Gini Study: Mobile Banking Apps—(Not) Just for Young People

Nov, 03 2026

Banking apps continue to gain popularity, with older adults in particular catching up
Users of Fotoüberweisung are particularly satisfied with their banking app
Versatile Use of Functionality

Munich, 03. November 2026. Most Germans primarily do their banking on mobile devices, with 59.2% using a banking app on their smartphone or tablet, according to a representative YouGov survey* commissioned by Gini. Up from 54.1% the previous year, the share of people who primarily use a banking app has grown by 9.3% in just one year.**

Mobile banking app usage is particularly high among younger people, with 77.9% of those aged 18–24 and 78% of those aged 25–34 using banking apps. Among people aged 55 and over, the figure stands at 44%.

Satisfaction with Banking Apps Remains High

Overall satisfaction with mobile banking apps has increased slightly over the past twelve months among younger and middle-aged users. The most significant rise was recorded among those aged 18–34, with satisfaction increasing by 4 percentage points to 91.2%. Among users aged 35–54, satisfaction also edged up, from 90% to 91.7%. Older users remain the most satisfied: 94.5% of those aged 55 and over report being satisfied with their banking apps, unchanged from the previous year. Across all age groups, overall satisfaction with banking apps stands at 92.6%.

Users of Photo Transfers Are Particularly Satisfied

Among those who are familiar with and use photo transfers, 95.3% also stated that they are satisfied with their banking app. Looking at the different age groups, both younger and older users agree: among 18- to 24-year-olds who are familiar with and use photo transfers, 97.9% have a positive perception of their banking app. The same applies to the 55+ age group, where 97.5% of those familiar with and using photo transfers rate their banking app positively.

One in two respondents (50.6%) are familiar with photo transfers, representing an increase of four percentage points compared to the previous year (46.6%). Photo transfers are most widely known among 25- to 44-year-olds, with almost two-thirds (62.5%) familiar with the feature.

Instead of having to laboriously copy payment details from documents such as paper invoices, screenshots or PDFs – including the risk of typing errors – the photo transfer feature allows users to capture information such as IBANs and transfer amounts with a single tap using a photo. This not only simplifies and speeds up the process but also reduces the likelihood of errors.

According to the survey, 69.4% of photo transfer users said they use the feature because it is convenient and saves them from having to type in the details manually. The potential time savings were cited by 63.5% of respondents, while 58.8% valued the reduction in typing errors.

Versatile Use of Features in Mobile Banking Apps

For years, banking apps have offered a wide range of features designed to make customers' banking easier. Users now make versatile use of these features, using them several times a week.

Top 5 Ranking of the most frequently used mobile banking app features (used several times a week; base: mobile banking app users, as of 2026)

Checking account balances and incoming and outgoing transactions: 45.7%
Viewing credit card transactions: 13.3%
Making regular bank transfers: 7.1%
Transferring money between own accounts: 4.5%
Setting up scheduled transfers and securities trading: 2.2% each

Other features also play a role, including blocking debit and credit cards (2.0%), applying for loans (1.8%), and setting up and cancelling standing orders (1.7%).

Alexander Jäger, CEO of Gini GmbH: “Banking apps are increasingly becoming essential everyday companions for people of all generations. It is therefore important for banks to consistently tailor their digital offerings to their customers’ needs and make the benefits of these applications tangible and more easily accessible. The features offered by photo transfers are one example of how banks can actively help make everyday banking significantly easier for their customers. By focusing on intuitive and convenient solutions, banks can not only sustainably improve their customers’ digital banking experience but also benefit from valuable insights.”

The full study is available for download here: https://gini.net/whitepaper/studie-mobile-banking-2026/

*The data for this survey is based on online interviews with members of the YouGov panel, who have agreed to participate in online surveys. A total of 4,095 people were surveyed between 3 and 5 September 2026. The survey was conducted using quotas for age, gender, region and education, and the results were subsequently weighted accordingly. The results are representative of the population aged 18 and over residing in Germany.

**The data for this survey is based on online interviews with members of the YouGov panel, who had previously agreed to participate. A total of 2,009 people were surveyed between 3 and 5 September 2025. The survey was conducted using quotas for age, gender, region and education, and the results were subsequently weighted accordingly. The results are representative of the population aged 18 and over residing in Germany.