Barclays Adds New Credit Card Control Features to Mobile App

Barclays US Consumer Bank has added several new features to its mobile app. Cardholders now have more control over how they use and monitor their Barclays credit card.

The new features include:

• SecureHold, which allows cardholders to lock their cards from their mobile phones if they are lost or stolen
• The ability to customize spending based on merchant type, such as restaurants or department stores
• Real-time spending alerts every time the card is used
• The ability to set spending limits for every transaction – this service works for cardholders and authorized users

The spending limit is particularly useful since it allows parents to set limits for children on their accounts. For instance, if a parent gives a child a credit card to use for fuel emergencies, a spending limit can be set at $40. This is enough to fill up a gas tank, but not enough for the teenager to overspend with the card.

The Barclays mobile app comes with a built-in calendar, where users can monitor when bills are due. Users can also connect other bank accounts to their Barclays app to monitor transactions in one location. The app quantifies spending by category to point out where account holders are most actively spending their money each month.