Looking for help with monitoring your finances, plus receive some tips on saving money? Then take a look at this Snoop app review to see how it works and why it will help you to get your financial life in order. And find out how to get a free Amazon voucher.

10-second Snoop app review

The Snoop app is incredibly easy to use and requires little in the way of setting up. It’s great for monitoring your finances and provides some very useful tips – both for budgeting and saving money. You will find a lot of the features elsewhere in other budgeting apps, but Snoop is certainly worth considering. And it’s free!

Snoop

I have to admit that I’m slightly unusual. Not in an odd way (at least I hope), but when it comes to managing my money. I have 24 finance apps on my phone and I use most of them regularly. That means I feel that I have most of my money issues covered. So when I saw there was yet another finance app available, I managed to contain my excitement. Although, why not take a look best personal finance and budgeting apps?

Before I get started with my Snoop app review, I have to question the name. To me, I have fairly negative thoughts around the word snoop. And over the last few years, there seem to have been plenty of incidences where companies have been using apps to snoop on us. I’m not sure what their thinking was behind the name, but I’m willing to overlook it. For now.

What is the Snoop app?

Snoop is an app available on Android and Apple that allows you to keep a better eye on your finances and gives you tips on how you could save money.

Taken from their website:    Snoop’s a new kind of app, designed to save you money. Snoop connects to your bank accounts and credit cards, showing you how to save money at the places you already spend.

In late 2021, Snoop also added the ability for users to also check their finances online too. That means you can log in to your account from a desktop, laptop or tablet too.

Snoop belongs to Usnoop Limited, a British company based in London and incorporated in January 2019.

Does the app cost?

Nope, currently the Snoop app won’t cost you a penny. Although that doesn’t mean there won’t be a paid version with added features at a later date. Many personal finance apps have done so in the past.

So, how does Snoop make money?

It’s always important to establish what’s in it for the company offering ‘free’ services. In the case of Snoop, they sell data relating to your spending habits which identify trends. It may sound slightly scary, but this data shouldn’t be identifiable to you.

Snoop will also recommend products to you, that should save you money. Of course, Snoop may receive a commission from some of these products.

Is Snoop safe?

So, one of your first questions will probably be whether the Snoop app is safe or not. They are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Snoop uses something called Open Banking, which allows customers to track their spending and accounts across multiple providers, all from one place. Currently, there are over 2 million customers taking advantage of this technology. When connecting to your bank, Snoop uses 256-bit encryption and never sees or stores your login details.

Snoop does not have the authorisation (or ability) to move any money from your accounts.

Which banks does the Snoop app work with?

A gripe I have with many personal finance apps is that they don’t work with all banks. But Snoop has most of them covered:

1. Barclays (Personal Banking)
2. HSBC (Personal Banking – Current Accounts)
3. Lloyds (Personal Banking)
4. NatWest
5. RBS
6. Monzo
7. Nationwide
8. Santander
9. Ulster Bank
10. Capital One
11. Tesco Bank
12. Bank of Ireland
13. Revolut
14. TSB
15. Barclaycard
16. Bank of Scotland (Personal Banking)
17. MBNA
18. Danske (Personal Banking)
19. First Direct (Current Accounts)
20. Halifax
21. M&S Bank (Current Accounts)
22. Clydesdale Bank
23. Yorkshire Bank
24. Cahoot
25. Virgin Money Credit Cards and Savings Accounts
26. Virgin Money Current Accounts
27. B
28. American Express
29. One Account
30. Virgin One Account
31. NatWest One Account
32. Starling
    

    How does Snoop work?

    To get started, you will need to link Snoop to your current account. Simply click on your chosen account through the Snoop app, and log in as you would usually do. Then, you will need to grant permission to Snoop.

    Once done, Snoop starts working away in the background and analysing your transactions. The app will then start sending you ‘Snoops’. These little snippets offer you advice about all your finances and you’ll be pleased to hear that it isn’t all about selling you services.

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    For example, Snoop saw that I had been investing with Nutmeg over the last year and linked to a recent article about the coronavirus and how it had hit the stock markets. Snoop also saw that I had shopped in Boots and showed me how to get a £25 eye test for free. Other Snoops included how, as a Sky Mobile customer, I could stream Sky TV for free to my phone.

    Overall, there seems to be quite a mixture of personalised and generic Snoops.

    And you’re not restricted to linking just one current account, you can add as many as you like.

    One of the most useful additions has been the Snoop ‘card checker’. This handy feature will take a look at your credit card spending to see if you’re spending too much on interest and fees and whether there are some rewards available.

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    Payment Hub

    This is described as a ‘one-stop shop to help you manage and save money on all your bills’.

    The payment hub gives you

    • insights and information about how much you spend, how often, what’s increased and decreased and your next expected payments.
    • link your payments so Snoop knows what you’re paying for. For example, you can tell the app if the money going out of your account is for broadband or your mobile phone. This will allow Snoop to search for better deals at the right time.
    • manage your contract end dates – usually, when a contract ends, you will find that your payments will increase. Let Snoop know of the end dates and the app can remind you and search for alternative deals.

    Any downsides?

    It can be a little misleading at times. For example, I received this Snoop:

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    In the menu, it told me that I had just paid £102 to Sky Mobile, which caused me to panic slightly. But when I actually opened the Snoop, it told me it was over the last 5 months. Not the best way to get information across!

    Like many other financial apps, Snoop offers to find you a better energy deal. I’m never a fan of these schemes, as companies only offer them due to the generous referral fees on offer.

    When it comes to switching energy, I always recommend doing it yourself. For example, you can earn the referral fee yourself if the energy company is listed on a cashback site. Or companies like Bulb and Octopus offer a generous £50 refer a friend fee. Take a look at my Octopus referral link.

    You will need to relink your current account every 90 days. In fairness to Snoop, this isn’t their fault and is standard practise due to open banking rules.

    Snoop refer a friend

    If you like using Snoop, then why not tell your friends about it? And the good news is, you’ll earn £5 from doing so. All you need to do is head to the settings part of the app, select invite friend and generate a personal link. When your friend signs up using the link and uses the app for at least 2 weeks, you’ll be sent a £5 Amazon voucher.