HSBC banking app
Mobile banking app in Money & business
People value its web banking, battery-powered hardware token and branches, but critics say the app blocks rooted phones, sideloaded apps and developer mode.
People value its web banking, battery-powered hardware token and branches, but critics say the app blocks rooted phones, sideloaded apps and developer mode.
44 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 11
- criticize it
- 33
- approval share
- 25%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 11 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 0.3 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 5 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Web banking and branches
“HSBC continues to let me manage my bank account via the web browser, and continues to offer a battery powered hardware token”
Comment from 24 Oct 2026 in “Around a dozen banking apps began specifically permitting GrapheneOS” “HSBC continues to let me manage my bank account via the web browser”
Comment from 24 Oct 2026 in “Around a dozen banking apps began specifically permitting GrapheneOS” “there's still branches (worldwide) and banking via web.”
Comment from 25 Jul 2026 in “Android May Soon Restrict On-Device ADB”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Blocks rooted or developer-mode devices
“has had to choose between enabling accelerated animations in the android developer settings and being able to access her bank account”
Comment from 25 Oct 2026 in “Around a dozen banking apps began specifically permitting GrapheneOS” “told me to stop using the app because they would soon be enforcing that rooted devices would no longer work”
Comment from 30 Dec 2025 in “HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden” “HSBC banking app for instance wouldn't allow login if Android developer mode is enabled”
Comment from 13 Nov 2025 in “Android developer verification: Early access starts” - Comment from 26 May 2026 in “Motorola phones have started hijacking the Amazon app to insert affiliate codes”
Blocks apps from outside Play Store
“The HSBC app will not work with apps with overlay permission OR with apps installed from outside the Play Store.”
Comment from 30 Dec 2025 in “HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden” “the HSBC app will not work if you have installed any software at all from another app store”
Comment from 6 Jan 2026 in “The Post-American Internet” Forces built-in keyboard only
“hsbc app is also in the group that forces you to disable all keyboard apps (even Futo)”
Comment from 24 Oct 2026 in “Around a dozen banking apps began specifically permitting GrapheneOS” “HSBCs final straw for me being blocked due to not using the phone built in keyboard.”
Comment from 30 Dec 2025 in “HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden”
What people recommend instead
The same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC banking appThis page | 11 | 33 | 25% | 5 | — | — |
| HSBC online banking | 10 | 8 | 56% | 2 | — | — |
What people said
40 of the 50 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“And their app is pretty garbage as well.”
“has had to choose between enabling accelerated animations in the android developer settings and being able to access her bank account”
“hsbc app is also in the group that forces you to disable all keyboard apps (even Futo)”
“HSBC continues to let me manage my bank account via the web browser”
“HSBC continues to let me manage my bank account via the web browser, and continues to offer a battery powered hardware token”
“I literally don't understand how anyone with a sliver of conscience can have an account with HSBC”
“HSBC are known for their ... flexible application of the rules”
“Same service with HSBC and Giffgaff here. Meh.”
“there's still branches (worldwide) and banking via web.”
“I closed and walked away from a long standing account with HSBC when they introduced a requirement in their app”
“the app would not work on my phone and they send me a security widget”
“HSBC won't let me use my rooted phone either, so guess who lost my business?”
“You get a lot less of the "account frozen" bullshit.”
“nobody was pretending the banking products were interchangeable”
“My HSBC app seems to get more crippled with every update”
“Based on their history, HSBC. Obviously.”
“HSBC closes legitimate accounts on their own, you don't need to do anything.”
“I think it's pretty stupid of the HSBC IT folks to assume that an email was not read”
“manipulating markets to fleece people out of billions”
“HSBC are using http://, rather than https:// URLs for their tracking pixels”
“Because HSBC are using http://, rather than https:// URLs for their tracking pixels”
“Who still banks with HSBC when we have Monzo and Starling?”
“HSBC's app will not even work if you install apps from F-Droid!”
“the HSBC app will not work if you have installed any software at all from another app store”
“from onwards all verificators are revoked, from now on you must use the app”
“The app being the only way to interact with the account, I was left without funds for days.”
“the bad press when a customer gets hacked and you refuse to refund money per the terms of service”
“they required me to tell them what I was buying with that money”
“HSBCs final straw for me being blocked due to not using the phone built in keyboard.”
“customers prefer the open web over restrictive and inconvenient mobile apps”
“told me to stop using the app because they would soon be enforcing that rooted devices would no longer work”
“it seems fair to chalk this one up as a stupid move by HSBC”
“HSBC is also one of few apps that dont let you use it with iPhone Mirroring”
“the Current Account Switching Service makes it very easy to make the jump from a legacy bank like HSBC”
“A bank refusing you access because of your accessibility settings (app overlay is one) is not reasonable.”
“The HSBC app will not work with apps with overlay permission OR with apps installed from outside the Play Store.”
“These things HSBC app does, I think it's overreaching”
“HSBC now even complains if you have Developer Options enabled.”
“HSBC seemed to lose the application - it disappeared.”
“HSBC banking app for instance wouldn't allow login if Android developer mode is enabled”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.