Bank Accounts

Compare Bank Accounts and Current Accounts from the leading high street banks side-by-side in our easy to use tables. Find the best bank account for you and apply online.

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Editors Choice - NatWest Select Account

Pay no monthly account fee and get award-winning online banking including mobile banking apps for iPhone, iPad & smartphones

Current Accounts

Provider
Account
AER
Minimum Balance
O/D Rate
O/D Buffer
Apply
Get up to 3% AER on balances £3k - £20k & Get Cash Back on your Bills - 1% cashback on water and council tax, 2% cashback on electricity and gas, 3% cashback on mobile, home phone, broadband and paid for TV packages.
3%
£500
No Offer
N/A
No Offer
Debit Card included. You must be age 18+. Also 0% £100 Overdraft, Any other borrowing @ 19.24% (subject to eligibility)
0%
£1
No Offer
£100
£200 interest free overdraft. You need to be 18+ & pay in £800+ p.m
0.50%
£1
0%
for life
£200
Get £5 each month you pay in £1,000, whether you're in credit or overdrawn.
£5p.m FREE
£1
0%
£2,500
Get a Debit Card & access to a network of over 1,700 branches. You must be age 18+
0%
£1
0%
N/A
No Offer
Debit Card included. You must be age 18+. Also 0% £100 Overdraft, or up to £15,000 @ 19.24% (subject to eligibility)
0%
£1
No Offer
N/A
£100
Get Green Flag breakdown cover, Mobile phone insurance (including all smartphones!) Annual worldwide travel insurance & Travel benefits for £12.50 per month!
0%
£1
No Offer
£100
Get FREE European Travel Insurance and NO monthly fee. You need to be 18+, No Fees or Minimum monthly deposits.
0%
£1
No Offer
No Offer
No Credit Check basic bank account – Open to everyone 18+ & UK resident. NO Opening Fee - £12.50 per month. Create Standing Orders but No Direct Debits
0%
£0
No Offer
No Offer
No Credit Check basic bank account – Open to everyone 18+ & UK resident. Set-up fee of £25 (£30 for a joint account), monthly administration fee of just £14.50 (£19.50 for a joint account). Create Standing Orders but No Direct Debits
0%
£0
No Offer
No Offer

Santander 123 Current Account

  • The New 123 Current Account pays cashback on household direct debits
  • 1% cashback on water and council tax
  • 2% cashback on electricity and gas
  • 3% cashback on mobile, home phone, broadband and paid for TV packages
  • New 123 Current Account pays also pays in-credit interest
  • 1% AER on the entire balance, once the customer’s balance is £1,000 or over
  • 2% AER on the entire balance, once the customer’s balance is £2,000 or over
  • 3% AER on the entire balance, once the customer’s balance is £3,000 or over (up to £20,000)
  • You are required to pay £2 a month (equates to 6p per day)
  • Your overdraft fee will be 19.9% EAR plus an unauthorised fee of £1 per day.
  • Get a cheque book and a Visa Debit card. You can use your Visa Debit card in shops wherever you see the Visa symbol and at virtually every cash machine in the UK and many worldwide. It also acts as a £100 cheque guarantee card
  • Access to your money 24 hours a day 7 days a week through our e-banking service, 750+ branches, 24-hour telephone banking service, LINK cash machine network or even by post
  • You must setup a minimum of 2 active direct debits
  • You must deposit at least £500 per month
  • This account is open to NEW and EXISTING Santander customers aged 18 and above (must be UK resident)

Natwest Select

NatWest
  • Free day-to-day banking without subscription charges
  • Overdraft available subject to eligibility, giving your finances some breathing space
  • Chequebook available subject to eligibility; handy when cash or cards aren't convenient
  • Monthly statements with all your transactions and your balance - by post or online. Or pick up a mini-statement from our cash machines

The Co-operative Current Account Plus

Co-operative
  • ***You must deposit at least £800 per month***
  • Interest on all balances tracks at 0.5% below the Bank of England Base Rate, guaranteed for the life of your Current Account.
  • UK call centres open 24/7, 365 days a year
  • Fee-free £200 overdraft facility
  • Dedicated switching service

Halifax Reward Current A/c

Halifax
  • Halifax will give you £5 each month you pay in £1,000, whether you're in credit or overdrawn.
  • This account offers a flexible 0% Overdraft facility:
  • - £1 per day - if you use an 'Arranged' overdraft up to and including £2,500
  • - £2 per day - if you use an 'Arranged' overdraft over £2,500
  • - £5 per day - if you use an 'Un-Arranged' overdraft
  • A Halifax Visa debit card
  • Access to the extensive branch Network
  • 24/7 Online Banking Access
  • The Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account (URCA) product has been awarded a Defaqto 5* award for the Mobile Phone Insurance aspect of its reward offering. - Defaqto are completely independent, ensuring an unbiased product view.

