A screengrab of the Acleda Bank website, which shows a promotion for the ACLEDA Unity ToanChet app. Most Cambodian banks and MFIs now offer smartphone services.
The advent of mobile banking has given smartphone users a way to avoid waiting in queues at their local branch and handle most of their banking needs wherever they are. A smartphone app is now a standard product for most commercial banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Cambodia, and is for many customers one of the main factors that determines their satisfaction with a particular financial institution.
Basic services, such as transferring funds within the bank and checking balances or transfer histories, are common to all the banking apps reviewed here. A major point of variance among the platforms is in the features they offer beyond these basic services. For example, some provide the ability to make payments with your mobile phone using a QR code, or to pay bills directly through the app.
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ABA Bank
With the launch of its second-generation mobile banking app earlier this month, ABA bank offers a professional, sleek, and comprehensive product that makes banking more convenient for its customers. The homepage displays a grid of icons where customers can access nine of the bank’s financial services, such as issuing a virtual payment card, or opening a new fixed-deposit or savings account, a feature unique to ABA bank. Below, two larger, brightly coloured buttons access user-created templates for oft-repeated transactions such as paying bills or topping up your mobile phone. ABA’s app excels in aesthetics, intuitive design and its wide offering of services. It also carries the highest user rating on the Google Play store of the apps reviewed here, rated 4.5 stars.
Acleda Bank
Almost a year ago, Acleda upgraded its mobile banking app from Acleda Unity to Acleda Unity ToanChet, improving user experience across the board. Before logging in, the app displays a grid of icons for non-banking features such as an exchange rate calculator and ATM/branch locator. Once logged in, users are presented with another grid of icons for accessing six of the bank’s financial services, including some of the more popular options such as bill payment, cardless ATM withdrawal, and mobile phone top-up. The app’s layout is intuitive, and first-timers will have no problems navigating it. Overall it is a simple, efficient and pragmatic app that offers customers a convenient platform for all their daily banking needs.
Cambodian Public Bank
Campu Bank offers the CPB engage app to its customers for on-the-go access to many of the bank’s standard services. The app’s design is simple, clean and straightforward, making it easy to navigate even for first-timers. Without logging in, users can view FAQs, an exchange-rate calculator and an ATM/branch locator. After log-in, the app displays three brightly coloured tiles through which customers can use the bank’s services. While the CPB engage app offers a slimmer selection of financial services than the other apps reviewed here it is the only one offering a checkbook management function. The app succeeds in providing customers with a convenient solution to their most necessary banking needs, all packaged in a neat and user-friendly environment.
Foreign Trade Bank (FTB)
The Foreign Trade Bank’s FTBMohaBot app is a straightforward, easy-to-use mobile banking app that covers most daily banking needs. Once logged in, users are presented with a grid of icons to use eight of the bank’s services, such as QR code/mobile payments, fund transfers, and mobile phone top-up. Additional services can be accessed through a small, blue “+” button in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Various non-banking features, including lifestyle promotions and an ATM/branch locator, can be accessed from a bar at the bottom of the screen. The app employs a minimalist design with ample whitespace, contributing to its user-friendliness. With the accompanying wide selection of services, FTB’s mobile app makes banking much easier for its customers.
Hattha Kaksekar Ltd (HKL)
HKL’s mobile banking app is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use, making for an all-around positive user experience. A row of coloured tiles at the bottom of the login screen provides access to an extensive selection of non-banking features, including a helpful interest-rate calculator. After login, users are taken to an overview of their accounts. From there they can select an array of financial services, including bill payment and mobile phone top-up. While the row-of-tiles layout is comprehensive, one downside is that it means not all options can be displayed at once. That said, HKL’s mobile banking app remains a powerful tool that can handle its customers’ daily banking needs.
Maybank Cambodia
The Maybank KH app offers a satisfying user experience with several unique features that help it stand out. The attractively designed interface provides non-banking features on its login page such as augmented reality lifestyle promotions and ATM/branch locator. Once logged in, the app displays a grid of circular icons to use four of the bank’s financial services, including a function to transfer funds within Maybank or to other banks in Cambodia. Users can add additional services to this home screen. The app’s 256-bit SSL encryption ensures above-standard data integrity and security. With its pleasing aesthetics and impressive bouquet of features the Maybank KH app is one of the most pleasant to use.
Prasac
The Prasac MB app offers a wide selection of services to Prasac’s customers in a clean, user-friendly environment. The app has handsome aesthetics and an intuitive layout. Users can find the location of ATMs and branches, as well as contact information, at the bottom of the screen. After logging in, users have access to the MFI’s financial services, settings and additional information – though the green tiles used to select these features can sometimes get in the way.
