Consumers in the U.S. aren't too thrilled about the idea of a mobile-only bank and more than one-third of them believe that mobile payment apps are unnecessary, according to a survey commissioned by mobile banking app provider Fintonic.

Fintonic commissioned YouGov PLC, a third-party professional research and consulting organization, to poll the views of 3,170 adults in the U.S., Chile and Mexico. The company provides mobile-only banking services to consumers in Latin America and Spain.

The survey revealed Americans' skepticism around using mobile-only banks, with more than one-quarter (26 percent) of respondents saying they would never use one compared with only 12 percent of Mexicans and 16 percent of Chileans. 

Fintonic attributes Americans' distrust of mobile-only banks to the fact that they do not offer the ability to speak with someone face-to-face. Almost one-third (31 percent) of Americans prefer to go to their bank and speak with someone in person, according to the survey. About twice as many Chileans and Mexicans (51 percent and 49 percent, respectively) only visit their bank branch when there is a problem compared with 25 percent of Americans.  

Additional key findings from the report include: 

• more than one-third (36 percent) of Americans don't feel a need for mobile payment apps compared with only 12 percent of Mexicans and 13 percent of Chileans;
• almost one-quarter (23 percent) of Americans don't actually trust the technology behind mobile payment apps; and
• Mexicans and Chileans are much more trusting when it comes to the technology, with only 4 percent of Mexicans and 6 percent of Chileans indicating a lack of confidence in mobile payment apps.