13 rails · 49 apps · taps counted, not just minutes
How hard is it to get your money out?
Minutes are easy to find. Taps are not, and on a phone they matter more, because an interface that takes eight steps and shows you an offer halfway is doing something a five hour wait never does.
| Method | Apps | Taps | Payout | Friction screens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoincrypto | 11 | 6 | 30 min | 4 of 11 apps |
| Ethereumcrypto | 6 | 7 | 5 h | 3 of 6 apps |
| USDTcrypto | 5 | 7 | 5 h | 3 of 5 apps |
| PayPalwallet | 11 | 7 | 1 day | 6 of 11 apps |
| Interac e-Transferbank | 48 | 6 | 1 day | 27 of 48 apps |
| MuchBetterwallet | 18 | 7 | 1 day | 15 of 18 apps |
| Skrillwallet | 9 | 8 | 1 day | 7 of 9 apps |
| Netellerwallet | 7 | 8 | 2 days | 5 of 7 apps |
| iDebit and Instadebitbank | 13 | 8 | 2 days | 11 of 13 apps |
| Apple Pay and Google Paywallet | 4 | 7 | 3 days | None found |
| Visacard | 43 | 7 | 3 days | 24 of 43 apps |
| Mastercardcard | 36 | 7 | 3 days | 20 of 36 apps |
| Bank transfer and EFTbank | 9 | 6 | 3 days | 4 of 9 apps |
What a friction screen is
A screen inserted into the withdrawal flow whose only job is to make you stop. An offer after you type the amount. A confirmation that repeats the previous confirmation word for word. A pre-ticked box that reverses the request if you thumb past it. We count them and we name the pattern on every app page.
None of them are hidden and none of them are illegal. They are placed where people are most likely to change their mind, which is exactly why they are placed there.
Where the counts land
Best on the page is Apple Pay and Google Pay at zero screens in four apps, partly because both platform owners police the flow themselves. Worst is iDebit and Instadebit at eleven of thirteen, followed by MuchBetter at fifteen of eighteen.
Interac carries the highest absolute count at twenty seven, which is mostly a function of it being in forty eight apps. As a ratio it sits in the middle.
Taps and minutes are separate problems
A six tap flow that pays in three days is still three days. An eight tap flow that pays in thirty minutes is still thirty minutes. Read both columns and pick the rail that is good at the one you care about.
For most people the answer is Interac at six taps and a day, or Bitcoin at six taps and half an hour if you already hold coin.