I’m always on the lookout for new payment apps and I recently came across Vipps. Vipps is a Norwegian peer to peer payments app, currently only available to Norwegian users. These are the main things I’ve learned about Vipps:

1. Use the recipient’s mobile number – Similar to the way the likes of Monzo and Uber work, with the Vipps app all you need is the mobile number of the recipient. If you need to send money to someone else, your friend needs to download the Vipps app and the amount will be sent to his/her account registered with Vipps. Select the person you want to pay from your phone’s contact list or enter their mobile number.
2. Use Vipps to split bills – For example, when you’re eating out with a group of friends, you can ask your friends for money when splitting the bill. Create a group name – e.g. Nando’s on Friday – and add the names of the group members. Now people in your group can enter all expenses that are to be shared between the group members. Once all the amounts have been entered and everyone has confirmed that there are no more outlays, it is easy to see who owes what.
3. Personal account registered with Vipps – Vipps doesn’t have it’s own current account. Instead, users can send money through Vipps from any Norwegian bank, provided that they have a bank debit card and a bank account with the bank in question.
4. Getting started with Vipps – To be able to use Vipps, users need to enter a Norwegian national identity number, a Norwegian mobile number, the details of their payment card (Visa or MasterCard), their Norwegian bank account number and an email address. Once you’ve created a four digit code, you can start paying or receiving money. When logging into Vipps, you can use your personal code or Touch ID.
5. Vipps’ charges – Vipps doesn’t charge for amounts below NOK 5 000. For payments of NOK 5 000 or above, the charge is 1 per cent of the total amount. There is no charge for receiving money.

Main learning point: Love how apps like Vipps are making it easier and easier for people to pay and receive money. The splitting bills functionality is very welcome!

Related links for further learning:

1. https://www.vipps.no/
2. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vipps-by-dnb/id984380185?mt=8
3. https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/30131/dnb-spins-off-vipps-mobile-payment-service
4. http://anti.as/projects/vipps-by-dnb
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipps
6. http://www.lifeinnorway.net/living/money/mobile-payments/
7. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=no.dnb.vipps&hl=en_GB
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mx5lsfs2d0
9. https://www.vipps.no/vilkar.html
10. https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/store/p/vipps-by-dnb/9nblgggz9jv1