This comparison simply includes all savings accounts.
Interest Paying Current Accounts
Why we like it: Fee Free Account. An everyday current account. Great money management tools with our mobile banking app. ‘Criteria Apply’. Multiple ways to pay: Apple Pay, Google Pay™ and Contactless Visa Debit Card. Limits apply. Arranged overdraft available (subject to eligibility). No monthly fee. Defaqto 5* rated. Must be 18 or older and UK resident. Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200 you’ll be charged interest at 39.49% EAR variable. To get the £100, use the Current Account Switch Service to close your account held elsewhere and switch by 5pm on 2nd December 2021. Then pay in at least £1,500 in total and log into Online or Mobile Banking by 13th January 2022. To get a further £50 you have to make at least 10 eligible debit or credit transactions each month between 1st January 2022 and 30th September 2022. Offer T&Cs apply. Account eligibility criteria apply. Apply online only
Why we like it: Earn £4 a month back in Rewards by making a minimum of 2 direct debit payments of at least £2 each, or earn £1 a month in rewards with 1 mobile app login. Earn Rewards that you can redeem as cash back, gift cards or e-codes with our retail partners. Great money management tools with our mobile banking app. ‘Criteria Apply’. Arranged overdraft available (subject to eligibility). Multiple ways to pay: Apple Pay, Google Pay™ and Contactless Visa Debit. Must be 18 or older and UK resident. Customers need to pay at least £1,250 into any eligible personal current account every month (excludes transfers between your own accounts). Must not currently hold 2 Reward accounts. £2 monthly fee. Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200 you’ll be charged interest at 39.49% EAR variable. To get the £100, use the Current Account Switch Service to close your account held elsewhere and switch by 5pm on 2nd December 2021. Then pay in at least £1,500 in total and log into Online or Mobile Banking by 13th January 2022. To get a further £50 you have to make at least 10 eligible debit or credit transactions each month between 1st January 2022 and 30th September 2022. Offer T&Cs apply. Account eligibility criteria apply. Apply online only
Why we like it: No minimum monthly funding or monthly fee to maintain the account. Earn up to 15% cashback with Retailer Offers. 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. Bank is registered with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), so any money you keep will be fully protected, up to £85,000. £130 cashback when you complete a full switch to a Santander Everyday Current Account within 60 days, set up 2 Direct Debits, pay in £1,000 and log into Online or Mobile Banking. T&Cs apply.
Why we like it: SPECIAL OFFER - £100 for SWITCHING to a First Direct 1st Account. Access to Regular Saver Account paying 1.00% AER/Gross fixed for 12 months 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. Mobile banking app. UK based contact centre. To qualify, switch using the Current Account Switch Service, deposit £1000 within 3 months of account opening. New customers only that have not opened a HSBC account on or after 1 Jan 2018
Why we like it: SPECIAL OFFER - Get £110 + £30 Uber Eats voucher or The Dining Out Gift Card when you switch to an HSBC Advance Bank Account. Earn 1.00% AER/gross when you save between £25 and £250 per month. Arranged overdraft limit of at least £1,000 on account opening. Money banking app. No monthly account fee. Easy switching with the Current Account Switch Service. Must be 18 or older and be UK resident. Must pay in £1,750 per month or £10,500 over 6 months. Must be approved for an arranged overdraft of £1,000+. Get the £110 when switching to an HSBC Advance Account as a new customer using the Current Account Switch Service within 30 days of account opening, with at least 2 Direct Debits or standing orders. Eligibility criteria and T&C's apply. Offer may be withdrawn anytime. Offer isn’t available to customers who have held a HSBC current account, or opened a first direct account since 1 January 2018. Offer ends 31st October 2021
Why we like it: SPECIAL OFFER - £130 cashback when you switch to a Santander 123 Current Account. Earn 0.30% AER (variable) interest on balances up to a maximum of £20,000. Up to 3% cashback on household bills - 1% on council tax bills, Mobile and home phone bills, broadband and paid-for TV packages, and Santander monthly mortgage payments. 2% on Gas and electricity bills, Santander Home Insurance premiums and Santander Life Insurance premiums, and 3% on water bills. Monthly fee of £4. Cashback capped at £5 for each cashback tier each month. Must pay in £500 pm. Bank is registered with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), so any money you keep will be fully protected, up to £85,000. £130 cashback when you complete a full switch to a Santander 123 Current Account within 60 days, set up 2 Direct Debits, pay in £1,000 and log into Online or Mobile Banking. T&Cs apply.
