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Digital banking offers many advantages over traditional banking. It's become a popular choice for many in the UK. In fact, over 14 million Brits, or 27% of the population, have opened a digitally-operated bank as of 2022.
⬇️ Skip to the list of best digital banks ⬇️
With many competing brands offering different services and features, picking out an online-only bank can take time and effort. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to introduce you to the top 5 leading digital banks in the United Kingdom. We’ll cover their top features, what they’re best used for, customer support options, and more.
Online banks - 30 second summary
In a nutshell, the best online banks in the UK are Starling Bank, Revolut, Wise, Monzo, and Atom. These digital banks offer a variety of useful features that make managing your money easy. They have easy-to-use interfaces, excellent budgeting tools, multi-currency accounts, saving accounts, and more. Below you can read our mini-reviews of each digital bank. They'll help you decide which one is the right choice for you.
What makes a bank an 'online' bank?
A online (or digital) bank offers banking services without needing physical branches. The main services online banks provide are:
Money deposits, withdrawals, and transfers
Savings accounts
Investment options
Loans
Overdrafts
Mortgages
Bill payments
Money jars
Virtual and physical cards
What are the benefits of using digital banks?
There are many benefits of using a digital bank, such as:
Instant Account Opening: With digital banks, you can open an account in a few minutes without needing to go to a branch. Yes, that means no paperwork.
Lower Fees: Online-only banks usually have lower fees for using their services compared to a traditional bank. This is made possible by lower overheads and reliance on technology.
Budgeting Tools: Most digital banks have built-in budgeting tools that help you track your spending. They can also help you budget for bills and work towards savings goals.
Multi-currency Accounts and Transfers: Digital banks let you make international payments in multiple currencies at lower rates. Also, some providers will let you open accounts in different currencies.
Virtual and Physical Cards: Virtual cards are compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay, so you can instantly use your digital bank once it’s funded. Also, you can order a physical card from a digital bank.
No Physical Visits: You don’t need to visit a physical bank branch to open an account, deposit or withdraw money. You can access all banking services remotely.
Best online-only banks in the UK
Online Bank | Best For | Top Features |
---|---|---|
Starling Bank | Everyday Banking | Variety of personal accounts, budgeting tools, overdrafts, and loans |
Revolut | International Payments | Multi-currency account, international money transfers, investment section, budgeting, and spending tracking tools |
Wise | Multi-currency Transfers | Multi-currency transfers, automated savings feature, money jars, and no foreign transaction charges |
Monzo | Travelling | No hidden conversion mark-ups, worldwide insurance with premium plan, instant access to an ISA |
Atom | Savings Accounts and Investing | RLS and secured loans, budgeting tools, and mortgages |
UK digital banks reviewed
Best Digital Bank for Everyday Banking 😊 - Starling Bank
If you’re looking for an online bank that makes everyday banking convenient, Starling Bank is a fantastic option. It only takes a few minutes to create an account. There are plenty of useful features, such as budgeting tools, virtual cards, and a personal finance marketplace.
One of the standout features of Starling Bank is its variety of personal and business accounts. These options let you select the one that perfectly meets your needs. You can even set up accounts for your children using Starling Kite or Teen Account.
Another great aspect of Starling Bank is its user-friendly interface. If you ever run into any problems or have questions about the service, you can reach out to customer support team via live chat.
