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Which UK bank comes top for customer satisfaction? Which one polls the best for its online and mobile banking service? And which one gives you good perks if you switch? Here’s how to find the right account to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your money.
Promoted for
Switch incentive
Promoted for
Cashback
Promoted for
App experience
Promoted for
Business banking
“Best for” picks are those we’ve evaluated to be best for certain product features or categories – you can read our full methodology here. They’re chosen from among the brands we work with. If we show a “Promoted for” pick, this means it’s been chosen from among our partners and is based on factors that include special features or offers, and the commission we receive. Keep in mind that our picks may not always be the best fit for you, and it’s important to compare for yourself to find a product that works for you.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Best bank in the UK by customer satisfaction in 2021
In 2021, we published our customer satisfaction survey on current accounts in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Here’s the full list of providers we considered and how many of their customers said they would recommend them to a friend. Learn more about the results and the winners.
Monzo is the most popular digital-only bank in the UK – and apparently for good reason, as it topped our survey again this year. Its app-based current accounts are packed with features, with customers in our survey highlighting the useful spending categorisation and savings pots tools.
The last building society that does banking on a national level, Nationwide offers a good range of current accounts, some of which come with great incentives and perks, from interest paid on your balance to insurance options.
One of the few challenger banks that also has a network of branches, Metro Bank only offers one current account, whose top feature is that it doesn’t charge you for using the card to make purchases or withdraw cash in Europe.
With NatWest, you can choose between free and rewards accounts. This year, NatWest is the joint highest scoring of the big traditional banks in our survey, with customers praising both its in-branch service and digital features.
Posting the same scores as its high street peer NatWest, Santander comes with all the advantages of a big bank and offers a wide range of current accounts. Among its top-selling points is the option of earning cashback on your bills.
Known for providing great customer service on the phone 24/7, the UK’s first telephone bank and HSBC sibling First Direct only offers one current account. But it’s a solid banking option that’s recommended by four out of five customers in our survey.
Starling’s digital-only current account is quick to open and efficient to manage, and the app is packed with features. Starling’s customers in our survey praised the app’s tools and ease of use.
Another big bank that got a solid score in our survey was Lloyds. It offers current accounts that suit a wide range of needs, has a large branch network, and has been investing in its digital banking features too.
Barclay’s current accounts come with the option of earning rewards at selected retailers. In our survey, customers praised the bank’s “reliable” service, as well as its banking app.
Part of the wider Lloyds banking group, Halifax has several current account options, ranging from basic up to reward accounts. Many customers in our survey highlighted the quality of customer service and friendly staff.
Royal Bank of Scotland is NatWest’s sister bank. Just like its sibling, it offers a selection of current accounts, including rewards accounts that feature cashback on your bills.
HSBC has four current accounts in its roster depending on your personal circumstances and income. Long-standing customers in our survey were pleased with the customer service, although online and app banking had some mixed reviews.
Bank of Scotland is also a subsidiary of the Lloyds banking group. Its bank branches are mainly in Scotland, although you can live elsewhere in the UK to open an account, and customers in our survey were mostly pleased with its digital banking offering.
Another digital-only account, Monese is especially good for frequent travellers or people who often have to work across different countries. Overseas purchases and ATM withdrawals are free (up to a point, depending on which plan you’ve signed up to), and you can also set up a euro account for free.
Revolut’s multi-currency digital account is great for travelling and even better for sending money abroad. You can exchange and hold 30 different currencies for free and also use it as a standard UK current account – although you can’t deposit cash or cheques.
The TSB banking brand returned to the UK high street in 2013, but (along with other banks) it has been closing branches recently. Some customers in our survey had high praise for the “helpful” staff, while others highlighted the bank’s well-documented online banking issues.
In December 2020, we ran a customer satisfaction survey on current accounts. 1,941 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 bank 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, we used the recommendation score (that is, the percentage of customers who said they would recommend the brand to a friend) as a tie-breaker.