Barclays Bank Account

Barclays
  • A carbon neutral debit card (subject to status).
  • Online Banking – do your banking from home (subject to registration).
  • Telephone Banking – pay bills and more (subject to registration).
  • A network of over 1,700 branches.
  • Draw on cheques paid in before they clear (subject to status and limit).
  • An overdraft: 19.3% interest per annum (variable).
  • Representative Example: Up to £5,000 19.3% interest p.a. (variable)
  • Subject to status and application. So the amount offered may be different to that shown on the example. Overdrafts are repayable on demand.
  • Barclays £2,500 Personal Reserve Option:
  • - One Reserve Usage Fee of £22 for each five consecutive working day period from the day you start using your Reserve.
  • - No interest payments on your Reserve balance.
  • - Representative Example: 0% interest per annum (variable). Reserve Limit £2,500. One reserve usage fee of £22 for each five consecutive working day period from the day you start using your reserve. Personal reserve is subject to status and application and repayable on demand.
  • - The Reserve is repayable on demand. The maximum Reserve is £2500, subject to status.
  • - One Returned Transaction Fee of £8 for each returned transaction where you exceed your Reserve.
  • - One Guaranteed Transaction Fee of £8 for each guaranteed payment made where you exceed your Reserve.

RBS Select

RBS
  • Free everyday banking - no monthly subscription charges.
  • No arrangement or renewal fees - on overdrafts up to £15,000. And pay no interest on agreed overdrafts of up to £100.
  • Save on your mortgage - use your Interest Paying Current Account balance to save money with our Offset Service.
  • Easy access to your money - your debit card gives you access to almost every cash machine in the UK. You can also pay for goods and services wherever you see the logo shown on your card.
  • Online banking - manage your money 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with our telephone and internet banking services. (Except for short periods of essential maintenance.)
  • Overseas money - get money in local currency at cash machines and buy goods wherever you see the logo shown on your card.
  • Statements - monthly statements list all transactions and your current balance. You can also get mini-statements from any cash machine.

Natwest Advantage Gold

NatWest
  • Pay £12.50 per month and get the following benefits:
  • Green Flag car breakdown cover - even on your driveway
  • Mobile phone insurance – including all smartphones
  • Annual worldwide travel insurance - Members and their partners aged 70 years and over must pay an additional annual premium of £50
  • Travel benefits – discounts on holidays, flights and hotels

Nationwide Current Account

Nationwide
  • VISA debit card with every account
  • Free travel insurance: multi-trip European cover worth up to £70* (conditions apply)
  • Manage your account online with an excellent internet banking service.
  • Three-month interest-free overdraft when you switch to FlexAccount
  • Free day to day banking
  • Voted Best Overall Online Provider 2009 by Your Money

Card One Banking Guaranteed Bank Account

  • CardOneBanking offers the following:
  • Guaranteed Acceptance
  • Sortcode & Account Number
  • Have your salary deposited into this account
  • Pay money in at any Post Office or high street branch
  • Prepaid MasterCard card
  • Create Standing Orders but you can not set up Direct Debits with this account.
  • 24 hour account management by Phone, Text and Online Banking
  • Dedicated Account Manager
  • NO OPENING FEE
  • NO OVERDRAFT FACILITY – No risk of going overdrawn
  • NO EXTRA CHARGES – No charges for bounced standing orders
  • NO CREDIT CHECKS! – Guaranteed to be accepted, regardless of your past credit
  • YOU must be 18+ and UK resident
  • £12.50 monthly management fee

Think Money Guaranteed Bank Account

  • Think Banking offers the following:
  • Guaranteed Acceptance
  • Sortcode & Account Number
  • Have your salary deposited into this account
  • Pay money in at any Post Office or high street branch
  • Prepaid MasterCard card
  • Create Standing Orders but you can not set up Direct Debits with this account.
  • 24 hour account management by Phone, Text and Online Banking
  • Dedicated Account Manager
  • Opening fee of £25 (£30 for a joint account)
  • NO OVERDRAFT FACILITY – No risk of going overdrawn
  • NO EXTRA CHARGES – No charges for bounced standing orders
  • NO CREDIT CHECKS! – Guaranteed to be accepted, regardless of your past credit
  • YOU must be 18+ and UK resident
  • £14.50 monthly management fee (£19.50 for joint account customers)

