The Big 2023 Poll: Wishes and Predictions!

So it’s 2023, and what’s a better way to start than with a Big Poll?!

Over here, I offered some of my predictions for the year ahead, but more importantly it’s time to find out what the community wants from Monzo in 2023… and what we think might actually happen in Monzo World!

As per last year, two sets of polls for our collective delight:

  • firstly to find out what the Community wants from Monzo in 2023. :pray:
  • then to see what we actually think will happen. :crystal_ball:

I’ve based the options on previous Big Polls, ideas posted on the forum and the wiki we had to crowdsource ideas for the Christmas Big Poll (now a New Year poll, obvs). The first poll is much more about the product, the second one includes corporate and business updates, too!

And this year, I’ve had a go at dividing into Monzo global features (shared by UK/US), then specific features for each market.

Ready, set, happy new poll! :bar_chart:


First up: What Do You Want from Monzo in 2023?

Monzo Global! :globe_with_meridians:
  • A modern, responsive HTML web interface.
  • Act as a mortgage intermediary
  • Add notes to Monzo.Me transactions (available on Android but not iOS)
  • Add notes to recurring transactions and direct debits automatically
  • Alerts when promotional periods are ending (e.g. fixed rates in mortgages, 0% credit cards)
  • An undo button! (In case you accidentally change all your categories or delete transaction notes)
  • Automatic Get Paid Early (UK)
  • Automatic salary sorter (i.e you don’t have to tap to sort your salary into pots).
  • Automatically categorise spend when abroad as holidays, expenses or as normal (available on iOS but not Android).
  • Automatically send money to external savings accounts on triggers (e.g. end of month sweep, when salary is paid in etc).
  • Budget by category in Trends
  • Bulk change faster payment (UK) / ACH (US) transaction categories
  • Category for investments
  • Change categories, add notes, split bill, add to tabs upcoming Monzo payments.
  • Child accounts
  • Connect to APIs to show the current value of your property and (with connected mortgages) how much equity you have in it
  • Connected accounts for joint accounts
  • Connected crowdfunding platforms (and let you see your Monzo shares in Monzo!)
  • Connected loans (using the same approach as for mortgages)
  • Create and save filters so you can see a subset of your feed easily.
  • Credit Card Pots (when you spend on a linked credit card, stash that money in a pot)
  • Debt tracker: log your debt in Monzo and develop a plan to pay it down
  • Direct pot to pot transfers
  • Enter receipt details manually
  • Enter/see your interest rate for connected credit cards, savings and mortgages
  • Exclude transactions from Targets
  • Four weekly/28 day/13 times yearly pay/budgeting periods
  • Garmin Pay!
  • Google Sheets export for joint accounts
  • Google Sheets export for connected accounts
  • Google Sheets export for Flex
  • Google Sheets export for Pots (e.g. virtual card payments directly from pots)
  • Harmonise how expense category transactions are shown on Android and iOS
  • Have personal merchant names/logos (for your account only, so you can group, change and update immediately)
  • Hide connected accounts (available on Android but not on iOS)
  • Higher (or no!) limit on the number of custom categories you can have.
  • Instant withdrawals from savings pots
  • Introduce price-comparison tools and sign up for credit cards, loans, utilities and other products
  • Keep data for closed connected accounts.
  • Left to spend / account balance in notifications
  • Let us filter whether or not we want to see upcoming payments in the feed.
  • Long-term financial goal tracker
  • Manual connected accounts
  • Manually import old account data to see in Trends
  • Merchant or category block
  • More sophisticated pay period calculations (e.g. pay date is the last but one working day; every second Tuesday etc) that take account of Get Paid Early
  • Multi device support (use Monzo on more than one iOS or Android device)
  • Native international transfers (in and out, inc IBAN)
  • Native Monzo savings account
  • Native rules engine (IF this happens, THEN do that - e.g. move money between pots, add a note etc).
  • Net worth tracker
  • New joint account card design (UK/US)
  • No maximum limit for the number of pots you can have (or a higher limit)
  • Notes and tags for connected accounts
  • Notes field on Pots (so you can remind yourself what it’s for)
  • Offer mortgages
  • Option to toggle the feed between merchant and category logos
  • Other connected credit cards (let us know who’s missing below)
  • Other connected current/checking accounts (let us know who’s missing below)
  • Pay from pots based on merchant name, category or code rather than what card is used.
  • Plan future expenditure in Trends (enter known future transactions)
  • Purchase protection (like Revolut Plus)
  • Recurring incoming payments (so that Trends knows when to expect your income)
  • Reset Trends/Summary periods automatically when wages received.
  • Restore chat button to contact support
  • Scan / OCR paper receipts into Monzo
  • Search connected accounts
  • Search on Android by category, merchant, location, dates (parity with iOS search)
  • Searching the feed should search the original merchant data as well as the enriched data (iOS)
  • See asset values (e.g. the value of your house) in Monzo
  • See investments held elsewhere in Monzo
  • Set a default category for pot for pot transfers
  • Show confirmation screen before cancelling direct debits (iOS)
  • Show confirmation screen before sending money to settle up shared tabs
  • Show first and last initials of payees on Android (Android shows only first initial, iOS shows both)
  • Show merchants’ direct debit reference at the bottom of transactions on Android (it’s in iOS)
  • Show original reference / transaction info on Android on transaction screen (this is in the notes field and can be overwritten)
  • Show total spending (and by category) over years in Trends.
  • Single use virtual cards
  • Sort Trends transactions by date, value, merchant/category, account etc
  • Split the bill / shared tabs for connected accounts
  • Sub-categories for income type
  • Option for Targets to work off your left to spend instead of a budget
  • Transfer money directly into Pots (using #PotName as the transfer reference maybe)
  • Version of the Monzo app where you don’t need the current account (paid for?)
  • Virtual cards for joint accounts
  • Weekly pay/budgeting periods