Full details of how we calculate our star ratings for this sector are on the bank ratings methodology page.
Banking ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
The customer satisfaction score (“You say”) is based on a survey of 1,941 customers carried out in December 2020.
Recommended bank account switch deals October 2021
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 our recommended options.
Santander is offering £130 to switch to its 123 Current Account. New account holders will also benefit from cashback when paying certain utility bills, plus monthly interest of 0.3% AER gross variable on in-credit balances of up to £20,000. It's worth noting that this account also comes with a monthly fee of £4.
HSBC is running a deal where account switchers get £110 plus a £30 Uber Eats voucher or The Dining Out Gift Card. This offer applies to the HSBC Advance Bank Account, where a minimum of £1,750 needs to be paid in per month. There's also the opportunity to earn 1% AER gross interest with the linked HSBC Regular Saver Account.
Royal Bank of Scotland is offering a large cash incentive for account switchers, involving a £150 bonus to new customers who "switch and stay" with its Select current account. You get £100 for the initial switch and then another £50 if you make 10 transactions every month from January to September 2022. There is no monthly fee with this account, but you'll need to pay in £1,500 in total by 31 December 2021.
So, are these the best current accounts available on the market?
Well, yes and no. These are the current accounts whose customers are most satisfied with their banking provider.
Our customer satisfaction survey asked account holders whether they would recommend their provider to a friend and how they would rate it from one to five. So, a good result in the survey does mean that many people think a certain current account provider does a good job. What it does not mean is that the same account provider is good for everyone.
For example, challenger bank Monzo topped the survey, but if you like going to a branch and discussing your banking options in person, or having loads of different current accounts to choose from, you might be disappointed. It’s all about figuring out your banking style and ultimately choosing the account that’s best for you, not for everyone else.
AER. Annual equivalent rate. This is a way of showing the interest you would earn in a year on money you deposited into an account, and helps you to compare accounts. EAR. Equivalent annual rate. This is the interest rate that applies when you borrow money – when you use your arranged overdraft, for example. It shows the interest you would be charged over a year if your account were to remain overdrawn. Arranged overdraft. If your account goes into the red, the bank will charge you a set EAR. Before you go overdrawn, you need to arrange this facility with your bank.
Which bank account should I choose?
Before you answer this question, you should ask “what do I need from my bank account?”
Are you looking to spend money regularly using a debit card, take out cash at a ATM machine or pay bills electronically? If so, you want a current account.
Are you looking to save a bit of money each month but want to have access to it at any time? You may want an easy access savings account.
Work out what you need before comparing the options.
Four key bank account features to compare
Sifting through small print can take forever. For those of you with better things to do, Finder has put together tables, lists and guides which allow you to make the right decision quickly. Here are a few of the main things to look out for when comparing bank accounts:
1. Interest rates This one is important. Getting the highest interest rate will mean your money will work harder for you.
2. Small fees (preferably none) Most banks don’t charge a monthly fee for maintaining accounts. But it’s worth checking. If you’re currently paying a monthly fee, then you need to assess whether the account is worth it.
4. Rewards Some accounts offer rewards and benefits in the form of shopping vouchers, exclusive rates or products. If this sounds up your street then take a look at the accounts which offer these sort of extras.
Who are the ‘big four’ banks in the UK?
Barclays
Barclays is a multinational banking and financial services company based in London. It is a universal bank with operations in retail, wholesale and investment banking – as well as wealth management, mortgage lending and credit cards. Barclays has operations in more than 50 countries and around 48 million customers globally.
HSBC
HSBC is another multinational banking and financial services company that is headquartered in London. It is the world’s sixth largest bank by total assets and the largest in Europe and the UK.
Lloyds Banking Group
The Lloyds Banking Group now includes Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, as well as other financial brands such as Scottish Widows. Lloyds Bank itself is more than 250 years old, having opened in Birmingham in 1765.
NatWest Group
Formerly known as the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, this company includes NatWest, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. Together, its various banking brands have branches throughout the UK.
