Digital ID Cards Side-by-Side Comparison: BankID vs. Freja

Since BankID introduced its new feature – the digital ID card on mobile phones, the topic has garnered significant attention from the media and the public. With the availability of this feature to users, the interest has further intensified. In contrast, although Freja’s ID document has been available since 2019, it may not have received as much media coverage.

Nevertheless, it has already gained nearly 900,000 users. Both applications enjoy wide adoption among users and represent important steps towards a digital society.

Where can you use it?

BankID	Freja
DHL, Postnord	ATG, PostNord, DB Schenker, DHL, Kronans Apotek, Direkten, Apoteksgruppen, 7-Eleven, Pressbyrån, Apotek Hjärtat, Capio, Stadium, Kjell & Company and UMO.

You can probably use both digital ID cards unofficially in more places, but this is the current list of official partners.

Issuance

BankID	Freja
The process of issuing Bank ID varies from bank to bank. Some banks require physical verification of the user before issuing a digital identity, while other banks allow remote registration.	Freja digital ID card is issued remotely and does not require physical verification.

Which documents can be used for registration?

BankID	Freja
Swedish passport, National ID card	Swedish passport, National ID card, Driver’s license, Skatteverket ID card

Eligibility

BankID	Freja
Any person who meets the requirements set by the issuing banks can obtain BankID.	Any person with a valid Swedish ID document, including minors from13 years old (8 years old with guardian’s approval), individuals with protected identity and Swedes living abroad.

User’s data

BankID	Freja
User’s photo	User’s photo
Name and surname	Name and surname
Age	Age
Personal number	Personal number
	Expiration date
	Postal address
	Mobile number
	Email address

Security features

BankID	Freja
Both digital ID cards have an active screen that responds to finger touch, creating animations and sounds that follow finger movements across the screen.
ID card screensin both apps remain active for 120 seconds, after which the user needs to reactivate it to initiate a new 120-second session.
	Additionally, there is a timer on the personal data card that counts down for 120 seconds, representing the active screen period.
	Freja ID card also includes the date and exact time, which must match the current date and time when the user is using the ID-card.
BankID digital ID card contains an animated QR code that can be scanned using the BankID application or BankID interface, displaying the user’s picture, SSN, and age on the screen of the scanning person.	You can scan Freja’s QR code using the Freja app, after which the same three-digit number will appear on the scanning screen and the user’s phone.
	You can also verify the user’s identity through the security portal at kontroll.frejaeid.com by entering the user’s SSN into the portal, and the same three-digit number will be displayed on the portal screen and the user’s phone.
Standard scanners need to be adapted to scan the QR code from the BankID personal card, meaning companies must integrate BankID into their system.	The QR code on Freja’s ID document can be scanned by any scanner without the need for additional integration.
	A shop can start a transaction with ssn read from the ID card and then the user can confirm it. The flow is that user shows id, they scan, start transaction, user confirms it.

ID photo

BankID	Freja
The photo on the BankID document is the same that appears on the document the user used to register for this ID card. This ID photo cannot be changed.	The ID photo on the Freja ID card is a selfie taken by the user during the registration process and verified by Freja’s security team. If the user is not satisfied with the image, they can change it after a few days.