0 voters

Monzo UK :uk:
  • A refreshed, more competitive, Plus/Premium offer (UK)
  • Automatically select a plan in Flex (UK)
  • Chase Bank in connected accounts (UK)
  • Cheaper, software only, tier below Plus (UK)
  • Cheque imaging (UK)
  • Custom categories for joint accounts (UK)
  • Fix Google Sheet export issues (no merchant for interest or for Plus/Premium payments)
  • Fix Monzo.me so that Apple Pay works again
  • Flex for joint accounts (UK)
  • Flex Pot (when you spend on Flex, stash the amount you’ll need to repay into a pot) (UK)
  • Harmonise the Monzo Beta icon colour (it’s different on iOS and Android).
  • Higher interest on Plus/Premium (UK)
  • Higher virtual card limit (UK)
  • Immediate access to money held in savings pots (UK)
  • Pay DDs and SOs directly from a pot (i.e. not bouncing into the main account then out) (UK)
  • Pay for Monzo Plus and Premium from Pots (UK)
  • Post Office for paying in cash (UK)
  • Remove unspecified restrictions on who can open joint accounts (UK)
  • Rename connected accounts (UK - already in the US)
  • Show a proper account feed for Flex with all the transactions made on the virtual card (UK)
  • Show Starling spaces for connected Starling accounts (UK)
  • Virgin Money connected credit card
  • Virgin Money connected current account

0 voters

Monzo USA :us:
  • Check imaging (scan checks to pay them in)
  • Digital Billpay
  • Full connection to Plaid
  • Google Sheets export
  • Metal cards!
  • Monzo credit card
  • Monzo Flex (a BNPL product with a 0% period)
  • Monzo.me - a URL that you can use for folk to send you money.
  • Pay in cash
  • Savings pots (get an APY on pots in Monzo)
  • Send checks
  • Send international payments
  • View your mortgage in Monzo

0 voters

1 Like

Now prediction time: What Do You think will happen in 2023?

