Which Bank is the Closest to Ulster Bank for Online Banking (esp UI, UX and Functionality)?

DrFroggies

Hi folks,

Just wondering if anyone here has or had an Ulster Bank account and either holds a second account with another bank or simply moved to another account...would you be able to offer any advice or recommendations on the following.

As UB are closing down here in Ireland I'd like to move to an 'as close as possible alternative' in terms of both normal and especially online banking experience and I'm wondering who that would be?

I have accounts with Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB and I have to say I can't stand using either of their online platforms. With my UB online account I can check everything and transfer funds etc with minimal complication and I'd like something similar by way of user experience. I talking more in terms of on my computer rather than apps (though the app is relevant but I do most of my banking online via my mac).

Would AIB be the closest option?

I really just want to be able to log in, review recent transactions, download statements and make transfers or change details etc in the intuitive way I can with UB.

Any advice would be massively appreciated.

Thanks and best,

DrF

The J Stands for Jay

TBH, KBC would be the closest to Ulster Bank....

Supercell

We switched to KBC a while back when Ulsterbank introduced charges and have no complaint though it looks like they may be headed for the exits too.

I also have an N26 account and really like the app and its fexibility. The only downside to that is the German IBAN which can cause issues when signing up to Irish service providers (electricity, gas etc) though it shouldnt. Also joint accounts are not possible.

bigar

Bear in mind that KBC is planning to leave Ireland.

Also, I have a Permanent TSB account and find the online services and the app amazingly simple to use. The Ulster Bank online services must be out of this world.

DrFroggies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117863191#Comment_117863191

Thanks Jay, they've been mentioned to me before and I was thinking of going that way but the only problem there is that apparently they will be exiting soon...or it's looking likely.

DrFroggies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117863262#Comment_117863262

Cheers Supercell I'll look into N26 a little more...never heard of it! IBAN issues can be a pain so I'd have to keep that in mind.

The J Stands for Jay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117890177#Comment_117890177

Yeah, it seems the market hates good apps. I'll be looking for a new joint account once KBC close down.

DrFroggies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117863326#Comment_117863326

Thanks bigar! So here's my experience of TSB. Lovely customer service people to deal (in branch) with but appalling processing in every other way. I love the aesthetic of all things TSB from the look of their branches, their branding and advertising, even their bank cards and the look of their online platform.

However with UB I was able to change my address online via their online platform; with TSB it took weeks of going into branch, waiting on the phone, going on line and rinse and repeat etc (i'm aware that this can apparently be done with current accounts online but my TSB account is a Business one so the options online are more limited however that's not the only place I've gotten an insight into their slightly chaotic processes...) someone else in my family has a normal current account with TSB and it has taken them ages to get bits and pieces processed (mainly because they keep having to redo things that are apparently completely done already)...both of us have received corresspondence to our old address despite having been told our addresses were fully changed (again keeping in mine my account is Business and the other member of my family is a normal current account). I've also had trouble on a couple of occasions having my TSB IBAN recognised/accepted which has never happened with Ulster Bank.

I did hear that TSB are very proud of their app so hopefully that is as good as they say but other than that everything with them is too messy (also constantly have problems logging in with them). But yeah in terms of aesthetic and in person customer service (how they treat you in branch) I Love TSB but in every other way they are nowhere near as usable as Ulster Bank and yeah in my experience the Ulster Bank online service is light years ahead of both TSB and BOI.

DrFroggies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117890265#Comment_117890265

Yeah it's very frustrating.

DrFroggies

So does anyone have any thoughts on AIB? I don't know why but I get the feeling that they might be the closest thing to Ulster Bank in terms of online user interface and experience though I've no idea where I got that from (maybe I read it somewhere or someone suggested it to me a long time ago)...and as this will be my main bank account I'd still like somewhere I can go in to in person and deal with things when necessary.

dotsman

Traditionally, AIB would have been, by far, the strongest when it came to app/online experience and would have lead the field by a country mile.

Have never used UB, but AIB would be far superior to KBC/N26 which I also have (and are both "fine"). However, since they did a big outsourcing in 2015, they haven't really added much and KBC were catching up (but are now exiting).

BOI is an unmitigated disaster and should be avoided at all costs.

Yyhhuuu

I use N26 online banking and it's a free current account with an excellent app similar to Ulster Bank where I have a home saver account. N26 is a German Bank with a deposit guarantee unlike Revolut which isn't a Bank either.

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crossmolinalad

Sick of all the big banks

Moved from ulster bank to my local credit union and was a great move

Yyhhuuu

The credit unions can charge quite a bit for a current account but they're quite good for loans provided they don't insist you hold a cash deposit as security for a Loan which is ridiculous from the borrowers perspective paying interest on his her own money

ethical

Sorry for jumping on the bandwagon here but I'm sure there are thousands of us going to be affected by UB closing.As has been mentioned their Online is great and very good security also.

Someone mentioned An Post to me but then someone said their App is crap,they are supposed to be working on it but............

Seemingly its easy to download An Post App and open an account then the problem starts as you are not let sign in.....not a whole lot of good that!

Typical Ireland really stating we are the Silicon Valley of Europe one minute and then producing Crap Apps the next!