Why we like it: Free current account. Pays 0.05% AER interest on balances up to £85,000. Get set up in minutes. Send money abroad: Fast and secure money transfers to bank accounts in 38 countries worldwide. No fees when you pay with your card abroad or withdraw money. Get a spotlight on your spending: See what you’ve spent instantly with real-time payment notifications. 3 month interest holiday on the first £500 of an arranged overdraft. Best British Bank and Best Current Account in 2020 at the British Bank Awards. Awarded 5 stars by Defaqto. 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: Up to 3% cashback on selected household bills, capped at £5 for each cashback tier each month. Earn up to 15% cashback with Retailer Offers. Easy to manage online or on mobile app. Get access to a range of 123 offers. Arranged Overdraft facility (subject to status) - 39.94% APR / EAR (variable). Must be 18 or older and UK resident. Customers must pay a minimum of £500 into account each month, have 2 active Direct Debits, log onto Online or Mobile Banking at least once every 3 months. Must not currently hold 2 Reward accounts. £2 monthly fee. £130 cashback when you complete a full switch to a Santander 1|2|3 Lite Current Account within 60 days, set up 2 Direct Debits, pay in £1,000 and log into Online or Mobile Banking. T&Cs apply
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 bank account that can build credit history. No credit check during sign up. Apply straight from your mobile. Instant online decision. Get your Contactless Debit Mastercard within 3-5 working days. Add Creditbuilder onto your account and it could help build your credit rating at no extra cost. Deposit cash into your account at any Post Office UK branch. Money is available in your account immediately. Manage your account 24/7 from any device with the banking app - get real time balance information, statements, add payees send payments and apply for extras. Automatic payment alerts. UK based Customer Services Team. Your money is protected up to £85,000 by the FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme)
Why we like it: Earn £4 a month back in Rewards by making a minimum of 2 direct debit payments of at least £2 each. Plus earn an extra £1 a month in rewards with 1 mobile app login. Earn Rewards that you can redeem as cash back, gift cards or e-codes with our retail partners. Great money management tools with our mobile banking app. ‘Criteria Apply’. Arranged overdraft available (subject to eligibility). Multiple ways to pay: Apple Pay, Google Pay™ and Contactless Visa Debit. Must be 18 or older and UK resident. Customers need to pay at least £1,250 into any eligible personal current account every month (excludes transfers between your own accounts). Must not currently hold 2 Reward accounts. £2 monthly fee. Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200 you’ll be charged interest at 39.49% EAR variable
Why we like it: An everyday current account. Great money management tools with our mobile banking app. ‘Criteria Apply’. Multiple ways to pay: Apple Pay, Google Pay™ and Contactless Visa Debit Card. Limits apply. Arranged overdraft available (subject to eligibility). No monthly fee. Defaqto 5* rated. Must be 18 or older and UK resident. Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200 you’ll be charged interest at 39.49% EAR variable
Interest paying current accounts
Current accounts are now offering better rates of interest than a lot of savings accounts making them a great option for people looking to watch their money grow.
If you combine this with the various switch rewards and ongoing deals which a lot of current accounts are also offering, you could make yourself up to an extra £200 in a year.
Not all current accounts offer interest as standard so we have listed the best options below:
1) Nationwide FlexDirect Current Account
Nationwide Building Society is the second-most-switched-to bank at the moment.
Nationwide FlexDirect pays 5% AER fixed for a year on £2,500, which would give you a maximum £122.25 interest. This rate is fixed for the first year you hold the account, which gives some security in a world of uncertain savings rates. The rate falls to 1% in subsequent years.
To qualify for this interest, you need to pay in £1,000+/month. So, if you are after an account that pays a good rate of interest, intend to stay in credit and prefer to do your banking online or over the phone then this could be the current account for you.
2) TSB Classic Plus Current Account
TSB offer a great deal on its Classic Plus Current Account. This account has one of the lowest minimum monthly pay-ins at £500 per month so is well-suited to anyone who finds it difficult to meet the minimum payments of some other accounts.
They also offer 3% AER (variable) interest on balances up to £1,500. Interest is paid monthly and to earn it you simply pay in a minimum of £500 a month and register for Internet Banking, paperless statements and paperless correspondence.
You can also earn £5 cashback every month if you have two monthly Direct Debits coming out of your account plus another £5 cashback each month where you use your debit card at least 20 times.
3) Santander 1|2|3 Current Account
With the Santander 1|2|3 you can earn 1.5% AER on balances up to £20,000 in exchange for a £5 monthly account fee.
You can also benefit from 1-3% cashback on various of your household bills, which should more than offset the account fee for most householders.
You are also able to have two accounts in your name, but one must be joint – meaning couples can save £60,000 between them and earn interest on the total amount.
4) Virgin Money Current Account
Virgin currently only offer the Essential Current Account but are planning to add more options shortly. At the moment you can register your interest on their website for updates about any new accounts that they open.
The Essential Current Account is a great basic account which offers:
- Free withdrawals at almost all high street cash machines.
- Management of your account at Virgin Money Stores and any Post Office
- The option to earn 0.75% Gross/AER (variable) interest on the balance in your account, up to a maximum balance of £100,000. Interest is paid monthly.
Virgin is a big name internationally and as such they offer a number of benefits which help if you travel internationally regularly. Such as free use of the Virgin Lounges which come with a range of perks.