Monzo Global! :globe_with_meridians:
  • A modern, responsive HTML web interface.
  • Act as a mortgage intermediary
  • Add notes to Monzo.Me transactions (available on Android but not iOS)
  • Add notes to recurring transactions and direct debits automatically
  • Alerts when promotional periods are ending (e.g. fixed rates in mortgages, 0% credit cards)
  • An undo button! (In case you accidentally change all your categories or delete transaction notes)
  • Automatic Get Paid Early (UK)
  • Automatic salary sorter (i.e you don’t have to tap to sort your salary into pots).
  • Automatically categorise spend when abroad as holidays, expenses or as normal (available on iOS but not Android).
  • Automatically send money to external savings accounts on triggers (e.g. end of month sweep, when salary is paid in etc).
  • Budget by category in Trends
  • Bulk change faster payment (UK) / ACH (US) transaction categories
  • Category for investments
  • Change categories, add notes, split bill, add to tabs upcoming Monzo payments.
  • Child accounts
  • Connect to APIs to show the current value of your property and (with connected mortgages) how much equity you have in it
  • Connected accounts for joint accounts
  • Connected crowdfunding platforms (and let you see your Monzo shares in Monzo!)
  • Connected loans (using the same approach as for mortgages)
  • Create and save filters so you can see a subset of your feed easily.
  • Credit Card Pots (when you spend on a linked credit card, stash that money in a pot)
  • Debt tracker: log your debt in Monzo and develop a plan to pay it down
  • Direct pot to pot transfers
  • Enter receipt details manually
  • Enter/see your interest rate for connected credit cards, savings and mortgages
  • Exclude transactions from Targets
  • Four weekly/28 day/13 times yearly pay/budgeting periods
  • Garmin Pay!
  • Google Sheets export for joint accounts
  • Google Sheets export for connected accounts
  • Google Sheets export for Flex
  • Google Sheets export for Pots (e.g. virtual card payments directly from pots)
  • Harmonise how expense category transactions are shown on Android and iOS
  • Have personal merchant names/logos (for your account only, so you can group, change and update immediately)
  • Hide connected accounts (available on Android but not on iOS)
  • Higher (or no!) limit on the number of custom categories you can have.
  • Instant withdrawals from savings pots
  • Introduce price-comparison tools and sign up for credit cards, loans, utilities and other products
  • Keep data for closed connected accounts.
  • Left to spend / account balance in notifications
  • Let us filter whether or not we want to see upcoming payments in the feed.
  • Long-term financial goal tracker
  • Manual connected accounts
  • Manually import old account data to see in Trends
  • Merchant or category block
  • More sophisticated pay period calculations (e.g. pay date is the last but one working day; every second Tuesday etc) that take account of Get Paid Early
  • Multi device support (use Monzo on more than one iOS or Android device)
  • Native international transfers (in and out, inc IBAN)
  • Native Monzo savings account
  • Native rules engine (IF this happens, THEN do that - e.g. move money between pots, add a note etc).
  • Net worth tracker
  • New joint account card design (UK/US)
  • No maximum limit for the number of pots you can have (or a higher limit)
  • Notes and tags for connected accounts
  • Notes field on Pots (so you can remind yourself what it’s for)
  • Offer mortgages
  • Option to toggle the feed between merchant and category logos
  • Other connected credit cards (let us know who’s missing below)
  • Other connected current/checking accounts (let us know who’s missing below)
  • Pay from pots based on merchant name, category or code rather than what card is used.
  • Plan future expenditure in Trends (enter known future transactions)
  • Purchase protection (like Revolut Plus)
  • Recurring incoming payments (so that Trends knows when to expect your income)
  • Reset Trends/Summary periods automatically when wages received.
  • Restore chat button to contact support
  • Scan / OCR paper receipts into Monzo
  • Search connected accounts
  • Search on Android by category, merchant, location, dates (parity with iOS search)
  • Searching the feed should search the original merchant data as well as the enriched data (iOS)
  • See asset values (e.g. the value of your house) in Monzo
  • See investments held elsewhere in Monzo
  • Set a default category for pot for pot transfers
  • Show confirmation screen before cancelling direct debits (iOS)
  • Show confirmation screen before sending money to settle up shared tabs
  • Show first and last initials of payees on Android (Android shows only first initial, iOS shows both)
  • Show merchants’ direct debit reference at the bottom of transactions on Android (it’s in iOS)
  • Show original reference / transaction info on Android on transaction screen (this is in the notes field and can be overwritten)
  • Show total spending (and by category) over years in Trends.
  • Single use virtual cards
  • Sort Trends transactions by date, value, merchant/category, account etc
  • Split the bill / shared tabs for connected accounts
  • Sub-categories for income type
  • Option for Targets to work off your left to spend instead of a budget
  • Transfer money directly into Pots (using #PotName as the transfer reference maybe)
  • Version of the Monzo app where you don’t need the current account (paid for?)
  • Virtual cards for joint accounts
  • Weekly pay/budgeting periods

