Bi en Línea vs Bi Móvil: the difference nobody explains
If you searched for “Bi Móvil app” or “download Bi Móvil,” what you probably want is Bi en Línea. They are two different Banco Industrial (BI) products, and almost every blog post (and several AI assistants) confuses them. This page fixes that.
In short: Bi Móvil is Banco Industrial’s SMS alert service that costs Q15.00 per month (first 3 months free). Bi en Línea is BI’s full mobile banking app (iOS, Android, Huawei AppGallery; also a web portal at
bienlinea.bi.com.gt), is free, and lets you view balances, transfer, pay bills, pay SAT, and send international wires. They are different products — most people who search “Bi Móvil app” actually want Bi en Línea. Bi en Línea requires Token Bi biometric (mandatory since May 2025). Activation: DPI + selfie in-app, at any branch, or by calling 1717. Verified May 2026.
The difference, in one table
| Bi en Línea | Bi Móvil | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | BI’s full mobile banking app (Android, iOS, Huawei). Also runs in a browser. | An SMS alert service notifying you about account activity. NOT a banking app. |
| Cost | Free — no monthly fee, no transaction fees on standard intra-BI activity. | Q15.00/month (first 3 months free on activation). |
| What you do with it | View balances, transfer, pay bills, pay SAT, open accounts, top up phones, manage cards, send international wires. | Receive SMS when your account is debited, when a card is used, ATM withdrawals, deposits. |
| Security token | Uses Token Bi biometric (mandatory since May 2025). | No token — it’s a passive notification service. |
| Activation | DPI + selfie in-app, at any branch, or by calling 1717. | At a branch or by calling 1717; charged to your account or card. |
| Official source | bel-preguntas-frecuentes | bi-movil-personal |
Bottom line: if you want to move money from your phone, what you need is the Bi en Línea App (free). Bi Móvil is an optional SMS add-on — useful if you want text alerts, but it is not the banking product.
What Bi en Línea actually is
Bi en Línea is Banco Industrial’s electronic banking platform. It exists as a mobile app (“BEL App”) and as a web portal at bienlinea.bi.com.gt. It is the only official channel where you can operate your account digitally.
Verified app data (Play Store / App Store, accessed 2026-05-15):
- Android package:
gt.com.bi.bienlinea - iOS ID:
id510761055 - Developer: Banco Industrial
- Rating: 4.8 stars
- Downloads: 1,000,000+
- Platforms: Android, iOS, Huawei AppGallery
What you can do inside Bi en Línea
Accounts: view balances on checking, savings, credit cards, and loans; open a new digital account without going to a branch; configure automatic savings.
Transfers: to your own accounts (no limit); to third parties inside BI; to other Guatemalan banks (Banrural, BAM, BAC, etc.); mobile transfers to a phone number (recipient redeems cash at a Bi ATM with an SMS code, no bank account needed); QR code transfers; international SWIFT wires.
Payments: 2,300+ billers (utilities, internet, cable), tuition, mobile top-ups, BANCASAT (SAT tax payments), insurance, donations.
Cards: activation, payment, temporary block, consumption limits, adding cards to Bi Pay digital wallet.
Source: Bi en Línea tutorials and BI blog (accessed 2026-05-15).
How to activate Bi en Línea step by step
If you are not yet a BI customer
The app lets you open an account without visiting a branch. You need:
- Valid DPI (Guatemalan ID)
- Active mobile number
- Well-lit space for the selfie validation
- Smartphone with camera
Steps (official Spanish labels):
- Download Bi en Línea App from Google Play, the App Store, or AppGallery
- Open the app → tap “Crear Usuario” (Create User)
- Enter your DPI number
- “Llena los datos solicitados” — fill in personal info
- Selfie — good lighting so the camera matches your face against your DPI photo
- “Crea tu contraseña y activa tu biometría” — set a password + enable fingerprint or face ID
- First login auto-configures Token Bi
- Optional: in “Configuraciones”, pick your preferred biometric method
Source: Create user from BEL App (accessed 2026-05-15).
If you already are a BI customer but have never used the app
Two options:
- A: Walk into any Bi branch with your DPI and request the service
- B: Call 1717
Source: BEL FAQ (accessed 2026-05-15).
