Nationwide offers competitive deals to its current account holders and a widespread network of branches, if you like sorting things out in person. From time to time, Nationwide has been known to run switching incentives.
Compare Nationwide current accounts
Finder Score for bank accounts
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Fees, features and customer service across 20+ of the most popular banks are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the account – simple.
Read the full methodologyTypes of current accounts from Nationwide
Nationwide has a decent range of current accounts you can choose among, although it doesn’t offer any premium account options for high-end customers.
Incentive accounts
Nationwide’s FlexDirect account pays interest (yes, you’ve heard that right) on balances up to £1,500 for 12 months, and there’s no monthly fee to pay. You also get 1% cashback on spending for the first year. Alternatively, you can choose the FlexPlus account that charges a monthly fee but offers loads of insurance benefits and access to exclusive savings accounts.
Learn more about reward and incentive accountsStudent accounts
You can get up to £3,000 of fee-free overdraft with Nationwide’s student account plus fee-free spending on your debit card abroad. However, if you’re after free railcards and discounts, compare accounts from other institutions – student accounts have the best benefits, so you may as well enjoy them until uni’s over and you’re thrown into your not-so-exciting adult life.
Learn more about student accountsGraduate accounts
The Nationwide student account automatically converts to a FlexGraduate account after your uni course ends. This also offers an interest-free overdraft.
Learn more about graduate accountsChildren’s accounts
With Nationwide FlexOne, children aged 11-17 can get an early start at managing their finances and also earn some interest on their balance. If you have smaller kids, try comparing children’s current accounts – with some institutions they can open one when they’re as young as 8 years old.
Learn more about children’s accounts

"It pays to be a Nationwide member, literally! Nationwide is one of the only banking providers that gives cash payouts for loyalty. It's made a "Fairer Share Payment" to eligible members for 3 years in a row, and in 2025, it made an extra £50 payment as a thank you to customers following its purchase of Virgin Money. Meaning, if you've been an eligible member since 2023, you'll have made a total of £350 to date. This is why we named Nationwide our 2025 Provider of the Year for Banking Perks. "
The benefits of banking with Nationwide
- Switching incentives. You’ll often find the building society offering a switching incentive to new customers, but it also offers incentives to existing customers.
- Interest rate on balances. That’s probably Nationwide’s strongest selling point – many of its accounts pay some kind of interest rates on balances. FlexDirect’s introductory offer (5% up to £1,500 for the first 12 months) is among the top rates available on the market.
- Multiple ways to bank. Nationwide has more than 650 branches across the UK, but you can also manage your accounts on the phone, online or using the mobile app.
- Mobile Banking App. Easy to use and straightforward, it allows you to constantly stay on top of your finances and also to set savings goals.
- Global acceptance. Nationwide’s debit cards are on the Visa network, so the vast majority of merchants around the world will take them.
- Round-the-clock assistance. If you have an emergency, for example because your card is stolen, you can call Nationwide 24/7 and they’ll be able to sort it out for you.
- A wide range of related products. If you need a savings account, a credit card, a loan, a mortgage or investments and insurance products, Nationwide has got you covered.
Opening an account with Nationwide
To open an account with Nationwide, you’ll have to provide the following information:
- How much you expect to pay in each month
- Your salary details and any assets you have
- Your employment status
- Your business account details if you’re self-employed
- Your nationality/citizenship
- Your residence status/tax residence status
- Proof of identity
You can open a Nationwide account online or by visiting a branch – if you apply online, you may be asked to pop into a branch to provide proof of identity.
Does Nationwide offer any promotions, discounts or refer-a-friend offers?
Yes, Nationwide often offers switching deals, but it’s not currently offering any (April 2025).
Does Nationwide offer joint accounts?
Yes, Nationwide lets 2 people open a joint account. You can open it online or in a branch.
Does Nationwide offer premium/packaged or premier accounts?
Yes, Nationwide’s FlexPlus account is a popular packaged account, offering a range of insurance products for the whole family in return for a monthly fee.
Customer service information for Nationwide
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Nationwide customer reviews
Nationwide was ranked 8 out of 20 current account providers in our independent 2025 customer satisfaction survey, with 89% of Nationwide customers saying they’d recommend it to a friend. Users highlighted its helpful staff and reliable service.
One customer commented: “Problem free banking, good website, it’s a mutual so I get to vote, and they have paid customers £100 if their profits were good.”
Another customer said “Easy to use app and website, local branch, great products.”
On Trustpilot, Nationwide scores 1.9 out of 5 from around 6,900 reviews. On the Apple App Store, it has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from over 628,000 reviews, while its Google Play Store rating is 3.9 out 5, from a more than 112,000 reviews. These were updated in April 2025.
Our verdict: Is Nationwide a good bank?
Nationwide currently offers current accounts with the some of the highest available interest rates. If you’re looking to earn interest on an in-credit balance, these accounts are certainly worth investigating. If Nationwide’s current accounts are not for you, you can also compare other current accounts here.
Nationwide and Finder Awards

Our Finder Awards celebrate brands that truly stand out in their field, creating innovative personal finance products and providing outstanding service to their customers. Nationwide is one of these brands and was named our 2025 Banking Perks Provider of the Year Award winner!
Frequently asked questions
All user-submitted reviews must meet our review guidelines. These set out our standards and expectations, including that the review is from by a genuine user of the relevant product or service and that it is honest, authentic and respectful. We explicitly prohibit fake or otherwise misleading reviews and we check all submissions, but we make no guarantee as to the authenticity of any published review or reviewer. Some reviews may be submitted (regardless of sentiment) in exchange for entry into any competition(s) for which we are the promoter.
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
Branches are still on the high street and you always feel welcomed in the brand and website is easy to use.
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
local branch does not open on a wednesday, which is a problem if you need the branch on a wednesday
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
Problem free banking, good website, it's a mutual so I get to vote, and they have paid customers £100 if their profits were good
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
they feel like an honest and transparent brand, even if the perks aren't as good as other banks.
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
I have never had any problems with them in all the years that I have used them
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
Not sure how it compares to other brands that offer the same thing
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
Because I trust them with my money and they are easy to deal with
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
ive been with them forever, I like the brand and tone of voice
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
Easy to use app and website, local branch, great products
Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
Good interest rates, never any issues and they pay you for being a customer
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