Customer rating
★★★★★
★★★★★
Satisfaction survey
Broad range of savings accounts to suit every savings need
Some of the most competitive rates are exclusively for members
Nationwide savings accounts
Nationwide BS offers a broad range of savings accounts with interest rates up to 5%.
Nationwide is the word’s largest building society and one of the UK’s largest savings providers. As a mutual it’s owned by and run for the benefit of its members.
Nationwide uses the money deposited by savers to help members get mortgages.
It offers a broad range of savings accounts, so whether you’re looking to save your money for a rainy day, or you’re willing to let your money mature over a longer period of time, Nationwide has options.
Easy access savings accounts
Table: sorted by interest rate
Compare more instant and easy access accounts up to 5.12%
Cash ISAs
Table: sorted by interest rate
Compare more ISAs up to 4.25%
Fixed-rate bonds
Table: sorted by interest rate
Regular savings accounts
Table: sorted by interest rate
Compare more regular savings accounts up to 7%
Business savings accounts
Table: sorted by interest rate
Compare more business savings accounts up to 4.45%
Other popular accounts
Didn’t find the account type you were looking for? Check our other guides:
What is a building society?
A building society is a financial institution owned by its members. Whereas banks are normally listed on the stock market and run for their shareholders, building societies aren’t.Because they don’t have shareholders to pay, building societies have historically claimed to offer better interest and cheaper mortgage rates than banks offer.
How to set up a Nationwide savings account
This depends on whether or not you’re already registered with Nationwide. Current members can open an account online, and may be able to do so without showing any proof of identity. Nationwide will let current customers know if they need physical proof.
New customers will have to go into a branch and will need to bring UK photo identification – either a passport or driving licence – plus proof of name and proof of address. Examples include:
- A bank statement from within the past 3 months
- A valid full EEA passport
- A benefits letter from the last year
- A valid student ID from a UK university
- UK gas or electricity bill (less than 3 months)
- UK phone bill (not mobile, less than 3 months)
- A benefits letter from the last year (last 12 months)
There’s a full list of eligible documents, which explains those that are specifically for name or address, on the Nationwide website. If you’re setting up a savings account as a child then you’ll need to provide your passport or birth certificate along with proof of where you live.
Does Nationwide offer online or mobile banking?
Yes, it offers both. Here are some of the basic features:
Online banking
- Check balances. For any type of account.
- Transfer money between accounts. In a matter of seconds.
- Pay bills and people. All within the online portal.
Mobile banking
- All of those features. On the go.
- Secure login. Log in to your account by simply using your fingerprint.
- Filter and compare. View up to 15 months’ transactions and compare your income and expenses.
The bottom line
Nationwide’s broad range of savings accounts mean that it should be easy to find one to suit you, whether you need instant access to your money or are happy to lock it away for a fixed period of time. Sadly, it has reduced the range of cash ISAs on offer, so you may want to do your research to search for an ISA more suited to your needs.
Because it is owned by its members and doesn’t need to pay any shareholders, there’s a chance that a Nationwide savings account might get you better interest and cheaper mortgage rates than banks – but be sure to check our other savings accounts reviews to find the best deal for you.
Savings ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our customer satisfaction scores ("Customers say") are based on a survey of 2,224 customers carried out in December 2022.
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.
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Ask an Expert
My wife is a pensioner who is looking for a savings account that pays a good interest rate. She is thinking of putting in about £10000 pounds. She doesn’t mind tying up her money for 2 or 3 years.
Hi Norma,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
One of your options would be Nationwide Saving Accounts. If after checking its features and you could see that it’s the right account for you, then you can directly get in touch with them to start your application.
Moreover, you can also check other options here. On that page, you will see a table that allows you to conveniently compare savings accounts based on account type, interest rate, and protection scheme, to name a few. Once you found the right one for you, click on the “Go to site” green button to learn more or initiate your application.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Does Nationwide Bank accept other form of photo ID apart from the standard items?
Hi Manideepa,
Thanks for reaching out to finder.
Nationwide only has two acceptable UK photo IDs on their list- a valid full UK passport and a valid full UK photocard driving licence. However, if you cannot produce any of the documents on their list, you can contact your local branch as there may be other forms of identification they can take.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Charisse