This comparison simply includes all savings accounts.
Best Student Current Account
Why we like it: SPECIAL OFFER - Get £175 when you switch to a First Direct 1st Account. You also get access to a 7% AER/gross fixed for 12 months Regular Saver Account if saving between £25 and £300 a month (up to £3,600 per year). £250 interest-free overdraft (subject to status). No minimum monthly funding and no monthly account fee. No first direct fees for when spending abroad, withdrawing cash from the UK or when making a debit card payment in a foreign currency in the UK. Mobile banking app. UK based contact centre. For the £175 switching cash offer you need to open a 1st Account, switch your everyday banking to us using the Current Account Switch Service and pay in at least £1,000 within three months of opening the account. This offer is only available to new First Direct customers, or HSBC customers who haven't opened an account since 1 January 2020
Why we like it: No minimum monthly funding or monthly fee to maintain the account. Get cashback, vouchers, prize draws and other offers personalised to you when you use Santander Boosts (you must have a personal Santander debit or credit card, be 18 years or over and be registered for Online and Mobile Banking). Stress-free account switching in 7 days with the Current Account Switch Service. £300 ATM withdrawal per day, Arranged Overdraft facility (subject to status). Online and Mobile Banking with text and email alerts. Must be 18 or older and live in the UK permanently. 39.94% EAR overdraft charge.
Why we like it: Earn 1% cashback every month on selected household bills paid by Direct Debit, capped at up to £10 each month and 1% cashback every month on supermarket and travel spend when you use your debit card, capped at £10 each month. Access to Santander Edge Saver with 7.00% AER / 6.78% gross (variable) interest up to £4,000 with 2.50% AER / 2.47% gross (variable) bonus rate for the 12 months from opening. Get cashback, vouchers, prize draws and other personalised offers when you use Santander Boosts (must have a personal Santander debit or credit card, be 18 years or over and be registered for Online and Mobile Banking). No fees or charges for international payments or CHAPS payments. Arranged overdraft interest rate of 39.94% APR/EAR (variable). For cashback offer you must pay a minimum of £500 into your account each month, have 2 active Direct Debits, be over 18 and live in the UK permanently. Paper-free account. £3 monthly fee
Why we like it: Free current account. Pays 0.05% AER interest on balances up to £85,000. Get set up in minutes. Which? Banking Brand of the Year 2023
Why we like it: Earn 1% cashback on your everyday debit card including contactless spending. Available for your first 12 months for new customers. Max £15 per month. Cashback exceptions apply. Access to a Chase saver account paying 4.1% AER (4.02% gross) variable. Interest earned daily and paid monthly. Easy access to your money with no minimum opening balance. 5% interest on a round up account- choose to round up your spending to the nearest £1 and you'll get 5% AER (4.89% gross) variable interest on your round up account, paid monthly. Zero fees from Chase when you use your Chase debit card, both at home and away. No ATM fees applied by Chase. Open extra current accounts in seconds, for free. Use them to spend from, pay bills with Direct Debits, budget, and set aside money in the way that works best for you. Must be 18+, be a UK resident and have a smart phone and UK mobile number. No account opening fees and no monthly fee. No minimum monthly funding. In-app card control - you decide how and where your card works. You can stop it from making contactless or gambling payments, from working abroad, or from making cash withdrawals. Numberless card - your card details are stored in the app, so no one can see them but you. 24/7 customer support- either over the phone or by in app messaging
Why we like it: 3.50% AER/3.45% gross (variable) on balances up to £25,000. 1% cashback (up to £15 a month) on selected household bills when you pay by Direct Debit. 1% cashback (up to £15 a month) at supermarkets and on travel costs when you use your debit card (exclusions apply). Make international payments with no extra fees (the bank receiving the payment may still apply charges). There's also no charge for making CHAPS payments from this account. No fees for using Santander Edge Up debit card to withdraw cash and make payments outside the UK in the local currency. Get cashback, vouchers, prize draws and personalised offers with Santander Boosts , free rewards service. Online and Mobile Banking available with text and email alerts. Must be 18 or older and live in the UK permanently. £5 monthly fee for maintaining the account that will automatically be taken from the account each month. Must pay a minimum of £1,500 into the account each month. Must have 2 active Direct Debits. Arranged overdraft facility (subject to status). If you use an arranged overdraft you’ll be charged an interest rate of 39.94% APR / EAR (variable). Online and Mobile Banking available with text and email alerts
