Nationwide current accounts for August 2026

One of the few financial institutions that offer both an interest rate and a switching incentive on current accounts, Nationwide is a very competitive option for your everyday banking.

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Valentina Cipriani

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Jason Loewenthal

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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

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Finder Score Account fees Funding requirement Interest (AER) Arranged overdraft Incentive Representative example
Nationwide BS logo
Not yet rated
Nationwide Building Society FlexDirect => £1,000 per month
Cashback
Not yet rated
£0
£1000 per month
5% AER
0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable
£175 switch offer. T&Cs apply.
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged interest at 0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable.
More info
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Nationwide BS logo
9.1Excellent
Nationwide Building Society FlexDirect
9.1Excellent
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable
Earn 1% cashback on debit card spend, capped at £5 per month
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged interest at 0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable.
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Nationwide BS logo
9.1Excellent
Nationwide Building Society FlexAccount
9.1Excellent
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable
Eligible for Member Credit Card.
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged interest at 0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable.
More info
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Nationwide BS logo
8.8Great
Nationwide Building Society FlexPlus
8.8Great
£18 per month
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable
Free travel accident insurance – covers account holder and family (also when travelling independently).
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged interest at 0% EAR variable on the first £50 and then 39.9% EAR variable. Account fee of £18 per month.
More info
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Nationwide BS logo
9.3Excellent
Nationwide Building Society FlexOne
9.3Excellent
£0
No minimum funding requirement
2% AER

More info
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Nationwide BS logo
Not yet rated
Nationwide Building Society FlexBasic Account
Not yet rated
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
N/A
More info
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Nationwide BS logo
Not yet rated
Nationwide Building Society FlexGraduate (3 year course)
Not yet rated
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
0% EAR variable on the first £2,500 and then 0% EAR variable
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged.
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Nationwide BS logo
Not yet rated
Nationwide Building Society FlexGraduate (2 year course)
Not yet rated
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
0% EAR variable on the first £1,500 and then 0% EAR variable
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged.
More info
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Nationwide BS logo
Not yet rated
Nationwide Building Society FlexStudent
Cashback
Not yet rated
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
N/A
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged.
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Nationwide BS logo
Not yet rated
Nationwide Building Society FlexStudent
Not yet rated
£0
No minimum funding requirement
0% AER
N/A
Get £100 cash plus £120 in Just Eat vouchers when you open a Nationwide FlexStudent Account. Plus get an extra £40 in Just Eat Vouchers when you refer two friends. Eligibility and T&C's apply.
To be received this offer, you must be in or about to start your first year of study, pay in £500 into your account before 12th December.
Representative example: If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged.
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Finder Score for bank accounts

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10:48

Types 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 accounts

  • Student 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 accounts

  • Graduate 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 accounts

  • Children’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

Kate Steere's headshot
Our expert says: Kate Steere explains why it pays to be a Nationwide customer

"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. "

Kate Steere's headshot
Editor

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.

What do customers say about Nationwide?

91% of customers we surveyed in 2026 would recommend Nationwide to a friend.

It Building Society commands immense trust from its members, heavily driven by its mutual status and the recent "Fairer Share" financial rewards paid directly to customers. Users value the reliable, secure app and the fact that Nationwide has maintained a stronger high-street branch presence than many of its competitors.

While some users note that standard interest rates could be improved and the account features are somewhat basic, the overarching theme is one of consistent reliability, ethical practice, and feeling genuinely valued.

AI-generated summary from the text of customer reviews on Finder.

Nationwide and Finder Awards

Finder Awards logo

Our Finder Awards celebrate brands that truly stand out in their field. Nationwide was named our 2025 Banking Perks Provider of the Year Award winner!

Customer service information for Nationwide

Email support
Telephone support
In-app or live chat
Contact form
Branch support

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.

Frequently asked questions

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 is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

Sources

Valentina Cipriani's headshot
Writer

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

Jason Loewenthal's headshot
Co-written by

Senior writer

Jason is a writer and editor. He worked as a senior subeditor for Finder for 5 years and in that time became familiar with a wide range of financial products and services. Before that, he worked for Australian Associated Press. He has a BA from Macquarie University in Australia. Jason loves to help other people find new ways to save money. See full bio

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