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Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. We’ve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by and edited by , who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy. Our banking reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most — the best banks, latest rates, different types of accounts, money-saving tips and more — so you can feel confident as you’re managing your money. Bankrate logo Editorial integrity
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You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. The vast majority of . There’s no wonder then that mobile banking is popular as well. That popularity means you have a to choose from and each app may offer different experiences. Here are a few of the must-have features to seek out: 1 Deposit checks
Having the ability can be a hassle-saver whether you still receive physical checks on a regular basis or only infrequently. With mobile check deposit, you can deposit paper checks by simply uploading an image of the check from your smartphone. Most banks offer this functionality. This may seem simple but it provides two major benefits. One, you can deposit checks without having to make a trip to a bank. It doesn’t matter where you are. Two, you don’t have to worry about whether the lobby is open. You can deposit checks remotely regardless of the time. 2 Turn your debit card on and off
An excellent safety feature to watch out for is the from your mobile banking app. This feature makes it much easier to prevent someone from cleaning out your account if your debit card is stolen. You don’t have to call the bank, wait on hold, and then get the right person on the phone. Just open the app and turn it off. If you’ve simply lost your card, you can turn it off as a safety precaution. Then when you locate your lost card, you can just turn it back on from the mobile app. That can be a big stress reliever even if your card isn’t actually in someone else’s hands. 3 Find no-fee ATMs
can add up, particularly if you make frequent withdrawals. A no-fee ATM locator can help you avoid that by telling you where the nearest no-fee ATMS are. With some institution’s mobile apps, like Diamond Credit Union and Chase, you can use your phone’s GPS to share your location with your bank to find the nearest no-fee ATMs on a map. 4 Mobile payments
Mobile payments allow you to access your account through an app to make payments . There are a , including: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Venmo. With mobile payments, you don’t have to type your PIN into a keypad or exchange cash or physical cards. Since they are are contactless, they are more hygienic. In addition to convenience and cleanliness, mobile payments can also provide an extra layer of security by requiring you to scan your fingerprint or face to authorize transactions. 5 Real-time alerts
can be an incredibly helpful way to keep tabs on your account to better manage your money and monitor security. “A mobile banking app that supports real-time alerts for authorized and declined transactions can help you quickly identify when your account is in use.” says Nermeen Ghneim, a regional bank manager and owner of personal finance blog Savvy Dollar. Alerts can also notify you when your account has reached a predetermined balance, giving you ample time to add more money to your account or put your spending on pause to avoid overdrawing. Bottom line
Mobile banking provides significant convenience, but not all institutions provide the same mobile services. If a particular mobile banking feature or set of features is important to you, check around and that provides the mobile banking benefits that fit your needs. Learn more
SHARE: Brandon Renfro, CFP, is a contributing writer for Bankrate. Brandon writes about banking and personal finance advice. Mary Wisniewski is a banking editor for Bankrate. She oversees editorial coverage of savings and mobile banking articles as well as personal finance courses. Related Articles