Why we like it: Can be opened by or on behalf of any child up to the age of 17. Debit or cash card available for those aged between 13 and 17. Monthly interest. No monthly fee. For children under age 13, the account must be opened in trust and managed by an adult (trustee). If you’re aged between 13 and 17 years old and live permanently in the UK you can apply online by telephone or in branch. No overdraft facility. 1% interest on the entire balance once the balance is £100, 2.00% AER/1.98% gross (variable) on the entire balance once the balance is £1,500, 3.00% AER/2.96% gross (variable) on the entire balance once the balance is £1,500 or over (up to a maximum of £2,000). Bank is registered with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), so any money you keep will be fully protected, up to £85,000
Why we like it: A free 4-year Santander 16-25 Railcard worth £100 plus a total average saving of £636 (average saving of £159 per year). An interest-free and fee-free Arranged Overdraft, up to £1,500 in years 1-3, then up to £2,000 if you stay on to year 5. Get cashback, vouchers, prize draws and other offers personalised to you when you use Santander Boosts (you must have a personal Santander debit or credit card, be 18 years or over and be registered for Online and Mobile Banking). No monthly account fee. Must be over 18 and live in the UK permanently Must be studying or are about to begin an undergraduate course that is at least 2 years in length, or level 4 to 7 apprenticeship. If you’re about to begin your course, you must have an ‘unconditional’ or ‘confirmed conditional’ offer (i.e. you have your exam results) before you apply. You must pay in at least £500 every 4 months and must not already have an existing Santander current account. If you do, you’ll need to transfer it
Why we like it: SPECIAL OFFER: 3 months of free Revolut Premium trial instead of a cash award. Open a current account in minutes direct from your phone and receive bank card. Set budgets, get instant spending notifications, and see weekly insights to keep your spending on track. Earn rewards on travel, retail, restaurants and more. Spend abroad in over 150 currencies at the Real (interbank) exchange rates with no hidden fees. Transfer money abroad in 30+ currencies with the interbank exchange rate, with a small 0.5% fee for anything above £1,000 each month. Get paid up to 0.40% AER interest on your GBP funds. No minimum amounts. Deposit and withdraw your money whenever you want. 7x better than the banks at stopping card fraud. 0.5% fee for any international spending or transfers above £5,000 each month. 2% fee for international ATM withdrawals of more than £200 per month. Monthly fee of £0, £2.99, £6.99 or £12.99 depending on account features
Why we like it: Open a GBP and EUR current account using your mobile in minutes, with no credit checks and no proof of address required. Track your account activity in real-time, get an overview of your monthly outgoings, set budgets and set your savings aside from your day-to-day spending. Get instant updates on your mobile whenever you receive or spend money. Add money to your account instantly by debit card or bank transfer. Spend on your Monese card worldwide with no fee and make ATM withdrawals with fee-free limits with money-saving exchange rates. Send money to your contacts and request payments from them. You can also save when you transfer money abroad (from 0.5% fee) at the wholesale currency exchange rate. Transfers between Monese accounts are also free and instant. You can use your Monese app in any one of 12 languages. Accident, sickness, unemployment protection, hospital stay and purchase protection all available
Why we like it: Children’s pre-paid debit card account. Can be opened on behalf of any child from the age of 6 to 18. With the GoHenry prepaid debit card and app, kids learn how to budget—and grow to understand the difference between wants and needs by spending wisely. Parents can help guide their progress with real-time updates, customisable controls and more. Kids and teens can gain skills in the app, learning about investing, credit and more. Then apply their knowledge with their real money. Now with new lessons for kids aged 12+. 92% of parents say their kids are more money confident since joining GoHenry. Choose from 45+ card designs—and personalise it with your child’s first name, too. Covered by your account’s FSCS protection up to £85,000. 30 days free, then £2.99/month. No overdraft facility
Why we like it: Children's pre-paid bank account. Can be opened on behalf of any child 3 years. Debit card available for the child from ages 6 to 17, with Pocket Money app. Set up with real or virtual money. Keep track of spending. Unlock extra features like Chore Manager - teach your kids the importance of earning money. Great for teaching kids good money habits from a young age. Manage all pocket money in one place. Help your kids make spending decisions when out & about. A child friendly interface that empowers and encourages kids to engage with their money. Safe and secure card. You’re still the primary account holder, so you are covered by your account’s FSCS protection up to £85,000. Monthly fee's start from zero to £1.99 per month. No overdraft facility
Best Student Current Account
Student accounts offer some great deals and switch rewards. With so many to choose from, spending some time comparing is necessary to find the right offer for you. As standard, student accounts offer an interest free overdraft, sometimes up to £3000, as well as a range of free incentives, such as a railcard.
