Comparing the two payments apps to help you pick the right one for Georgia.
| Bank of Georgia | TBC Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Bank of Georgia's mBank app anchors local payments, with QR codes and instant transfers at Tbilisi shops, taxis and markets. Its terminals also accept every foreign contactless card. | Georgia's other banking giant, whose app and QR stickers you will see at cafes and corner shops from Tbilisi to Batumi. Locals split bills and pay by phone number. |
| Essential? | No | No |
| Pro Tip | Opening an account now takes more than a passport: Georgia tightened AML rules, so you need a Georgian SIM and income documents, and short-stay tourists are often refused. Just tap your own Visa or Mastercard, which almost every Tbilisi terminal accepts. | Only worth setting up if you stay in Georgia for months. As a visitor, keep some lari cash for marshrutka minibuses, market vendors and rural guesthouses, the main places where cards and QR still fail. |
| App Store | Download | Download |
| Play Store | Download | Download |
We recommend Bank of Georgia for payments in Georgia. Opening an account now takes more than a passport: Georgia tightened AML rules, so you need a Georgian SIM and income documents, and short-stay tourists are often refused. Just tap your own Visa or Mastercard, which almost every Tbilisi terminal accepts.
Bank of Georgia is our top recommendation for payments in Georgia. Bank of Georgia's mBank app anchors local payments, with QR codes and instant transfers at Tbilisi shops, taxis and markets. Its terminals also accept every foreign contactless card.
Bank of Georgia vs TBC Bank in Georgia