0 voters

Monzo UK :uk:
  • A refreshed, more competitive, Plus/Premium offer (UK)
  • Automatically select a plan in Flex (UK)
  • Chase Bank in connected accounts (UK)
  • Cheaper, software only, tier below Plus (UK)
  • Cheque imaging (UK)
  • Custom categories for joint accounts (UK)
  • Fix Google Sheet export issues (no merchant for interest or for Plus/Premium payments)
  • Fix Monzo.me so that Apple Pay works again
  • Flex for joint accounts (UK)
  • Flex Pot (when you spend on Flex, stash the amount you’ll need to repay into a pot) (UK)
  • Harmonise the Monzo Beta icon colour (it’s different on iOS and Android).
  • Higher interest on Plus/Premium (UK)
  • Higher virtual card limit (UK)
  • Immediate access to money held in savings pots (UK)
  • Pay DDs and SOs directly from a pot (i.e. not bouncing into the main account then out) (UK)
  • Pay for Monzo Plus and Premium from Pots (UK)
  • Post Office for paying in cash (UK)
  • Remove unspecified restrictions on who can open joint accounts (UK)
  • Rename connected accounts (UK - already in the US)
  • Show a proper account feed for Flex with all the transactions made on the virtual card (UK)
  • Show Starling spaces for connected Starling accounts (UK)
  • Virgin Money connected credit card
  • Virgin Money connected current account

0 voters

Monzo USA :us:
  • Check imaging (scan checks to pay them in)
  • Digital Billpay
  • Full connection to Plaid
  • Google Sheets export
  • Metal cards!
  • Monzo credit card
  • Monzo Flex (a BNPL product with a 0% period)
  • Monzo.me - a URL that you can use for folk to send you money.
  • Pay in cash
  • Savings pots (get an APY on pots in Monzo)
  • Send checks
  • Send international payments
  • View your mortgage in Monzo

0 voters

Monzo Corporate :business_suit_levitating:
  • Monzo acquires another firm
  • Monzo is fined by the FCA
  • Monzo announces a move into mortgages
  • Monzo announces a move into Europe
  • Monzo announces a move into Australia
  • Monzo announces a move elsewhere
  • Monzo becomes profitable
  • Monzo successfully raises funding at an increased valuation
  • Monzo suffers a down road (raises funds at an decreased valuation)
  • Monzo launches an investments product in the UK
  • Monzo relaunches joint accounts in the UK
  • Monzo withdraws joints accounts in the UK
  • Monzo withdraws Plus in the UK (features become free)
  • The Community survives the year
  • The CEO posts
  • Monzo is sold or merged
  • Monzo announces an IPO

0 voters

UK Fintech and Banking :uk:
  • Curve closes or is bought out
  • Project Imagine folds
  • Atom, Tandem or Zopa is acquired
  • Crowdcube is bought out or is insolvent
  • Starling has PR problems with government loans
  • Starling announces an IPO
  • Starling is acquired
  • Revolut is fined for late delivery of annual report and accounts
  • Revolut gets its UK banking licence
  • Revolut withdraws its application for the UK banking licence
  • Nutmeg is folded into the Chase app
  • Chase relaunches their app
  • Chase announces a credit card
  • Chase announces paid accounts
  • Chase joins CASS
  • Metro Bank’s share price recovers to £1.50+
  • Metro Bank is acquired
  • Kroo is acquired
  • Freetrade is acquired
  • Freetrade folds
  • An unforeseen event wreaks havoc on the financial markets
  • One of Snoop, Lumio or Emma is bought out
  • One of Snoop, Lumio or Emma shuts down
  • Monzo acquires a credit reference / price comparison app
  • Lloyds Banking Group acquires a notable fintech
  • Chase JP Morgan acquires a notable UK fintech
  • Barclays acquires a notable fintech
  • HSBC acquires a notable fintech
  • Natwest Group acquires a notable fintech

