Mobile Apps Lead as Top Way Americans Bank

A Morning Consult survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association finds mobile apps remain the most-used banking method for the seventh straight year.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Banking

Mobile Apps Lead as Top Way Americans Bank

Live Poll

Are you satisfied with how your bank's digital services work today?

Ninety-five percent of U.S. consumers rate their bank's online and mobile app experience as excellent, very good, or good, according to a survey conducted by Morning Consult for the American Bankers Association. For the seventh year in a row, mobile apps are the method Americans use most to conduct their banking.

Why it matters

The findings show digital channels have become the primary point of contact between Americans and their banks, with 44% of bank customers relying on mobile apps as their top option. The results also show strong satisfaction with access to banking services across the country.

The survey found 44% of bank customers most often use mobile apps, compared with 20% who use laptop or PC online banking and 10% who visit branches most often. Its sample methodology and margin of error were not included in the source material, and the reasons behind the shift in preference since 2017 were not explained.

The players

American Bankers Association

The American Bankers Association is a national trade group representing the banking industry in the United States, and it commissioned this survey to track how consumers bank.

Morning Consult

Morning Consult is a market research and data intelligence company that conducted the survey of U.S. consumers for the American Bankers Association.

The details

Morning Consult surveyed U.S. consumers on behalf of the American Bankers Association, comparing preferences across mobile apps, online banking, branches, telephone, and ATMs. Ninety-three percent rated their overall access to banking services as good or better, and 75% said bank innovation makes financial services easier for all Americans to reach.

2017: The ABA first partnered with Morning Consult on the survey, when 26% of respondents preferred mobile apps.
November 5, 2026: The ABA published the latest survey results.

Industry Dynamics

The 2026 results extend a seven-year run in which mobile apps have led all banking channels in the ABA and Morning Consult survey series that began in 2017. The consistency of that trend suggests digital banking has become the standard channel rather than a temporary shift.

For most Americans, managing a bank account now starts on a phone, with 44% of bank customers relying on mobile apps as their main option. Consumers who still visit branches or use ATMs are in the minority, so the most convenient way to handle everyday banking is likely through an app.

The takeaway

If you bank primarily through a mobile app, take a few minutes to confirm your alerts, security settings, and account access are set up the way you want them.