This comparison simply includes all savings accounts.
Nationwide Savings Accounts
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: 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: 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: 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: 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 annually. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2021. Unlimited withdrawals subject to 95 days notice. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 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: 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
Why we like it: 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
Why we like it: 1 year term, minimum deposit £1,000, no withdrawals permitted. FSCS Protected
Compare Nationwide savings accounts
Nationwide is the world’s largest building society with a number of different types of savings accounts available. Getting the best one for your saving goals means you need to understand the pros and cons of the different types of accounts.
Current Accounts
For smaller amounts of money, a current account will often give the best rates of interest. However, if you exceed Nationwide's interest paying limit, the excess balance of your savings will earn no interest.
Instant Access Savings Accounts
If you want to save while still having access to your money whenever you need it, an instant access account is ideal. You can add and remove money to suit you, although there may be a yearly limit on the number of withdrawals you can make. Most providers will allow you to perform transfers over the phone or online, and you may be issued a cash card to use at ATMs.
Regular Savings Accounts
One of the most popular ways to save is to put a small amount of money away each month. Regular savings accounts allow you to do this while offering attractive rates of interest. There may be a yearly limit on the amount of withdrawals you can make, and you will normally have to make a minimum deposit each month or pay a penalty.
It is worth bearing in mind that it can take a long time to build up capital this way, so you may not initially see much of a return in spite of the favourable interest rates.
Fixed Rate Bonds
Fixed rate bonds offer a guaranteed rate of interest for a set period (usually between 1 and 5 years). This means they are often seen as a “safe bet”, because you know how much you will get back when the bond matures. The longer the term of the bond, the better rate you will normally get.
Cash ISAs
If you are a UK tax payer, it is often advantageous to place at least part of your savings into a cash ISA. This is because ISAs allow you to earn interest without paying tax on it. There is a limit to how much you can put into an ISA which is determined by the government for each tax year. For 2017/18 it is £20,000.
The most common types of ISAs are instant access and fixed rate. These operate similarly to instant access savings accounts and fixed rate bonds, respectively, but with the added advantage of not having to pay tax on the interest you earn.
Find the best Nationwide savings account for you
Knowing where to put your savings to get the best return is a challenge, especially with the ever-changing rates and features different providers offer. Our savings account comparison table, at the top of this page, shows you the best deals on the market to help you find the best savings account for your financial needs.
