Revolut user very disappointed with Monzo

After beeing in the waiting list for over a week, I was very exited to have a Monzo account.

Until I opened the app… Beeing a Revolut user I was so disappointed with the lack of options in Monzo…

Immediately went to ATM and withdraw my 100 quid.

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What were you expecting to see?

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Assume you have the Android app? The iOS app has so much more functionality as so far ahead in development. However they have pledged to narrow the gap.

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After having to wait and also having to top up 100 quid before I could even view the app I expected to see a bit more than I did…

Password Protected app,
Being able to transfer to IBAN"s
Card options
Auto top up
Being able to edit account details
in app FAQ and not only on line conversation option
Logout option…

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So that’s a list of options that you don’t have in the Monzo app but they’re not necessarily the most important features that you would use.

What features were you looking for from Monzo (that may or may not be missing) & how would you use them?

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I’m more happy with revolut layout on android rather than monzo. I think monzo need to add a tab under spending for the months

If revolut can do it, surely monzo can? :credit_card::tada:

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That’ll come when we become a full bank later this year

Magswipe settings already exist on the Android beta channel - they’re be made for everyone soon *

Already done for beta users on Android, will be made for everyone soon *

This is possible using standing orders

Coming soon, do this via chat for now (it’s still easy)

Fair enough

This is planned

I’m not sure what you mean by this, please may you share a screenshot?


You can sign up for beta testing on the google play store page. This allows you to receive updates sooner than normal. When an update is being released, it is first uploaded to the beta testing section and if there are no bugs (or after bug testing) it is uploaded for everyone. This is usually a week later.

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Something like this rather than having to scroll through the months on monzo. :credit_card:

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That doesn’t conform to Material Design. Something other than than tabs should be used for that

Although it doesn’t matter that much

Does the app need to conform to material design?

Even huge apps don’t bother. Spotify for example.

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No, the app doesn’t have to conform to Material Design and for certain large brands with large UI and UX teams or specific niche products they feel it’s better to have their own custom UI.

Monzo, however, have made a decision to stick by design best-practise on the relevant platforms they’re developing for (iOS and Android). It makes sense when you’re a small-fry to not try and reinvent the wheel and assume you can do a better job than Cupertino/Mountain View and the vast amount of research they’ve already done on the subject.

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As a previous user of Revolut, I expected Monzo to have similar features, but it doesn’t have the following, which I find really useful:

  • change PIN via app. I was surprised to get an SMS telling me to visit an ATM
  • check PIN via app
  • enable/disable location based security
  • enable/disable magstripe payments
  • enable/disable contactless payments
  • enable/disable ATM withdrawals
  • enable/disable e-commerce transactions

A couple more wider features missing when compared to Revolut

  • passcode on app. this is access to my money, after all
  • ability to have virtual cards for use online
  • ability to transfer money out of Monzo back to my current account

However, I primarily use Revolut for travel due to the great multi currency support.

What I wanted Monzo for was budgeting my day to day spending so any improvements in that area (on Android) would be great!

Hey Mk I’ve moved your post here as it follows on nicely from this earlier discussion.

Obviously I’m keen not to see Monzo develop lots of settings with little actual (as oppposed to placebo / nice to have, benefit) so I’d be keen to hear how you use those settings & why.

Virtual cards would be awesome & are on the way for Monzo users. As are transfers out of the account (withdraw cash for now) when the current accounts launch.

The Android app does need some work but targets & fingerprint protection for the app is on the way, while Monzo works to get to parity with the iOS app :tada:

It’s going to be a while before you see multi currency support so it’s cool that you can use Revolut for that in the meantime!

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Thanks @alexs! Absolutely, no point in wasting your time when there are so many exciting possibilities!

Ok, so a little more detail on how much I’ve used those features:

  • change PIN via app - I hardly ever go to an ATM. This saves a job. One time this was very useful was when I lent my card to my wife and she called because she’d forgotten the PIN. I said well, you pick one you’ll remember and changed it immediately for her. Incredible.
  • location based security - makes me feel a bit safer but also a bit worried it will not know where I am when I have no data and block me, so mixed feelings I guess
  • enable/disable magstripe - don’t care that much I guess. I assume this is a common scammer method?
  • Contactless - Many of my cards are contactless and I try to only carry one at a time so that I don’t have to remove it from my wallet every time I take the tube/pay for something. This means Monzo has to have proven its worth to be better than all my other cards to be worth carrying. Otherwise, I’d just carry it as a non contactless and use it for most of my chip and pin spending.
  • enable/disable ATM withdrawals - don’t care that much I guess
  • enable/disable e-commerce - I suppose with virtual cards this becomes less useful (depending on their limitations), but generally I leave this disabled as a security thing but not that bothered.
  • Security code to access the app is something I have on all my other banking/credit card apps to protect my money. Can live without it, but also doesn’t seem like a huge feature to implement.

So top feature requests:

  • change/check PIN
  • enable/disable contactless

Great to hear some of this is already on the way! Shame Android has so much catching up to do but it seems to be doing so quickly!

My main use case is insight into my spending - that’s the sole reason I have a card right now (it has to be worth more to me than the rewards I’d otherwise get with AmEx/Visa).

I don’t actually mind having my holiday spending separate from my day-to-day so I think I’d probably keep Revolut around for that anyway. However, I’d like to make Monzo my “daily driver”.

Just want to give feedback to help. I’ve only had the card for a day or so, so only first impressions really. I think we’ve all had bad experiences with the big banks so I’m keen to help anyone that can level the playing field a little.

Hope that helps clarify

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of all those on your list, the magstrip option you don’t worry about is the most useful and regularly used by thousands of Monzo users when travelling abroad. In certain regions ATMs do not work with the card chip and depend on the magstrip. Magstrip is also the most vunerable part of a card and used for fraud hence some banks turning off the strip to reduce fraud. With the magstrip on/off option it enables travellers to turn on the strip to enable use of a local ATM.

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I don’t want yet another security code on entry to the app - I have security on my phone and use it. I’d much rather the app requested additional verification when doing something out of the ordinary or for large sums.

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I would rather have a PIN when opening the app or taking it out of sleep or background modes and not the hassle of extra verification when doing a transaction even if it is higher value.

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That’s exactly what I don’t want!

I use revolut and it’s tedious having to verify every time I open the app.

My phone spends its time locked - I have to verify to unlock it - why do I want to verify a second later to open an app?

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I guess a passcode could be optional? I can see some being more comfortable having one.

FWIW I think some people would like to have a separate code because they may allow someone to borrow their phone but want important things like money protected. E.g. my friends often let their kids play on their phones. They may accidentally send messages etc but at least not transfer all their money away!

Interesting about the magstripe. Thanks. I saw that Monzo allows it to be disabled for ATMs only, I wonder why the distinction.

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ATMs are far more risky than general merchants because they’re handing cash out. You can’t really chargeback an ATM!

In general, it’s a risk game that banks have to play. Balancing support for older, less secure technologies with keeping things secure enough to not lose too much money to fraud. In this case, magstripe ATMs seem to have crossed that line to where they need to be enabled manually when required, rather than making the user go and disable what they don’t need.

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