I got a text message from fd after submitting my application last year. Message read “Thanks for your recent application to join first direct: we’re so happy to welcome you! You can access your account via our App or Online Banking straight away. Your welcome letter, card and PIN will be with you in the next 5-7 working days.”
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Sounds like they’re getting better then. 
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When I took out a loan with first direct I digitally signed the application online and the money was in my account in 10 minutes 
(about ten years ago)
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I can see an option to make an easy in-app application for a personal loan, yet to open a standard (not regular saver) savings account you have to call them.
It’s all very hit and miss!
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I’m applying to remortgage my flat next week and it looks like first direct are offering the best rate for me at the moment.
Will be interesting how their mortgage application process stacks up!
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Thanks, that is kinda what I was expecting from fd. Luckily I am starting the remortgage process around 6 months prior to my current fixed rate expiring, so can cope with a few delays!
Though my valuation (for Help to Buy purposes) has just come through and is higher than I expected, meaning Lloyds and Natwest are now cheapest (different LTV band). So I may not get to experience the fd mortgage process after all. Will see what the rates are like next week.
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Does anyone have insights working? Mine gives me the run down of what it is, but it’s not visible anywhere to me?
Unless you have to spend a lot to see it?
Don’t think it’s working for me either. I have it enabled in settings but don’t see a button to view insights anywhere. Most of my spending is through CC so maybe I don’t have enough data from my current account.
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I reached out and this is the response I got 
Spending Insights is a new money management tool we’ll be fully rolling out in our App soon, where you’ll be able to see personalised information about your spending and monitor your money in different ways
In the meantime, you can start adding your own labels to transactions eg ‘home’, 'holiday’, ‘wedding’, ‘rainy day’ etc (just select one and use the ‘Tags’ option on the ‘Transaction details’ screen) and when Insights launches, this will help give you a new way to understand your money
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Finally, it took them some time to do that. Might tempt me back to FD at this rate…
Looks like a phased rollout 
I’d like actual balance on the home screen, transaction notifications of any activity in/out, in a decent format, not spaced out like HSBC as looks tacky.
The option to open a second account within the app - I hate talking on the phone (work excluded).
Insights could be good if implemented correctly.
Maybe their push for new customers is for funding to become a more competitive challenger?
Though without the above, they are missing out.
Transaction notifications has been coming soon for a long time.
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I got virtually the same response from fd the other day when I contacted them about a similar thing.
I’m not sure they quite grasped what I was asking as my query was more related to wanting to see the transaction type on the app, e.g. DD, Faster Payment, Card payment. Similar to what they show on the actual PDF statements.
This is what they said to me:
"I hope you’re doing well.
We’re currently working on a new money management tool which we’ll be fully rolling out in our App soon.
Although it isn’t 100% ready yet, in the meantime you can start adding your own labels to transactions eg ‘home’, 'holiday’, ‘wedding’, ‘rainy day’ etc (just select one and use the ‘Tags’ option on the ‘Transaction details’ screen) and when Insights launches, this will help give you a new way to understand your money.
I’m really sorry if this was confusing – what you’ve seen is just the start so keep your eye out each time you log on for our latest updates."
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I keep meaning to open a FD account, does anyone use it for their main account?
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I would like to go back to using FD as my main account.
For me though, I’d probably like to see the same things that @Carlo1460 mentioned above before I took the plunge.
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There’s zero innovation at first direct. You’d get more at HSBC. I honestly think fd is adrift, not even any longer able to say it’s the best for customer service.
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I really want to, I do like the app design, dark mode would be lovely, basically swap the black and white 
And those points as above, would make it perfect.
Customer service have been great, and efficient for the most part.
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I use first direct as my main bank account and can’t complain. For me, the novelty of the bells and whistles attached to challenger banks’ current accounts wore off after a couple years (that said, I still keep an eye on developments ). I joined FD for a switching bonus a little over a year ago and found myself content with their offerings so far. Tbh, what I value most is feeling secure that if I need help with something urgent, it will be easy to call them. And someone will pick up pretty quick and direct me to where ever I need to be (that is my experience so far anyway). I can honestly say I’ve never left an interaction with customer service dissatisfied and I value that a lot.
I opened a second account over the phone. It was painless (for me anyway)! 
Would I like instant spend notifications? Sure! Do I miss them compared to when I used Monzo as my main bank. I actually don’t. But of course, individual desires/wants/etc., will determine your satisfaction with any bank, which will change and evolve over time.
I have also found (based on one interaction) that they are more hands on and less “algorithm” dependent with lending. For example, I asked for a credit card limit increase which wasn’t automatically approved over the phone. Someone scheduled a call back, asked me a few questions, manually reviewed my credit file, and granted it. This could have been a negative experience if it went the other way of course but for me another positive.
But yes, something new and 
fresh would restore faith that innovation is happening. For me, do I want innovation right now? Tbh, I want good savings rates at the moment and I’m a fan of their regular saver product.
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I’m using it a little more at the minute. Been tagging stuff too hoping that triggers the insights thing but I’ll just wait it out.
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As others have mentioned, everything that is in their “coming soon” has been coming soon for over a year - and no features have launched during the last year either.
They cripple their app on iOS betas (because it’s HSBC), their processes are very manual (because many of them don’t seem to have changed since they launched in 1989) and you are required to call them for a lot of things which is just annoying.
Added to that, their app is very mediocre (at best) given all the features it doesn’t have compared to other banks and there is little excuse for this with them supposedly being a direct-focused challenger bank. Inexplicably, they even have fewer features in the app than HSBC. The crown is certainly slipping with service too as it’s now Monzo and Starling that regularly top the IPSOS Mori survey and not First Direct.
TL;DR They basically have no unique selling points now and seem to have stagnated, I think they need a serious rethink and change of strategy.
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For me this is a shame, I really like the FD app but there are some fundamental (for me anyway) things missing from it. Mainly instant balance on the Home Screen, transactions posting when they happened and spending notifications.
Sad times for a bank that, at one stage, was going to be the “challenger” arm of HSBC and compete with Monzo.
Sadly, I have to agree. Much like the government at the moment, it all feels a little “zombie”
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