Leaving First Direct Due to Two Factor Auth Fail (Secure Key) Who Is Better?

mcompton69

I persevered with First Direct after they moved to the card machine, then they finally saw sense and used a phone app, but the way they have implemented it is a total joke, it is hugely difficult, intensely frustrating, and this is coming from someone who has a number of Microsoft qualifications and has worked in IT for a decade!!!

I really feel sorry for the elderly or mentally impaired people who would normally have been able to benefit from the online facilities like everyone else, but who are now excluded.

The failure stems around having to repeatedly input the same password, despite being authenticated on the app, as well as coming up with new and confusing names for the new multiple passwords they have invented for this process.... I could go on but most people will not be interested!!!

So my questions are...

I am forced to having a Barclays joint account, and the Barclays App and TFA implementation is great I think. But there is no mention of Barclays on the list of current accounts on MSE - Why is this?

Are the Santander or TSB apps any good can anyone tell me? Specifically around sending payments?

Thanks for reading

agrinnall

Most of us wouldn't primarily rate an account on the App that a bank provides to access it as that's really a very minor consideration. If it's your main focus then the chances are you could end up with a good App and a rubbish account. I can't answer about which Apps are good as I don't trust or use any of them.

Herbalus

I use all the apps for most high street accounts, First Direct included. I can't say any of them don't serve their purpose, so I'm fine with all of them. Santander doesn't show direct debits, TSB does. But as for main functionality there's not much difference between them so my rankings are pretty much down to aesthetics and colour scheme, so very personal.

I don't see what problem you have with First Direct app as I get on with it just fine. It's remarkably similar to HSBC app and HSBC business banking app, and as with all technology, it is constantly being updated, so in my view it's perhaps a bit premature to change banks just because of that, but hey, you have your opinion and I have mine!

Archi_Bald

mcompton69 wrote: »

....it is a total joke, it is hugely difficult, intensely frustrating, and this is coming from someone who has a number of Microsoft qualifications and has worked in IT for a decade!!!

I think you are exaggerating as even for a non-IT person the two-factor authentication for FD is anything but "hugely difficult". Not sure why you claim the elderly or mentally impaired are now excluded from banking with FD, as anybody who doesn't want to use the app or online banking can use the legendary FD telephone banking.

mcompton69 wrote: »

But there is no mention of Barclays on the list of current accounts on MSE - Why is this?

probably because Barclays current accounts have very few benefits, compared with several other accounts. But if you think it is great for your requirements, why search any further?

zerog

The desktop websites for all my banks display perfectly fine on my phone(s) of varying sizes, so I've never felt the need to use a special "app" for each bank. When my eyesight declines in several decades I expect better solutions to be available.

henm2

I believe the FD app is similar to the HSBC app. The HSBC phone app is very easy to use. I have not found any difficulty with it at all.

colsten

Sounds like a case of trying to find a reason to bag the leaving bonus.

lee111s

No issues at all with the FD banking app here...

mcompton69

agrinnall wrote: »

Most of us wouldn't primarily rate an account on the App that a bank provides to access it as that's really a very minor consideration. If it's your main focus then the chances are you could end up with a good App and a rubbish account. I can't answer about which Apps are good as I don't trust or use any of them.

So if you have nothing to add to the discussion, why did you reply at all? Unhelpful.

mcompton69

zerog wrote: »

The desktop websites for all my banks display perfectly fine on my phone(s) of varying sizes, so I've never felt the need to use a special "app" for each bank. When my eyesight declines in several decades I expect better solutions to be available.

Must be different for other bank accounts, but FD customers cannot transfer money without generating a code using the banking app, so its rammed down your through unless you want to phone someone.

colsten

mcompton69 wrote: »

so its rammed down your through unless you want to phone someone.

Could you translate this, please?