How to Test Banking Apps on Real iOS & Android Devices?

Banking is literally serious business and banking apps are the bonafide torch bearers for a reputed and respected bank. With internet banking and mobile apps being the go-to touchpoints, goes without saying that testing them thoroughly  is inevitable. 

Banking apps are required to deliver multiple financial  services, including transferring money, user details, available funds, credit card details, etc. Hence, it is essential that the app operates smoothly and is compatible with all operating systems. The only way to ensure end to end security and performance is through banking app testing.

This guide covers everything about banking application testing, its key features, and how to test banking applications on real iOS and Android devices. Learn how to test for impeccable security and performance of banking apps through real mobile devices on the cloud.

Why to Test Banking Apps? 

According to statistics

• In 2020, the number of user sessions in finance apps rose by 49%. 
• Cyber attacks targeting financial institutions increased to 118%.
• Out of 107 banking apps, 88% were affected by vulnerable activities. 
• In 2021, financial institutions encountered $5.72 million in losses because of data breaches & other vulnerable activities. 

Banking apps or BFSI apps in general are crucial and sensitive, containing almost every detail about their customers, from personal to financial status. To protect itself from cyberattacks, such apps must be highly secure while providing smooth performance for the end user’s experience. 

Benefits of Banking App Testing

Improving Complex Systems

Banking applications cover crucial financial touchpoints, and it can be challenging for developers to manage everything so complex in one application. By testing the banking apps, testers can eliminate  bugs and enhance the overall SDLC of complex app architecture. 

Streamline User Experience

Considering the digitalization of banks and user dependency on digital processes, banking apps must have a functional UI. It should be easy to complete tasks like transactions, checking balances, applying for a credit card, etc., without any interference or glitches. QA testers should be testing each feature thoroughly to achieve this. 

Protect Sensitive Data

Banking apps are soft targets for cyberattacks targeted on the user database. Through testing QA testers can identify & resolve bugs, loopholes, or threats in the application that hackers can take advantage of. Testing here ensures security and user database protection.

Improve App Performance

BFSI apps demand high performance, a smooth interface experience, and transaction security. And that can only be achieved by eliminating bugs & glitches in the application. Testing the banking apps on real devices highlights such glitches and fixes that is encountered only while testing under real user conditions.

Ensure Smooth Feature Updates

Banking apps require continuous changes and new feature updates for new services being rolled out.  Regression testing here plays a crucial role in ensuring a smooth release velocity. With parallel execution, you get test feedback in minutes. That way you can distribute your regression tests across hundreds of parallels and run them all at once.

Try Regression Testing

Types of Testing required for Banking Apps

In mobile banking app testing, some key areas require rigorous testing to identify & fix bugs, enhance the UI, and secure the database. Here are some key tests you need to consider while mobile banking app testing:

1. Functional Testing

It is a basic testing parameter QA testers examine all the functionalities of the banking application and ensure all added features function properly. Also, it brings forth any bugs/errors that might require resolution. 

For example, users shouldn’t have to click more than twice or thrice to transfer money or get their monthly statement successfully. The app should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and self-explanatory.

2. Security Testing

Impeccable security is the top priority for BFSI apps. Cyberattackers target banking applications for user databases and transaction history. As part of security testing, pay particular attention to compliance with OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) or whichever standards apply to the banking app’s geographical coverage.

3. UI Testing

Banking applications must be user-friendly delivering a smooth performance so that users can complete transactions, check balances, and do other financial work easily without any hiccup. Most banking applications require a user-friendly interface, simple UI, and clear CTA that makes the performance faster. 

4. Performance Testing

Speed is an important factor for any application, especially in banking, as customers need a quick resolution of queries. So the banking app must perform fast and complete all the actions like checking balance, transactions, request for documents, etc in minimal time. Otherwise, it will create a bad user experience prompting them to uninstall the app. 