Token Bi (biometric) — mandatory since May 2025
This is the change that triggered the most confusion. On May 20, 2025, Banco Industrial migrated all users from SMS-based tokens to Token Bi, a facial-recognition biometric token embedded in the app.
BI’s stated reason: fraud mitigation. SMS tokens were being intercepted via SIM-swap attacks.
How to activate Token Bi
- Open Bi en Línea App
- Tap “Más” → “Configuraciones”
- Select “Token Bi” → accept terms
- Configure facial recognition (camera capture)
- Done
When the app requires Token Bi (higher-risk operations)
- Service and tax payments (BANCASAT, SAT)
- Third-party transfers (intra-BI and to other banks)
- Credit card transfers
- Adding new mobile-transfer contacts
- Changing transfer limits
- Viewing card credentials (PIN/CVV)
What happens if you lose your phone
- Call 1717 immediately so they can deregister the device
- Reinstall the app on the new phone
- Re-register (you will need your existing credentials + a new biometric setup)
Remember: only one phone + one tablet per user. If you are replacing the same kind of device (new phone replacing old phone), you must remove the old one first from settings. And one user per device — the app does not allow two people to share a phone.
Source: Activate Token Bi and BI FAQ 5194 (accessed 2026-05-15).
Common errors after the May 2025 migration
These themes appear repeatedly in BI’s own FAQ and search-result patterns (not verbatim user quotes — these are the symptoms BI documents directly):
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “No token by SMS arrives” | Tokens no longer ship via SMS — they ship as app push notifications | Enable notifications, get on WiFi/data, and confirm Token Bi is set up |
| “Token Bi won’t recognize my face” | Bad lighting or stale biometric capture | Re-do face capture in a well-lit room |
| “App won’t open / crashes” | Outdated version | Update Bi en Línea App to the latest release |
| “I changed phones and can’t log in” | New device isn’t registered | Remove old device first, or call 1717 |
| “Transfer was rejected” | Hit daily/monthly limit | See limits below and raise them in-app |
| “My spouse and I want to share one phone” | Only one user per device is allowed | Each person needs their own phone |
| “Abroad and no token arrives” | Token Bi works abroad on WiFi/data | Ensure connectivity and push notifications are on |
[GAP — for verbatim recent Play Store reviews, capture via Playwright (WebFetch truncates Play Store content).]
Transfer limits (warning: BI publishes conflicting numbers)
Two official BI pages publish different third-party transfer limits. We document both — most likely they reflect new-profile vs verified-profile defaults, but confirm at 1717 before planning a large transfer.
Version A — Transfers page
| Type | Daily | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Own accounts | No limit | No limit |
| Third parties inside BI | Q15,000 | Q15,000 |
| Other banks (interbank) | Q20,000 | Q40,000 |
| Mobile transfers (SMS code redemption) | Q6,000 | Q20,000 |
Source: Transferencias (accessed 2026-05-15).
Version B — Bi en Línea FAQ
| Type | Daily default | Monthly default | Extendable to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third parties | Q3,000 | Q12,000 | Q25,000 / Q60,000 (with form) |
Source: BEL FAQ (accessed 2026-05-15).
Interbank processing window
- Transfers ≤ Q20,000 (or ≤ USD 2,500) between 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM any day → immediate to the destination bank
- Outside that window or larger amounts → standard clearing (next business day)
- BI general operating window: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Raising limits
Done from within the app (BEL App or web). Requires either a physical token (deprecated) or push notifications active — i.e., Token Bi configured.
Source: Limit modification — Bi en Línea (accessed 2026-05-15).
Bonus: Zigi — the new remittance app (launched Dec 2, 2025)
Banco Industrial and Intermex (NASDAQ: IMXI) launched a remittance-receiving app called Zigi on December 2, 2025, built on the Thought Machine core banking platform. Especially relevant for Guatemalan diaspora in the US.
What’s different:
- US-side sender uses Amigo Paisano (Intermex’s app)
- The Guatemalan recipient only needs a phone number — no bank account number required
- Funds land in the Zigi wallet (or BI account) “instantly”
- Recipient can also pay, transfer, save, and apply for digital credit from inside the app
- Marketing claims better FX and lower fees than traditional remittance services — verify against the day’s exchange rate
It is new and there is very little competition in this exact format. If you receive frequent remittances from the US, it’s worth a look.