Student Account Comparison
1) Santander 123 for students
This account offers some great rewards for students. Once again Santander are offering a four-year Young Person’s Railcard, worth around £100, for free. With train prices becoming more expensive, having a third off the ticket value is a guaranteed way to save money providing you travel by train. Railcard can also be applied to London travel cards.
This account also pays up to 3% interest on balances of £300 to £2000.
For those who need the cash, an interest free overdraft of up to £1,500 in the first three years of your course is available. Fourth and fifth year students get up to £2,000 interest-free. If you’re likely to remain in credit then this high interest bank account is a great choice as with a £2000 balance and the railcard you’ll earn £160 of rewards in the first year, plus any savings you make with your railcard.
Useful to Know
- The overdraft must be arranged as you could be charged £5 for using an unplanned overdraft.
- You need to pay £500 every academic term and register for online banking to receive these perks.
2) The Co-op student account
If you need a larger overdraft then this account offers a good deal as most applicants receive the full amount. Students are entitled to £1,400 interest-free overdraft in the first year of university. This increases to £1,700 in second year and £2,000 in third year.
The Co-op do not pay interest on the balance so this may not suit students who are likely to stay in credit unless they plan on opening a separate savings account.
They also do not offer any switch reward or incentives.
Co-op hold an ‘ethical policy’ meaning they won't work with organisations that they feel fail to uphold basic human rights or significantly harm the environment.
3) Nationwide FlexStudent
This year, Nationwide launched FlexStudent, its first student account.
While they don’t offer any switch rewards, they do offer a sizable overdraft of £1,000 in the first year, £2,000 in year two and £3,000 in the third. They also offer 1% interest on balances up to £1,000 - ideal for people who are likely to stay in credit.
Useful to Know
- They don’t charge fees for unauthorised overdrafts but will freeze the account until you bring the account back up to your limit.
4) HSBC student account
Like Santander, HSBS is offering some tempting money-saving rewards for switching.
They offer a £60 Amazon voucher plus one-year Amazon Prime membership which will save a lot on delivery fees if you’re likely to use Amazon a lot.
It also has the biggest interest-free overdraft at £3,000, available from first year to students aged 18 or older. Not everyone will get the maximum amount but HSBC says it offers all applicants at least £500.
First year students also earn 1.75% (or 1.5% above Base Rate) on the first £1,000 of their student bank account making this a very attractive all-round account.
5) First Direct current account
While First Direct don’t offer a specific student account, the online and telephone bank gives you £100 when you switch. You just need to pay in £1,000 within three months of opening the account. You'll also get a £250 interest-free overdraft. Unlike the other accounts these rates will carry on once you graduate. As an extra incentive, if you want to close your account after six months, you'll get another £100. If you need a bigger overdraft or want to earn interest on your balance, however, this may not be the best account for you.
6) Barclays Student Additions
Barclays offers free text alerts warning you if your balance is low and a £500 overdraft when you open your account. You may be able to increase the fee-free overdraft to £3,000 while you are studying. Account holders can also earn cashback from retailers such as Topman, Waterstones and Boots so this could be rewarding if you regularly shop in these places.
7) NatWest/RBS
These banks offer a switch reward of a free 4 year National Express coachcard giving users a third off coach fares. The card is normally worth £35 and if you regularly travel by coach you could make some great savings.
Students can apply for a £500 overdraft in the first term and upgrade to £2,000 after that. NatWest/RBS do not pay interest on any credit balance in your account, so this may not suit people who are looking to earn interest.
Useful to Know
- If you do not have enough money in your account and try to make payments, the bank will charge you a fee of £6 per payment up to £60 per month.
- You must use the bank account as your main account and pay in at least £750 every six months and make three debit transaction each month.
8) TSB student account
While this account is not offering a switch reward, they do offer a great rate of interest of 5% on balances up to £500. They also offer a £1500 interest free overdraft.
Useful to Know
- If you go over your overdraft, you will be charged 8.21% interest plus a £6 monthly fee.
10) Lloyds Bank student account
Lloyds offer text alerts to keep you in control of your balance a well as a free overdraft of £500 for your first 6 months which increases to £1,500.
They do not pay interest or offer any kind of reward for joining.
Useful to Know
- If you go over the limit, you'll pay a monthly fee of £6 and 8.21% interest.
It’s very easy to get lost while searching for a student account, as there are so many on offer and all vying for attention from students. However, there are some great deals out there and it’s definitely worth shopping around for the best switch rewards as these can provide long term savings.
