# Essential CU vs PB Mobile Banking

The clearest difference is monetization model: PB Mobile Banking at free against Essential CU's free with in-app purchases. PB Mobile Banking also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Essential CU's advantage is ratings volume (4.5K vs 49) and review sentiment (82% vs 67%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 4.7 for PB Mobile Banking. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essential CU has 4.5K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Essential CU's written reviews are positive against 67% of PB Mobile Banking's.

Essential CU ships an update every 3 months, PB Mobile Banking monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential CU | PB Mobile Banking |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-cu/id953483907/reviews)** | [4.7 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pb-mobile-banking/id958935858/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.5K** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | **81.7% of reviews** | 66.7% 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 | 148 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) | [Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/958935857) |

## 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


### PB Mobile Banking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pb-mobile-banking/id958935858)

Manage your finances conveniently from your mobile device. Check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, and deposit checks securely. Access your accounts anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Check account balances, Search recent transactions, Transfer funds between accounts, Schedule one-time bill payments, Deposit checks remotely, Find bank locations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, 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 PB Mobile Banking free?

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

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

Essential CU is rated higher. Essential CU averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while PB Mobile Banking averages 4.7 from 49 ratings.

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

Neither Essential CU nor PB Mobile Banking shows ads.

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

Essential CU ships an update every 3 months, and PB Mobile Banking monthly. Most recently, Essential CU was updated on October 20, 2026 and PB Mobile Banking on October 13, 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.*