0 voters

3 Likes

I feel like we need a wants version of these polls. I keep going through them and checking stuff only to be like * No N26Throwaway! That’s something you want but have no hope it’ll happen!*

Edit: somehow missed the first set of polls…

3 Likes

Firstly what a great poll :clap:

I’ve voted. Specific things to call out from me:

Monzo multi-device. I think this is the thing that would bring me back. Being able to use trends across both an iPad & iOS device at the same time, a deeper level of insights and analytics and data would be next level

Plus** - While you could argue plus is worth it for the aggregation alone I really think it’s gone stale - none of what it has is anywhere near market leading or innovative now.

Pot feeds - I might have missed it, but I would’ve voted if it was there. Being able to click into a Pot and see all transactions (e.g. bills pot etc)

Commercial Who knows what Monzo will do but I suspect 2023 will be a bonfire of startups and new(ish!) entrants and a merge/acquisition of a few. I suspect that a number of aggregators will become one or two.

4 Likes

First poll should be wants? Or have I suffered with #PollFailure again?

2 Likes

Nope, I just completely missed them! :joy:

3 Likes

The time you put into these is really admirable.

Did I miss it (because I can’t imagine you have) but a notification and/or moving you to the better rate for your savings pot?

9 Likes

Narrator: he did, in fact, forget to add this to the options. He sighed, knowing that his quest for the Perfect Poll would go on…

10 Likes

This has technically already happened since it’s been 12 months… It’s not a big fine - only ~£1,000 depending on how late they are.

Something that hasn’t made the news is that Curve is also late in filing their company accounts.

3 Likes

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing, Theo!

Am I right in saying that board members can become personally liable if the accounts remain outstanding?

2 Likes

I don’t know the in’s and out’s, according to that government page - yes. But i think it’s extraordinarily unlikely - especially for a private company where the requirements are a lot lower.

2 Likes

I haven’t been using iOS for a few weeks, but my recollection is this is also a significant issue on iOS. From memory iOS does put text at the bottom of the transaction page which contains the original reference. But this gets modified when you use the notes field (its not uncoupled - which is what it really should be).

1 Like

Oh wow. That’s even worse. That suggests that the canonical data might be getting lost. Say it ain’t so!

2 Likes

From what I can tell the “Description” field contains the original transfer reference and this doesn’t get modified when you edit the Notes field. You can access the Description field by downloading statement in CSV format, and I believe also via the API.

But for some reason (which I’ve never seen explained by someone from Monzo) we don’t see don’t see the Description field in the app (applies to both iOS and Android). This is bonkers to me.

My guess at what’s happening is

  1. When a transaction happens, the reference text is written to a) Description field and b) Notes field. The Notes field is obviously user-editable but I suspect the Description field is read only.

  2. On iOS, the text at the bottom of the transaction page points to the Notes field rather than the Description field (seems silly to me).

2 Likes

Thanks - v reassuring to hear that it’s not actually overwriting the data. That would have been bonkers!

Feels like an opportunity to fix as part of @emmag and @leepethers’ big clean up evolution. Hopefully! :crossed_fingers:

3 Likes

That would be good!

My request here would be to show us the description field (original reference) in the app and also don’t bother copying the reference text into the notes field. I feel the notes field should be supplementary information, not duplication of the description field.

3 Likes

I need fitbit pay
I need plus/premium to offer more
I need a better overview of my finances (virgin money credit card adding to app…!)

What sort of products and services do you need in a revamped package?

1 Like

Travel insurance and extended warranty

Did I miss the options to vote for Plus/Premium on Joint Accounts, @Peter_G ?!

1 Like