ANN ARBOR—The Ann Arbor-based financial technology provider HT Mobile Apps announced that 4Front Credit Union, a Traverse City-based credit union serving northwestern Lower Michigan, will offer Plinqit, HT’s savings app that pays users for learning about personal finances, helping members save money and creating higher engagement for financial institutions.
4Front officials said they wanted to add technology to encourage members to practice practical saving habits with incentives. The credit union initially considered creating the tool internally but decided that working with a partner created a more effective and quicker path to a compelling product.
Plinqit is the only platform of its kind that pays users for engaging with content through its patent-pending Build Skills. Users can grow their knowledge of finances by simply watching a video or reading an article from the Plinqit library, then taking a short quiz and receiving a reward for learning more about financial wellness.
A Michigan Credit Union Foundation (MCUF) grant is helping 4Front offer Plinqit. MCUF supports solutions like Plinqit as ways to make long-term impacts on the financial futures of Michiganders. Financial preparedness is especially important now as families seek to weather current challenges and thrive financially moving forward.
“At 4Front Credit Union, we consistently seek ways to pair convenience with impact through technology and process improvements,” said Zach Eychaner, senior vice president of strategic innovation at 4Front. “We wanted to find a tool that would help our members create better financial habits by saving—that’s why we selected Plinqit. We view Plinqit as an engaging, easy-to-use platform. The app employs the right amount of friction to encourage savings without creating barriers for those encountering unplanned expenses while pursuing their savings goals. By expanding our digital offerings to include Plinqit, we can continue to empower members through innovative financial tools.”
Added Kathleen Craig, founder and CEO of HT Mobile Apps: “By partnering with 4Front Credit Union, we are able to help them better engage with their members and create deeper relationships. When we created Plinqit, we wanted it to be more than an attractive digital offering for financial institutions, it needed to help people feel empowered and improve their financial literacy. With a higher than average, 55 percent, engagement rate, and more than 60 percent of users continuing to save after they reach their goals, we are doing just that!”
More about Plinqit at www.plinqit.com.
4Front serves more than 81,000 members, has $490 million in assets, and has branches in Boyne City, Cadillac, Charlevoix, East Jordan, Kalkaska, Mancelona, Petoskey, and Traverse City. More at www.4frontcu.com/.