Chatbot testing is quite the thing with BFSI apps these days due to improved self-help and engagement among banking app users. 

With BrowserStack App Automate, it becomes easier to deep dive into the actual performance and conduct Native Device feature testing such as: 

• Geolocation testing
• In-App Purchases 
• Network Simulation 
• Google Pay 
• Time Zone

Sample Test Cases for a Banking Application

QA testers when testing a banking application are required to test the same as an end user. Here are some common mobile app test cases that needs to be verified: 

• Test if customers can easily log in to their account via id/pass, or if they forget credentials, the restoration process must be hassle-free.
• Verify whether users can complete transactions securely via card detail or bank account transfer.  
• Test if users can check their available balance for multiple accounts. 
• Verify security features, like whether the banking application blocks the account after three wrong attempts.
• Try creating a new account with the wrong credentials and see if the banking application accepts it or not.
• Check if data updations are reflected in the database.
• Test if a user gets any notifications from the bank about transactions like alerts, debit, credit, etc.
• Test if a user gets any notifications from the bank about transactions like alerts, debit, credit, etc.

When writing test cases for banking apps, care must be taken to run these tests on real devices. This is necessary for an app of any domain, but much more so for banking apps.

Testing Banking Apps on Real iOS & Android Devices

When it comes to banking app testing, several touchpoints need to be tested, and many factors we’ve already discussed above. For this type of testing, QA testers require a dedicated testing environment, and BrowserStack can help testers achieve it on real iOS and Android devices 

Let’s see how to do different types of testing on Banking apps with BrowserStack Products:

1. Cross-Browser Compatibility Testing

Millions of customers via thousands of devices and operating systems (Android & iOS) access banking apps. So it must be compatible with all platforms and all features on every platform should perform smoothly. 

To test the compatibility of the banking web application with different browsers or devices, QA testers can do a cross-browser compatibility test with BrowserStack Live by accessing 3000+ real cloud devices & browsers to test the compatibility and get a detailed report. 

Choose the latest OS version or Dev Beta version for all the latest/legacy devices from the Android or iOS ecosystem and start testing for free.

Try Cross-Browser Testing

2. User Interface Testing

User-friendly interfaces can make or break your banking app. Which is why QA testers can opt to test the app UI with BrowserStack Percy. It allows QA testers to test the user interface and its functionalities within a few clicks. 

It’s also known as visual testing, where testers can see real-time UI changes to identify and fix bugs and enhance the end user’s experience. Just sign up with a free account in BrowserStack Percy, upload the application and start testing. 

3. Mix of Manual & Automation Testing

When testers are testing banking apps, it requires the intervention of both manual and automated testing. Manual testing requires the end user’s experience to check some functions manually, but many tasks are automated. 

For automated testing, QA testers can use BrowserStack App Automate to test the application’s functions in a few clicks. You mobile app testing team can: 

• Integrate with BrowserStack using Appium, Espresso, XCUITest and EarlGrey.
• Test builds faster by running tests concurrently across thousands of devices.
• Test apps on internal development and staging environments or behind firewalls, with zero setup or configuration.
• Debug banking Apps instantly using text logs, video recordings and screenshots of the test run.

Ending Notes

One can’t expect to release a banking app without taking measures against malicious online elements. To check that it actually does protect user data and let customers execute necessary action, they must be tested comprehensively on a real device cloud of real mobile devices, installed with different mobile operating systems

With BrowserStack,  

• Every device that you use is brand new. Each test is run on a phone with factory settings. 
• Once your test is complete, every last bit of data is destroyed  and the used device is restored to its original factory settings.
• Our devices are stored in locations with stringent security, where access is highly restricted.
• Only authorized personnel can handle the devices, and for maintenance and upkeep only.

Join the testing infrastructure of the future and ensure your banking apps are future ready. With BrowserStack Enterprise, you can empower QA to keep up with the rapid pace of Agile development in the mobile app space.

Try BrowserStack Enterprise