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.
Rank
Bank
Total assets (€bn)
1
HSBC Holdings PLC
2439.55
2
Barclays PLC
1506.24
3
Lloyds Banking Group PLC
972.45
4
Natwest Group PLC
892.34
5
Standard Chartered PLC
645.05
6
Nationwide Building Society
285.97
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.
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.
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.
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%
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%
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%
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
Best for
Bank
Account
Best for low credit scores
NatWest
Foundation account
Best for cashback
Santander
Santander 123 Lite
Best for packaged accounts
Nationwide
Flex Plus
Best for switch incentives
HSBC
Advance
Best for students
Santander
Student account
Best for kids
gohenry
Prepaid card and app
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.
Matthew Boyle is a banking and mortgages publisher at Finder. He has a 7-year history of publishing helpful guides to assist consumers in making better decisions. In his spare time, you will find him walking in the Norfolk countryside admiring the local wildlife.
Want to know what capital gains tax is, how it works and when you need to pay it? Read our comprehensive guide on what you need to know about capital gains tax including what your CGT allowance is for the 2021/2022 tax year.
Is Monzo’s app-only current account the right option for you? Read our review to get the low-down on all of the features of the account, its card and the app.
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
As a comparison website, we are not permitted to provide specific recommendations or personalised advice. However, what I can advise is for you to find a bank that best fits your needs, preference, and budget. On this page, we have provided some guides and tips for you to remember when finding a new bank. Please review them before making a decision.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
I am moving back to UK from USA in late Jauary 2019.
I am a British Citizen born in UK and wish to open a checking & debit card a/c to have my US & UK pension transferred to. How best to arrange this?
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Yes, it is possible that you are able to transfer your money from the US to UK. However, you would need to directly get in touch with your chosen bank to know the exact step on how to do it.
Moreover, please note that regularly doing a bank to bank money transfer can be costly. You may want to consider other faster and cheaper options here.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
hello. yea so i want to open a new bank account and i dont know which i should chose i want to save money but again to pay small fees and get some bonus % of my saving money and i want to use my card for shopping online or to take something from like vodafone or to take or to take loan and pay monthly which bank is the best and has good reputation and i will not loose my money> Thank you
Depending on the type of savings account you need, you can compare your options on this page. These savings accounts are offered by reputable banks and let you earn standard and bonus interest rates. Whenever you need to access your account for whatever purpose or reason, you can also withdraw your funds anytime. Please review the details and T&Cs of the accounts first before you consider it’s the right product for you.
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Which bank should I switch to for Brexit?
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
As a comparison website, we are not permitted to provide specific recommendations or personalised advice. However, what I can advise is for you to find a bank that best fits your needs, preference, and budget. On this page, we have provided some guides and tips for you to remember when finding a new bank. Please review them before making a decision.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
I am moving back to UK from USA in late Jauary 2019.
I am a British Citizen born in UK and wish to open a checking & debit card a/c to have my US & UK pension transferred to. How best to arrange this?
Hi David,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Yes, it is possible that you are able to transfer your money from the US to UK. However, you would need to directly get in touch with your chosen bank to know the exact step on how to do it.
Moreover, please note that regularly doing a bank to bank money transfer can be costly. You may want to consider other faster and cheaper options here.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
hello. yea so i want to open a new bank account and i dont know which i should chose i want to save money but again to pay small fees and get some bonus % of my saving money and i want to use my card for shopping online or to take something from like vodafone or to take or to take loan and pay monthly which bank is the best and has good reputation and i will not loose my money> Thank you
Hi Customer,
Thanks for your inquiry.
Depending on the type of savings account you need, you can compare your options on this page. These savings accounts are offered by reputable banks and let you earn standard and bonus interest rates. Whenever you need to access your account for whatever purpose or reason, you can also withdraw your funds anytime. Please review the details and T&Cs of the accounts first before you consider it’s the right product for you.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
May