- 24/7 customer support
- Quick process for creating an account
- Access to different account types
- No monthly account fees
- Bills Manager makes budgeting easy
- Limited investment options in the personal finance marketplace
- No overdrafts for joint accounts
Information About Starling
Key features: | Variety of personal accounts, budgeting tools, overdrafts, and loans. |
---|---|
Supported on: | Browsers, iOS, and Android |
Regulation: | The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority |
Overdraft available: | Yes |
Currencies supported: | 21 |
Account types available: | Personal Account; Joint Account; Euro Account; Starling Kite; Teen Account; Business Account; Sole Trader Account; Multi-Currency Accounts |
Investment options available: | None provided by Starling Bank. However, they offer third-party providers. |
Customer support: | 24/7 live chat; Help centre; Telephone: +0207 930 4450Email: help@starlingbank.com |
Google Play Store reviews: | 4.5 stars from 95.1k reviews |
Apple Store reviews: | 4.9 stars from 385.1k reviews |
Best Digital Bank for International Payments 🌍 - Revolut
Revolut is an excellent online bank to consider If you’re someone who frequently makes international payments. One of the best features is the multi-currency account, which allows you to hold and exchange 29 currencies. Also, you’ll receive real-time exchange rates, and the fees will be shown before making a transaction.
One of the more useful features of Revolut is its vaults, which lets you set money aside for bills and other expenses. It’s an excellent way to keep your finances organised and ensure you’ll always have money for the things you need. Revolut also provides an investment section where you can purchase stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Like other digital banks, Revolut provides a virtual card with the option to order a physical card. There are 4 card plans you can order - Standard, Metal, Plus, and Premium. These plans offer different benefits that can improve your banking experience. For example, the premium plan provides no fees for currency exchanges from Monday to Friday.
- Support for popular currencies
- Users can easily invest in stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrencies in a few steps
- 4 card plans available
- Vaults make saving much easier
- Real-time exchange rates
- Overdraft is not available on Revolut
- The investments section has higher fees compared to using dedicated investment platforms
Information About Revolut
Key features: | Multi-currency account, international money transfers, investment section, budgeting, and spending tracking tools. |
---|---|
Supported on: | Browsers, iOS, and Android |
Regulation: | The Financial Conduct Authority |
Overdraft available: | No |
Currencies supported: | 29 |
Account types available: | Standard; Plus; Metal; Premium |
Investment options available: | Stocks; Commodities; Cryptocurrency |
Customer support: | 24/7 live chat; Help centre; Telephone: +4420 3322 8352 |
Google Play Store reviews: | 4.5 stars from 2.13m reviews |
Apple Store reviews: | 4.7 stars from 32.7k reviews |
Best Online Bank for Multi-Currency Transfers 💱 - Wise
Wise is perhaps the best digital bank for multi-currency transfers due to their low fees. The platform launched in 2011 with a mission to make international money transfers faster, easier, and cheaper. Today, Wise has over 15 million users and allows transfers in over 170 countries.
Wise is also an excellent digital bank for those who have business overseas or travel a lot. You can choose to pay in local currency or have Wise automatically convert your cash at the cheapest rates. This means you’ll avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion fees. Also, Wise has a partnership with Booking.com, which lets you receive up to 15% off on select destinations worldwide.
- Fast international transactions
- Partnership with Booking.com can save you money if you travel a lot
- Wise has transparent fees, and the service aims to provide the best costs for international payments
- Wise supports over 170 countries and over 50 currencies
- Users can schedule transfers and request payments
- Customer support is not convenient to use and can only get details like phone helpline by going through many interfaces in the help centre.
- Trouble with receiving money from some international banks
Information About Wise
Key features: | Multi-currency transfers, automated savings feature, money jars, and no foreign transaction charges. |
---|---|
Supported on: | Browsers, iOS, and Android |
Regulation: | The Financial Conduct Authority |
Overdraft available: | No |
Currencies supported: | +50 |
Account types available: | Personal; Wise Business |
Investment options available: | Stocks |
Customer support: | Live chat; Help centre; Telephone; Email |
Google Play Store reviews: | 4.2 stars from 245.8k reviews |
Apple Store reviews: | 4.6 stars from 27.12k reviews |
Best Online Bank for Travelling ✈️ - Monzo
Monzo is a top choice if you want to escape high fees when travelling abroad. The digital bank has no fees for day-to-day card use, and you can withdraw up to £250 at no cost. However, Monzo only provides accounts in GBP, which can be a huge negative for some Brits. Nevertheless, this won’t interrupt your travelling experience as Monzo will automatically convert your money to local currency at cheap rates using the Mastercard wholesale rate. Basically, this means you’ll avoid paying more fees when converting to a local currency like you would with other banks.
