Mobile Banking App Match 2: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce vs Toronto-Dominion Bank
Last week I launched a brand new series on BankNerd – the series that was launched was none other than the mobile banking app matches.
The first match of the series put two of the latest mobile banking apps against one another. The Bank of Montreal (BMO) faced off with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the outcome being that RBC’s mobile banking app the victor.
With that said, the next match none other than CIBC’s mobile banking app and TD’s mobile banking app.
I have prepared a comparison of what these two mobile banking apps have to offer:
| Functionality | CIBC Mobile Banking App | TD Mobile Banking App |
|---|---|---|
| View Account Balances |  | |
| View Account Details* | | |
| View Transaction History and Payment History | | |
| Pay Bills | | |
| Interac Email Transfers | | |
| Locate Branches & ATMs | | |
| Blackberry Mobile Banking app |  | |
| iPhone Mobile Banking app | | |
| Android Mobile Banking app | | |
| Mobile Banking Browser | | |
| Appearance | BMO Mobile Banking App | RBC Mobile Banking App |
|---|---|---|
| Easy to Use | | |
| Descriptived | | |
| Colors and Design | | |
As you can see, both of these mobile banking apps offer the same features with the only exception being the platforms that they run on. TD’s mobile banking app has been launched for both Android’s and Blackberry’s with fully integrated apps. CIBC mobile banking app on the other hand is simply a shortcut to launch their mobile banking browser.
How do these mobile banking apps differ?
Aside from having fully integrated mobile banking apps on all of the major platforms, CIBC is lacking in certain aspects.
As you can see below, both apps allow you to view all accounts on once screen, however CIBC totals each account.
In my opinion, I do find that CIBC does take it a step further by showing the total balance for the accounts in the same category, and in all honesty do not see why TD does not have the same feature on their mobile banking app.
Now both mobile banking apps allows you to store more than one card number on your phone, however I find that TD’s mobile banking app shows it a lot nicer. As you can see below, CIBC lets you click a button to use a different card number, while TD allows you to scroll through your stored card numbers in a drop down menu.
TD’s way of going about this looks a lot better to me than CIBC’s; personally I find it a lot more appealing and the fact that I can always enter a new card number below without having to go to another menu is great.
In terms of performance, I find that both of these mobile banking apps work well. I have heard from some people that the TD mobile banking app runs a bit slow in between screen, however from my own personal use I do not find that at all. CIBC’s performance on their mobile banking app is great as well, and again, I have heard that it is a tad slow when switching between screens.
Personally, after testing out both applications, I have found TD’s to run a bit smoother, however I am sure there are people who feel otherwise.
A feature that CIBC’s mobile banking app offers that TD’s doesn’t is the ability to add Interac email transfer recipients straight from the mobile banking application. This is a great feature, and should be a common feature on all mobile banking apps, however it is not.
What could both these mobile banking apps do to improve?
Interac email money transfers are important to any mobile banking app, however there is one feature that TD can improve on is the ability to add any recipients to your email money transfer list from your mobile banking app. You need to do via the online banking website for the respective bank. I find it frustrating because it does eliminate the idea that you can send money to anyone at anytime whenever you want. Realistically, you can only send money to the people you have on your email money transfer list at the time.
CIBC can improve what platforms their mobile application works on, and by that I mean fully integrated applications. Personally, I do not find mobile browser launchers to be an app considering you are going on the web to use it.
With what has been said, in my opinion I have found that the winner of this match is none other than TD. They not only offer all of the features that CIBC has, but do so on other platforms, which in my opinion is necessary for any mobile banking app to do.
 **Update: Article Information has been corrected**
Clay
Amy @ JobCred CV Builder
Keith Penny
Penn
Comments (8 )
Really enjoy your reviews, but one thing you fail to pay attention to is application standards, and the fact that other banking apps follow them, while TD doesn’t.
The TD app can barely be considered an APP. It’s slow, doesn’t adhere to Apple’s usability guidelines… it’s just a minimized web-page in a app wrapper.
I believe you should also look at app reviews for each app, and take those in to consideration. Then you’ll see just how bad TD is compared to the other 3. Your opinion should be based on facts, not just a subjective/quick scan… which is in some cases uninformed.
[Reply]
Sensei Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 12:52 pm
In all honesty I use TD’s mobile banking app quite frequently, and in my opinion I do not find it as slow as you seem to do. It is probably just my preference, but I have always found the speed acceptable.
[Reply]
Samir Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Yes, TD mobile banking is very slow. On my iPhone it takes almost 6 seconds to get to the my accounts page. Because it is a website, not an app.
[Reply]
I love recieving the daily email, however this comparison is not correct. CIBC has app for all three platforms:
Iphone, blackberry and Android, which is not what you indicate in your review
thanks!
[Reply]
Sensei Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 12:57 pm
According to my research, which does involve calling CIBC several times, I was told that the Android and Blackberry app are both mobile browser launchers. They are not fully integrated mobile banking applications, hopefully CIBC does launch them soon.
[Reply]
Samir Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Sensei,
CIBC does not have a native Android app, nor does TD. In fact TD does not have a native app for any platform (No, what they have on the iPhone is not an app)
If you are going to consider TD to have an Android/iPhone apps, CIBC’s webview on Android should also be considered the same. It is the exact same thing.
The fact that CIBC tells you they don’t have an Android app because they don’t consider what TD & ING have done to be mobile apps. They are just shortcuts to their mobile website.
Cheers,
Samir
[Reply]
I agree with the last comment, TDs app is a web view with an app wrapper and not a traditional app. This is very evident in one of you key comparisons, multi cards for sign on. The reason TDs looks as it does, dropdown, is because it’s simply a web page. Apple UI doesn’t allow for those in native apps, they are actually presented as how CIBC rid there’s. So I guess the best question in reviewing your review is how much do ‘you’ know about app development and expected UI?
Also, CIBC does allow for adding new “e-Transfer” recipients, as well as bill payees, and have since April. That is easily found just by visiting the iTunes description page.
You nay want to brush up on your investigation skills my friend.
[Reply]
Sensei Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 1:11 pm
I am not an app developer, I am simply reviewing the application on what they have to offer and from my own experience on them. These matches are simply meant to put what the app has to offer on the table, compare them and I choose which of the two will proceed to the next round.
In regards to the Interac email transfer recipient list, I did my due diligence, and when I saw the description in the iTunes page I wanted to verify it and called CIBC several times only to be told that they did not offer that service on their application. I was a bit confused as to why iTunes said they did so I called again only to be told the same thing. I have since called in again after your commen and was told that I was misinformed and frankly I am frustrated that not 1 but 2 representatives misinformed me. I have corrected the mistake, and would like to thank you for pointing it out to me.
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