Pay integration


### ABT Mobile Banking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abt-mobile-banking/id1250495533)

Manage your finances conveniently from your mobile device. Check account balances, transfer funds between accounts, pay bills, and deposit checks with ease. This app is designed for Anthem Bank & Trust consumer online banking customers.

**Highlights:** Check account balances, Search recent transactions, Transfer funds between accounts, Schedule one-time bill payments, Deposit checks on the go

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential CU free?

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

### Is ABT Mobile Banking free?

ABT Mobile Banking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Essential CU or ABT Mobile Banking?

Essential CU is rated higher. Essential CU averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while ABT Mobile Banking averages 4.6 from 62 ratings.

### Do Essential CU or ABT Mobile Banking have ads?

Neither Essential CU nor ABT Mobile Banking shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essential CU or ABT Mobile Banking?

Essential CU ships an update every 3 months, and ABT Mobile Banking monthly. Most recently, Essential CU was updated on October 20, 2026 and ABT Mobile Banking on October 21, 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.*