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How money apps like SortMe can help build better habits
Last month, we looked at what open banking is and why it matters. This month, we’re looking at what it could mean in everyday life.
As regulated open banking starts rolling out in New Zealand, the real value for most people will not be the technology itself. It will be whether it helps make everyday money management simpler, clearer and more useful.
MBIE says open banking is intended to support secure, customer-authorised services such as budgeting tools, faster comparisons and new payment options.
Please note: This article is intended to provide general information to help members understand open banking and how it may affect the money tools and services they choose to use. It is not personalised financial advice.
What this could look like in real life
Our February article focused on the foundations: what open banking is, how it works, and why security matters. This next article is about the practical side - the kinds of tools that may become more useful as open banking becomes more established in New Zealand.
For many people, open banking will matter most when it starts showing up in tools that help with ordinary financial tasks, seeing spending more clearly, staying on top of bills, comparing options faster, or building better habits over time. The new standards set out the technical, security and operational rules for how banks and accredited providers can share data securely and enable customer-authorised payments.
That is why the conversation is starting to shift. It is becoming less about what open banking is, and more about what it can actually help people do.
Why apps are part of the story
Sorted’s recent article on fintech money apps makes this practical point well.
It says the right tool depends on what kind of progress someone is trying to make, whether that is building a buffer, getting out of debt faster, or growing money for the future.
It also makes an important point that feels very relevant here, no app can do the hard work for you, but the right one may help make better habits easier to stick to.
“The strongest fintech tools are the ones that make your progress smoother – whether that’s by automating some good financial habits, improving returns on savings, or helping you handle the biggest financial risks you face".
- Sorted: Fintech money apps that make it easier to build momentum with your money
That is where tools like SortMe fit naturally into the story.
For members, the appeal of a tool like SortMe is not that it promises a perfect financial fix. It is that it may help make money easier to stay on top of, by giving a clearer view of spending, helping organise financial information, and making everyday money management feel a little less overwhelming.
Why this matters now
The timing matters because regulated open banking is no longer just a future idea.
MBIE says the regulations came into force on 1 December 2025, with ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac required to have systems live from that date.
Kiwibank joins in stages, with payments from 1 June 2026 and other open banking services from 1 December 2026.
That does not mean every money app will suddenly change overnight.
But it does mean New Zealand is moving into a phase where open banking should increasingly show up in real tools and services, rather than staying as a background concept.
MBIE says the rollout is intended to help create a more dynamic banking sector and support innovation, competition and low-cost digital services
What members can do
A good first step is to think about what you actually want help with.
Are you trying to get a better handle on spending? Stay on top of bills? Build a savings habit? Compare options more easily? That is a more useful starting point than simply downloading an app because it sounds new or clever. Sorted’s framing is helpful here: the right tool depends on the kind of progress you are trying to make.
It is also worth asking a few simple questions before using any money tool:
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What problem is this helping me solve?
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Will I actually use it regularly?
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Is it clear what information I am sharing?
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Does it help me build a useful habit, or just give me more data to look at?
For some members, a tool like SortMe may be a useful way to feel more organised and more in control of everyday finances. The important thing is not whether a tool sounds innovative. It is whether it helps in a practical way.
Final Thoughts from us
If last month’s article explained the basics of open banking, this month’s article is really about the next step, usefulness.
As the rollout continues, the biggest difference for most people will come from the tools that help them do ordinary things better, like understand spending, stay organised, make comparisons more easily and build stronger habits over time.
That is one of the reasons we chose to partner with SortMe.
Supporting members to build financial resilience is an important part of our mission, and we are interested in tools that can make everyday money management feel simpler and more achievable. We think SortMe is a useful example of that, and we will continue looking at other services that support members in practical ways.
Sources used in preparing this article
- HealthCarePlus: Expert Guide: Open Banking Explained
- Sorted: Fintech money apps that make it easier to build momentum with your money
- MBIE: Open banking regulations now in force
- MBIE: Consumer Data Right Standard – Open Banking
- MBIE: Final open banking regulations: factsheet
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