Best and worst banks

How do I find the best bank account?

Everybody's banking needs are different. Some with a healthy balance may want to find an account that pays them interest; others are looking for one that doesn't charge through the nose to use an overdraft.

At Which?, we think the way your bank or building society treats you should be an essential part of finding the best account.

So, we've done the hard work for you. Every year, we survey thousands of current account customers and ask them to rate the service they receive. This gives us the Which? customer score.

We then calculate the 'product score' of almost 40 current accounts to find our Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) - the UK banks and building societies that offer great products and top-notch customer service.

Best and worst banks revealed

Scroll through the table to see how real customers have rated dozens of banks and building societies.

Not all banks appear in our table. That's because we need a minimum of 50 people to respond to our survey to generate meaningful ratings. We're always trying to increase our coverage.

A closer look at the Which? Recommended Providers

These are the UK current account providers that have both satisfied customers and excellent products:

Starling Bank

• Customer score: 90%
• Product score: 78%
• Access: App, online, telephone

Starling has clinched the top spot for the third year running and is therefore once more named a WRP. It achieved one of the highest customer scores we've ever awarded for current accounts, with five stars for every part of its service we could rate.

Many customers praised how easy its app is to use and its features such as Spaces, which rounds up your spending to the nearest pound and pops the spare change into a virtual piggy bank.

It's one of the cheapest banks we've reviewed for both spending abroad (the Starling debit card is fee-free for purchases and foreign ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world) and overdrafts (as low as 15%, depending on your credit score). It only pays 0.05% on credit balances, though, so don't use it for long-term saving.

Although it started life as a smartphone bank, Starling launched online banking for personal customers in October 2020. To find out more, visit Starling Bank

• Go further: the Money Helper bank account fees and charges tool can help you compare current accounts offered by most banks based on what they charge for different services and facilities. 

First Direct

• Customer score: 88%
• Product score: 80%
• Access: App, online, telephone

First Direct has the second-highest customer score and, like Starling, received five stars across the board.

Its current account has an interest-free overdraft buffer of £250, but beyond this an overdraft is very expensive at 39.9%.

In recent years First Direct has frequently offered cash if you switch your banking to it - as much as £175.

First Direct performed best of 11 banks in a Which? Investigation into fraud helpline waiting times, taking just 16 seconds, on average, to answer the phone.

First Direct is a division of HSBC. If you have accounts with both, limit deposits to below £85,000 across both brands so your money is fully covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

• Find out more: who owns who in banking?

What about Monzo, Chase and Revolut?

We don't just pick Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs) on the basis of their customer score.

Revolut doesn't have a banking licence in the UK. Instead, it operates under an e-money licence in the UK, so you aren't covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). While e-money firms must still ringfence your funds in a segregated account, to protect it in cases of insolvency, we can only recommend the more robust, independent FSCS safety net.

Since 2019 we've insisted that WRPs be signed up to the Authorised Push Payment Scam Code to protect victims of fraud. Unlike most current account providers, Monzo, Chase and Revolut have not signed up.

We also calculate a product score, looking at dozens of elements including rewards and benefits, fees and charges, and how you can operate the account.

Chase and Revolut achieved excellent customer scores but their product scores were below average, preventing them from achieving WRP status.

Worst banks for customer satisfaction

Bank of Ireland UK has the lowest customer score of 65%, achieving three stars for every aspect of its service except its mobile banking app (four stars).

TSB is second from bottom, with a customer score of 67%. Current account holders gave it just two stars for branch service, three for customer service.

Other big banks HSBC (71%) and Barclays (70%) also failed to impress in many areas, getting more than their share of average or below ratings, although both score decently for their mobile apps and online banking.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has inched up our table this year, after being bottom of the table with the lowest score of 56% in 2021.

• Don't settle for mediocrity: how to switch your bank account in seven days

Accessible banking services

If you're one of the 14.1 million people in the UK with a disability, your bank should make services as accessible as possible.

In May 2021, we surveyed 1,494 Which? Connect panel members and panel members of the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers about their current account providers. Our unique survey revealed that while some banks go above and beyond to help disabled customers, others are barely meeting minimum standards.

First Direct came out on top of our table, with 95% of disabled customers in our survey saying they're fairly or very satisfied with the service. Nationwide came second (87%) and was the top-rated provider with a branch network. Despite being parent bank to First Direct, HSBC received the lowest score (62%), followed by TSB (65%).

Banks have a legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled customers. You should never be asked to pay for these. Some simple steps can help make life easier for disabled customers - but which banks offer them? 

We asked all of the major current account providers to tell which of the following accessible services they offered in July 2021:

• Confidential markers: All banks should be able to add a discreet note to your account so staff know of your disability when you call or visit a branch. Nationwide said it can also offer a contact point for customers who need extra support.
• Chip and Pin signature cards: If you have dexterity issues or find it difficult to remember a Pin, banks must offer a chip and signature card instead (they should also provide a signature stamp).
• Accessible debit card: If you have dexterity issues or find it difficult to remember a Pin, banks must offer a chip and signature card instead (they should also provide a signature stamp).
• Voice-enabled card readers: If your bank requires a card reader to generate online banking security codes, ask for an accessible version. AIB (NI), Barclays, Nationwide and NatWest Group currently offer these.
• SignVideo: Most banks offer this British Sign Language interpreting service (except AIB NI, Bank of Ireland UK, Danske Bank, Metro Bank, Monzo, Starling and The Co-operative Bank). Monzo said it is exploring sign video support options for the app. Starling said it offers 24/7 in-app customer support.
• Relay UK: This text-to-speech app works with your mobile or tablet. Most banks can accept Relay UK calls (this isn't yet available at First Direct and Metro Bank).
• Talking ATMs: These let you plug in standard earphones and follow the audio instructions. See link.co.uk/consumers/locator for your nearest one.
• The Sunflower Scheme: A sunflower lanyard, sticker or card will let branch staff know you may need more support or extra time. Danske Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide and TSB have committed to the scheme.
• Cards for carers: Santander, Starling and NatWest Group have launched cards for carers. Carers will have their own Pin and can shop for you without having full access to your account.

About Which?'s bank account research

Which? customer score

Which?'s rating for customer satisfaction, based on feedback from real customers. The score is made up of a customer's overall satisfaction with the brand, and how likely they are to recommend that brand to a friend.

We surveyed 4,525 members of the general public about their current accounts in August 2022.

Product score

We analyse dozens of different elements, including rewards and benefits, fees and charges, and how you can operate the account, to calculate a product rating score.

Which? Recommended Provider status

A customer score of at least 70% makes a brand eligible for Which? Recommended Provider status, but we'll only give this if customers rate it highly for key services and one of its main current account achieves an above average product score.

Since 2019, we have also expected banks to be signed up to a voluntary code known as the Authorised Push Payment Scam Code, which was launched on 28 May 2019.

Several major banking brands are yet to sign up to the voluntary code, including Monzo, Chase and Revolut.

Find out more: is your local bank branch closing?