CBA the benchmark in online banking

Commonwealth Bank remains the benchmark in online transaction banking according to consumer finance researcher Canstar, which has rated CBA the best online bank for the sixth year in a row.

Canstar said CBA's service was faster, more user-friendly and provided more options than its rivals' offerings. Canstar reviewed the online banking services of 51 authorised deposit-taking institutions.

Beyond Bank was rated the best online banking service among customer-owned institutions.

Canstar highlighted the fact that CBA customers can check their balances without having to log in. They also have the choice of SMS or token when using secondary authentication.

CBA's online service features a new "personal balance sheet", Portfolio View, which allows customers to see transaction and savings accounts, investments and superannuation in a single view.

CBA executive general manager of digital channels, Lisa Frazier, said: "NetBank's new Portfolio View provides customers with personalised insights - from the value of their property to topical investment news. We want our customers to feel in control of their financial situation."

Canstar also praised CBA for having a complete online home loan application. Customers can upload all relevant documentation and use an electronic signature for identification. Customer can use the bank's My Home Loan Tracker facility to follow the progress of their loan application.

Canstar's review focused on product features, online ID verification, online product application, online help.

It looked for innovations, such as cardless cash (offered by CBA and Westpac), the ability to block certain types of transactions and the provision of international ATM locators.

Providers lost points for not giving customers a facility for adding new billers on their smartphones apps, not requiring secondary authentication for new payees and billers, not having dynamic integration between devices, not offering 24-hour help and not allowing online product applications.

According to Canstar's consumer research, 90 per cent of Australians bank online. Laptops are the most popular device for online banking, followed by desktop computers, smartphones and tablets.