10 fascinating fintech companies, startups and apps

2020 has been a tough ride for the world. The pandemic has closed down countless businesses or led them to a crisis, leaving many unemployed. Now, more than ever, automating processes, and cost-cutting have become a burning need for companies of all sizes, and financial literacy and smart money management – for people globally. We have already written about fintech trends for 2020 and the years to come. In this article, we will give a brief overview of the most interesting fintech companies, startups, and apps (in our opinion) that represent these trends. They all have one thing in common – revolutionizing financial services. Easy, fast, hassle-free are the adjectives that describe money matters now.

B2B

1. Brex. Brex is based in San Francisco, California, and is a platform for B2B lending. The new era of business has already started, and Brex provides financial services to support this digital evolution. They give what traditional banks cannot – instant and easy access to money through a financial OS. It is an alternative to a conventional bank account and card with third-party integration options, unprecedented reward systems, and handy built-in tools.

2. True accord. True Accord is a San Francisco-based collection agency. The software, based on machine learning, helps companies collect debts from clients. People can settle their debts through a mobile app on a personalized plan. It also sends reminders and push notifications. Data intelligence also helps analyze user behavior and identify the “good guys”- clients that can be engaged again once they have settled debts. Such communication, different from cold calling, ensures much higher payback rates.

3. Xero. Xero is a SaaS company from New Zealand that offers accounting software to small enterprises. It has gained a huge popularity and has more than 2 million subscribers. The system allows paying and tracking bills effortlessly, connecting to a bank and performing secure transactions, accepting payments with third-party services like Stripe, paying employees, etc. All these features help automate mundane accounting tasks and manage financial data effectively. Besides, you can access the platform anytime through the Xero mobile app.

4. Trumid. With the help of data science, the company has created an innovative trading platform for electronic bonds and has already built an established network of credit market participants. Traders can place bids anonymously and have the possibility to negotiate deals privately. The efficiency and connectivity of Trumid Market Center 2.0 resulted in an explosive growth in the number of transactions.

5. FiniCity. The goal of FiniCity corporation is to provide valuable financial data insights to users for making successful decisions. It offers an open banking platform with API services that allow developers to create ultramodern financial apps and access customer-permitted data. FiniCity partners with various institutions to create financial ecosystems –for lending, payments, etc.

B2C

1. Spontaneity is at the core of Cuvva. You can get insured while travelling even on an hourly basis if you do not know how long you will be on the road. It is possible to extend the insurance instantly in the app for 30 minutes. This format is very convenient for learner drivers, driving new vehicles home, test drives, etc. The coverage is up to 40, 000 £. Users also get reminders about the annual vehicle safety (MOT) test and tax payments in the app.

2. Acorns is a personal finance solution for savings and micro investments. For instance, it can automatically save change from each purchase, and make this money work for you. The app offers different investment portfolios, depending on the accumulated sum, to clients with minimum risks. Users also get informational content to improve financial literacy. With two Nobel-prize economists as advisors, the product is a huge hit in the USA and boasts such celebrity investors as Jennifer Lopez and Ashton Kutcher. Acorns is based on the SaaS model, with subscriptions ranging from 1 to 5 dollars per month.

3. Klarna is a ground-breaking Swedish bank and a well-established company with over 90 million clients in 17 countries. It offers a non-conventional approach to credits, tailored for online shopping: proprietary software evaluates lenders right before making a purchase. The app provides a smooth one-click shopping experience, has a 4.9-star rating on the App Store and ranks 8 in the Shopping category. Klarna cooperates with more than 200,000 vendors globally. In Northern Europe, it has 10% market share in e-commerce.

4. Lemonade is an insurance app for homeowners, renters and pets based on artificial intelligence. The AI bot named Maya can prepare a customized insurance plan within 1 and a half minutes, and it’s as easy as ordering pizza. The company charges a flat fee and treats premiums as if they were still the clients’ money, so they get the unclaimed remainder at the end of year. It also donates to charity on behalf of the individuals insured.

5. Mint is a smart budget tracker and planner for users who strive to organize their finances on a new level. All users’ bank accounts and bills in one place, alerts and reminders on due payments, features for setting financial goals and achieving them – the app promises a life-changing experience. The user also gets personalized tips on money management and improving credit scores.