Apple Pay for me too via Santander, plus their ‘Spendlytics’ app is great for Monzo like budgeting (although it’s a faff to log into since they ditched touchID). Their website is pretty comprehensive too meaning I rarely need to visit their branches and I don’t think I’ve ever phoned them.
I have two coin-counting machines. They’re called children.
They’re good, but their commission rates are shocking!
15 Likes
What I’m finding interesting in this discussion is all the good stuff followed by ‘how will I cope when I fully switch to Monzo’… what if you don’t?
I’ve got 4 CAs on the go at the moment (FD, Santander, Monzo and Starling), and you know what, it’s fine for me - in fact, better than fine. I get the best features on the market across all 4 without compromising. Once aggregators get going, it’ll be even less of an ‘issue’. I think the days of one account being the norm is over, the same way having one credit card/credit source is no longer the norm.
I’m probably on some sort of watch list for having so many accounts, but it’s not impacted my credit rating materially - temporary dip when I opened the 3rd and 4th - and I’m sure the way your CA habits impact on credit ratings/profiles will change within the short to mid term too.
1 Like
I have a couple of accounts:
Natwest
- Emergency Cash (I’m absolutely one of those people that loses their debit card all the time or leaves it at home, in the wrong pocket etc) and Emergency Cash has saved my skin a few times
- Being able to make transfers for small amounts without a card reader. While services like pingit and monzo.me exist, non of my friends all use the same one and so you have to get emails off some or mobile number off others etc, falling back on a regular FP transfer works well.
First Direct
Customer Service - it still amazes me when I call and someone picks up within 2 rings and I’m not subject to a lengthy IVR system. I also like their new ‘voice as password’ feature.
1 Like
Ability to call customer service (instead of chat and wait ages for an answer). Yes, sometimes they take a bit longer to answer but never as long as Monzo chat. I like the idea of chat (all is written down, you can easily go back to it, one costumer assistant can help many people at a time) but in some cases being on a phone is simply way more convenient.
Ability to call customer service (instead of chat and wait ages for an answer). Yes, sometimes they take a bit longer to answer but never as long as Monzo chat.
FWIW, the long waiting times are a result of the huge growth Monzo has seen. It never used to be so bad (I remember quite a lot of responses in 5 minutes back when I’d gotten my beta card 
) and from what I understand they’re working on solving that.
In any case, I still prefer good chat over phone when I get the chance. It’ll never cost me anything, you can communicate concisely and clearly, send photos/files, the COps can take time to look into things and get back to you, emoji support 
etc. Namecheap are reasonably good at chat too.
2 Likes
You got me on emoji support! No emoji over the phone!!! 
And good to know that they are working on it.
1 Like
I’m literally wetting myself laughing. How true is this. My children are only young but they will always find a way of getting the coins.
1 Like
This is going to sound crazy considering I work at a bank with no branches that aren’t in git but I do love Metro Bank’s branches with long opening hours and incredibly nice staff who have the tools and the knowledge to help you there and then.
Being able to walk in and speak to a human is a refreshing change to the direction most other banks are going in where branches are becoming little more than retail locations for extended ATMs.
Metro get all of my stranger requests. While I use my Monzo Debit Card daily, Metro allow me to walk in, deposit all of my coins in the Magic Money Machine, specifically ask for £5 notes over the counter (long story, I dislike ATMs and £5 notes are the most useful), hand a cheque over, and grab a lollipop.
On the occasions that I do sit down and talk to someone, they always seem to be able to get me an answer to whatever I ask, even if that involves phoning someone upwards in the chain.
Card replacements are a dream, between Metro and Monzo, my most painful loss from wallet theft would be the Taco Bell loyalty card. 
Maybe it’s just that I work nights and don’t get out too much but I truly value the in-branch experience of Metro Bank.
4 Likes
Metro are awesome, I have been with them since they opened and I’ve never had any issues with them.
1 Like
The best feature of my legacy bank is (taking quite a while to think) ah yes the daily sms i get with recent transactions and current balance. However this is only because it supports having to log in less through my phone’s browser, which takes a while and is because their app wont run on root. Also the balance they text is often the “wrong” one and not the available amount; when they dont match.
So I guess the friendly staffed counter you can walk up to to draw cash when youve lost/forgotten your card. This would be a great use to have another legacy bank’s emergency atm code system in place for us here.
Maybe Monzo should have something like this at their offices 
1 Like
I’m also with Metro and I agree with how easy they been to deal with and how friendly and helpful their staff have been.
I’d also add being able to open up savings accounts / ISAs online.
But then some people would be complaining that it’s only in London. I think I would complain, I’d feel like Monzo-deprived, lesser human being, only because I don’t live in London. 
Plus, Monzo would need to take ‘all our branches are on git’ t-shirt from circulation, as it would no longer be true. 
3 Likes
- RBS Emergency Cash
- Apple Pay
- Paying in cash and cheque via ATM
Not on the list but due to roll out next year, image capture via mobile app for cheque paying in.
I would probably say Apple Pay and free Gourmet Society mebership 
As of today Android Pay! My bank was one of the slowest to get around to it but it now supports Samsung Pay, Android Pay and 1 quarter bitten fruit pay.
1 Like
Definitely the benefits of my student account at HSBC. A year’s Amazon prime and a pretty big interest-free overdraft.
I always thought having massive lines of credit was a terrible idea?
1 Like
Wait until you get a mortgage 
2 Likes