No matter which point of your life you are at, Barclays probably has a current account option that can fit nicely into your lifestyle.
If you’re a loyal customer and also have other financial products with Barclays, you can get extra rewards – so it’s a fitting choice if you like to manage all your finances with the same institution. Barclays has also been known to offer an incentive when switching to the bank.
In order to be able to compare current accounts properly, first, you’ll have to clear your mind on which kind of account you’re after. Barclays offers the following:
Standard accounts
Barclays Bank Account is a straightforward bank account with a range of money management tools and doesn’t have a monthly fee. Learn more about standard current accounts
Premium accounts
Premium accounts have strict income criteria, so not everyone can get one, but they come with great perks and rewards. With Barclays you can enjoy exclusive financial products (mortgages, loans and savings accounts) in return for no monthly fee. If you meet the requirements, it’s really worth looking around and comparing premium accounts to get the perks that work best for you. Learn more about premium current accounts
Barclays’ ‘higher education’ account is similar to its student account, allowing you to hang on to the benefits a bit longer while you’re getting used to your adult life. Learn more about graduate accounts
Children’s accounts
Barclays is one of the few financial institutions that offer 2 different children’s accounts – one for 11 to 15 year-olds and another one for 16 to 17 year-olds. Learn more about children’s accounts
Business accounts
Barclays offers bank accounts for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Customers can choose from the start-up business account for small businesses, an account for businesses with a turnover of up to £400,000, an account for businesses with a turnover of between £400,000 and £6.5 million, and a community account for small not-for-profit organisations. Each account is tailored towards each particular business’ requirements. Learn more about business accounts
What is Barclays Blue Rewards?
Barclays Blue Rewards is a paid-for-add-on which you can select to add to your Barclays current account. It costs £5 a month but in return, you’ll receive a monthly reward plus cashback if you have or open other products with the bank.
You’ll need to pay in at least £800 a month into your current account and register for the Barclays app or online banking. To receive the £5 monthly cash reward you’ll also need to pay 2 or more direct debits from your nominated account.
Learn more about what rewards and benefits you can get in our Barclays Blue Rewards guide.
Barclays customer reviews
In our independent 2024 customer satisfaction survey, 90% of Barclays’ users said they’d recommend the brand to a friend. Customers highlighted the bank’s reliable customer service and trustworthy brand. However, some cited that the app is often slow and many branches have closed. Here’s what some of those Barclays customers had to say:
“I’ve been a customer of Barclays for over 20 years, always had good customer service and easy to use mobile app”
“It provides a good service and is proactive with sharing offers with me”
On the Apple App Store, Barclays is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.7 million reviews. On the Google Play Store, Barclays is rated 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 505,000 reviews (February 2024).
Pros and cons of banking with Barclays
Cashback. You can get cashback at selected retailers with various Barclays accounts – you can choose among 150 retailers, so there should be something in it for all tastes.
Multiple ways to bank. You can pop into a branch, or sort out your banking on the phone, online or using the mobile app.
Mobile banking app. For a traditional bank, Barclays has a pretty decent banking app – nothing too fancy, but it does allow you to tag and categorise your spending and also see balances and transactions in accounts you have with other banks.
Global acceptance. Barclays’ debit cards are on the Visa network, so card acceptance won’t really be an issue – you can use them to make purchases pretty much anywhere in the world.
Round the clock assistance. If you’re dealing with an emergency, for example because your card has been stolen while travelling, you can call Barclays 24/7 and someone will be able to assist you.
A wide range of related products. One of the advantages of banking with a major institution like Barclays is that you can have all your money in one place, from your everyday current account to your mortgage.
No in-credit interest.None of Barclays main current accounts pay interest on in-credit balances.
Customer service information for Barclays
Email support
Telephone support
In-app or live chat
Contact form
Branch support
Opening an account with Barclays
To open an account with Barclays, you’ll have to provide the following information:
Your employment status and employer’s address
Your salary details and any assets you have
Your nationality/citizenship
Your residency status/tax residence status
Proof of identity (passport, driver’s licence, EEA or Swiss national identity card)
Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, tenancy agreement)
You can open a Barclays account online or by visiting a branch.
Our verdict
Barclays offers some great current accounts if you want to stay in credit and earn rewards for doing so. If Barclays’ current accounts are not for you, you can also compare other current accounts here.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! There is no limit to the number of accounts you can open. Remember, though, to check out the competition, and be wary of opening multiple accounts just to use features like overdrafts.
Currently, none of Barclays’ current accounts offers interest.
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
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. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Kate Steere as part of our fact-checking process.
Valentina Cipriani was a writer at Finder UK. She wrote news, features and guides about banking and credit cards, helping people to improve their financial lives. She holds an MA in International Journalism. See full bio
Nick Renaud-Komiya has been a writer and reporter for nine years, covering a range of consumer issues from energy suppliers to banking and mortgage issues. He enjoys helping people take control of their personal finances and better understand their consumer rights. Nick’s consumer writing and money journalism has been featured in a range of outlets including MoneySavingExpert.com, The Sunday Mirror, The Independent and Money.co.uk. Outside of work Nick enjoys cooking and collecting old David Bowie merch. See full bio
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