RBC Express - A Premium Banking Experience... Stuck in the 90s

Ah, RBC Express, the so-called “premium” business banking service that demands a handsome monthly fee. One would assume that such a high-end service would come with a sleek, modern interface, cutting-edge features, and an experience worthy of the Royal Bank of Canada name.

But no.

Instead, RBC Express presents itself as a time capsule from a long-forgotten era, where UI design was an afterthought, speed was optional, and usability was a mere suggestion. It’s the kind of interface that makes you wonder if someone at RBC mistook “legacy” for “legendary.”

If you’ve never had the pleasure of using RBC Express, let me paint you a picture:

• Static layouts that defy logic and common sense
• Outdated fonts that scream Windows 95 aesthetic
• Clunky, never-ending forms designed to test your patience
• A loading speed that lets you make a coffee, drink it, and question your life choices before the page refreshes

Honestly, some of the most “third-world” banking systems would put this to shame. And I mean that in the most complimentary way possible—to those other banks.

But wait, it gets better! Let’s talk about the crown jewel of RBC Express frustration:

The Scheduled Reports Section: A Masterclass in How Not to Build Software

Once upon a time, some intellects at RBC had a grand vision – What if users could define custom

reports, schedule them, and have them magically appear when needed?

A brilliant idea. A game-changer.

Sounds great, right? Wrong.

Because they seemingly outsourced the execution to the lowest bidder halfway across the world, ensuring that what could have been seamless instead feels like a clunky afterthought. The result?

• You need a PhD to use it. Forget common sense or intuitive design. If you can’t decipher cryptic dropdowns, random field requirements, and illogical workflows, well, that’s on you.
• Reports are available for a whopping… 7 days. That’s right. Not seven months. Not seven years. Seven days. Blink, and they’re gone.
• No option to auto-email reports. In a world where data storage costs are practically pennies per terabyte, RBC Express behaves as if storing a simple report for longer than a week might bankrupt the bank itself.

And let’s not forget—this isn’t some free service offered out of goodwill. Businesses are paying a premium every month for this “privilege.”

RBC Executives: Wake Up and Smell the 21st Century

There’s no survey, no feedback loop, and apparently, no accountability. The RBC ex

ecutives, safely tucked away in their cozy, carpeted downtown offices, must be under the impression that they’ve built a perfect system that will last another 50 years without an update.

After all, in the last eight years, not a single dot has changed in RBC Express. No UI refresh. No usability improvements. Not even a font upgrade.

Perhaps the real reason behind this pathetic lack of innovation is the monopoly of the Big Five banks in Canada. When you don’t have to compete, why bother improving?

If you ever want a dose of reality, dear RBC execs, take a peek at what Bank of America, Chase, or even the now-defunct SVB were doing. Even the smallest U.S. banks have managed to figure out online business banking without making their users suffer.

Meanwhile, RBC Express remains a relic of the past, frustrating its business clients daily, one sluggish, outdated, overpriced login at a time.