Sources: Intermex investor release and La Hora — Zigi remittance pickup (accessed 2026-05-15).
International wires (in and out)
Relevant if you receive payments from abroad or send to family/business overseas.
Outbound (from Bi en Línea App or web — SWIFT)
| Mode | Cost |
|---|---|
| Full (covers local charges + first intermediary bank) | USD $40 |
| Local only (recipient pays intermediaries) | USD $15 |
| Processing time | 1 – 5 business days |
Inbound (receiving a wire into BI)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Per inbound international transfer | USD $5 |
| IVE-03 form required | For inbound transfers ≥ USD 10,000 (anti-money-laundering compliance) |
Sources: Wise — BI international transfers and Wise — receiving wires into BI (accessed 2026-05-15).
If you receive remittances, BI also has 25+ affiliated remittance companies, and the new Zigi app can replace SWIFT for typical USA → Guatemala flows.
Customer service: how and when to call
| Channel | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PBX (main) | 1717 (from Guatemala) | Mon–Sun 8:00–20:00 |
| Direct line | 502-2420-3000 | Mon–Sun 8:00–20:00 |
| From abroad | +502-2420-1717 | Mon–Sun 8:00–20:00 |
| servicio@bi.com.gt | — | |
| Complaints | 2411-6010 | — |
| International transfers | 2212-3566 | Business hours |
| Bi Voz (IVR self-service) | 1717 | 24/7 |
Phishing alert: Banco Industrial only emails from the @bi.com.gt domain. Anything else claiming to be BI is phishing.
Sources: BI customer service numbers, BI customer service, and BI official channels (accessed 2026-05-15).
FAQ
Are Bi Móvil and Bi en Línea the same app? No. Bi Móvil is a Q15/month SMS alert service. Bi en Línea is the actual mobile banking app (free).
Do I need Bi Móvil to use Bi en Línea? No. They are independent products. The Bi en Línea App already sends free push notifications on your transactions — Bi Móvil is only if you want SMS on top.
Is there any charge for using the Bi en Línea app? No. The app is free. Transfers to your own accounts or to third parties inside BI have no commission. Interbank transfers within the window (6:00 AM – 10:00 PM, ≤ Q20,000) also have no extra commission.
Does Bi en Línea work from outside Guatemala? Yes. The app and Token Bi work on WiFi or mobile data anywhere. Before traveling, make sure push notifications are on.
I switched phones — what do I do? Remove the old device under “Configuraciones” in the old app (if you still have it) or call 1717. Then install Bi en Línea on the new phone and register it.
Token Bi won’t recognize my face — now what? Re-capture your biometric in good lighting. If it keeps failing, call 1717.
How much can I transfer per day? Depends on type and profile. Own accounts: no limit. Third parties inside BI: between Q3,000 (new-user default) and Q15,000 (standard profile). Other banks: Q20,000 daily / Q40,000 monthly. Extendable to Q25K/Q60K with a form. Confirm at 1717 before a large transfer.
Bi en Línea or Zigi for receiving remittances from the US? If you already have a BI account and your sender uses one of the 25+ affiliated remittance services, money lands directly in the account. If you want faster/simpler and want to give the sender only your phone number, Zigi (paired with Amigo Paisano in the US) is the new option.
Related guides
- Mobile banking apps comparison — Guatemala — all banks side by side
- International wire transfers from Guatemala — SWIFT fees by bank
- USD account comparison by bank — BI cuenta dólar vs the rest
- Personal account opening by bank — BI requirements and comparisons
- Bi en Línea vs Bi Móvil (Spanish version)
Primary sources
- Bi Móvil (SMS service) — corporacionbi.com
- Bi en Línea tutorials — corporacionbi.com
- Create user from BEL App
- Activate Token Bi biometric
- BEL FAQ
- BI Transfers page
- Transfer limit modification
- Intermex / Zigi launch release
- Wise — BI international wires
- BI phishing alert
Last updated: May 15, 2026. Banco Industrial data verified against official sources on that date. For critical figures (limits, fees), confirm at 1717 before transacting.
