🔍 Independent comparison 2026

Your financial detective for finding the best bank account

We compare current accounts, online banks and app-based banks with honesty, transparency and precision.

See the best accounts

Current accounts

High street banks

Digital banks

Accounts for under-18s

Savings accounts
Our selection

The best current accounts of 2026

Our top pick for 2026
  • Up to £300: £150 to switch + 5 × £30
  • No monthly fee on the Bank Account
  • £150 after a full switch with £2,000 paid in
  • £30 a month for 5 months (10 card payments)
Open the account
  • £240 when you switch to Everyday
  • Switch request by 7 Oct 2026
  • Full switch, £1,500 paid in, 2 household Direct Debits
  • Also pay £200 into a Regular Saver (8.00% AER for the first year)
Open the account
  • £220 to switch to the Bank Account
  • Access to Regular Saver and Online Bonus Saver
  • Full switch, £2,000 paid in, £500 spent by card
  • No monthly fee, optional overdraft
Open the account
  • £210 to switch to the 1st Account
  • Open by 2 Dec 2026
  • Full switch, £1,000 paid in, 5 card payments
  • No monthly fee and £250 interest-free overdraft
Open the account
  • £200 to switch to Club Lloyds
  • Switch started by 9 Dec 2026
  • Full switch with at least 3 active Direct Debits
  • £5 fee refunded if you pay in £2,000 a month
Open the account
  • £200 to switch to Select or Reward
  • Fraud refund promise on the Select account
  • Full switch, £1,250 paid in within 60 days
  • Select has no monthly fee; Reward is £2
Open the account
  • £200 to switch to Select or Reward
  • 5-star rated by Moneyfacts and Defaqto for 2026
  • Full switch, £1,250 paid in within 60 days
  • Select has no monthly fee; Reward is £2
Open the account
  • £175 when you switch to FlexDirect
  • No monthly fee; first £50 of overdraft interest-free
  • 5% AER for 12 months on up to £1,500
  • £5 + £5 monthly cashback for 12 months
Open the account
  • 2% cashback up to £20 a month
  • Savings account at 2.25% AER (variable)
  • Requires 15+ payments a month and £1,000 in Chase savings accounts
  • No fees from Chase on spending abroad
Open the account
  • Choose 2.75% AER or 3% cashback
  • Fee-free card spending abroad
  • No monthly fee, no minimum income
  • Free Caffè Nero drink every month
Open the account
  • 2.65% AER on balances up to £500,000
  • Savings pots, interest paid monthly
  • No monthly fee, no minimum deposit
  • Fee-free card spending abroad
Open the account
  • Up to 3.00% AER on £4,000 to £5,000
  • Up to 15% cashback with Cashback Extras
  • £3 a month, refunded if you pay in £1,500
  • 1.50% AER below £4,000 with 2 Direct Debits
Open the account
  • £5 cashback a month for 6 months
  • Savings Pot at 1.45% AER, up to 5 pots
  • No monthly fee on Spend & Save
  • 20 debit card payments a month to qualify
Open the account
  • 1.00% AER on the first £1,000
  • No fees on card use abroad
  • M Plus Account, no monthly fee
  • Free M Plus Saver paying 1.75% AER on balances up to £25,000
Open the account
  • Standard plan at £0 a month
  • Paid plans from £3.99 a month if you want more
  • Switch with CASS, salary paid up to a day early (Bacs)
  • Instant Access Savings at 2.9% AER on Standard
Open the account
  • Free account, no monthly fee
  • Deposits protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS
  • Instant Access savings at 2.75% AER (variable)
  • No foreign transaction fees on card spending
Open the account
  • No monthly fee, no welcome bonus
  • Switch with CASS in 7 working days
  • No fees from Starling on spending or withdrawals abroad
  • Deposits protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS
Open the account
  • Classic Account with no monthly fee
  • £2,026 monthly payday prize draw
  • Up to 15% cashback with selected retailers
  • Up to 3.00% AER on balances up to £5,000 with Vantage
Open the account
  • Current Account with no monthly fee
  • Optional overdraft; joint accounts available
  • No currency conversion fees
  • Monthly prize draw paying up to £5,000 of bills, until 31/03/2027
Open the account
  • Current Account with no monthly fee
  • Contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • Card use abroad costs 2.99% per transaction
  • Insights spending tool in the app
Open the account

Offers checked on each bank’s official website on 02/10/2026. BankDetective receives a commission from some banks when you open an account through our links. It does not change what you pay or the terms of the offer.

How it works

Your best account in 3 steps

01

Compare

Every account at a glance: fees, features and extras explained clearly.

02

Assess

We review every offer against the same strict criteria.

03

Open your account

Pick the account that suits you best and open it directly with the bank.

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