Another great advantage of using Monzo as a traveller is their worldwide travel insurance provided by AXA. Also, this digital bank sweetens the pot by providing discounted access to over 1,000 airport lounges for you and your friends or family at £24 per person.
Like other digital banks, Monzo has many useful services, such as savings accounts, bill splitting, overdrafts, and loans. You can also set up money pots which lets you put money aside, which is helpful for when you’re saving on your next holiday.
- Monzo uses the Mastercard ‘wholesale’ rate without any mark-up when making payments abroad
- Free and instant bank transfers within the UK
- Monzo Premium provide worldwide travel insurance and discounts at various airport lounges
- Monzo offers easy access to ISA once you create an account
- Free withdrawals from ATMS up to £250 in the EEA and £200 for countries outside of the EEA
- GBP is the only supported currency
- 3% withdrawal fee from ATMs after you exceed your monthly limit
Information About Monzo
Key features: | No hidden conversion mark-ups, worldwide insurance with premium plan, instant access to an ISA |
---|---|
Supported on: | iOS and Android |
Regulation: | The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority |
Overdraft available: | Yes |
Currencies supported: | Only GBP |
Account types available: | Monzo Current Account; Monzo Plus Account; Monzo Premium Account; Monzo Joint Account; Monzo 16-17 Account; Monzo Business Account |
Investment options available: | Savings Pot; Cash ISAs |
Customer support: | 24/7 live chat; FAQ section; Telephone: +00 4420 3872 0620; Email: help@monzo.com |
Google Play Store reviews: | 4.1 stars from 99.1k reviews |
Apple Store reviews: | 4.9 stars from 131.3k reviews |
Best Online Bank for Saving Accounts and Investing 💰 - Atom
Atom stands out in the digital banking sphere as a top choice for UK residents looking for a platform that prioritises investing. The platform offers an Instant Saver with unlimited withdrawals, giving more flexibility. However, if you can afford to allocate your money for a fixed period, the Fixed Rate Saver provides a range of terms from 6 months to 5 years.
What separates Atom from most digital banks is the ability to take out a mortgage. Currently, they offer the following services related to property - remortgages, moving home mortgages, first-time buyer mortgages, mortgage product transfer, and near-prime mortgages.
Furthermore, Atom provides a variety of loans for small businesses, such as RLS (Recovery Loan Scheme) and secured loans. Their online application process is easy to fill out. If you need help, the Atom customer support team is dedicated to giving you a helping hand.
- Great variety of mortgages
- Atom offers business loans under the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS)
- Atom offers customisable savings plans to fit your lifestyle. You can opt for a traditional approach with Fixed Savers and their fixed rates and terms. Alternatively, you earn interest with Instant Saver without having restrictions.
- Excellent customer support team and responsive live chat
- Atom can only be accessed through a smartphone or tablet. There is no online banking feature via browser
- Atom does not provide alternative investment options like stocks and commodities within their platform
Information About Atom
Key features: | RLS and secured loans, budgeting tools, and mortgages. |
---|---|
Supported on: | iOS, and Android |
Regulation: | The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority |
Overdraft available: | No |
Account types available: | Atom Standard Account |
Investment options available: | Instant Saver; Fixed Saver |
Customer support: | Live chat from 8 am to 8 pm; FAQ section; Telephone: +0333 399 0050; Email: customersupport@atombank.co.uk |
Google Play Store reviews: | 4.7 stars from 99.2k reviews |
Apple Store reviews: | 4.6 stars from 758 reviews |
Appendix - Full list
Starling Bank ⭐
Revolut ⭐
Wise ⭐
Monzo ⭐
Atom ⭐
Marcus
Chase
Kroo
Tandem
Zopa
Monese