Best banks and bank accounts in the UK 2022

Customer satisfaction ratings methodology

In December 2021, we ran a customer satisfaction survey on current accounts. 2,282 people answered and told us how happy (or not) they were with their current account provider.

The survey asked respondents how satisfied they were with their current account on a scale from one to five, and also whether they would recommend their banking provider to a friend or not. We turned the results into star ratings and shortlisted the top-performing brands for our awards. Where there was a draw in terms of star ratings, we used the recommendation score (the percentage of customers who said they would recommend the brand to a friend) as a tie-breaker.

Full details of our star ratings for this sector are on the banking ratings methodology page.

The UK’s top banks by assets in 2021

In April 2021, S&P Global published its report on Europe’s 50 largest banks by assets. We have used this data and shown the top ranking UK banks in the list below.

Which is the safest bank account?

Safety is a common concern among banking customers, especially for online banking. If you’re keen to discover which banks offer the best safety precautions, check out our guide to the safest banks.

Which banks give you money if you switch?

In order to tempt customers away from their competitors, many banks offer switching incentives including cash bonuses. Click to see our guide on which banks give you money if you switch.

Top current account switching deals with free sign-up cash January 2022

Finder's deputy editor for banking Michelle Stevens shares her thoughts

It's a competitive market out there for current accounts right now, with several banks offering incentives to encourage customers to switch their provider. Whether you're after a cash bonus or other account benefits, here are some of the best options.

• Santander is offering £140 to switch to its Everyday Current Account. You'll need to set up two direct debits, pay in £1,000 and log into online or mobile banking within 60 days of instructing the switch. Holders of this account will also be able to use Santander's "Retailer Offers" programme, where up to 15% cashback can be earned from purchases at selected retailers.
• first direct is running a deal where account switchers get £130 for moving to its 1st Account. Account holders will also benefit from a £250 interest-free overdraft (subject to status) and access to a Regular Saver Account, paying interest of 1% AER gross. You'll need pay in at least £1,000 within three months of opening the 1st Account.
• HSBC is topping the cash incentive table at the moment with a £150 bonus for switching to its Advance Account. You'll need to pay in at least £1,500 within 60 days of opening the account, plus switch at least two direct debits or standing orders.

How to choose the best bank account

Here are the main factors you’ll want to consider when choosing your bank account.

• Branch access. If you would like assistance from staff in a local branch, you may base your decision on which banks have branches near your home or workplace.
• Interest rates. It’s worth comparing which banks offer the best interest rates on in-credit balances, and maybe which ones offer the most generous overdrafts.
• Incentives. A lot of banks offer “packaged” accounts, which come with gadget insurance, travel insurance, breakdown cover and other incentives. However, these also come with a monthly account fee.
• Customer service. There are plenty of surveys out there that rate the customer service delivered by the best banks.
• Other financial products. Some banks offer better mortgage/credit card/savings deals to their current account holders, so bear this in mind if you’re looking for other financial products.

Best bank in the UK by service quality in 2021

Below we have listed the results of the “Personal banking service quality – Great Britain” survey. This independent survey was carried out between July 2020 and June 2021 by Ipsos MORI, and was commissioned by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of a regulatory requirement.

• Overall service quality

  Ranking	Bank	Score
  1	Monzo	83%
  =2	first direct	81%
  =2	Starling Bank	81%
  4	Metro Bank	74%
  5	Nationwide	68%
  6	Lloyds Bank	65%
  7	Barclays	63%
  8	Bank of Scotland	62%
  9	Halifax	61%
  10	NatWest	57%
  =11	HSBC	55%
  =11	The Co-operative Bank	55%
  13	Santander	54%
  14	TSB	52%
  15	Virgin Money	50%
  =16	Royal Bank of Scotland	48%
  =16	Tesco Bank	48%

• Online and mobile banking services

  Ranking	Bank	Score
  1	Monzo	88%
  2	Starling Bank	87%
  3	first direct	82%
  4	Halifax	80%
  =5	Nationwide	79%
  =5	Lloyds Bank	79%
  =7	Bank of Scotland	78%
  =7	Barclays	78%
  9	Metro Bank	77%
  10	NatWest	75%
  =11	Santander	72%
  =11	HSBC	72%
  13	Royal Bank of Scotland	68%
  14	TSB	65%
  15	Virgin Money	63%
  16	The Co-operative Bank	61%
  17	Tesco Bank	60%

• Overdraft services

  Ranking	Bank	Score
  1	first direct	67%
  2	Metro Bank	66%
  =3	Monzo	65%
  =3	Starling Bank	65%
  =3	Lloyds Bank	65%
  6	Santander	61%
  7	Halifax	59%
  =8	Nationwide	58%
  =8	Barclays	58%
  =10	The Co-operative Bank	55%
  =10	Bank of Scotland	55%
  =12	TSB	54%
  =12	HSBC	54%
  14	Virgin Money	52%
  15	NatWest	48%
  16	Royal Bank of Scotland	47%
  17	Tesco Bank	42%

• Services in branches

  Ranking	Bank	Score
  1	Metro Bank	78%
  2	Nationwide	74%
  3	Lloyds Bank	71%
  4	Halifax	70%
  5	Bank of Scotland	69%
  6	Santander	65%
  =7	HSBC	63%
  =7	Virgin Money	63%
  9	NatWest	62%
  10	Barclays	61%
  11	TSB	60%
  12	The Co-operative Bank	59%
  13	Royal Bank of Scotland	53%

Best bank accounts in the UK by account type