Best business bank accounts

Everyone from Etsy sellers to tradespeople, landlords, café owners and online designers could save time and possibly money with the right business business bank account. Here are some of the best

Whether you’re just starting out or decades into your business career, the right current account can just make everything easier. 

From accounting integration, automated invoices (plus tracking), international payments to simply integrating well with your payment terminal – it’s all possible with the right account.

In fact, you might even need one to access a new payment system or access a business loan.

But how do you choose between them, what features are available and what does it all cost? We explain all.

If you’re keen to compare accounts, you can skip straight to our table.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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How do you compare business bank accounts?

There are multiple factors you need to consider when choosing a business bank account, including:

Fees

Fees go far beyond just a monthly cost for having the account open – everything from cash withdrawals, expenses accounts, bank transfers and issuing cards can come at a cost with some accounts. Make sure you’re not caught out by this or a “cheap” deal could end up proving rather expensive in the long run.

Eligibility

Do you meet the requirements? Some providers can have strict rules – especially around residency – so it’s worth checking to make sure you qualify. Some businesses are also harder to get an account for than others, a limited liability partnership might find it harder to get an account than a sole trader, for exmaple.

Cash deposit allowances

If your business handles cash you will want to be able to deposit that in your account. Check the small print to see how much you can deposit and what the charges are for that.

Cash withdrawal allowances

You might need money to set up a float or pay suppliers, wages or contractors. Check the limits in the small print along with any costs. 

Integrations

Some business bank accounts let you add third party apps and programs into them. This could be for invoicing, taxes, payroll, payment terminals or more. Work out what you’ll need and check to see how compatible your chosen account is. 

User management 

How many people would you like to be able to access the account? How much access do you want each of them to have? Should they all have their own card?

Compliance (eg for VAT / Making Tax Digital)

Does your chosen account allow you to work out things like VAT or other taxes? The right accounts can sync up with accounting software, and even transfer money into a “for tax” pot so you know you have enough put away to cover the bill from HMRC. 

Linked savings

You’ll need to put some money aside at some point – to pay your tax if nothing else – so it’s a good idea to earn interest on that money. Several business bank accounts come with linked savings accounts while others offer in-credit interest on your balance. 

What is the best business bank account? 

The best business bank account for you is one that makes your life easier. Exactly what that looks like depends on your business.

The first thing you need to ensure is that it offers the services you need to keep your your business running.

So if you frequently sell overseas online, you need to make sure it can handle those payments – possibly including foreign currency transactions.

If you’re a gardener, invoice tracking might be more important to you. If you run a shop, then making sure it works well with your payment terminals might well matter more.

After you find an account that meets your needs and fits in with any future plans you have in terms of features, the next question is what it costs.

While free accounts are available, paying for one might be well worth the money if it frees up your time and energies to be better spent actually running your business than on admin.

It might also save you money or make you extra cash if it’s got a good savings account attached.

Finally, it’s worth looking at customer service. How easy is it to use and what do other customers think about it? What happens when something goes wrong? 

To help there, we’ve integrated the score real customers have given these products on our sister site Smart Money People in our table below.

Once you have all that – what you need from it, what it costs and what it could save you in time (and possibly accountant fees) you’ll have the best account for you.

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Are free business bank accounts enough?

Free business bank accounts can be perfect for people starting out who just want to separate their personal finances from their business ones.

They can do a lot more than that, too – often working well for years and years.

However, as the amount of money you make grows, so do your costs. Be that accounting, transactional fees building up or expanding into more markets or new locations.

At that point, you could well be spending a lot of time and potentially money on things that the best paid-for business bank account will cover for you automatically – or missing out on opportunities because your current account doesn’t offer that feature.

Additionally, free accounts aren’t often entirely free. While there might be no monthly cost, any payment fees, transaction fees and more could add up as your business expands, meaning you could be paying more for a free account than you would with one that charged a monthly subscription.

How much does a business bank account cost? 

In terms of monthly costs, business bank accounts range from being free to costing as much as £90 a month.

Of those that charge, most sit between about £5 and £30 a month, although what you get for that money changes.

The biggest advantage of paying a monthly fee is that this replaces ongoing transactional charges – even “free” accounts will have these included. These charges can cover anything from withdrawing or transferring cash to issuing credit cards and foreign exchange fees.

Not all of these go away when you pay a monthly fee instead, but what they cost and the limits before fees are charged change greatly.

Some things you can expect to be charged for include:

  • Monthly fee
  • Bank transfers
  • Cash deposits
  • Cash withdrawal
  • Card transactions
  • International card payments
  • Invoicing

The best business bank accounts overall 

Business banks
Sponsored
Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    £10
  • Cash deposit fee
    £0
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    10 free, £0.20 after
  • Offer
    £100 welcome bonus*
*New customers can get a £100 welcome bonus
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Integration with accounting tools Yes, Xero, Quickbooks and Sage
  • HR integrations Deel, Personio, Zoho and Workday
  • Automations Set up automations with Zapier, Slack, Zoho
  • Ecommerce platforms Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, Prestashop
  • Cash withdrawals Free up to £5000/day. After this, 2% fee per withdrawal
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligible businesses Your company's legal form shouldn't be a charity, operate in the public sector, act as a cooperative, or be registered as sole traders. Your company must be fully incorporated and active and must be registered in an eligible country
  • Offer details Sign up by 31/12/2026 and add money to your account to redeem a £100 welcome bonus. Fees, promotion terms and T&Cs apply. New Business customers only.
  • Cashback Earn RevPoints with Revolut Business Titan card
Customer rating 4.9/5
  • Monthly fee
    £0
  • Cash deposit fee
    0.7% (min £3)
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    £0
  • Access Online or via app
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Cash withdrawals 6 free withdrawals per day up to a maximum of £300
  • Integration with accounting tools Can be connected to accounting software
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligible companies Limited companies, Limited Liability Partnerships or sole traders
Customer rating 4.9/5
  • Monthly fee
    £0
  • Cash deposit fee
    £1 per deposit
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    £0
  • Access Online or via app
  • Cash deposits £1 per deposit at any UK PayPoint or Post Office
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Cash withdrawals Withdraw up to £1,000 per day
  • Integration with accounting tools Not available - Integration only available with Monzo Pro and above
  • Invoicing tools No
  • Eligible companies Sole traders and registered limited companies

Mettle Business Bank Account

Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    £0
  • Cash deposit fee
    £0
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    £0
  • Access Online or via app
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Cash withdrawals Free
  • Integration with accounting tools Access to FreeAgent and connect to other accounting software
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligible businesses Sole traders and limited companies with no more than two owners
Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    £0
  • Cash deposit fee
    0.55% (min £4)
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    Free to receive, send for free three times each month, 35p afterwards
  • Access Online or via app
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Cash withdrawals £2 per withdrawal
  • Card issuing fee £9.95 one-off fee
  • Integration with accounting tools Connect your chosen accounting software
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligible businesses Sole traders and limited companies

Zempler Bank (formerly Cashplus) Business Extra

Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    £9
  • Cash deposit fee
    0.55% (min £4)
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    20 free a month (35p after)
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Integration with accounting tools Connect your chosen accounting software
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligibility Sole traders and limited companies
  • Access Online or via app
  • Cash withdrawals Free
  • Spending abroad Fee-free
  • Cashback Up to 0.5% on card spend

