Does GrapheneOS Work with Banking Apps? (2025)
The most common question about GrapheneOS. We've tested every major UK banking app so you don't have to.
GrapheneOS and Banking Apps: The Full Picture
The most common question we get is: "Will my banking app work?" The answer, in 2025, is almost always yes. Here's the full picture.
How Sandboxed Google Play Works
GrapheneOS doesn't include Google Play Services by default, but you can install it as a sandboxed app. This means Play Services runs in an isolated container — it can support apps that depend on it, but it cannot access system-level data or phone home with the same breadth of tracking as it does on stock Android.
Most banking apps that previously failed on GrapheneOS now work with sandboxed Play installed.
UK Banking Apps Compatibility (2025)
Monzo ✅ — Works perfectly with sandboxed Play.
Revolut ✅ — Works perfectly. One of the most popular apps among GrapheneOS users.
Starling Bank ✅ — Works without any issues.
Barclays ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
HSBC ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
Lloyds ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
NatWest ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
Santander ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
Halifax ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
First Direct ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
Chase UK ✅ — Works with sandboxed Play installed.
Why Did Banking Apps Fail Before?
Historically, banking apps used Google's SafetyNet API to check if a device had been "tampered with." A custom OS would fail this check and the app would refuse to open.
Google replaced SafetyNet with Play Integrity API, and GrapheneOS's sandboxed Play implementation passes the basic integrity check that most banking apps require.
What If an App Still Doesn't Work?
A very small number of apps use the "strong" or "device" integrity level which requires a Google-certified device. If you encounter this, the GrapheneOS community forum (discuss.grapheneos.org) maintains an up-to-date list of affected apps and workarounds.
In practice, this affects fewer than 1% of popular apps.
The Bottom Line
Banking apps work on GrapheneOS. The days of GrapheneOS being "incompatible" with everyday apps are largely over. For the vast majority of UK users, every app they rely on will work perfectly.
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