Digital banking statistics 2026: How many Brits use online banking?

Although traditional high street banks continue to incentivise customers with lucrative switching offers, digital-only banks are becoming increasingly popular and offer perks like sign-up bonuses. There are even bank cards for kids with digital apps! We look at the latest digital and online banking statistics in the UK.

Digital banking statistics: Highlights

91% of UK adults use a form of online banking or remote banking, which is around 50.1 million people.
3 in 4 UK adults (75%) use mobile banking, around 41.3 million people.
Almost half of Brits (49%) have opened a digital-only bank account, up from 40% in 2025 and 36% in 2024.
Overall, two-thirds of Brits (65%) either have or intend to open a digital-only bank account.
1 in 5 Brits (21%) want a digital bank account to transfer money more easily, the top attracting factor.
The average Brit last switched bank accounts 6 years ago according to a Finder survey.

What proportion of UK adults use online banking?

91% of adults in the UK use some form of online banking or remote banking according to 2025 data, which is around 50.1 million people. This has increased from the previous year, when 88% of people used a form of online or remote banking.

Furthermore, 3 in 4 UK adults (75%) use mobile banking, which equates to around 41 million people, according to 2025 data. This is a big increase from 2023, when 3 in 5 people (60%) used mobile banking, around 32 million people.

Graph
Table

Year	Percentage using online/remote banking
2024	88%
2023	87%
2022	86%
2021	86%
2020	80%
2019	78%
2018	74%
2017	68%
2016	64%
2015	58%
2014	57%
2013	54%
2012	52%
2011	50%
2010	45%
2009	45%
2008	38%
2007	32%
2006	28%
2005	27%

How many UK adults have a digital-only bank account?

A 2026 Finder survey found that around half of Brits (49%) have a digital-only bank account, equating to around 27.1 million people. The number of people with a digital-only bank account has increased significantly over the past three years, jumping from an estimated 12.6 million (24%) at the start of 2023.

Graph
Table

Year	Percentage of people using online banking
2025	40%
2024	36%
2023	24%
2022	27%
2021	27%
2020	23%
2019	9%

How many people intend to open a digital-only bank account?

Finder’s survey also revealed that 15% of Brits don’t currently have a digital-only bank account but intend to open one at some point. This includes 7% of Brits who intend to open one in the next year, and 8% who intend to open one at some point in the future.

Graph
Table

Response	Percentage
I have opened an account with a digital-only bank	40.1%
I will not consider opening an account with a digital-only bank	26.1%
I am unsure whether I want to open a digital-only bank account	17.4%
I intend to open a bank account with a digital-only bank in the future (more than a year)	9.5%
I intend to open a bank account with a digital-only bank in the next year	6.9%

Why do people open digital bank accounts?

The top reason for choosing a digital-only bank account was to transfer money more easily, given by a third (32%) of those who had opened or planned to open one.

27% of the UK adults who opened or are considering a digital-only bank account were looking for a better and more user-friendly app, while 26% wanted access to better interest rates.

Other common reasons for turning to digital-only banking included wanting free transactions abroad (25%) and wanting an easy secondary account (25%).

Graph
Table

Reason for opening digital-only bank account	Percentage
Better interest rates	14.9%
Transfer money more easily	14.7%
Using a digital-only bank is more convenient	13.4%
Free transactions abroad	11.6%
An easy secondary account	11.0%
I think the apps are better	10.4%
Friend or family recommendation	9.4%
Lack of bank branches / branch closures in local area	6.3%

Why are Brits unsure about opening a digital bank account?

Among those Finder surveyed who were unsure about or opposed to opening a digital-only bank account, there were several reasons for this.

The top reason for not opening a new digital-only bank account was loyalty to a current bank, and this was given by half of this group (50%). The next most popular reason was that people preferred to have the option to speak to someone or use the physical services in the branch, which was chosen by a third of this group (34%).

Another common reason for not opening a digital-only bank account was a concern about the risk of payment fraud or a cybersecurity breach, a driving factor for a quarter (26%) of those who don’t intend to open a digital account.

Graph
Table

Reason for not opening digital-only bank account	Percentage
My current bank has always treated me well	21.5%
I prefer having the option to speak to someone in person and use in-branch services	15.4%
I am concerned about the risk of payment fraud or cybersecurity breaches	11.5%
Too much hassle to open one	4.4%
I don't know how to open one	4.1%
I wouldn't get better interest rates	1.7%
I wanted / or want a switching bonus from a traditional bank	1.4%

Digital banking adoption by generation

As you might expect, the number of digital-only bank account holders is higher among younger generations.

Two-thirds of generation Z (65%) and 63% of millennials have opened at least one digital-only bank account in 2026. Meanwhile, just 3 in 10 baby boomers (30%) and 17% of the silent generation (23%) have opened a digital-only bank account. Generation X-ers sit somewhere in the middle, with around 2 in 5 (43%) adopting a digital-only bank account.

18% of millennials and 16% of generation Z do not currently have a digital bank account but intend to open one at some point in the future, as well as 15% of those in generation X.

This plan for future adoption is less prominent among the older generations, with only 13% of baby boomers and just 3% of the silent generation intending to open a digital-only bank account.

Graph
Table

Generation	Have a digital-only bank account	Intend to open digital-only bank account
Gen Z (18-27)	54.8%	22.8%
Millennials (28-43)	55.7%	20.1%
Gen X (44-59)	34.9%	18.2%
Baby boomers (60-78)	24.5%	8.9%
Silent generation (79+)	23.1%	5.8%

Impact of bank branch closures

Traditional banks are closing more and more branches across the UK, leaving many Brits with no choice but to embrace digital banking. In fact, for 11% who opened or are considering a digital-only account, the lack of bank branches in their local area was a driving factor.

Case study: Bank branch closure has left Samantha stressed

"When I found out that the branch was being closed, it was really frustrating, to say the least. It has made sure it’s harder for me to access actual face-to-face support. It’s meant that if I have a problem, I have to call or use my mobile banking app to access support.

There was no support offered or in place. To be honest, there wasn’t very much warning either, and it was only by chance that I discovered it was closing. No information was sent out or even uploaded onto the mobile app."

Samantha Evans

Wiltshire

Sources

Methodology

Finder commissioned Censuswide in January 2026 to carry out a nationally representative survey of adults aged 18+. A total of 2,000 people were questioned throughout Great Britain, with representative quotas for gender, age and region.

To find out how often Brits are switching bank accounts, Finder commissioned Censuswide in September 2025 to carry out a nationally representative survey of adults aged 18+. A total of 2,000 people were questioned throughout Great Britain, with representative quotas for gender, age and region.

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Sophie Barber
Communications Manager

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Sophie Barber

Senior content marketing manager

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Sophie Barber is a senior content marketing manager for Finder in the UK. She has over 5 years experience in writing and publishing clear, concise and informative articles that help consumers make informed decisions. See full bio

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Sophie has written 97 Finder guides across topics including:

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