Zempler Bank (formerly Cashplus) Business Pro

Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    £19
  • Cash deposit fee
    0.55% (min £4)
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    500 free a month (35p after)
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Integration with accounting tools Connect your chosen accounting software
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligibility Sole traders and limited companies
  • Access Online or via app
  • Cash withdrawals Free
  • Foreign exchange fee Fee-free
  • Cashback Up to 1% on card spend
  • Exclusive savings 0.5% interest-earning savings pot
Customer rating 4.7/5
  • Monthly fee
    £5-£20 per month
  • Cash deposit fee
    Post Office: 0.5% (£2 min) / PayPoint: 3%
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    First 3 free then 27p
  • Access Via app
  • FSCS Protected? Yes — eligible deposits are FSCS protected up to £120,000
  • Cash withdrawals £1 per withdrawal
  • Integration with accounting tools Fully integrated accounting tools. HMRC recognised partner — file direct from the app for free
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • Eligible businesses Sole traders or registered limited companies
  • Fee details You'll pay a monthly fee depending on how much you deposit each month. Deposits up to £750: £5 per month; Deposits up to £7,500: £12 per month; Deposits over £7,500: £20 per month
  • Interest paid Earn 1.2% AER (Variable) on your tax pot balance
  • Important details Bank account powered by Griffin. T&Cs apply. Interest rate is variable and tracks the Bank of England base rate. Eligible deposits are FSCS protected up to £120,000.
Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    From £30 per month
  • Cash deposit fee
    £0
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    First 100 free, £0.20 after
  • Offer
    £100 welcome bonus*
*New customers can get a £100 welcome bonus
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Integration with accounting tools Yes, Xero, Quickbooks and Sage
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • HR integrations Deel, Personio, Zoho and Workday
  • Automations Set up automations with Zapier, Slack, Zoho
  • Ecommerce platforms Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, Prestashop
  • Cash withdrawals Free up to £5000/day. After this, 2% fee per withdrawal
  • Eligible businesses Your company's legal form shouldn't be a charity, operate in the public sector, act as a cooperative, or be registered as sole traders. Your company must be fully incorporated and active and must be registered in an eligible country
  • Offer details Sign up by 31/12/2026 and add money to your account to redeem a £100 welcome bonus. Fees, promotion terms and T&Cs apply. New Business customers only.
  • Cashback Earn RevPoints with Revolut Business Titan card
Customer rating 4.8/5
  • Monthly fee
    From £90/month
  • Cash deposit fee
    £0
  • Fee for transfers in/out
    First 25 free, £0.20 after
  • Offer
    £100 welcome bonus*
*New customers can get a £100 welcome bonus
  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Integration with accounting tools Yes, Xero, Quickbooks and Sage
  • Invoicing tools Yes
  • HR integrations Deel, Personio, Zoho and Workday
  • Automations Set up automations with Zapier, Slack, Zoho
  • Ecommerce platforms Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, Prestashop
  • Cash withdrawals £10000/day, 2% fee for withdrawals after
  • Eligibility Your company's legal form shouldn't be a charity, operate in the public sector, act as a cooperative, or be registered as sole traders. Your company must be fully incorporated and active and must be registered in an eligible country
  • Offer details Sign up by 31/12/2026 and add money to your account to redeem a £100 welcome bonus. Fees, promotion terms and T&Cs apply. New Business customers only.
  • Cashback Earn RevPoints with Revolut Business Titan card

Expert thoughts on finding the best business bank account from the Be Clever With Your Cash team

Running a business is hard work. There’s a seemingly never ending stream of things to think about, issues cropping up, paperwork and more.

The right business bank account can take a lot of this mental load off your shoulders – letting you focus on the things that actually matter.

The problem is that people often get used to things being a certain way, especially if they’ve built a business from scratch themselves, when in fact there might be much better solution out there.

That’s why it’s important to stop now and again and take a look at how you’re spending your time, as well as your money, and take a look about.

Businesses change, people change and new products are launched, which means taking a few minutes to sit and think about the products and services you have now and how they fit with your business in reality could end up saving you a huge amount of time, worry and money.

Magazine and newspaper deals

From digital to physical copies I’ll share top deals to save on your regular reading and other publications.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Magazine offers

Lego: free kids’ magazine delivered four times a year

If you’ve got kids aged between five and nine, chances are they love Lego. You can sign up and get the Lego magazine delivered to your door every three months for free, including delivery. If you don’t have a Lego account already, you’ll need to sign up.

The next issue comes out in November.

BBC: Limited edition evolution poster and info from the Open University

Get a free, limited edition, poster of the evolutionary tree of life – along with a load of reading on the different theories too.

It’s based on what you might have seen on the BBC show Evolution, which was co-produced by The Open University, and supported by leading OU academics specialising in evolution, ecology and the history of life on Earth.

Orders will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Free magazine subscription with Lloyds bank

You can get a year’s subscription to a number of titles if you open a Club Lloyds current account. I use this to get a year of Empire, though you might be better off with the alternative freebies such as 6 cinema tickets or a year of Disney+ Standard with Ads.

Here’s more information in our review.

Digital magazine offers

Free digital magazines from your library

Most libraries have a way to get free access to dozens of titles via your phone or computer. I’ve written here about how you can get a load of digital magazines via your local library.

The Athletic: £1.50 per month for a year 

The Athletic is offering access to the site for £1.50 per month for a year.

After the year ends, you’ll be charged £12.50 per month, so make sure you cancel beforehand if you don’t want to pay full price. 

Magzter: One year for £35.95 or less

Magzter is an online digital subscription where you can access more than 8,000 magazines. You can read the magazines on any iOS or Android device via the Magzter app.

This offer on Groupon gives you access for £35.95 rather than £149.99. And if you combine it with a code you might be able to save more.

There are plenty of UK titles such as Total Film, Reader’s Digest, BBC Good Food, Marie Claire and Woman & Home, as well as international faves such as Entertainment Weekly. There’s also randomly Spurs and Everton match programmes!

You can have five separate accounts with the subscription so it’s a good option for a family. 

It does auto-renew after the year so be sure to cancel it before the year is up.

Readly: Two-month free trial

This subscription service costs £7.99 a month. You can currently get two months for free.

Which? Magazine: deal stack (ended)

You can combine up to three different deals to bring down the price of an annual subscription to the ‘full access’ Which? magazine.

Not everyone will be able to get the Amex offer (you need to check your card offers and add it to the card if it’s showing), but the other two options are there for all.

It means you’ll pay Which? £49.50 for a full access subscription, and then get around £15 back from the cashback site (the rate varies so check both). Remember to apply via the cashback site and close any Which? tabs that are open.

If you have Amex you’ll save more again. We’ve seen 50% off a £30 spend, but other deals may be out there as these vary by cardholder, and there’s a chance you won’t see the offer at all. But say you get 50% off the price paid, that’s another £24.75 off.

There’s a chance this last part is dependent on clicking through from the Amex app, but it wasn’t when Andy did this in December 2022, so it should be fine this time too.

All in that could mean you pay just £9 for one year, saving more than 90%.

Bear in mind you’ll be charged the full £99 after 12 months if you don’t cancel.

And if you’ve not used Quidco or TopCashback there’s a new welcome bonus worth up to £18 you can nab on top.

The best deals

Find our picks of the best offers in our dedicated deals library

Swap old clothes for money off vouchers

Recycle clothes and shoes to help save on something new 

H&M, M&S, Schuh, John Lewis, River Island and George at Asda all have schemes that let you swap old clothes or shoes for vouchers.

It’s a great way to clear the clutter and save money at the same time. Plus it’s far better for items to go to charity or get recycled than adding to landfill.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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H&M clothes recycling scheme (£5 voucher)

If you’re a member of H&M’s loyalty programme you can donate any bag of old clothes or unwanted garments into an H&M shop and you’ll get 20 points and a £5 voucher to spend as part of the H&M Garment Collection programme.

You’ll get a voucher per drop off – so if you bring in several bags staff will probably process it as one transaction. But in theory, you could split the bags and drop them off at different times for more vouchers. However, there is a £25 minimum spend with each voucher.

So what can be in the bag? Well you don’t need to have any H&M products to get the voucher. And you can also donate any kind of textile, whether its curtains or knickers (as long as they’re clean and dry) as the fabrics are all recycled.

M&S and Oxfam’s Shwopping Clothes Exchange (£5 voucher)

Hand over your old gear at an Oxfam and you’ll also get a £5 voucher to spend on clothes in Marks and Spencer.

One item must be labelled M&S, and you can only use the voucher in the same calendar month. There’s a minimum £35 spend and it’s only valid on clothing, home or beauty.

I asked in a store a while ago if you can use the voucher with other offers and the checkout woman said she’d seen the vouchers be used with Sparks offers such as 20% off everything. So it’s worth grabbing one of these to use when those deals come around.

You can find your nearest Oxfam and read the full terms and condition of the Oxfam Clothes Exchange.

River Island x ReSkinned (£5 voucher)

This scheme requires you to send at least three items via courier to Reskinned. In return you’ll get a £5 voucher to use on purchases over £40 at River Island stores. They’re only valid for one month from issue, so don’t forget to use them.

Schuh “Sell Your Soles” scheme (£5 voucher)

You can get a £5 voucher to use at Schuh for every pair of shoes you donate. The shoes are donated to Recyclatex with around 98% of materials reused.

You can use your voucher online or in-store on full price items over £25.

John Lewis “Fashion Cycle” (£5 voucher)

Take five items of clothing into any John Lewis store as part of their FashionCycle scheme and you’ll get £5 off Fashion Rental, with a minimum spend of £50. They’ll accept shirts, t-shirts, jumpers, cardigans, jackets, coats, shorts, trousers, jeans, childrenswear, dresses, jumpsuits, skirts and school uniform.

You need to be a member of the free My John Lewis scheme and note that the voucher is only redeemable during the month.

