Tom's Guide Verdict
The Capital One app is a no-brainer for Capital One users. It allows you to manage all your accounts in one place, including paying bills, redeeming credit card rewards, depositing checks, tracking spending and more.
Pros
- +
Easy account management
- +
Real-time spending insights
- +
Free credit score monitoring
- +
Virtual cards for online purchases
Cons
- -
No live chat function
- -
Some actions reroute you to Capital One’s website
- -
May need to pair with budgeting app
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As you'll see in our Capital One app review, this app is best for anyone who already has a Capital One bank account, credit card or loan. It’s a rock-solid account management tool, giving you all the features you need to track purchases, pay bills and monitor your credit.
And although the app comes with a built-in virtual assistant named Eno, one of the main drawbacks is that you can’t chat with customer service in the app — you have to call instead.
While the Capital One app has some in-app money management tools, it’s not an all-in-one solution — and you may still need to pair it with a budgeting app to get a full view of your personal finances.
Read the rest of our Capital One app review to find out what we like and where the app falls short.
Capital One app review: Features
Capital One has several features that make it easy to manage your money. Here’s where it shines and where it falls flat.
Eno is Capital One’s digital assistant, and it’s available to help you in the app 24/7. You can ask Eno questions about your account, transactions and more. Plus, it can send you customized insights — such as when a free trial is about to end or when you may have been charged twice for a purchase.
If you’re worried about security when shopping online, Capital One has you covered. With the app, you can generate virtual card numbers to use with online merchants. That way, your real account number is never exposed.
And if there’s ever a problem with a purchase, you can cancel your virtual card number so it can’t be used again.
The Capital One app gives customers several ways to keep their money safe and secure. For instance, you can:
- Toggle cards on or off in the app
- Set up fingerprint or Face ID login for an extra layer of security
- Get alerts and instant purchase notifications
- Review detailed transactions for every purchase
- Monitor your credit score
Combined, these features help protect your account from fraud and potential hackers.
Capital One partners with Credit Wise, so you can track your credit score directly in the mobile app. You can see your TransUnion credit score updated weekly for free with Credit Wise. Plus, you get customized tips on how to improve it.
Does your household use Amazon Alexa? If so, you may like this feature. The Capital One mobile app syncs to any Amazon Alexa device, so you can check your balance, track your spending, and pay bills on the go.
Simply enable the Capital One “skill” in the Alexa app. Then, you can ask questions like, “When’s my credit card due date?” or “How much money do I have in savings?”
As with most banking apps, the most important thing about the Capital One app is that it allows you to manage your money and accounts from anywhere — at the office, on vacation, while running errands, and more.
These are just a handful of things you can do inside the app:
- Activate new debit and credit cards
- Get alerts and instant purchase notifications
- Redeem credit card rewards
- Deposit checks with just a photo
- Check your credit with Credit Wise
- Request virtual card numbers
- Pay bills and manage loans
- Send and receive money with Zelle
- Review detailed transactions for every purchase
- Get answers from Eno
The biggest drawback to the Capital One app is that there's no way to chat with customer support — a feature that's becoming increasingly popular among digital banks. However, customer support is available 24/7 by phone, so you can always get help that way.
Capital One app review: Pricing
The Capital One app is free to use. You can download it in the App Store and Google Play.
Capital One app review: Ease of use
Overall, customers are very satisfied with the Capital One app and its ease of use. It's ranked as the #7 top free finance app in the Google Play Store and #5 in finance in the Apple App Store.
Customers appreciate being able to check their account balances and transactions, transfer money, pay bills and deposit checks all in one place. The app's interface is intuitive, easy to navigate and features are clearly labeled.
There are a few areas for improvement that customers have noted. Some would like to see more budgeting and financial tracking tools available within the app. Others note that some actions take you out of the app and lead you to a web browser instead.
For instance, the app rerouted me to Capital One's website when I tried to set up online access for a bank account.
Despite these minor complaints, the Capital One app is generally well-reviewed and considered very user-friendly. Customers find it helpful and convenient and appreciate its straightforward design.
Capital One app review: Support
You can’t start a chat with customer service in Capital One’s app. However, there are a few ways to get in touch if you need help:
- Chat with Eno, Capital One’s digital assistant
- Search its Support Center for answers to commonly asked questions
- Call 1-877-383-4802 at any time to speak to a customer service representative
To test it out, I called Capital One customer service on July 14, 2022, and was on hold for three minutes. The customer service representative seemed knowledgeable, courteous and thoroughly answered all of my questions. Overall, it was a great experience.
How the Capital One app stacks up against the competition
When it comes to banking apps, there are a few big players everyone tends to compare. Capital One is one of those banks, and its app has a lot to offer users. Here’s how it stacks up against Chase, Bank of America and Chime.
Although Capital One ranks higher in the App Store and Google Play, Chase has the upper hand with its mobile app. It offers all the basic features you would expect from a banking app, plus some extra bells and whistles. For example you can manage your investments inside the app, create customized budgets, and get daily insights to help you avoid overspending.
Capital One has a slight edge over BOA’s app. Not only does it rank higher in app stores, but it also has a few added features like the ability to request virtual card numbers.
Chime wins out over Capital One in this comparison. Chime is a newer player in the banking space — and its app is pretty impressive.
Like Capital One, Chime offers all the basics like balance checking and bill paying. But it also has some unique features, like automatic savings deposits, free cash advances when you overdraft, and the ability to round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and save the difference.
Capital One app review: Verdict
No in-app chat aside, the Capital One app is one of the best on the market. It has a sleek user interface and all the tools you need to manage your money on the go. And the virtual cards feature means you can make online purchases without putting your physical card number at risk.
The Capital One app is one of the top five traditional banking apps on the market — with top-rated Google Play and App Store reviews to prove it. Our only qualm is that it doesn’t have a built-in budget where you can completely manage your income, spending, and savings goals. So if you’re looking for an all-in-one money management app, you may be dissatisfied.
That aside, it’s a no-brainer for Capital One users who want to manage all their accounts in one place. And added tools like Credit Wise and Eno are just the icing on the cake.
