Help us explain to the USA - Why Monzo?

Hi Monzo Community!

As you may know already, we’re launching a Beta in the USA, and we need your help.

Tell us, if someone from the US asked you: “So why should I get Monzo?”

What would you say?

Cheers,
Meghan
US Marketing Manager

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Before I used Monzo I feel like I didn’t know where all my money was going and didn’t have a good idea of my finances and spending. Monzo has given me much more control of my money and has completely changed my financial life.

The coral card is cool too :stuck_out_tongue:

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The reasons Monzo works in the UK aren’t entirely relevant in the USA.

Debit card usage is much lower in the US than the UK and features which were new to the UK when Monzo launched were longstanding in the US.

The biggest issue is Monzo is likely unwilling to launch features critical to success in the US, namely Global ATM fee refunds.

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Budgeting. Period.

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A modern bank that actually listens

Because America has to get with the times at some point.

What primarily attracted me to Monzo and what remains the primary reasons I use Monzo are the features that help with spending awareness and budgeting. Namely instant balance updating, transaction enrichment, transaction search, spending analytics, and committed spending.

But these are most useful when you do all or almost all your spending on debit card, and as has been mentioned already isn’t debit card spending a lot lower in the US, which presumably makes these features less desirable?

Also, aren’t there already neo banks in the US that offer these features?

If that is the case, I suppose where Monzo does seem to stand out (from what I can tell) is an apparent greater focus on community and user engagement. So perhaps that should be promoted.

Totally agree with all this. Also:

  • Being able to view your balance after bills (Summary)
  • Monzo.me
  • Everything being real time
  • The service

Will be interesting to see what Monzo have to do to overcome some of the outdated practices still commonplace over there, such as the proliferation of cheques. I know they are already planning to allow people to pay utilities by Monzo sending the cheque, but I think cheque imaging will be key for deposits. That’s one area where the US is ahead* (Chase had it ten years ago).

*If dealing with cheques at all can ever be called progress :wink:

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They introduce new features regularly and respond to feedback

Also they have cool stickers :grin:

It does seem like a drop the ball moment with cheque imaging being put on the back burner by Monzo if people in US tend to use a lot of checks ( cheques dont you know :slight_smile: ) - Is the system in US similar for handling cheques in that you have to register with a cheque clearing type system ??? surely getting your pay check into your account has got to be simple to encourage use.
Sorry to go off topic and raise the ugly head of cheque imaging - last time I used a cheque was …around 2003

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For me Monzo reminds me a bit of those Mac vs PC adds.

Monzo “just works” straight out the box - Monzo tell you everything that is going on with your account when you need to know it, you haven’t got to have a MsC in Mathematics to work out what your actual ‘available balance’ is.

That’s not to say Monzo is the best at everything, and it likely never will be, but for what I need it to do, it is doing a pretty bang up job.

I was going to say some of that (including the translation!), but I imagine the systems are actually quite different, so doing it in the UK probably wouldn’t help much.

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A bank that encourages you to use your money to a plan, and works with you if you do need a helping hand sometime. It’s a bank that has customers not numbers.

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This equivalent probably sums it up the best: https://www.chimebank.com/
Just do copy/paste and all will be good :rofl:

For a new user I’d go with,

  • Instant notifications on spending/payments

  • Pots

  • In-app budgeting tools

  • Control over Scheduled Payments, Standing Orders and Direct Debits* (terminology may differ in US)

  • Card freezing (if card is misplaced or lost)

  • Fantastic support - in-app chat direct to Monzo and a huge community of users ready to help with almost any issue

  • Continual improvement - Monzo always introducing new features and listening to feedback

This is not a thing at all.

You can setup auto pay by card or ACH but this is managed on the vendor side, not bank.

What the US uses is online bill pay which is a bank feature where you manage sending your money to pay the bill. If Monzo has a relationship with the vendor the payment is electronic, otherwise it will post a cheque.

You need to manually input the amount for the bill for variable rate bills.

Bank of America has a very innovative option where it will know the amount of variable rate bills which is amazing.

Auto pay is not hugely popular with many as people budget to pay when they can during the 30 day invoice period.

The main reason I hear people changing banks in the US are:

  • Lowering costs, US banks are known for high fees

  • Moral Reasons/Customer Service, people will join credit unions / building societies etc. for these reasons.

  • Moving, banks are still regional. Interstate banking was only allowed as of late 80’s early 90’s

I’m not sure this is the type of quote that they’re looking for, for their marketing.

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I’ve tried lots of different apps but Monzo’s the only one that’s given me control over my money.

Splitting bills with friends is effortless, the budgeting feature has me saving money for the first time and I love not having to bother with withdrawing cash when I travel abroad.

Using Monzo just makes life easier!

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