Evolution of banking services in Portugal

I am able to get a fishing licence via banks ATM but not on any of the banking apps on my phone.  It is also very useful to be able to go and talk to them person to person which I have done to sort out an issue of accessing the account online,  which I could not sort out online, - phone was stolen in Marrakesh so no 2FA code so no way of loggin in so no way of sending message so card blocked and couldn't pay hotel etc.

I think Portugal is quite a bit behind most of Europe in terms of banking services.

My international credit cards are not always taken even at cafes in malls (for example in one cafe kiosk in Braga) and many smaller vendors do not accept any credit card. The credit card terminals favor Portuguese MB (Multibanco) cards. It appears cash can still be king here.

Also opening a bank (at least in Braga area) has proven a challenge for non-permit holding residents (I am a US citizen going through manifestação de interesse). Even my immigration lawyer is having to present tons of documents.

I can't comment yet on Apps besides trying to open an account with Atlantico's app which stalled out after I filled out all the necessary information.

I've had my Novobanco account for about a year and have used online banking in the US for many years. I've been frustrated many times trying to arrange payments and have them fail and being able to finally accomplish it using the App on my phone??? Makes no sense. The other major issue I have is even having chosen English as my online language when navigating to other pages it's all in Portuguese and for whatever reason Google won't translate it.

My international credit cards are not always taken even at cafes in malls (for example in one cafe kiosk in Braga) and many smaller vendors do not accept any credit card. The credit card terminals favor Portuguese MB (Multibanco) cards.     -@Cthans

Do you think that cafés / smaller vendors, can afford the fees charged to merchants by international payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard, given the low profit margins they make on what they sell ?! Are you aware of this? Many of these businesses don't even have MB... !

   
My international credit cards are not always taken even at cafes in malls (for example in one cafe kiosk in Braga) and many smaller vendors do not accept any credit card. The credit card terminals favor Portuguese MB (Multibanco) cards.     -@Cthans
Do you think that cafés / smaller vendors, can afford the fees charged to merchants by international payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard, given the low profit margins they make on what they sell ?! Are you aware of this? Many of these businesses don't even have MB... !
    -@JohnnyPT

So right. All these small payments should be made in cash. Even the Multibanco costs the merchants. I could easily live in a cash based society. I have once bought a (used, but expensive) car in cash. Unfortunately, these days are over.

The other major issue I have is even having chosen English as my online language when navigating to other pages it's all in Portuguese and for whatever reason Google won't translate it.

    -@bobinportugal22

Well, at least they are trying. One can easily avoid this problem by settling in a country where one understands the basics of the local language. maybe NOT translating anything would provide an incentive for learning the basics of the language. After many years in Portugal that would be my preference.

Portugal still embraces cash. There's something beautiful about that. Progress and digitization might be convenient, but it doesn't always help lower and middle class people and specifically small businesses.

In countries where populations have little faith in the tax man, it offers them a way out for the sake of their own survival.