This comparison simply includes all savings accounts.
NatWest Current Account
Why we like it: Interest paid annually. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: Instant access to your savings. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid monthly, either to a linked current account, or adding it to your Online Flexi Saver account. Easy application process, you just need a UK mobile phone and UK driving licence or passport. Manage account online. Maximum balance £250,000. Must be aged 18 or older and have a UK address. Must have a linked UK current account. Your eligible deposits with Investec Bank are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Why we like it: Which? Recommended Savings Provider. No notice period. Deposit from £100. Interest paid monthly or annually. Apply in minutes. Your eligible deposits with RCI Bank UK Limited are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services. Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Why we like it: Unlimited payments and withdrawals. Interest paid annually. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: Interest calculated monthly. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must retain a minimum balance of £20,000 in the account. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: All funds deposited into the RCI Bank E-Volve Savings 14 Day Notice Account will be used to fund pure electric vehicles and charging facilities. Interest paid monthly or annually. Manage account online. UK-based support, seven days a week. Which? Recommended Savings Provider. Unlimited withdrawals subject to 14 days notice. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older. Your eligible deposits with RCI Bank UK Limited are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Why we like it: The interest rate tracks the Bank of England (BoE) Base Rate. Interest is calculated on the minimum daily balance and applied to the account on the first day of every subsequent month. Open and manage account online. Your eligible deposits are protected up to £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The maximum deposit you may pay into any one OakNorth Account is £500,000. The maximum amount (excluding the interest) that you will be allowed to hold on deposit with OakNorth Bank across multiple accounts is also £500,000. Unlimited withdrawals, subject to 95 days notice. Available to individuals, aged 18 or over, who are UK residents
Why we like it: Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid monthly: can be added to your Notice Saver or paid to your linked account. Easy application process, you just need a UK mobile phone and UK driving licence or passport. Manage account online. Maximum balance £250,000. Withdrawals subject to 90 days notice. Must be aged 18 or older and have a UK address. Must have a linked UK current account
Why we like it: 3 penalty-free withdrawals in a 12 month period. 3.82% AER (variable tracker) + 0.68% AER 12 month boost. 3.75% gross variable tracker. Interest paid monthly. Deposit and withdraw almost instantly. No fees or charges for holding account. FSCS eligible on your deposits. After 3 withdrawals within a 12 month period the rate will revert to either 3.40% AER (variable tracker with boost applied) or 2.72% AER (variable tracker) for the remainder of the 12 month period since opening the account. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older
Why we like it: 9 month term, minimum deposit £1,000, no withdrawals permitted. FSCS Protected
Why we like it: Interest paid on maturity. Automatic repayment to your linked account. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Must have a UK residential address and be aged 18 or older. No withdrawals permitted
Why we like it: 1 year term, minimum deposit £1,000, no withdrawals permitted. FSCS Protected
NatWest Current Account
NatWest offer a range of bank accounts each with their own range of rewards.
At the first level they offer a Select bank account which is very much a standard account from which you can:
- Set up Direct Debits, make payments and transfers
- Access Mobile and internet banking
- Access the NatWest app which has a range of useful features intended to make life easier
- Free Text Alerts
- Request an arranged overdraft
You will also have access to UK call centres, which are available 24 hours a day, and be able to visit one of the 1,500 NatWest branches.
Rewards and Offers
- 3% cashback on household bills
NatWest also offer a reward account. There are no monthly payments for this account making it a great option for those who are unable to meet the high minimum payment requests of some other accounts. There is, however, a charge per month of £3.
The rewards you can earn on this account are similar to the Santander 123 account in that you can earn cashback on your household bills. As this account is a cheaper option than the Santander account, it’s a great choice for those who pay a lot of household bills out of one account and would like to see some return on that; however, you would need to spend over £100 on bills per month to see any profit on this.
The scheme is quite simple, you can automatically earn 3% on seven kinds of household bills, including council tax. As soon as you reach £5 in rewards you can exchange it for £5 which you can convert to money and transfer in to your current account or even use towards your NatWest credit card balance.
Natwest state that:
‘There's no limit to the rewards you can earn. On average, currently our customers earn £120 per year in rewards, based on average monthly Direct Debits of £333 (£4,000 per year) and excluding the monthly fee.’
You are also able to exchange the rewards for gift cards or codes to spend at selected UK retailers or donate to one of four charities.
You can earn your ‘rewards’ on the following bills when you pay by Direct Debit from your reward bank account; council tax, mobile, landline, TV package, gas, electricity and broadband.
However, they don’t allow you to earn rewards on payments to organisations such as insurance providers, repairs or home maintenance.
- At least 1% back in rewards at partner retailers
Another reward which this account offers is 1% cashback offers at UK retailers. You will receive personalised retail offers where you will be able to earn extra rewards when you use your NatWest debit card.
A great feature which you’ll receive with any NatWest account is the mobile app. It’s simple and straight forward but also allows you to:
- Withdraw money without your bank card, up to £130 per day, from RBS, NatWest or Tesco cash machines. Great news if you’ve forgotten your bank card
- Check your balance, recent transactions and pay friends or family quickly and easily
- Pay your contacts via your mobile. You can pay anyone with a UK mobile number who has a NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank, NatWest Offshore, or Isle of Man mobile app
You do not earn in-credit interest on this account
Useful to Know
- The arranged overdraft has a £10 buffer but is charged at £6 per month fee and 19.89% EAR interest
- The unarranged overdraft has a £6 per day fee with max charges of £90 per month plus a £6 per unpaid item fee with max charges of £60 per month. This is higher than a lot of other banks so be wary if you’re likely to slip in to an unplanned overdraft
Overall this is a great account for rewards and with no minimum monthly pay-in, it is a cheaper option than other current accounts. The £3 a month charge would be covered by your rewards if you take full advantage of the offer.
The high unarranged overdraft fees could be a problem for some people as well as there being no interest on the in-credit balance.