Help me find a new current account! ( Need no secure key / Android app )

boxrick

I have just received my mandatory HSBC secure key, however after being with HSBC since my early teens it is now the final blow.

I need a simple login procedure with a username // password without any form of secure key rubbish i transport around.
An Android app for checking my account balances or even transferring money would also be pretty damn useful!

Halifax look ok but they don't seem to have any apps. So anyone have any more suggestions?

Lith

Tough,

all known uk banks will use some '3rd party device'

so no matter what bank you will go with, in the end there all gonna end up using some hardware device.


at the moment

Halifax
TSB (current account) - there business accounts use a secure key
RBS
Metro Bank
First Direct

They don't use any hardware,

Barclays do and nationwide i think?


Try TSB, or if yo really want good customer service go with 'FD'

pmduk

I'm not aware of any banks offering an android app. although there are plenty of apps to record transactions. Monilink, who is the company offering apps for many banks have been promising an android app for ages, but can't give any clue as to when we'll see it.

jen245

I don't understand the need for banking apps. I have an Android phone and can access the full website of my banks on my phone within seconds. As already stated, Halifax and Lloyds don't use card readers for logging in, neither does Natwest/RBS, although the latter use card readers for setting up new payers, and making the first payment to a new payee only.

Lifes_Grand_Plan

Jen summed up what I was thinking... you can get full internet access on your android phone so just login via the browser...

boxrick

Cheers for suggestions, the problem is a website is usually designed with desktop usage in mind. So the icons are usually too small or details often need zooming in on. Apps offer an easy way of accessing these accounts on the move with a specific interface designed for it.

The next best thing I guess would be an online interface which also has a mobile version.

ChiefGrasscutter

Lith wrote: »

Tough,

all known uk banks will use some '3rd party device'

so no matter what bank you will go with, in the end there all gonna end up using some hardware device.

Correct......and it's going to get a lot worse.
Some sort of two factor security authentication is going to be the defacto norm.
In fact the security aspects of mobile banking must be a nightmare for the banks to contemplate.

jen245

boxrick wrote: »

Cheers for suggestions, the problem is a website is usually designed with desktop usage in mind. So the icons are usually too small or details often need zooming in on. Apps offer an easy way of accessing these accounts on the move with a specific interface designed for it.

The next best thing I guess would be an online interface which also has a mobile version.

Depends what phone you have, I can use websites with full functionality on my phone, and in fact some websites are actually easier to use on a mobile. I have a Santander credit card, and my online service is much easier to use, and see, on my mobile than on my PC. I used to have an iphone, and had the Natwest app, but always ended up going onto the webiste because the app was so limited

pramsay13

Smile is the bank I use and uses passwords logging in to check account although uses one of these card readers things for setting up payments etc.
I access the main site on my iphone and it is fine although as you say needs magnified every so often if it is too small to see.
As others have said I think it will be the norm soon for all banks to use a device. I have a nationwide account that is trying to get us to use card reader although you can still use password for the time being although they will obviously phase it out pretty soon.

boxrick

My phone is as good as they get as far as Smart Phones right now are concerned ( Samsung Galaxy S2 ) which has a fantastic large screen with amazing quality however a mobile version of the website or an app is still many times easier to use quickly on the move for checking balances or transferring money. As a really obvious example something like the Pay Pal App.

Simple, works and everything is "big" and designed with a touch interface in mind. Many times better than using the online version of paypal.

I appreciate that this authentication may soon be the "norm" but id like to avoid it as long as humanly possible. Certain banks seem to be using SMS for authentication which seems sensible since i always have my mobile phone on me not a stupid card reader or authentication device. HSBCs implementation is very ill thought out and as a result they are going to lose many customers one of which will be myself.

Gromitt

I see various people posting in FDs "Suggestions and Feedback" pages "Please use some kind of 2 factor authentication like PIN Sentry" so its only a matter of time before they introduce it.

A simple username/password is just too insecure now.