The best deals

Find our picks of the best offers in our dedicated deals library

George (10% off)

You can box or bag up 10 or more unwanted clothes and textiles and donate them at Asda. In exchange, you’ll get a 10% off code to use at George .com.

There are limits on the parcel size (50cm x 30cm x 30cm) and it can’t weigh more than 10kg. You’ll need to check if your local store is participating.

Donate to Cancer Research UK via TK Maxx (no voucher)

You can take a bag of unwanted clothes to TK Maxx who will pass it on to Cancer Research to sell or recycle. Cancer Research UK will keep all the proceeds.

Donate to Zara (no voucher)

Zara will also take unwanted clothes that will be donated to those in need or sold by charitable organisations to raise funds. There’s no voucher for you if you do this.

0% balance transfer credit cards explained

The pros and cons.

Balance transfer credit cards can be a useful way to help clear debts. But there are dangers with using one if you don’t follow the rules.

This Be Clever Basics guide is going to explain how 0% balance transfer cards work so you can find out if one is right for you.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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What is a 0% balance transfer credit card?

Got credit card debts? Chances are you’re paying around 25% in interest on the money you’ve borrowed, if not more. This adds up quickly, making your spending more expensive. And if you’re spending on credit cards in the first place it’s probably because you can’t afford what you’re buying – so extra charges aren’t welcome!

But if you get a 0% balance transfer card, you can move the debt from other credit cards to it, and crucially not have to pay interest for an agreed time. At the moment this can be as long as 36 months – that’s three years.

The idea is that you use this time to clear the debt without adding to it, saving you money in the long run. If you’ve other debts, it might also give you a little breather while you clear those.

How much money you could save

Obviously it depends on how much you owe right now, the interest you’re being charged, and the card you get.

But let’s take a few examples. These are with set repayments each month. If the interst rate is higher or if you’re just paying the minimum your savings would be much larger!

Debt = £3,000

If you have £3,000 at 24.9%, and you’re paying a fixed £100 back each month, it’d take you 3 years and 9 months to clear the debt and cost you £1,444 in interest.

But switch the debt to a 0% card with at least 28 months and continue paying £100 a month you’d pay zero interest!

Yes, you need to factor in the transfer fee – if it was 3% it’d be £90 – but you’d still be £1,354 better off!

Debt = £1,000

If you owe less, say one grand at a lower interest rate of 18.9% but with a £50 set repayment each month, you’d take two years to clear the debt and pay £190 in interest.

But putting it on a 0% card for at least 21 months would reduce that interest payment to nothing. You’d just need to cover a transfer fee, which assuming 3% would be £30. That’s a total saving of £160.

What to watch out for with 0% balance transfer cards

The 0% time will end

Once the 0% offer period ends, the interest rate goes up to a normal – if not higher than normal – one. So the idea is to use that 0% time to clear the debt.

There’s often a fee

As mentioned, you will usually have to pay a fee on the total balance you move over. So a 3% fee on a £3,000 balance transfer would be £90.

Though there are cards with shorter 0% lengths which don’t charge and these can be better options if you are confident you need less time to clear the debt.

You usually have to make the transfer early

Once you’ve got the new card, most transfers need to be made within the first two or three months in order to get the 0% rate. Leave it too late and you’ll get a much higher rate, defeating the purpose of the switch.

You still need to make a monthly payment

If you don’t make the minimum repayment each month, the special 0% deal could be ended early, meaning you’ll start paying high rates of interest again. Set up a Direct Debit to make sure you don’t forget.

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You might not get the advertised deal

Credit card companies want to make money from you, but they also want to be sure they won’t lose money on you. If you do get accepted, you might not get the full deal. You could be offered a shorter 0% deal, the rate of interest after the 0% could be higher. 

Applying can be bad for your credit score

And of course there’s the risk you could also be rejected outright. If you do get rejected it’s not just bad for your debt, it’s bad for your credit rating too.

To help the card company make that decision, they’ll run a credit check. To get an idea of whether you’ll be accepted, try a soft check on a comparison site. It’ll look at your credit report but not leave a trace.

You might not be able to transfer your entire credit card debt

Let’s say you’re successful and get the 0% balance transfer card. Great. But there’s no guarantee that the credit limit (i.e. the amount you can have on the card) will be the same or more than your current debt. 

Additional spending will not be 0%

Unless you have a card which specifically has a 0% purchase offer in addition to the 0% balance transfer you will get charged interest on any additional spending.

They aren’t the answer if you don’t think you can clear the debt over time

If your only debt is the card debt, balance transfer cards are a big help. But if your wider finances are in a bad shape and you don’t think even a year or more on a 0% card will help you clear your debts, then you’re just delaying a bigger problem. Really you need to get some free debt advice. Read more about what you can do if your debts are getting too big

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How to make a 0% balance transfer card work for you

Plan for how to pay off the debt

Say you’ve got a £1,000 debt and you transfer it to a 25 month 0% deal, you should try to evenly pay it off each month. That would be £40 every month.

Or even better, pay as much as you can afford each month to clear it sooner. Even though you’re not paying interest on the debt during the 0% period, you don’t know if something could happen later that stops you from paying your planned amount.

Decide if a longer deal or lower fee is better

Don’t go for a long balance transfer deal if you don’t need it. Instead you might be better off picking one with a low fee – or even one that is fee-free.

Of course the lower the fee, the shorter the deal, so the best bet for you really depends on your circumstances. If you need a long time to pay off the debt, a longer deal could suit you, even if the transfer fee is higher.

Shop around

I’m often getting junk mail through the post from my existing banks offering a balance transfer deal. These might be decent, but don’t just jump at the first one you see. Shop around and see what the best offer is out there.

Try not to keep moving the debt

Some people transfer the debt to a new 0% card each time the deal ends. And again. And again.

It’s potentially risky as you might get rejected for a new card. Plus since you generally have to pay a fee each time you transfer, it could cost too.

If you think you won’t be able to clear the debt, consider a longer 0% period for the card.

Don’t spend on your balance transfer card

New spending doesn’t just add to the previously transferred balance. It’s a new debt so interest won’t be 0%. So to avoid this look for a better spending card. If it has to be a credit card, then you can get a 0% purchase credit card which does the same thing but for new spending, or an all-rounder which has 0% on transfers and purchases.

If you do spend on a balance transfer card, try to clear that full amount at the next billing date. The most expensive debt is cleared first, so any monthly payments you make will go to clearing this new spend first. But if you don’t pay off enough to cover the new spending, you’ll get charged interest on it.

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The best student bank accounts 2026

The best 0% overdrafts and freebies for students

Choosing the best student bank account is typically about finding the one with the best benefits, such as the size of the interest-free overdraft, then other things, like money management tools, freebies and what’ll happen when you graduate.

Here are the best bank accounts for students in 2026 and what they offer.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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How to choose the best student bank account

When choosing a student account, you typically want to focus on the size of the interest-free overdraft, despite freebies being tempting.

It’s also worth noting that most accounts are designed for three-year courses, so check the terms — especially for the overdrafts — if you have a longer degree.

When looking at your options, these are the key questions to ask.

How big is the 0% overdraft?

A 0% overdraft could be essential to help you get through your time at university. You won’t be charged any interest on the money in there, making them the cheapest way to borrow money.

Of course, you need to be careful about using it and not treat it as free cash as you will have to pay it back. You will generally have a few years after you graduate (and hopefully start working) to do this, but even so, don’t spend this money just because it’s available. 

The lengths of 0% overdrafts change between the banks – and you might not even get the advertised amount. If the wording says the overdraft is “up to” that means you might not get the high sum mentioned in the adverts. 

But it might be best not to go for the largest amount, as the bigger the overdraft the bigger the temptation to use it all. Instead, work out how much you think you’ll need to use and ask for that.

Plus, even if you think you won’t need one at all, it’s worth choosing a bank that offers one and applying for it at the start – you never know how things could change.

Some banks will also increase the size of overdraft each year, though you often have to ask. This means you can’t blow it all in the first year.

However, there could be conditions attached to having one of these fee-free overdrafts, so make sure you read all the T&Cs upfront. It could be something like pay in £500 every term. 

There’s also the chance you could get rejected for the overdraft so check your credit file before applying. Most students won’t have much on their file, but it’s worth making sure there’s nothing wrong there.

And of course, if you spend more than your overdraft allows you may be hit with huge interest charges of around 40%.

What freebies are available?

Freebies typically come in the form of cash, although we’ve seen some accounts offer other things, such as subscriptions, including Headspace. Santander’s been offering a Railcard for years, a great perk if you’re moving further away.

Some of these could save you a fair bit of cash, if you’d have bought them anyway, that is. These should generally be a second deciding factor once you’ve looked at overdraft options.

It also pays to check how much these freebies would cost if you looked around for extra deals and discounts. Often the value advertised is much higher than you’d actually need to pay.

What happens after you graduate?

Banks go all out for your business as a student as they know there’s a good chance you’ll stick with them for the rest of your life – and that’ll make them money. You’ll usually be moved to a Graduate account with the same bank, but you don’t have to stick with them — you could choose a better graduate account or go for bank switching cash or other rewards. You can see the types of offers currently on offer here.

The best bank accounts for students

Here’s our pick of the best accounts to get. You can only have one student account at a time, usually, but you can open up additional standard bank accounts on top. 

You’re also able to switch from your student account to a new one if you want to change banks mid-degree.  However with most, you’ll be subject to a credit check, so don’t apply for these too close to each other.

BankAccount name0% overdraftPerks
NationwideFlexStudent current accountYear 1: Up to £1,000
Year 2: Up to £2,000
Year 3: Up to £3,000
£100 cash, £120 in Just Eat vouchers
NatWest & RBSStudent Bank AccountFirst term: Up to £500
Years 1 & 2: Up to £2,000
Year 3: Up to £3,250
£100 and a 4-year Tastecard
SantanderEdge StudentYears 1-3: £1,500 guaranteed4-year Santander 16-25 Railcard

£100,000 prize draw (win at least £20)

Up to £3,000 overdraft: Nationwide FlexStudent

Perk: £100 cash, one of the largest overdrafts and top ethical choice

The Nationwide student account offers £100 if you open an account after 15 July 2026, then pay in £500 and use the debit card five times by 11 December 2026. You can’t have had a FlexStudent or FlexGraduate account on 30 June 2025.

This also has one of the largest overdrafts over the course of the degree (NatWest offers up to £3,250 and HSBC also offers up to £3,000). The overdraft builds gradually over your degree, stopping you from blowing it all in one go.

This is so far one of the best student accounts in 2025 due to its large interest-free overdraft and the perks. It’s a good choice if you’re worried about the ethics of your bank, too.

You’ll also be eligible for the Nationwide Fairer Share payment in the summer, which has been worth £100 a year for the last three years.

Nationwide FlexStudent

OverdraftUp to £1,000 in year one; up to £2,000 in year two; Up to £3,000 in year three
Opening offer£100 cash
£120 in Just Eat vouchers (£10 per month)
Limited edition debit card
Bonus paid14 days after meeting criteria
RequirementsOpen a new FlexStudent account no more than five months before and 12 months after starting your course
Deposit £500 and use debit card 5 times by 11 December 2026 (for the bonus and vouchers)
Deposit £500 every term (for the overdraft)
Not had a FlexStudent or FlexGraduate account before 15 July 2026
Have been a UK resident for three or more years
Offer endsUnknown

Up to £3,250 overdraft: NatWest or RBS Student Account

Perk: £100 cash and a 4-year Tastecard

The interest-free overdraft is up to £500 in the first term and then up to £2,000 after this. You can get up to £3,250 in the third year. By offering you an increasing amount, you’ll be able to budget more efficiently and reduce the risk of blowing it all in Freshers’ week.

NatWest and RBS both also offer £100 cash and a free 4-year Tastecard. If you don’t go for this account there are other ways to get cheap or free dining discount memberships.

NatWest/ RBS Student Account

OverdraftUp to £500 in the first term, up to £2,000 in the first year then up to £3,250 in the third year. 
Opening offer£100 and a four-year Tastecard
Bonus paidWithin 10 working days of meeting criteria
RequirementsOpen an account after 1 July 2026
Not have had a student offer from NatWest since 1 July 2022
Lived in the UK for at least three years
Offer endsUnknown

Guaranteed overdraft: Santander Edge Student

Perk: Free 4-year railcard + win at least £20

The Santander Edge Student account offers a guaranteed £1,500 overdraft for the first three years, so it’s a decent option if you want certainty on how much you can borrow. If you study longer it increases to £1,800 in year four and £2,000 if you stay on for a fifth year.

You also get a free four-year 16-25 railcard, a nice option if you are likely to be travelling by rail a lot as it knocks a third of train fares but I’d opt for hard cash instead.

There’s also at least £20 to be won via a prize draw. More details in our full review.

Santander Edge Student

Overdraft£1,500 in years one to three, £1,800 in year four, £2,000 in year five (if still studying)
Opening offer4-year 16-25 Railcard & guaranteed £20 prize
Bonus paidWithin 5 working days you’ll get a code to redeem the railcard
RequirementsDeposit £500 every term
Have proof of an accepted or unconditional offer
Live in the UK for tax purposes
Offer endsUnknown

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Other student accounts

It’s worth checking out these accounts too, some of them offer good overdrafts, but they mainly offer freebies. These might seem more attractive than 0% overdrafts, but if you do need to borrow, an overdraft is probably worth more.

If you’re really not bothered by an overdraft then it’s still worth nabbing one and putting that cash in savings.

BankAccount nameOverdraftPerks
HSBCStudent AccountUp to £1,000 in year one, up to £2,000 in year two, up to £3,000 in year threeNone in 2026 yet (no offer in 2025)
LloydsStudent Current AccountYears 1-3: Up to £1,500£100 cash and up to £90 in Deliveroo vouchers
BarclaysStudent Additions AccountYear 1: Up to £1,000
Years 2 & 3: Up to £1,500
None in 2026 yet (no offer in 2025)
TSBStudent Bank AccountYears 1-3: Up to £1,5005% interest on up to £500
Co-opStudent bank account*Not yet taking applications for 2026*

Year 1: Up to £1,400
Year 2: Up to £1,700
Year 3: Up to £2,000
None

How to get a student bank account

You have to be over 18 and living in the UK to get any student bank account, and most will require you to be at the start of your first year to get the freebie. 

You’ll need to show ID such as a passport, driving licence or birth certificate. You’ll also need to bring along proof of your acceptance to the uni or college – possibly your UCAS letter or university acceptance letter.

You don’t need to wait until you get to your university to open the account, so doing it now before you head off means you can get your bank card and PIN sent out and your online banking set up in advance.

Can I have more than one student account?

Most of the time you can only have one “student” account, this is usually laid out in each bank’s T&Cs – you’ll likely not get the perk or overdraft if you try and attempt it. 

You could potentially open one of these accounts to get the freebie, then close it down and open up another one (or switch it). You’ll need to do this within the stated timeframes to get any perks, and it’s worth double-checking the T&Cs of each account to make sure you’re allowed.

There’s nothing stopping you from opening another bank account that’s not got the “student” perks – keep reading for more on these.

Can I switch my student bank?

You can switch your student bank account to any other account of your choosing, whether that’s another student account with another bank or a standard current account. This is as long as the bank is part of the Current Account Switching Service.

In some cases, this can get you an extra perk, so it could be worthwhile.

If you want to switch after you’ve graduated, this is possible too, just be careful about trying to switch if you’re overdrawn, as you may wind up paying overdraft fees.

Can I earn interest on my savings?

Though some of the student accounts will offer interest on money in the account, they are quite limited and not a reason to pick one account over another.

However, if you think you’ll have more money available or don’t think you’ll need to use all of your overdraft, then you could look at other savings accounts.

Just be careful not to lock it away if you think you’ll need to access your savings.

Could you stooze your overdraft?

Stoozing is where you borrow money at 0% and put that cash into savings. Normally it’s via a specialist credit card – but you don’t need to do that when you have an interest-free overdraft.

To take advantage you simply transfer the money from your current account to a top-paying savings account. Putting £1,000 into a 4% paying account will earn you £40 in interest in a year.

If you’re confident you won’t need to use the money at all then you can get higher rates by fixing your savings.

If you do this, make sure you have enough cash in the bank to cover your everyday spending. 

Alternative to student accounts

The bulk of the specialist student current accounts will have perfectly decent apps. But if you want one that’ll help you budget or have more advanced features you’ll want to look at digital banks Starling, Chase or Monzo.

They have a number of features that will help you do things like keep track of your spending, split your money by purpose (e.g. bills, going out, groceries) and it’s also a lot easier to set alerts for when your balance is getting low.

However, none of these offer specific student accounts and therefore don’t have a 0% overdraft. Instead, they could be a good secondary account alongside a high-street bank, getting you the best of both worlds.  

I suggest using one of these as your day-to-day bank or everyday spending, transferring over a set amount to spend each week from the student account with an overdraft.

They’re also decent bets for spending abroad, whether studying overseas or on holiday.

You don’t have to stick with just a student account. You can open one with other features at another bank to use in addition.

Cheapest ways to watch Premier League, EFL & other football on TV (2026/27 season)

Here’s how to watch football on TV without forking out the equivalent of a Premier League player’s daily hourly wage.

If you’re dusting off your football shirt ready for the new season, you may also be considering the cheapest ways to watch your team on TV.

This year, more than 260 Premier League games will be shown on TV, split between Sky TV, and TNT Sports (previously BT Sport).

Championship, League One and League Two fans will get most of their action on Sky Sports, with more games than ever broadcast. Plus there’s European football on TNT and Amazon Prime. And let’s not forget international matches too.

If you want to watch as many games as possible, it doesn’t come cheap. And if you don’t support one of the big teams, they’ll be featured less often, which can make it more expensive per match.

Here’s my guide to the cheapest ways to watch Premier League, EFL and other football.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Cheapest ways to watch football on Sky Sports

Sky Sports is available on as an add on for Sky, EE TV and Virgin Media packages, or as a pay as you go pass via NOW.

If you already pay for Sky or Virgin, then it’s worth haggling to see if you can add on Sky Sports, or reduce your existing spend. However if you just want the sport channels you’ll be tied into an 18 or 24 month contract for all your other services you have with them such as broadband, as well as forced to also pay for entertainment options, really bringing the price up.

Sky Sports is currently £22 a month for 24-months direct from Sky with the standard Sky channels and Netflix adding on another £15 a month. Sky Ultimate with more streaming services, like Disney+ and HBO Max is £24, though Sports is another £20 here.

Sadly it doesn’t look like Sky is still offering a cut price deal just for the football channels or just for the F1 channel – but keep an eye out for either’s return.

You can pay a £25 a month for a monthly rolling contract via Sky Stream as an introductory offer, but you’ll need to pay at least £18 a month on top for Sky Essentials and Netflix. For most people you’re better off going with NOW.

With Virgin Media it’s also another £20 on top, at least for the sports channels. Again, not bad, but you’re likely over paying for the other channels.

Get day or month Sky Sports passes with NOW TV

NOW TV passes are particularly good if you don’t want to pay for other Sky or Virgin channels or Netflix (which is bundled with Sky), or if you won’t watch all year around.

Plus, combine a NOW TV pass with cut-price broadband and phone line deal and it’ll often be much much cheaper than getting everything as part of the full Sky or Virgin packages.

If you only plan to watch a few games at home throughout the season you can buy a NOW day pass for £14.99. You get all the Sky Sports channels for 24 hours. This isn’t as good a deal as it used to be, but still a money saver if you just want to watch a single match.

A monthly pass is also available, meaning you can view more sport. But at £34.99 it’s not as cheap as adding to Sky if you pay it every month.

The good news is there are regular deals to reduce the price of a pass. These have dwindled a little over the last few years, and there are very few day pass deals.

But monthly ones do still pop up quite regularly, often dropped to between £21 and £28 a month either when you first sign up or as a retention offer if you go to cancel. Get it this low, if not lower, then it’s more comparable to what you’d pay adding it to Sky without the requirement for other channels. I actually paid just £17.99 a month last season.

More recently you might find these offers tie you in for a minimum period, perhaps as long as six months, which isn’t as flexible. But others still let you cancel when ever you want.

You can get more details on NOW TV sports deals in our regularly updated list of the best NOW TV Sky Sports Pass offers.

You can stream the NOW TV app on your TV, console or streaming stick; or on your computer or mobile device. Though you can’t record (it’s all on-demand and catch up), you can now pause and rewind live sport.

If you want HD or to share your pass you’ll need to pay more. It’s £6 a month for Boost (2x streams and 720p) and £9 a month for Boost Ultra (3x streams and 1080p). Again, there are often deals to bring the price down. Personally I tend to pay full price for the first month, then get a lower deal of £2 or £3 via the cancellation trick.

The cheapest way to watch football on TNT Sports

TNT Sports is available to add to TV packages from Sky, EE and Virgin, or stream direct from Discovery+. We’ve got a deals page which highlights some of the best TNT Sports deals available, but here are the cheapest options.

Free with some BT broadband packages

If you have been with BT for a while for broadband or mobile packages then it’s worth checking if you’ve got free access to the full Discovery+ package, which includes TNT Sports. If you’re not eligible you can add it for £10 a month with no long contract commitment.

Buy a month’s pass

If you don’t have or want expensive pay TV contracts, you can access TNT Sports with HBO MAX for £30.99 per month. You don’t need to commit to a contract, so you can get a month’s access whenever you need it, making it good for casual fans. A year will come in at £25.99 a month, though you’re locked in to 12 months.

Sky customers can add it for £28 a month, which is a rolling 31 day contract.

The cheapest way to watch football on Amazon Prime Video

There will be 17 Champions League games shown on Amazon Prime this season, spread across the year. It costs £95 for the full year, and obviously you get access to other Prime benefits. But there are ways to pay less if you’re only after the odd match.

Get a free Amazon Prime trial

If you’ve never had Prime, you can take out a 30-day trial for free. And if you have had a trial before, it’s still worth checking as you can normally get another one after a year, if not sooner.

Pay £7.99 a month

You can also sign up on a monthly basis, at a lower £7.99 a month (there was a sneaky price hike this year, which wasn’t really publicised). That’s much cheaper than the full monthly Prime price of £8.99 a month, and you’ve got the flexibility to cancel if there are no games on, and resign up when there are.

Save more on pay TV

Switch to a new deal

With Sky Sports and TNT Sports, rather than just add the channels to your existing service as a top-up, it’s often cheaper to switch your service to a new company.

There are always offers for current customers signing new contracts, but the best deals are usually for new customers or those who threaten to leave. You can generally save even more by going via cashback sites.

Haggle with your provider

You can add on the Sky Sports and TNT Sports channels to your existing Sky, Virgin, Talk Talk and BT TV packages, but this can get very expensive.

Look out for special offers at the start of the season, or get on the phone with your provider and haggle for a better deal. 

Cancel it when you don’t need it

These big pay TV companies often let you take Sky Sports month by month, so if there aren’t any matches you want to see, or you know you won’t have time, just call up and cancel.

You can sign up again when you want to restart watching the channels. Check the terms and conditions before subscribing and see if there is a notice or minimum period.

The cheapest way to watch every live TV game

Share it with a friend

Know someone who has TNT Sports, NOW TV or Sky? You can usually watch the channels on up to two devices (smart TV, computer, tablet, phone) simultaneously, so you could split the cost between you. Here’s my guide on sharing your subscriptions.

Watch it in the pub

Of course, you can save all that hassle and head to the pub.

Premier League fans will normally be able to find somewhere showing the games, though Championship and lower may struggle. A few pints would cost the same as a NOW TV day pass.

What matches are on which TV channel?

There’s no point signing up for all the channels showing football this year if the team you support isn’t going to be featured. Here’s a very detailed breakdown of which leagues will be show on each broadcaster this season.

Where to watch the Premier League 2026/2027 on TV?

Only selected games are broadcast on TV, though from this year all matches outside the Saturday 3pm kick off will be shown. These are picked a couple of months ahead and will be split between Sky Sports and TNT Sport. Free to air highlights will once again be on the BBC.

Though more than a third of games will be televised, it’s really just one match a week alongside a couple of rounds of full fixtures on TNT Sports. So Sky is going to be where you’ll catch most games.

BroadcasterNumber of games
Sky SportsAt least 215
– 32 on Saturday at 5.30pm
– 32 on Sunday at 2pm
– 32 on Sunday at 4.30pm
– 32 on either Friday at 7.30pm or Monday at 8pm
– All 30 matches on 1st, 2nd and 3rd midweek fixtures (Dec & Jan)
– All 10 matches from last day of the season
– Plus at least 57 rescheduled or additional matches
TNT Sports (previously BT Sport)52
– 32 on Saturday at 12:30pm
– All 20 matches from 4th and 5th midweek fixtures (Feb & Mar)
BBCHighlights on Match of the Day
Until 2029

You can see selections on the Premier League website. Expect these to be announced on these dates (though in my experience they change a lot):

Period of matchesMatch weekDate of estimated release
August/September2-5Week commencing 13 July
October6-9w/c 24 August
November10-12w/c 21 September
December/January13-20w/c 19 October
January21-23w/c 30 November
February24-27w/c 21 December
March28-30w/c 18 January
April31-33w/c 22 February
April/May34w/c 22 March
May35w/c 29 March
May36w/c 5 April
May37Post-FA Cup semi-finals*

Where to watch Champions League, Europa League and Europe Conference League on TV in 2026/27

It’s the same as last year, thought this will change in the 2027/28 season as Paramount+ will start broadcasting Champion’s League matches instead of TNT Sports, while the other European competitions will go to Sky.

Amazon Prime

17 Champions League games will be shown on Prime for the first time this season. They’ll be on Tuesday nights and Amazon have the first pick for these games.

TNT Sports

All the other games and highlights are on TNT Sports. The finals have historically been free to watch on the BT Sport YouTube channel, and are now on the Discovery+ app. 

BBC

You’ll get free to air highlights for the Champions League on the BBC until 2031.

Where to watch Football League (Championship, League One, League Two, League Cup) on TV in 2026/27

Sky Sports

Sky is the only place to watch EFL games. As with last season there are a huge number of games shown on Sky Sports. 1,059 out of 1,891 matches will be on TV. You can see what’s been picked on the EFL upcoming live games page.

It will be broadcasting the following:

  • 328 EFL Championship games
  • 248 League One games
  • 248 League Two games
  • All play-off semi-finals and finals
  • All 93 EFL Carabao cup games
  • All 127 EFL Trophy games

Each week there will be:

  • Five matches in the Sky Bet Championship
  • Five from Sky Bet League One and League Two

This includes:

  • All opening and closing day fixtures
  • All mid week fixtures
  • All bank holiday fixtures

Shown across these time slots:

  • Saturday at 12.30pm
  • Friday night and Sunday 12.30pm
  • Some Thursday and Monday nights

ITV

You’ll be able to watch 10 live EFL matches and 10 EFL Cup matches (including the final) on ITV, along with EFL highlights.

Where to watch FA Cup on TV matches in 2026/27?

In 2026/27 the FA Cup will be completely free to watch.

BroadcasterGames
BBC14 fixtures including the final
TNT Sports24 games including the final

Where to watch Women’s Super League, Championship & FA Cup on TV in 2026/27?

Matches are split between Sky and the BBC, and some may be on YouTube too. All Women’s Championship are on YouTube.

BroadcasterGames
SkyUp to 44 live league games
BBC21 live league games plus 7 FA Cup games and the League Cup final
YouTubeSome games not shown on the BBC or Sky, all Women’s Championship games

Where to watch international friendlies and qualifiers on TV?

The home nations’ men’s international qualifiers and friendly matches are split across different broadcasters, depending on which team you want to watch.

England’s women’s games are on ITV. BBC Wales has the women’s international games for Wales.

BroadcasterGames shown
ITVAll England mens games, including World Cup qualifiers and Nations League
BBC Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland mens matches
SC4Wales mens matches (in Welsh)

Where to watch other football on TV?

This Wikipedia page will show you who has the broadcast rights for other matches, including the Scottish Premier League, non-league and La Liga.

The average cost to watch each Premier League team

A couple of seasons ago, we looked at the potential savings you could make from mixing and matching providers rather than committing to a year of sports channels. We found that football fans could save themselves up to £850 on watching the Premier League this season.

If you pay for all the services all year you’re going to get better value if you support one of the big teams and very poor value if you support a smaller one. However, if you’re a fan of various different sports or like to watch multiple teams, it might be worthwhile.  

(All this football talk reminds me of this classic Mitchell and Webb sketch…)

Spotify music streaming deals

The latest free trials, vouchers, discounted annual passes and hacks to save money on Spotify.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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How much does Spotify cost?

Following a price increase in October 2025, Premium prices all went up by £1 or £2.

PlanPremium Monthly price
Individual£12.99
Duo£17.99
Family£21.99
Student£5.99

New Spotify customer deals

A couple of times a year there tends to be a new customer deal offering three months for 99p. When these come about I’ll list them below. Otherwise, new customers can always get one month for free.

Three months free Spotify with Adidas

New Spotify customers can get three months free via Adidas’s adiClub. To get it, you need to sign up for adiClub and claim the 250 points on offer. You can then redeem the points for 3 months of Spotify Premium in the rewards shop. You can cancel anytime or pay £12.99 once the free trial ends.

Three months free for new customers

New Spotify customers can get three months of Premium for free. Make sure you set a calendar reminder to cancel if you don’t want to pay once it’s up.

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Three months free Spotify via H&M

New subscribers can get three months free if you apply via the free H&M membership.

Head to the H&M app and in the offer section of your H&M account you’ll need to generate a code to trigger the free Spotify trial.

You need to redeem the offer by 5 November 2026.

This isn’t open to current subscribers, and remember to cancel the subscription if you don’t want to pay full price, as it’ll renew at £12.99 per month after three months.

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One month free Spotify

If there isn’t an increased offer, when you go direct to Spotify new customers can get usually one month for free.

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Previous Spotify customer deals

These offers for ex-customers are rare, but still appear from time to time.

Four months free Premium if you’ve not tried it before (ended)

New Premium customers and those who haven’t tried it before can get four months until 31 December 2025. You can cancel anytime or pay £12.99 once the free trial ends.

Two months for £6.50 (ended)

This “welcome back” offer gets you two months of Premium for the cost of half of one month. This one runs 17 November to 31 December 2025.

It’s for those who had a Spotify Premium account but cancelled it more than 30 days ago. But if you’ve used one of these offers in the last 24 months, you won’t be eligible this time.

Look out for an email offering you this, or you can also log in and see if the offer is displayed in your account. It’s for the individual Premium account only, not Duo, Student or Family.

We usually see it run two or three times a year, usually April, August and November.

Here are the previous dates from recent offers to give you an idea of when it might return.

  • 17 November to 31 December 2015
  • Mid August to 22 September 2025 (for those who cancelled before mid July 2025)
  • Mid April to 19 May 2025 (for those who cancelled before mid March 2025)
  • End of November – 31 December 2024 (for those who cancelled before November 2024)
  • Mid August to 17 September 2024 (for those who cancelled prior to 12 July 2024)
  • Mid April to 14 May 2024 (for those who cancelled before 18 March 2024)
  • Mid January – 14 February 2024 (for those who cancelled before 1 Jan 2024)
  • 27 November – 31 December 2023 (for those who cancelled before 27 October 2023)
  • August to 12 September 2023 (for those who cancelled before 16 July 2023)
  • 21 April – 16 May 2023 (for those who cancelled before 19 March 2023)
  • 29 November – 31 December 2022 (for those who cancelled before 28 October 2022)
  • August/September 2022 (for those who cancelled before mid-May 2022)
  • April – 19 May 2022 (for those who cancelled before 14 March 2022)

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Existing Spotify customer deals

You don’t need to pay full price for Spotify as an existing customer. Here are my top ways to save.

12 months of Spotify Premium for the price of nine (ish) (ended)

This is a decent deal from Currys for existing Spotify Premium customers. It’ll cost you £120 rather than £155.88, so you’ll get almost three months free based on the new prices.

You can it as a digital or physical gift card that is sent in the post. Frustratingly you can’t use gift cards with Family, Duo or Student accounts. It also won’t work on Basic plans.

You can stack this with an existing gift card, or buy one now to add at a later date, though you can’t have more than 18 months of credit on your account at any time.

Downgrade to Spotify Basic

This new, slightly cheaper, version of Spotify started in May 2024 but seems to have disappeared.

However if you see it in your account, you get everything that Premium offers such as offline listening (downloads) and no-adverts, but you do sacrifice audiobooks. Not all users will be able to get this, so you’ll need to check your accounts to find out. Here’s everything you need to know about Spotify Basic.

Shared Spotify subscription deals

If you live with others who pay for their own Spotify Premium you can save cash by combining them via a Duo or Family plan.

Here’s the breakdown per month per person, with annual costs per person in brackets.

Plan1 person2 people3 people4 people5 people6 people
Premium£12.99 (£155.88)N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Duo£17.99 (£215.88)£9 (£107.94)N/AN/AN/AN/A
Family£21.99 (£265.88)£12 (£144)£7.33 (£87.96)£5.50 (£66)£4.40 (£52.80)£3.67 (£43.98)
Monthly cost per person on each plan (annual in brackets)
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Spotify Family for £21.99 a month and get six accounts

A decent option if there are three or more of you with your own Spotify accounts. Subscribe to a Family pass and you can pay £21.99 all in. So the more of you, the cheaper it gets. You can share with two people but the Duo option will work out cheaper.

Spotify Duo – £17.99 a month for two

Duo is the best option for two people living at the same address, and this is the one we use.

You’ll pay £17.99 a month for Spotify Duo, so £4 cheaper than the family option (£50sh less a year), or £8 less than two standard Premium accounts (£96 total less a year). You will be asked to verify your address.

Save on Tidal, Amazon, Deezer & more

Here are more music streaming free trials and offers if you fancy changing from Spotify.

The best cashback or reward debit and credit cards

Earn as much as 5% back when you spend from the likes of American Express, Chase and Barclaycard.

You can earn cashback or rewards via both debit and credit cards. In most instances the best option is the one that pays the best rate.

If you’re worried about managing a credit card it makes sense to use a debit card more. However, credit cards do have extra perks like added consumer protection or for deposits when hiring a car.

Cashback can be spent as you wish, while rewards normally need to be transferred into vouchers and spent at specific retailers.

We’ve outlined the best options so you can earn as you spend. Below, we compare credit card rewards across Amex, Visa, Mastercard and retailer-specific cards so you can see which suits how you spend.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Best cashback debit cards

The highest ongoing rate on debit cards is via the PayPal+ scheme, where there’s 1% up for grabs at home and abroad. It’s easy to use and there are ways to increase the value of the points you earn.

Trading 212 offers a lower rate of 0.5% but it’s often boosted to a higher 1.5% if you auto-invest. You’ll also earn the cashback on overseas spending. It has a cap of £15 a month.

PayPal+
1% cashback
Boosted to 1.5% if reach Gold or Black tiers
No fee
Fee-free abroad and earn cashback
> PayPal+ card review
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Trading 212
1.5% cashback
Max £15 cashback a month
Must opt in to auto investment of cashback and pay one regular subscription each month with the card to qualify
Cashback payable daily
£5 for physical card
Fee-free abroad and earn cashback
> Trading 212 card review
> Customer reviews of T212 on Smart Money People
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Other cards

Chase now offers 2% back, but only on groceries, takeaways, restaurants and some travel costs, and you’re capped at £20 a month in cashback. You also need to have £1,000 saved with the bank every month and use the debit card at least 15 times to qualify.

We’ve not listed cards which offer money back from time to time on a changing list of retailers. This includes Monzo, Halifax and Santander. These are worth a look but are really just pot luck as to whether something is available when you want to buy something.

Occasionally there’ll be a short lived cashback offer on other cards, and we list them on our banking deals page.

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Best credit cards for cashback and rewards

There are different types of cashback credit card, so we’ve split this section into:

  • Best American Express cashback cards
  • Best Visa or Mastercard cashback cards
  • Best supermarket or retailer cashback cards
  • Best airline rewards cards

Cashback credit card rules

A really important rule if you are using a cashback credit card.

Always pay off the balance in full every month

There’s no point using a cashback credit card if you’re going to get charged interest on your purchase. So make sure you set up a Direct Debit to clear the full balance.

If you can’t afford to do that, then a credit card probably isn’t your best option except for emergencies. I’ve written more about clearing credit card debts, so do read that.

It’s also worth doing an eligibility check before you apply if you can. This gives you a sense of whether you’ll be accepted, though not a guarantee.

Read more about these credit card rules.

Best American Express cashback and reward credit cards

The three Amex credit cards I’d look at for everyday earning are the Cashback, Nectar or Preferred Rewards Gold card.

Amex Cashback Amex NectarAmex Preferred Rewards Gold
0.75% on first £10,000 a year
then 1.25%
2 Nectar points per £1 (equivalent to 1%)1 point per £1 (equivalent to 0.5%)

Bonus points for every £5,000 spend (boosts equivalent rate to up to 0.75%)
5% welcome bonus (up to £150) in first three months20,000 welcome bonus if you spend £2,000 in two months (worth £100)20,000 standard welcome bonus if you spend £3,000 in two three months (worth £10)

Often boosted to up to 40,000 points (£175)
Cashback payable at end of yearPoints redeemable instantlyPoints redeemable instantly
£25 a year feeFree in first year

£30 a year afterwards
Free in first year

£195 a year afterwards
Also £10 back at Deliveroo each month, 4 free Priority Passes
Bonus £25 via referral (typical)Bonus £20 via referral (typical)Bonus £70 via referral (typical)
> Amex Gold credit card review
> Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People
> Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card> Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card> Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card
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Our analysis

The highest-paying of all credit and debit cards without restrictions is the American Express Nectar, which earns you the equivalent of 1% back.  This makes it a strong option to anyone searching for the best cashback credit card without spending caps. Of course, you are earning Nectar points, but as long as you sometimes shop at Sainsbury’s or Argos, that shouldn’t be an issue. It’s free in the first year.

If you want pure cash, then go for the American Express Cashback card. You will pay £25 a year for this, but you can wipe that out in the first year by applying via a referral link You’ll be earning 0.75% on spending up to £10,000, and then a higher 1.25% if you go beyond this. This resets every 12 months.

There is a free but lower paying (at 0.5% on first £10,000, then 1%) version called American Express Everyday Cashback. However you must spend at least £3,000 a year to get any cashback on that.

Alternatively you could look at the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card. You’ll only earn one Amex point (worth 0.5% if you swap it to a gift card), though it’s boosted for every £2,500 you spend above £5,000, pushing potential earnings to 0.75%. This card is initially free, but very expensive from the second year onwards, so it’s certainly only for one year. I’d also wait for when the welcome bonus is increased.

Other Amex cards

The focus of this guide is ongoing earning from spending, whether as cashback or Amex Reward points, however we’ve a longer guide to all American Express cards, their features and their welcome bonuses, including the Platinum card.

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Best Visa and Mastercard cashback and reward credit cards

If you want a back up credit card that’s not American Express, then the following are worth a look. They’re also all fee-free for spending overseas, which is something the Amex cards don’t offer.

Santander RewardsLloyds UltraBarclaycard RewardsNatWest Travel Reward
3% on everyday travel, eating out and takeaways for first year, 0.25% on everything else

0.25% on all after first year
1% for first year, 0.25% after0.25%

1% on UK travel spending (including trains, planes, car rentals, hotels, buses & more)

0.1% elsewhere

Cashback paid monthlyCashback paid each JanuaryCashback paid monthlyCashback paid after 35 days
No feeNo feeNo feeNo fee
Fee-free abroadFee-free abroadFee-free abroadFee-free abroad
VisaVisaMastercard
> Santander Reward credit card review> Lloyds Ultra credit card review
> Customer reviews of Santander credit cards over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of Barclaycard credit cards over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of NatWest credit cards over on Smart Money People
> Check eligibility for a Santander credit card> Check eligibility for the Barclaycard Rewards credit card> Check eligibility for a NatWest credit card
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Our analysis

For all spending types, the Lloyds Ultra card is a top paying 1% card for 12 months, and then a lower but hard to beat 0.25% afterwards for a non-Amex card. It’s also fee free to use abroad.

But for petrol, trains and eating out, the 3% in year one from Santander is going to earn you more than on any card.

Alternatively, the Barclaycard Rewards pays a solid 0.25% cashback on spending at home or abroad, and is fee free.

I’ve included the NatWest Travel Reward credit card, but it’s only advantage over other cards is you can earn 1% back on holiday planning at home, such as hotels and flights – though you’d get the same with the Amex Nectar as long as the retailer accepts it. If you pick exactly the right retailers to spend at (and these are sent as “personalised offers” you could earn more in reward points.

Other cards

  • NatWest Reward Black: 1% at supermarkets, 0.25% elsewhere (£24 annual fee unless a NatWest Reward current account customer) Also available from RBS
  • Virgin Money Everyday Cashback: 1% cashback for the first 90 days, 0.25% after that – capped at £15 a month. Fee-free abroad

Best supermarket and retailer specific cashback and reward credit cards

These cards will earn you a decent rate at core UK retailers and supermarkets like Amazon and John Lewis. You’ll also earn on spending elsewhere, but those rates can usually be beaten by other cards listed above.

Amazon Barclaycard RewardsJohn Lewis PartnershipM&S Bank Rewards
1% at Amazon (2% on big sales)

0.5% elsewhere for the first 12 months, then 0.25%
5 points per £4 spent at John Lewis or Waitrose (equivalent of 1.25%)

1 point per £10 spent elsewhere (equivalent of 0.1%)
1 points per £1 at M&S (equivalent of 1%)

1 points per £5 at elsewhere (equivalent of 0.2%)
£20 welcome credit (sometimes boosted)Regular welcome offersRegular welcome offers
Max £15 cashback a month
Redeem credit in multiples of £5Redeem vouchers in multiples of £5Vouchers paid quarterly
No feeNo feeNo fee
> Amazon Barclaycard Rewards review
> Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of John Lewis credit cards over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of M&S Bank over on Smart Money People
> Check your eligibility for an Amazon credit card> Check your eligibility for a John Lewis credit card> Check your eligibility for a Marks and Spencer Bank credit card

Other cards

  • Asda Money: 0.75% back at Asda, 0.2% elsewhere
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Best airline reward credit cards

Fee-free versions of the following cards are available, though you’ll earn far fewer points all round.

British Airways American Express Premium PlusBarclaycard Avios PlusVirgin Atlantic Reward+
1.5 Avios per £1 spent1.5 Avios per £1 spent1.5 point per £1 spent
30,000 bonus welcome Avios if you spend £6,000 in three months

Often boosted to 60,000 points
25,000 bonus welcome Avios if you spend £3,000 in three months18,000 bonus points with first spend
Spend £15,000 to get a companion voucherSpend £10,000 to get a cabin upgrade voucherSpend £10,000 to get a companion or cabin upgrade voucher
£300 a year£20 a month (£240 a year)£160 a year
> Barclaycard Avios review
> Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of Barclaycard credit cards over on Smart Money People> Customer reviews of Virgin Money cards over on Smart Money People
> Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card> Check your eligibility for a Barclaycard credit card> Check your eligibility for a Virgin Money credit card
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Our analysis

As well as earning points as you spend, the draw with these cards are welcome offers and 2-4-1 vouchers. However the latter can require huge amounts of spending – and then even more to get enough points to use alongside the vouchers, especially on non-economy seats.

Unless you are going to be spending a lot, or want to save long term for a dream trip, I prefer using cashback card and having the flexibility to shop around for deals on flights.

You can also earn points on some American Express cards, such as the Nectar, Reward, Gold and Platinum that can covert to many different airline schemes.

How to choose between a cashback and a rewards credit card

Cashback and rewards cards suit different types of spender:

  • Choose cashback if you want flexibility – the money lands as cash and can be spent, saved or used to offset your statement
  • Choose rewards or points if you already have a retailer or airline you’re loyal to, since points can be worth more than their cash equivalent when redeemed well
  • Choose an Amex card if you shop regularly at Sainsbury’s, Argos or Nectar partners, since Amex points there behave almost like cashback
  • Choose a Visa or Mastercard if you want a fee-free backup for spending abroad, since Amex isn’t accepted everywhere

Expert thoughts on cashback and reward credit cards from Be Clever With Your Cash

For anyone wanting a single recommendation from this guide, the Amex Nectar card is the standout. It’s free in year one, has no spending restrictions unlike most cashback cards, and the points are easy to use for anyone who shops at Sainsbury’s or Argos even occasionally, which covers most households at least some of the time. It’s about as close to a “just get this one” answer as we can offer.

Airline reward cards should be handled with more caution. They only really pay off for those already loyal to one airline who spend enough to clear voucher thresholds, which for most people takes far longer than expected – and the value of points can evaporate if an airline changes its redemption rules, which has happened more than once in the past few. 

Flexible cashback beats speculative points that might only ever be “worth it” in theory.

It’s also worth flagging that cashback and rewards credit cards only ever make financial sense when the balance is cleared in full every month. The 0.5–2% earned back is trivial next to the 20%+ APR most of these cards charge on any carried balance, so only get one if you know you have the discipline to treat it like a debit card that happens to pay you back.

Get 2 for 1 cinema tickets all year with Meerkat Movies

This hack will get you cheap tickets every Tuesday and Wednesday with no fee attached – giving massive savings to film fans

It’s been a big year for film – with billion-dollar movies from massive franchises dropping alongside excellent originals. On top of that, the releases have run the gamut of genres, from superhero sequels (Spider-Man: Brand New Day) to comedy fashion films (The Devil Wears Prada 2) as well as historical epics (The Odyssey), biography (Michael), animation (Toy Story 5), video game tie-ins (The Super Mario Galaxy Movie) and sci-fi (Project Hail Mary).

And you could have seen it all for half price, via the Meerkat Movies 2 for 1 cinema tickets deal – or even cheaper by stacking it with other deals.

In this guide, I’ll explain how it works, how to get the Meerkat Movies code, and whether you can use it at ODEON, Vue, Cineworld, Picturehouse and other cinemas.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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What are Meerkat Rewards

Meerkat Movies is just one perk offered by comparison site Compare the Market. Anyone who’s taken out a qualifying product via the site also gets Meerkat Meals, which offers money off at restaurants and cafes.

But there’s a key difference from the other rewards – Meerkat Movies doesn’t need a qualifying purchase. You can bag two-for-one tickets just by downloading the app.

How Meerkat Movies works

Once a week you can access a Meerkat Movies code on the app to get “buy-one-get-one-free” tickets at most UK cinemas all year.

You can then use this code on either Tuesday or Wednesday for standard cinema seats – not all cinemas allow you to use it for 3D or premium screens, or they might charge extra to do so.

All the big chains let you use the code to book online a week ahead – though watch out for online booking fees.

You have to use the code for the same film, so you can’t do a solo double bill, and you can only use one code each week.

And it’s the cheapest ticket that is free. So if you’re one adult and one child, you’ll pay just for the adult ticket.

If you add in a qualifying purchase, Meerkat Rewards might also let you bag two for one discounts or 25% off meals at restaurants to make a full night of it.

How to get Meerkat Movies membership

To get your membership you simply need to download the Meerkat App. Currently the film rewards are free until 19 July 2027.

Once you have it, and are signed in, head to the “Rewards” section to find the code – a new cinema code arrives every week.

To get more rewards than just two-for-one cinema tickets you need to make a qualifying purchase on CompareTheMarket. The good news is there’s a trick to get you access for just a few quid. Prices vary and normally sit around the £5 point – but it can be possible to get deals for even less.

All you need to do is get a quote for travel insurance and choose the following options.

  • UK
  • Single trip
  • One night
  • One person
  • No extra cover
  • No pre-existing medical conditions (so long as that’s true)

Follow this and you should be offered a range of policies – just go for the cheapest one. You’re not going to use this insurance so you don’t need to read into any of the terms and conditions. Buy this and you’re now eligible for 25% off coffee, pizza deals and 25% off when dining out at selected restaurants.

Which cinemas allow Meerkat Movies codes

You can search for cinemas in the app, there’s a search bar at the top of the home screen. If your chosen cinema has a golden 2 for 1 ticket then it is participating in Meerkat Movies.

It’s less likely to find an independent cinema that accepts the codes, however the following big chains all let you use Meerkat Movies codes:

  • ODEON
  • Vue
  • Cineworld
  • Picturehouse
  • Empire
  • The Light (some locations)
  • Reel

Cinema chains that don’t allow Meerkat Movies include:

  • Curzon
  • Everyman (though you can get 2-4-1 via a Times subscription)
  • The Light (some locations)

How to get your 2-4-1 code

The easiest way to get your weekly Meerkat Movies code is via the Meerkat app. If you don’t have a smartphone you can log into comparethemarket.com and print your voucher from there, or just write down the code.

You need a new code every week, and these are released on a Thursday.

Stacking other savings with Meerkat Movies

Two for one is already a great deal, but you can often save even more by combining the Meerkat Movies code with other promotions.

One way to stack is to pay with a discounted gift card. These aren’t that common, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for deals such as 10% off the likes of ODEON, Vue and Cineworld.

Meerkat Movies by cinema

Meerkat Movies at ODEON

ODEON seems to let you use Meerkat Movies with any type of ticket. Look out for discounted locations, with some cinemas charging just £5 a ticket midweek – meaning you’ll pay £2.50 per person with your Meerkat Movies code.

Meerkat Movies is also a great way to save money at the posher Luxe screens, or the refurbished ODEON Leicester Square. You’ll still pay more for these locations though.

Officially the ODEON Limitless card doesn’t work with your Meerkat Movies code, but it’s worth a try. These let you go to as many films as you like, potentially bringing the cost of two people to see a movie every week down to as low as £2.30 per ticket – IF you go every week, and only on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

Meerkat Movies at Cineworld

Again, some Cineworld locations are really cheap mid-week – so check the prices near you. You can use Meerkat movies with child, student and senior tickets alongside normal adult ones.

Though it’s not an official policy, regular Cineworld goers with an Unlimited Card seem to have no problems with combining their membership with the code to get 2 for 1 cinema tickets. To save even more, Tesco Clubcard points can be used to save you money on the annual price.

Meerkat Movies at Vue

The supercheap Vue day is now on Mondays, so you can’t combine it with Meerkat anymore.

Meerkat Movies at Picturehouse Cinemas

In my experience, you can use your reduced membership price with a Meerkat Movies code – though officially the chain says you can’t.

I’m a big fan of Picturehouse memberships. You get free tickets to cover around half the fee, then you save around £2 or £3 per ticket on top of that and get 10% off at the bar, plus most will have a cheap ticket day and member previews.