Posted on 26/11/24 04:30 am
What is the Step Banking App?
The Step Banking app operates as a personal money management platform while offering the features of a traditional bank. It allows users to store, spend, transfer, and invest their funds. In addition, the platform is committed to enhancing financial literacy by providing educational resources to help users improve their financial knowledge.
Step strives to provide a user-friendly experience tailored to a younger demographic while placing a strong emphasis on user safety. This guide covers everything you need to know about the Step banking app, including its features and security measures — like the requirement to submit a phone number during sign-up.
What is the Step App?
Step is technically not a bank, but rather a money management app. What sets it apart from many financial platforms is that it offers a fee-free experience. There are no overdraft, monthly maintenance, or minimum balance fees, making it an excellent option for teens and parents who want to avoid surprise charges.
Partnering with Evolve Bank & Trust, Step offers banking products like a Visa debit card linked to the user’s Step account. In addition, it provides the ability for parents to instantly transfer funds to their teen’s account and is compatible with digital wallets such as Google Pay and Apple Pay.
Step also enables peer-to-peer money transfers, making it easier to share expenses or send gifts among friends. This feature promotes teamwork in managing finances and teaches teens about digital transactions in a secure, controlled setting.
Additional Functions & Features
Step provides customization options, allowing users to tailor their experience. You can adjust your notification settings, choose a theme for the app, and set spending limits and financial goals. You can also track your spending in real-time.
How you spend with your Step account affects your credit score, which reflects your financial responsibility. With the Step Visa card, you can build a positive credit score without any hassle.
Step ensures users' data and finances are protected with encryption, anti-fraud measures, and FDIC insurance. Users can access features like transaction alerts and can lock the card attached to their Step account instantly if needed.
Beyond its primary banking features, Step introduces elements that resonate well with its teen audience. You can earn cashback on purchases, invest in over 1,000 assets, including cryptocurrencies, and access learning resources about money management, collectively known as Money 101.
Below, we’ll explain the registration process and why you need a phone number to use the Step app.
Do You Need a Phone Number for Step Signup?
Step Banking is based in the U.S. and caters exclusively to residents within the country. It offers financial services with a strong focus on data security. To verify each user’s identity and confirm that they are located in the United States, Step requires a mobile number and a Social Security Number during sign-up.
Additionally, you will need to enter your first and last legal name, birthdate, street address, city, state, apartment number (if applicable), and ZIP code. Once you’ve provided this information, you can top up your balance, apply for a card, and more. These requirements are standard for American financial institutions.
The mobile phone number is required to enhance account security, enable SMS notifications, and help you recover your account if you forget your login details.
How to Register a Step Account Without a US Phone Number?
What happens if you don’t have a U.S. phone number? It can pose challenges, as Step uses phone data for verification and security purposes. One solution for those without a U.S. phone number is to use a virtual U.S. number.
A virtual U.S. number can receive SMS messages, enabling you to go through the confirmation steps. The next section explains how smsotpverify can provide one-time use numbers to help you complete the sign-up process for Step.
How to Use Virtual Numbers from smsotpverify
One-time virtual numbers from smsotpverify offer a convenient and secure way to complete the verification process without revealing your personal contact information. This internet-based service supports over 200 countries and allows you to receive confirmation messages from more than 1,500 apps, including Step. Using a virtual number saves you the trouble of purchasing a U.S. SIM card while providing an additional layer of privacy. This method lets you complete your Step banking app registration from outside the U.S.
Interested in getting started? Here’s a step-by-step guide for using smsotpverify to register for the Step app: