This comparison simply includes all savings accounts.
Current Account Interest Rates
Why we like it: Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid monthly: can be added to your Notice Saver or paid to your linked account. Easy application process, you just need a UK mobile phone and UK driving licence or passport. Manage account online. Maximum balance £250,000. Withdrawals subject to 90 days notice. Must be aged 18 or older and have a UK address. Must have a linked UK current account
Why we like it: MARKET LEADING INSTANT ACCESS ACCOUNT. Unlimited payments and withdrawals. Interest paid annually. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2021. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: Interest paid annually. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: Easy access savings account that tracks the Bank of England base rate. Wave goodbye to the constant cycle of account hopping and forget waiting for banks to pass on higher interest rates. Interest rate moves with the Bank of England base rate, guaranteeing a fixed margin of up to 0.5% below, and adjusts the very next day. Easy access to your money with once a month withdrawals, without notice and without fees. Earn daily interest on your money, and experience the power of compounding to make your savings work harder. Maximum deposit £250,000. Wombat has partnered with GB Bank to bring you the Base Rate Tracker. GB Bank is an award-winning, fully authorised and regulated UK bank. FSCS eligible on your deposits. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: A new savings account from Chip built to move with the Bank of England and reward you faster than the banks. Interest paid monthly. Deposit and withdraw almost instantly. No fees or charges for holding account. FSCS eligible on your deposits. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older.
Why we like it: Tiered interest: £1 to £10,000 – 4.80% Gross/AER, £10,001 to £50,000 – 4.80% Gross/AER, £50,001 to £500,000 – 4.80% Gross/AER. Unlimited payments and withdrawals. Interest paid annually. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £500,000. Open and manage account online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 16 or older
Why we like it: Choose monthly or annual interest payments. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. 24/7 access to your savings. Open and manage online. After 12 months the rate will revert to the underlying rate, currently 1.55% gross/AER variable. Post Office Online Saver is provided by Bank of Ireland UK. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older. FSCS protected
Why we like it: Which? Recommended Savings Provider. No notice period. Deposit from £100. Interest paid monthly or annually. Apply in minutes. Your eligible deposits with RCI Bank UK Limited are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services. Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Why we like it: Instant access to your savings. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid monthly, either to a linked current account, or adding it to your Online Flexi Saver account. Easy application process, you just need a UK mobile phone and UK driving licence or passport. Manage account online. Maximum balance £250,000. Must be aged 18 or older and have a UK address. Must have a linked UK current account. Your eligible deposits with Investec Bank are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Why we like it: Interest paid monthly or annually. Open in a single or joint name. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Covered by the FSCS. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 16 or older
Why we like it: All funds deposited into the RCI Bank E-Volve Savings 14 Day Notice Account will be used to fund pure electric vehicles and charging facilities. Interest paid monthly or annually. Manage account online. UK-based support, seven days a week. Which? Recommended Savings Provider. Unlimited withdrawals subject to 14 days notice. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older. Your eligible deposits with RCI Bank UK Limited are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Why we like it: MARKET LEADING 6 MONTH FIXED RATE BOND. Interest paid at maturity. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2021. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older. No withdrawals permitted
Understanding current account interest rates
Current accounts' interest rates vary considerably, but some current accounts pay highly attractive rates of interest – often better than many dedicated savings accounts.
The drawback is that current accounts tend to have relatively low deposit limits above which you will earn no interest. It is therefore usually sensible to keep as much of your savings as possible in a high-interest current account, then put the rest in a different current account or other type of savings account.
Current accounts generally have two different interest rates – the one they charge you when you are in credit and the one you pay when you are overdrawn. Different current accounts are likely to be more appealing than others depending on whether you tend to be in credit or not most of them time.
AER versus APR
When people talk about interest rates, they will usually refer to an interest rate that is a certain percentage AER or APR.
APR stands for Annual Percentage Rate and is usually quoted for the interest you will pay on loans and credit cards.
AER means Annual Equivalent Rate and is used for the interest you earn on your savings. AER is the amount you would earn if your interest was only paid once a year, whereas in reality current accounts usually pay interest monthly.
Compare current account interest rates
To find the best current account interest rates, you need to compare current accounts from all the top providers on the market. The current account comparison table at the top of this page makes this process quick and simple, allowing you to find a great deal with minimal hassle.
Below are three of the top current accounts available right now:
Santander 123 current account
This account offers 1.50% AER/1.49% gross (variable) on balances up to £20,000. You can also earn cashback of 1-3% on a variety of household bills. This includes payments on a Santander mortgage or insurance policy.
This account has a £5 per month account fee. You must make a minimum monthly deposit of £500 and have two active Direct Debits to qualify for cashback.
TSB Classic Plus account
You can earn 3% AER interest paid monthly on balances up to £1,500 with a TSB Classic Plus account. You can also get £5 per month cashback if you have at least two Direct Debits from the account and another £5 per month when you use your debit card at least 20 times in that month.
There is no monthly account fee, but to earn interest you must pay in a minimum of £500 each month.
Nationwide FlexDirect current account
You get a market-leading 5% AER (4.89% gross p.a.) interest on balances up to £2,500 for the first 12 months with this account. However, the interest then drops to 1% gross p.a./AER (variable), so it may be worth switching to a different account after the first year.
There is no monthly account fee, but you won’t earn any cashback and you have to pay in at least £1,000 a month to earn interest.
