Instant app notifications for both debit and credit cards? Only Natwest?

SouthLondonUser

Is there a bank which sends instant app notifications for every expense on both debit and credit cards? Is Natwest the only one? Does it work?

Ideally, I'd like:

• the same app to check both the bank account and the credit card
• a traditional bank because I have heard horror stories about making large payments (house deposits, moving savings around, etc) with Monzo and the other challenger banks
• instant push notifications via the Android app. This is useful to check fraud but also to remind myself of subscriptions and other recurring payments

I pay my credit card balance in full every month so I don't really care how much the interest rate on the credit card is.

I have read the MSE article https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/digital-banking/ saying that Barclays and Lloyds are the best apps by traditional banks.

I have opened a Barclays account, but the instant notifications for the bank account don't work and there are none for the credit  card. Lloyds sends notifications for the bank account but not the credit card.

Before I try Natwest, I'd like to hear the experience of actual customers.

I understand there are already posts about this, but I couldn't find any which specifically answers these questions about Natwest.

I have found others, eg

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6367144/banking-app-notifications-on-of-off

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6263781/hsbc-app-notifications-money-in-and-out

I ignored older threads as features may have changed over the years.

Based on that discussion and other online searches:

many people complain that Halifax and HSBC notifications don't work well

Tesco and Amex offer instant notifications, but only for credit cards, there are no bank accounts (and I don't want an Amex as too many places don't accept it).

The only one I have found which should send notifications for both is NatWest: https://www.natwest.com/banking-with-natwest/how-to/transaction-notifications.html

Thanks!

MovingForwards

NW and RBS are almost instantaneous.

Most times it's before I've finished packing my shopping, closed the website I've purchased from or closed the app if it's a transfer to another account. 

Occasionally it's 2 - 5 minutes later.

Doesn't matter whether it's debit or credit card, provided notifications are set to on.

SouthLondonUser

@MovingForwards , thanks! Which do you have - Natwest or RBS? I know they are part of the same group, but do you know if the app is the same?

And do you have an Iphone or Android?

The MSE page says that RBS doesn't have instant notifications but they must have made a mistake: https://www.rbs.co.uk/banking-with-royal-bank-of-scotland/how-to/transaction-notifications.html

How's your experience with them in general (not just with respect to notifications) - would you recommend I switch?

400ixl

This approach is putting all your eggs in one basket. What happens if that bank / app has any issues on a particular day. Or will you be carrying other cards as well for those emergency moments?

Personally I would want to be across 2 banks and preferably across two payment processors (Visa / Mastercard / Amex).

SouthLondonUser

No, it's not all my eggs.

I do carry another  card just in case. Out of curiosity, how many cards do you typically carry?

Also, to put things in context, over the last few years these issues must have happened no more than a couple of times, always due to the wear of the card (so having debit and credit card from different institutions would not have helped).

[Deleted User]

400ixl said:

This approach is putting all your eggs in one basket. What happens if that bank / app has any issues on a particular day. Or will you be carrying other cards as well for those emergency moments?

Personally I would want to be across 2 banks and preferably across two payment processors (Visa / Mastercard / Amex).

Olde fashioned cash and Google Pay / Apple Pay work too

SouthLondonUser

Good point about Google /  Apple pay. As for old fashioned cash, more and more places don't accept it any more

MovingForwards

@SouthLondonUser I've got both!

I only recently opened the RBS one to have another digital saver (only allowed one per bank) and I use the current account to hold my wages until bill time or paying my course fees, then I move the money back to NW ready for the DD's to come flying out.

The NW app is faster to open, the RBS one always seems to take a few seconds to load. They both function the same and the RBS one is a lighter colour when in it.

I've paid cheques in almost since that function appeared in the app and never had any issues.

There are restrictions on the amount of money / transactions that can be done in a 24h period, which rarely catch me out unless I've had a larger wage and I'm sending money to various accounts and then I just finish the stragglers the next day.

In app authorisation of transactions, again a little sign appears at the top of my phone, drag it down and key in my number and it goes through ok.

They list financial options like loans, overdraft, CC, mortgage etc and indicate may, likely and highly likely so you know whether you stand a chance of getting it before applying. With loans and the O/D it also tells you the amount they'd consider giving you. I've only ever used it with the CC and 'likely' saw me being rejected, 5 months later 'highly likely' was an instant approval.

There's biometric log in etc.

It's an android phone I've got.

Never had any problems with NW and been with them for nearly a decade. I have the account where it costs £2pm but gives me cashback at different places, they update it quite often, and they pay me £5pm for using the app and having 2 DD's etc. I effectively make £3pm for doing what I normally would anyway.

They've currently got a switch offer, think it's £175.

I've a current account with a different bank, it gives me a weekly update on my balance by way of a little notification on my phone, but I couldn't say if it does anything more like NW/RBS do as it's just to store money for emergencies.

400ixl

Deleted_User said:

Olde fashioned cash and Google Pay / Apple Pay work too

So what is Google / Apple Pay if it is not just a virtual version of those physical cards? So the same principle applies, you need to have more than 1 bank and coverage across payment processors.

They OP has answered with they will carry other cards (which could also be virtualised into a wallet) which shows they will have a backup which is good, but was not clear in the first post which sounded like they were trying to consolidate down to 1 bank which would not be the best idea. But as this is just for the main card that is fine.

As for cash, yes you could, but its all extra funds that you have to carry and are then outside of your banking.

As to the OP's question on what do I have.

I have 3 debit cards across 3 banks and 2 credit cards over 2 different banks and these are a combination of Visa and Mastercard. They are all virtualised in a digital wallet so they are all with me. Typically I may carry one debit and credit card with me if I believe I may not be able to use the digital version. Cash wise it would be very minimal, enough to cover small use if the cards could not be used for some reason. 

I also make sure the cards I have will cover different situation like foreign travel, so at least one of each is fee free Forex spot rate and free ATM withdrawals (in most countries I visit).

The OP can discount First Direct as despite having a decent app for a traditional bank it does not do the instant payment notifications. Neither from memory does Halifax.

As for the challenger banks, I have had not issues with Starling (but I don't believe they do a credit card option) and have made large transfers in and out with no issues. Chase UK again don't do credit cards on their banking app as a I know, and they do not support CHAPS and have some limits on what you can transfer per day, so probably not one to consider against the requirement. Can't comment on other challengers, but I wouldn't discount them without checking.

Astria

400ixl said:

Personally I would want to be across 2 banks and preferably across two payment processors (Visa / Mastercard / Amex).

That would be ideal and worked well when the Mastercard system was down and I still had my Visa card.

Unfortunately most banks have now moved away from Visa due to fees on Mastercards being less. Apart from cards which have not expired yet, I've yet to find banks handing out Visa cards anymore. My Visa was actually replaced with a Mastercard recently.

But for the op, I use a combination of Chase (online spending and shops), Revolut (subscriptions), and Curve attached to a Barclaycard (for credit purchases). Which appears to work well. They are all on my phone, but I do have 2 of the physical cards too, in case Google Pay goes down.

SouthLondonUser

@400ixl Can I ask you what the process was like with Starling to authorise large payments? Can you do it in advance? One of the issues with Monzo seems to be that you can only do it on the day, so you are at the mercy of the delays of the team processing your request.