Retrieval-augmented generation analysis of user reviews in Saudi mobile banking apps: a comparative user experience study of iOS and Android

Mobile banking in Saudi Arabia has experienced rapid growth driven by the government’s digital transformation efforts under Saudi Vision 2030, which has prompted the adoption of innovative technologies to improve service delivery across digital financial transformation. Analyzing user reviews is instrumental in gauging the success of mobile banking applications (apps). Utilizing sentiment analysis allows banking providers to convert customer feedback into actionable insights, which can help improve their services, attract new customers, and retain current customers. In this study, we conducted a comparative sentiment analysis of mobile banking apps in Saudi Arabia across iOS and Android platforms. We systematically analyzed 15,459 iOS and 230,734 Android user reviews in multiple languages from 10 leading Saudi banks. Utilizing a pre-trained sentiment model, we classified user sentiments into three categories: positive, negative, and neutral. To deepen the evaluation, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with GPT-4o was applied to extract fine-grained user concerns, which were visualized through heatmaps of the most frequent usability issues. Our findings revealed clear differences in user satisfaction across mobile banking apps on iOS and Android. On Android, Alrajhi showed the strongest positive sentiment. Both Banque Saudi Fransi and Saudi Investment Bank received consistently negative reviews on iOS and Android. Arab National Bank received strong positive sentiment on iOS but weak positive sentiment on Android. The comparison between 2022 and 2023 showed mixed outcomes: Saudi National Bank improved on Android and Saudi Awwal Bank on iOS, but Alinma on iOS and Arab National Bank on Android worsened. Beyond sentiment, usability was examined through the ISO 9241-11 model, which highlighted persistent issues in effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. The results uncovered recurring problems in instability ( e.g ., crashes), performance slowness ( e.g ., delayed responsiveness), User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) shortcomings ( e.g ., confusing layouts), authentication difficulties ( e.g ., login failures), feature limitations ( e.g ., missing functions), and insufficient customer support ( e.g ., unresponsive assistance). Saudi banks should continuously enhance their apps by systematically analyzing user feedback, identifying recurring usability issues, and fixing key emerging problems. Early resolution of critical issues in mobile banking apps, coupled with continuous refinement, enhances customer loyalty and sustains competitiveness within the rapidly evolving digital financial ecosystem.