Best Cash ISAs

The highest paying tax-free savings accounts

Individual Savings Accounts, or ISAs, let you earn interest without paying tax. Though they aren’t the only way to do this, they can still be worth looking at to get the best rates on your cash.

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Best limited access Cash ISA – up to 4%

• Yorkshire Building Society Loyalty Six Access ISA (4% AER variable on up to £20,000, then 3.5%): min £1
  • Must have had a YBS account for at least the last 12 months
  • flexible / transfers in
  • Max six withdrawals a year
• Yorkshire Building Society Limited Access ISA (3.35% AER variable from 5 April 2023 | 3.1% until then): min £1
  • flexible / transfers in
  • Max one withdrawal a year without penalty
• Paragon Bank Triple access (3.2% variable): Min £1
  • transfers in / flexible
  • Max three withdrawals a year without a penalty
• Coventry Building Society Limited Access ISA (3% AER variable): min £1
  • flexible / transfers in
  • Max six withdrawals a year without penalty

Best easy access Cash ISA – up to 3.25%

• MoneyBox Stocks & Shares ISA (3.25% AER variable): min £1
  • Transfers in
  • Only money held in cash and not invested will earn this rate
  • If you also invest there’s a £1 monthly fee & other charges
  • Uninvested money held in other banks covered by FSCS protection (though this could be shared with other savings you have)
• Cynergy (3.2% AER variable): min £1
  • transfers in from certain providers
• Shawbrook (3.17% AER variable): min £1,000
  • transfers in
• Gatehouse (3.15% expected profit rate variable): min £1
  • transfers in
• Principality Building Society (3.1% AER variable, including 0.4% bonus for the first year): Min £1
  • Transfers in / flexible
• Virgin Money (3% AER variable): min £1
  • transfers in / Flexible
  • requires a current account
• Marcus (3% AER variable, inlcudes 0.25% bonus for 12 months): min £1
  • No transfers in
• Sainsbury’s Bank (2.91% AER variable): min £1
  • Transfers in

Best fixed Cash ISA – up to 4.25%

Unlike fixed savings accounts you can withdraw money from a fixed ISA, though you’ll pay a penalty to do so. For a one-year fix that’s normally 90 days interest.

One year fixes – up to 4.1%

• Santander (4.15% AER variable): min £500
  • £50 e-voucher if you transfer in a non-Santander ISA of £10,000 or more
• Virgin Money (4.11% AER fixed): min £1
  • transfers in
• Gatehouse (4.1% expected return): min £1,000
  • transfers in
• UBL (4.01% AER fixed): min £2,000
  • transfers in
• Charter Savings Bank (4.01% AER fixed): min £5,000
  • transfers in
• Shawbrook (3.98% AER fixed): min £1,000
  • transfers in
• Castle Trust (3.96% AER fixed): min £1000
  • transfers in
• Paragon (3.96% AER fixed): min £500
  • transfers in
• Close Brothers (3.95% AER fixed): min £10,000
  • transfers in
• Cynergy Bank (3.95% AER fixed): min £500
  • transfers in from some providers

18 month fixes – up to 4.25%

• Santander (4.25% AER variable): min £500
  • £50 e-voucher if you transfer in a non-Santander ISA of £10,000 or more
• Gatehouse (4.15% expected return): min £1,000
  • transfers in

Two year fixes – up to 4.26%

• Virgin Money (4.26% AER fixed): min £1
  • transfers in
• Santander (4.2% AER variable): min £500
  • £50 e-voucher if you transfer in a non-Santander ISA of £10,000 or more
• Gatehouse (4.2% expected return): min £1,000
  • transfers in
• Shawbrook (4.16% AER fixed): min £1,000
  • transfers in
• Close Brothers (4.15% AER fixed): min £10,000
  • transfers in
• Paragon (4.15% AER fixed): min £500
  • transfers in
• Charter Savings Bank (4.15% AER fixed): min £5,000
  • transfers in
• Kent Reliance (4.1% AER fixed): min £1,000
  • transfers in
• Coventry Building Society (4% AER fixed): min £1
  • transfers in

Best Lifetime ISAs – up to 3.5%

Lifetime ISAs are available as cash savings or as investment products. You can open on up to the age of 40 and save up to £4,000 a year into one and get a 25% bonus. Here are the leading Cash Lifetime ISAs:

• Moneybox (3.5% AER, drops to 2.75% after one year): min £1
• Nude (3% AER variable): This has a £2 monthly fee so lower rates could beat it depending on your balance
• BeeHive Money (2.75% AER): min £1
• Paragon Bank (2.5% AER): min £1
• Newcastle Building Society (2.5% AER): min £1
• Skipton Building Society (2.25% AER variable): min £1