Guaranteed Acceptance Bank Accounts

Provider
Account
AER
Min Bal
O/D Rate
O/D Buffer
Apply
0%
£0
No Offer
No Offer
No Credit Check basic bank account – Open to everyone 18+ & UK resident. NO Opening Fee - £12.50 per month. Create Standing Orders but No Direct Debits
0%
£0
No Offer
No Offer
No Credit Check basic bank account – Open to everyone 18+ & UK resident. Set-up fee of £25 (£30 for a joint account), monthly administration fee of just £14.50 (£19.50 for a joint account). Create Standing Orders but No Direct Debits

Card One Banking Guaranteed Bank Account

  • CardOneBanking offers the following:
  • Guaranteed Acceptance
  • Sortcode & Account Number
  • Have your salary deposited into this account
  • Pay money in at any Post Office or high street branch
  • Prepaid MasterCard card
  • Create Standing Orders but you can not set up Direct Debits with this account.
  • 24 hour account management by Phone, Text and Online Banking
  • Dedicated Account Manager
  • NO OPENING FEE
  • NO OVERDRAFT FACILITY – No risk of going overdrawn
  • NO EXTRA CHARGES – No charges for bounced standing orders
  • NO CREDIT CHECKS! – Guaranteed to be accepted, regardless of your past credit
  • YOU must be 18+ and UK resident
  • £12.50 monthly management fee

Think Money Guaranteed Bank Account

  • Think Banking offers the following:
  • Guaranteed Acceptance
  • Sortcode & Account Number
  • Have your salary deposited into this account
  • Pay money in at any Post Office or high street branch
  • Prepaid MasterCard card
  • Create Standing Orders but you can not set up Direct Debits with this account.
  • 24 hour account management by Phone, Text and Online Banking
  • Dedicated Account Manager
  • Opening fee of £25 (£30 for a joint account)
  • NO OVERDRAFT FACILITY – No risk of going overdrawn
  • NO EXTRA CHARGES – No charges for bounced standing orders
  • NO CREDIT CHECKS! – Guaranteed to be accepted, regardless of your past credit
  • YOU must be 18+ and UK resident
  • £14.50 monthly management fee (£19.50 for joint account customers)

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Current Accounts Explained


Current Accounts: The Nucleus of Personal Banking

Current accounts provide customers with easy access to their money. They allow funds to be deposited which can then be withdrawn from an ATM, over the counter, or via transactions.

Current accounts allow direct debits and standing orders, which allows a customer to set up automatic payments such as rent or utility bills that get paid periodically. Many accounts also offer online banking, enabling customers to manage their finances at their convenience.

Current accounts are not usually profit-making products for banks, once the costs of staffing, debit transactions, ATM, maintenance, and security for online banking systems are accounted for. Instead, they are a route into broader personal finance products, such as credit cards, savings accounts, loans and mortgages.

As banks compete against each other for your custom, some restrict their best products to current account customers. Some offer specific perks, such as travel insurance, cashback, interest or 0% overdrafts on their current accounts.

Since current accounts are primarily used for transactions, interest rates are generally low. However, there are often some monetary perks available. Some current accounts offer higher interest rates for an introductory period, or require a minimum balance. Some perks also require a minimum deposit every month.

A useful way of making more from your money is to transfer excess funds from your current account into a high interest savings account every month.

Consider your banking needs. Do you really need a local branch?

Current accounts traditionally handle most inbound and outbound transactions. Therefore you need to consider accessibility to your account.

If you are heavily dependent on cashier services, then a bank that offers an extensive branch network covering your local area is likely to be your best option.

Bank online for better current account deals!

If you have little time or little need to access a branch – if your salary and bills are pre-arranged, perhaps – then a provider that offers state-of-the-art online banking access and telephone support could prove more beneficial.

There are often better interest rates and benefits available, such as 0% overdraft facilities, because managing accounts online and via telephone reduces the costs of managing your account.

Many banks allow withdrawals and deposits to be made via the Post Office. See their current list of eligible bank accounts.

How can you benefit from an overdraft?

Most current accounts offer an overdraft facility, which can be used as a form of borrowing. The limit is usually negotiated with your bank and can normally be increased or decreased where required. Some banks offer a small interest free overdraft facility without request, but you should always check with your bank to avoid penalties. Interest charges apply to some or the entire overdraft, so it is always best to check the costs that you will incur.

Which4U: Quick Current-Account Comparison

Find the right account through Which4U by comparing bank accounts in our easy-to-use tables, which will allow you to compare the main differentiating factors, interest rates and overdraft facilities.

Simply select the account provider that offers the best deal for you and click ‘Apply’. You will then be taken to that bank’s website to make your application. In most cases, you should get an instant decision online!