TymeBank is a fully digital bank with over 6 million customers as of January 2023. The bank adds over 200 000 customers to its banking platform each month, making it one of the best performing banks in South Africa. Every day, the bank adds over 6 600 new customers to its clientele.

TymeBank was founded in 2015 by multibillionaire Patrice Motsepe through his African Rainbow Capital Investments, which now owns 50.03% of the company. The bank’s net asset value for fiscal year 2022 was R5.17 billion growing from R3.9 billion in 2021.

TymeBank was strategically founded to serve the unbanked South Africans. Since TymeBank is available online, the bank has been able to capture the majority of its target market as well as the interest of banked South Africans.

To understand how the bank operates, one must first understand its product offerings. The bank’s product offerings are detailed below.

How does TymeBank work?

TymeBank hosts a national network of self-service kiosks through its mobile app, debit card, internet banking site, and two retail locations (Pick’n Pay and Boxer).

Since it opened its first account in 2018, it has registered over 6 million clients. The bank is rapidly expanding and seeks to provide 11 million unbanked South Africans with access to bank accounts.

Tyme Bank’s approach has simplified banking for the general population. According to the bank’s website, creating an account requires no paper paperwork, scanning, faxing, or emailing; everything is done digitally.

Internet Banking

While opening accounts with traditional banks may be a tedious process, according to the bank’s website, it only takes 5 minutes to open a Tyme Bank account. Well, I put this to test and opened a new account to check if I would able to open an account in 5 minutes or less.

Indeed, I opened my account in just 4:08 minutes to be exact. The process was fast and easy, it has a very user-friendly system with no complex terms. However, this doesn’t include reading the terms and conditions of Tyme bank.

It’s so surprising that you can open an account in South Africa so fast and easily without any need of a paperwork.

My team and I concluded that this is one of the best online business platforms in South Africa after the Companies Intellectual Property Commission platform. 

TymeBank Everyday Account

Benefits

• No monthly service fees
• Charged only for selected transactions
• Get double smart shopper points when you use your Tyme Bank card at any pick n pay
• Up to 10% interest per year on your savings
• You get a free visa debit card
• Free online shopping

Rates

• Pay R7 for every deposit made at pick n pay and Boxer stores
• Pay R3 on cash withdrawal at other retailers
• R3 on external debit orders
• Pay R3 for bank inquiries on other ATMs
• Pay R2 for a declined transaction
• Debit card replacement at R70
• You get free monthly administration fee, internal debit order, smart app subscription, and internet banking subscription

Card Application:

• Your South African ID number
• Your South African cellphone number
• You must be 16 years or older to open a TymeBank account

TymeBank Credit Card

Benefits

• Earn 4 times smart shopper points when you swipe with the credit card at Pick n Pay. 
• Up to 55 days interest free credit. 
• Free secondary cards at no extra cost. 
• Free door delivery for the first personalised credit card. 
• Credit purchases don’t charge a fee. 
• Free SMS notifications. 

Rates

• Once off initiation fee of R160.00.
• Monthly service fee of R40.00.
• Late payment fee of R100.00. 
• Overseas purchase fee of 2% of the transaction value.
• ATM balance enquiry of R6.00.
• ATM cash withdrawal fee of R8.00 per R1000.00. 
• Pick n Pay in store cash withdrawal fee of R3.00 per R1,000.00. 

Tyme Bank Competitive Advantages

TymeBank doesn’t require one to submit any documents including your copy of Identity card; all that is needed is to input in your identity number to get started with the application process.

Tyme bank also uses a security check to authenticate that you are the correct ID holder, verified by 6 questions.

It takes less than 5 minutes to open a Tyme Bank account. This is a very big achievement in the banking sector in South Africa as it cuts down on long hours usually spent in banking halls going through the lengthy process of opening a new bank account.

Speed

It takes 15 minutes to apply for a bank account online with FNB as a first-time account applicant. The process can be significantly slowed down by the awfully lengthy FICA verification.

FNB seemed to be quicker when applying for a bank account compared to the other five big banks. For instance, Capitec bank requires you to visit your nearest branch to complete the account opening process.

To register for internet banking with Standard Bank, FNB and Nedbank you need to have a debit card. If you have done the application online you will have to wait for days to get started.

Capitec bank makes it even worse to register for internet banking. You will need to go to a Capitec branch to activate your internet banking. I find this laborious considering that in this age, banking has been made easy.

The bank charges are my most favourite part of TymeBank debit card. Considering that this is a first-time card, the benefits are just so much. Unlike many banks, you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to enjoy them.

Tyme Bank debit card is probably the best debit card in South Africa in terms of affordability. It is, of course, trailed closely by the Capitec bank debit card.

This card beats every debit card in its category when it comes to saving on bank charges. Almost everything is free except for withdrawals and debit orders.

You cannot find any debit card that charges R0 monthly service fees, obviously, except for student debit cards.

Tyme bank Competitive disadvantages

It might not be easy to pass TymeBank security check but surely the system can be bypassed. In as much as the system is still new, the vulnerability is there and has to be addressed.

While other banks in South Africa use a combination of TymeBank type of security check system along with physical verification, TymeBank is only using a digital security check for activating accounts. This exposes the bank to criminal exploitation because of this vulnerability. 

Those that are not tech-savvy, using TymeBank might prove to be a bit difficult with the older generation, fond of old ways of banking finding TymeBank to be a bank for the youth and tech-savvy

There are still people who like going to the bank to get their bank statements or open a bank account. TymeBank doesn’t cater for such individuals. 

How to apply for a TymeBank bank account 

• Have your ID number 
• Have your cellphone and cellphone number ready 
• Start your application here

Is Tyme Bank Safe

The short is answer is YES, Tyme Bank is owned by Africa Rainbow Capital a JSE Listed firm which was founded by South Africa’s first black billionaire Patrice Motsepe. It is therefore reasonable to say it has complied with all the regulatory frameworks around operating a bank of this nature. Furthermore TymeBank is an Authorised Financial Services (FSP 49140) and Registered Credit Provider (NCRCP 10774). Tyme Bank Limited Reg no: 2015/231510/06

Since we first published this review, we have received a number of complaints from clients. Most of which we have further reviewed but we haven’t experience much challenges with Tyme Bank as a bank. If you have a problem with any of their services you can email them on service@tymebank.co.za or call 0860 999 119