Jim2007

"Typical Ireland really stating we are the Silicon Valley of Europe one minute and then producing Crap Apps the next!"

So as a comparison, what other countries have you banked in and who was it different?

Because when I google it, I find remarkable the the number of issues are more or less the same as with other banks.

The J Stands for Jay

I have previously banked with Ulster Bank and PTSB. I currently have a joint account with KBC and an account for myself with Bunq. I still have an N26 account from before I moved to Bunq. My wife banks with AIB.

The Ulster app was very good. Simple design, easy to log in and get stuff done. Most bank's apps are like this now. PTSB had a terrible app and online experience. Unlike other banks, it required entering a long customer number and password every time. There was no option to use fingerprint or even a pin/code. I've looked at reviews and this still seems to be the case. Their website was mediocre at best. They would often require me to visit a branch to complete tasks that no other bank needed me to call in for. One time they somehow blocked my access to online services (I think I used a savings account and they deleted online access to my current account at the same time), and this required me to spend an hour in a branch to sign two forms, one at the beginning of the process and one at the end. I wasted so many lunch hours in their branch for daft reasons. I also, unlike an earlier poster, do not like their branding and colours.

N26 have a good app, and a lot of functionality that didn't exist in Ireland when the first launched, such as the ability to lock and unlock the debit card, block foreign, online or ATM transactions, and push notifications of transactions. I believe AIB have copied some of these features now.

Of the domestic banks which aren't pulling, AIB seem to have the best app and online experience. Although they do make it difficult to do a transfer to any non-IE IBANs. It feels like this is against SEPA regulations, but probably only against the spirit rather than the letter. Their FX costs seem pretty high, but a Curve or Revokit card will solve that.

Bunq have excellent functionality, but they're not free

Permanent TSB app is fantastic and easy to use , the customer service is great over the phone and very quick to get through to them. Bank of Ireland has moved to employing temporary staff through a recruit company, with no training - so wouldn't make me comfortable handling my finances and friends tell me they've high fees and bad wait times. Opened an account recently and closed again.

long_b

PTSB don't support Google Pay.

Also I've had issues with their two step authentication the last two weekends.

Nigel Fairservice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117908960#Comment_117908960

You can work around the Google Pay issue with something like Curve. I did it for my Dad who is with PTSB.

I was with Ulster Bank before switching to KBC about 2 years ago due to the fees being charged by Ulster. The KBC app is ok but I miss the Ulster Bank app, it was great. Looks like KBC are exiting the Irish market so will be on the look out for a replacement as well.

long_b

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117909083#Comment_117909083

I know about the workaround. It's a pain in the arse and absolutely ridiculous that it's not provided in 2021

Sparkling Gamorreans

I see a lot of people recommending N26 on Boards. A friend of mine sent me a referral to join them a few months back. I went through their normal account opening process but it stalled at the photo ID/selfie stage. I waited for some days, raised a query via their webchat and they said it would be looked at, waited more days, raised another query and same again, waited a few more days, same again. I eventually made a formal complaint and they said they would not be progressing the account opening with zero explanation. I've never had issues with remote account opening for anything else anywhere. Just an all round poor experience with long waits and broken English customer service. I'm sure when everything goes right they're grand to be with but they essentially denied me a product with zero explanation.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117909164#Comment_117909164

Like every other business they are entitled to decide who they do business with and they are not obligated to give you an explanation. When you say it stalled at the photo ID stage, what does that mean? You could not upload the image? You could, but it was rejected? What type of ID did you offer?

I found N26 absolutely painful to deal with when something went wrong that locked me out of my account.

They’re fine, as long as you only deal with their automated systems.

Sparkling Gamorreans

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117910068#Comment_117910068

I'm aware that they're entitled who they can decide to do business with. No other company has ever chosen not to do business with me however. I've since gone through automated AML with other companies such as Revolut before and after my N26 problems with no issue.

I took a clear unimpeded photo of my in date valid Irish passport and a clear selfie. The screen loaded, stalled and then said it would be reviewed. From there on every time I opened the app it just showed at the reviewing phase. After a week I first contacted an agent and then at 4/5 day intervals after that. At no point would they ever advise how long it was going to be reviewed for, declined all requests to speak to a manager and when I eventually asked to complain they wouldn't log it but referred me to a complaints e-mail box. They acknowledged my complaint just before the first 5 day deadline had elapsed under CPC and said they wouldn't be progressing the account opening and that was their final response. I can't figure out if they don't manually intervene in what falls through the cracks at AML stage in the account opening and just let those account openings go nowhere or I triggered an AML flag or what. I know they're entitled to do whatever but it doesn't make it any less confusing and concerning from my perspective nor their quality of service any less woeful. If indeed they had decided for whatever reason not to proceed they didn't need to string me out for a few weeks with "we'll be back to you when we're back to you".

stevecfc80

Hi would you like a 50 euro N26 referral code, I can DM you one with all the rules the deal runs until the 30th September.

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117890326#Comment_117890326

Until recently I used all four of AIB/BoI/PTSB/Ulster and I rate AIB a lot better than BoI or PTSB. BoI are by far the worst (and I mean banking ombudsman complaint time bad).