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The best apps are the ones that seem like they’re not even there. They let you go about your business in a smooth and seamless way that seems to create an experience devoid of technology. Nowhere is that more important than when it comes to managing your money. With so much on the line, you need to be able to oversee and direct your finances with confidence, security, and simplicity.
Most major banks today offer some degree of mobile banking, including TD Bank and CIBC. But since switching to Tangerine mobile banking last year, I haven’t looked back. Using the Tangerine app is an intuitive process that takes you through complex functions with incredible ease. Here are five reasons why I can’t put down the Tangerine app:
- It makes banking easy. As someone who has always seen managing her money as the bane of her existence, I can’t believe how frequently I open the Tangerine app. I used to dread having to go into my old bank, but now I’m on my Tangerine app almost on a daily basis. That’s because it makes the banking process fun. You can open accounts and move money between them so easily it makes some other banks’ processes look archaic. I was able to open a total of five chequing, savings, and investment accounts within mere minutes and without having to talk to a single bank representative.Compare that to my experience trying to close down accounts at my old bank (one of the “Big Five”), which, not only didn’t allow me to close anything online, but made me call different departments of the bank depending on the type of account I was trying to close. A few other perks of the Tangerine app include being able to set up goals, see how much you’ve earned in interest since becoming a Tangerine client, and send a unique “Orange Key” to invite your friends to become clients in exchange for a $50 bonus.
- I can bank in confidence. Tangerine is owned by Scotiabank, which gives it credibility and a financial history that reassures. But more than that, the Tangerine mobile app has layers of security that not only provide multiple points of protection, but do so in a way that doesn’t seem cumbersome. You log in with a simple 6-digit code, but as an added step for security, once you want to make a transaction on your iPhone, the app requests your Touch ID. The thumbprint is a welcome – and pain-free – extra touch. The best part is you can also tailor your security settings to your preferences. Now, every time a withdrawal is made, I get an email alert – even if it’s just moving money from one account to another. If you’re the extra cautious type, you can schedule an alert for just about every feature there is on offer.
- The customer service is top notch. When I first transitioned my finances to Tangerine, it goes without saying that I had a few questions. After all, I’d never been with a “bankless” bank before. The easy ‘Chat with us’ feature let me have conversations with Tangerine agents right from inside the app. There was no need to call anyone, no need to pass any security questions (I was already logged in to the app), and rarely any need to wait in line. A customer service representative was always available within moments to resolve my question in record time.
- Depositing money is a breeze. Tangerine may not be the only bank that offers you the ability to deposit your cheques by taking a picture of them, but it was definitely one of the first. And, it’s perfected the model. You simply line up the front and the back of the cheque in the rectangular box that appears on your screen and snap a picture. The app also offers an auto mode that takes the picture for you, but this tends to come back blurry since I’m never ready. No longer do you have to go to the bank or ATM to ensure your money gets deposited. Your cheque goes from your mobile phone to your account in mere seconds. There can be a clearing time but I’ve never waited more than two days to see my money appear.
- The back end stands up. I can imagine few scarier things than a banking app crashing. I would immediately go into panic mode and wonder if the bank itself has crashed – and taken my money along with it. Since I’ve been using the Tangerine app, I’ve never had any technical glitches. It loads quickly, bringing up the login screen in seconds. It allows me to move quickly back and forth between different functions without getting stuck. Not to mention the app is also easy on the eyes. There’s something about the orange colour scheme used in the design that I find soothing.
Since downloading the Tangerine app, I’ve saved countless hours in line and on the phone with other banks. I’ve also happened to make slightly more money (not a bad trade for a free app). If mobile banking is the wave of the future, then Tangerine is the one to beat.
