# Essential CU vs MyPelican

The clearest difference is monetization model: MyPelican at free against Essential CU's free with in-app purchases. MyPelican also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Essential CU's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 58%). On price, rating, ratings volume 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 — 4.8 for Essential CU against 4.8 for MyPelican. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.5K and 12K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Essential CU's written reviews are positive against 58% of MyPelican's.

Essential CU ships an update every 3 months, MyPelican monthly. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential CU | MyPelican |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-cu/id953483907/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mypelican/id1579923157/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4.5K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **81.7% of reviews** | 58.0% 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 | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Essential Credit Union](https://appshunter.io/developer/875874546) | [Pelican Credit Union](https://appshunter.io/developer/512523360) |

## 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


### MyPelican

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mypelican/id1579923157)

Manage your finances with this comprehensive banking app. View accounts, loans, and credit cards, deposit checks, and transfer money. Features include budgeting tools, bill pay, and card management.

**Highlights:** View accounts, loans, and credit cards, Mobile check deposit, Send and receive money with Zelle, Budgeting and net worth analysis, Apply for new accounts and loans, Bill pay and money transfers, Card management (on/off, reorder)

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent service and commitment
- 👍 Family culture and local vibes
- 🚀 Fast transactions
- 👍 User-friendly mobile app
- 👍 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and login issues
- 🐛 Errors with account balance updates
- 🐛 Zelle function not available
- 🐛 ATM issues
- 👎 Confusing account management

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- App crashes on update
- Account data loss

**Requested features**

- Checking account default option
- Dark mode
- Advanced analytics dashboard


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential CU free?

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

### Is MyPelican free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Essential CU or MyPelican?

MyPelican is rated higher. Essential CU averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while MyPelican averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do Essential CU or MyPelican have ads?

Neither Essential CU nor MyPelican shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essential CU or MyPelican?

Essential CU ships an update every 3 months, and MyPelican monthly. Most recently, Essential CU was updated on October 26, 2026 and MyPelican on October 26, 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.*