UK Bank with Android balance widget

LokiOfNZ

Anyone know of a UK bank with an Android widget (or one press app) that simply displays the balance of a nominated (or fixed) account without the need to log in?

I just want to budget a bit better this year and want to provide myself with a weekly allowance that I can quickly check, eg at the pub before I decide if I can afford another pint or if its time to go home.

timbstoke

I don't believe there is such a bank - giving an app access to your bank balance without any authentication would open a huge can of regulatory/compliance worms.

If you're providing yourself with a weekly allowance, just withdraw cash and leave the card at home. Then you can check your balance just by opening your wallet. Also, if you only have cash with you, Drunk Loki can't overrule the sensible spending decisions Sober Loki made.

rizla_king

If any did, I would be reporting them to the FCA and ICO.

LokiOfNZ

rizla_king wrote: »

If any did, I would be reporting them to the FCA and ICO.

Why?

I have noticed Nationwide does indeed have something along these lines, if you open their banking app and then click another button beyond that you can flick through your balances. This functionality is opt-in.

But again, why would there be such regulatory resistance to this?

Imagine;
I understand the function of this service and opt-in, perhaps choosing the single account the service is available for (or maybe is fixed to the current account).
My app is issued a huge, unique key which it can then use to poll a service that only has one function; respond with the balance.
Of course if the phone is stolen or lost, whoever has it can see the balance. Or if someone steals the above key (or somehow, highly unlikey, guesses it) they can see the balance.
And do what with it?
I understand some privacy is lost, but if I opted-in and accepted the T&Cs I'm clearly happy to take the risk for the convenience provided.

Perhaps some security could be implemented such that if the balance is toooo big (over £300? over £500? over £1000? £10,000) it would respond with some "error, please log in" error.

I don't see the huge risk or, if I accept the T&Cs the legal issues around this?

@timbstoke yes you're right, all of this CAN be done with cash, EXCEPT, if I lose my wallet I lose all the money. If I lose the phone, I lose ... my secret balance?

Willowpop

Nationwide's app has a quick balance view that you can opt into. You go onto the app, and you can either log in, or press quick balance and it'll show you the balance. If you have a current and a savings account, it also has a quick saver button that allows you to move small amounts to your savings account without logging in too.

EDIT: beaten to it by a minute!!

sentientpoet

...or get yourself You Need A Budget (YNAB).

The phone app links with your budget so you can instantly see how much you have left in any designated (budgeted) spending category.

No need to worry about security (if you really can't be bothered to go through the sign-in procedure - my Lloyds app takes three taps to sign in, then gives me my current available balance updated to the minute) and YNAB has the added benefit of keeping you within budget for the month without having to constantly check your actual bank balance

Barnacles

Hi LokiOfNZ,

Perhaps a better way of doing this would be to set up balance alerts via SMS to your mobile? I know Lloyds do this - so I can just check my mobile to see the balance for the start of the day.

You can also set additional alerts when your balance hits a certain value.

ANDY597

I like an app called Money Dashboard which shows you the spending and balances all in one place with one log in.

I think there might even been (or was) a Quidco deal on as an incentive to sign up.

Lets you add into it most of the UK banks.

Hope this helps

Cheers
A

LokiOfNZ

Moneydashboard; you need to log in, as you say. I'm looking for a simple solution that doesn't require logging in. Unlocking my phone and glancing at a widget is about as far as I want to go.

YNAB; I do use this, but same issue along with the fact you have to manually enter transactions or at least upload statements/exports. Again not quite right.

@Barnacles, text balance alerts might be a good starter I suppose. Not totally ideal though.

I have seen some Aussie banks have a widget such as I'm looking for but it seems that Nationwide one is the closest but not quite the cigar. I do know its been mentioned to Barclays, who have been reasonably good at updating their mobile app over the last year or so. Guess I'll just have to keep pestering them.

ReadingTim

HSBC has an app called fast balance which does that, although you do have to log in.

However, (on the iOS version anyway), the login is numerical, ie via a phone style keypad, rather than the full qwerty keyboard with an uppercase lowercase letter and number type password combination, so it's quicker to login to see if you should have that extra pint or not....