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Today there are many apps for managing personal and family budgets. The principle of operation is similar, but they are different when it comes to details. For example, the Albert app stands out because it offers users not only to manage their money, but also to get answers to financial questions — sure, for an additional fee.
What is the Albert app, and how can you sign it up without compromising your private phone number? Let’s explore the key aspects of the app’s functionality and registration requirements in today’s reading.
What is the Albert App?
What is Albert? It is a financial app that helps users organize and manage their spendings in a wise way. It helps set a budget — and plan spendings, save for short-term and long-term goals, and also invest. The founders of the service are two graduate of the University of Columbia, Yinon Ravid and Andrzej Baraniak. After graduation, they gained extensive expertise in financial services.
The initial goal of developing the Albert app was to provide Americans who are short on money with affordable financial assistance to teach them to effectively manage their money and get financially educated. This was reasonable since professional financial advisor services are pretty expensive for an average American. This became possible thanks to one of the app’s main features, the built-in guidance financial chat with experts called “Geniuses”. These human-provided help allows users to get an answer to any questions related to savings, student loans or budgeting.
Here is also where the name of the app comes from. According to the founders, Albert sounds like the name of “smart, unassuming friend” who can always give a relatable recommendation on money management. It also comes with a one-month free trial of this when you set up an Albert account.
The “Genius” chat is considered the core functionality of the platform, but what else does Albert provide to the users? Let’s see further.
Other Vital Functionality of the Albert App
In addition, the app became highly demanded with cash advance functionality “Albert Instant”. It makes it possible for a user to get up to $250 for their immediate needs. With Albert, to receive a sum, there is no credit check, it links directly to your bank account and then it takes your financial history. It analyzes factors like your recurring income, gig pay, government benefits and on the basis of this data approves a certain amount of cash to lend you.
According to the platform’s ToS, it takes seconds to be able to check the sum you are approved with. And then also after utilizing the app over a month or two, you can increase the sum. After you receive a cash advance, the app will also set up an automatic repayment each payday to pay off your cash advance.
Moreover, the Albert app assists users in saving money. Using gamification, it encourages people to top up a special savings account that is opened in Albert’s partner bank. That is, you will not be allowed to spend from it automatically, which helps you give up the habit of impulsive spending and encourages you to accumulate a safety net. The user receives only $0.25 per annum from the amount of savings with the rest being stored on the partner bank’s account.
Besides, with the Albert account, you can see all your subscriptions in one place and cancel them anytime if needed. Moreover, the app provides users with the so-called smart alerts. So that users are aware whether they spent too much in the previous month or the subscription price has increased.
What about the Fees on the Albert App?
The first fee that you need to pay after you completed the Albert bank sing up is the express fee. If you need money right away, you are going to be paying $6.99. If you can wait for a few days for the money to appear on your account, then you can totally skip this express fee. So, it is not mandatory. You will also be encouraged to leave an optional tip which helps the app run smoothly. But of course you are able to skip this if you run out of money or you don’t want things to be too costly. Moreover, it does not require you to subscribe to the app.
It does have subscriptions for other features like Albert Geniuses, but you do get a one month trial with that when you first sign up for the service.
Other than that it implies no mandatory fees and nor interest.
Think it Over Before Registering to the Albert App
According to some user reviews, not everything is so rosy if you register with Albert in order to receive cash advance. Therefore, before setting up an Albert account, it is wise to thoroughly look through what people say about the service.
Frequent reviews say that cash advance conditions have become more stringent over the past couple of years. If earlier those who needed an urgent cash advance could gradually repay the amount you got in installments, today, after receiving a cash advance you will not be able to withdraw the money so easily. Some users face the fact that the app forcibly debits money from their bank accounts — around $15 per month. At the same time, many users experience that even after paying off the debt, the app forces users to pay off for the monthly “Genius” subscription (even if the user did not subscribe for it). Moreover, you cannot close your account and untie your bank card data while there are funds in the investment account.
However, if after weighing all the pros and cons, you decide that you need an Albert account, please note that you must provide a mobile number when registering. Using a private number in this case does not seem the wisest option. Therefore, as an alternative, we recommend considering virtual numbers with a limited validity period.
How to Complete the Albert Bank Sign Up without a Phone Number?
If you do not want to compromise your actual phone number during the Albert sign up or registration to another platform, consider purchasing a virtual number with limited duration. It does not require you to provide any proof of identity, allowing you to remain an anonymous user. Nor is it connected to a specific device and physical geolocation.
Thus, leveraging such numbers lets you maintain a high level of privacy and anonymity within the system. This is a core need in today’s Internet, where each website strives to collect as much private user data as possible. The latter makes it possible for them to track a user’s further movements on the web.
That is why temporary SMS-man’s virtual numbers that can auto-generated with any national code out of 190+ countries available will be helpful to protect the privacy of your data. And your online identity. Moreover, along with VPN, it will assist you to access a platform that is blocked in your area. Or, it is an unchangeable tool when you need to register multiple accounts, each with a unique phone number.
Here is how you can obtain a disposable virtual phone number for Albert with the SMS-man vendor:
- Set up for sms-man.com with an email — or through your Gmail.
- Replenish funds to the balance by a bank transfer or payment systems available.
- Load the “Receive SMS” tab and choose the service. After that, choose a required country and click “Purchase”.
- After copying the phone number for Albert from History that is below, apply it to Albert.
- Go back to the SMS-Man and request an OTP by clicking “Get SMS” (to the right of the phone number).
- Open up the verification code and utilize it to finalize in-app verification.