Best savings accounts 2026
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The Bank of England has lowered Bank Rate to 3.75% and many high street banks have followed suit by dropping the interest rate they’re paying on savings accounts.
You can still find some pretty good high interest savings accounts if you shop around.
So if you’re currently saving – and you should have an emergency fund at the very least – it’s high time to review whether your money is still in the best place.
How this list is compiled
I’ve only included better known providers that genuinely offer a great deal on this list.
It’s by no means exhaustive, and there may well be lesser known providers offering better rates.
If you do go with a lesser known provider, make sure you double check that they’re legitimate and that they offer the right type of protection for your money.
A good place to start is to look for mentions of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
In some cases, your interest payment may not be protected so you may need to move the money out and then back in to ensure that it is.
This list is also different from Money Talk Best Buy list because it’s a purely interest rates-based compilation, without taking into consideration factors such as whether you need to be an existing customer.
Best instant access savings account
These are savings accounts that allow you access to your money at any time.
Some current accounts have similar interest rate levels so it’s worth considering those, too.
- Santander Edge Saver 6% AER up to £4,000 (for Santander Edge current account customers only; includes a first year bonus)
- Chase Saver Account 4.5% AER up to £3million (for new Chase current account customers only; includes a first year bonus)
- Barclays Rainy Day Saver 4.21% AER up to £5,000 (for Barclays Blue Rewards current account and Barclays Premier Banking customers only)
- Marcus Online Savings Account 3.75% AER (includes bonus)
Best regular saver
Regular saver accounts require you to deposit a minimum amount of money each month, but they often reward you with higher interest rates.
Some will allow you to withdraw the money halfway through but some will lock away the funds until the account matures.
- First Direct Regular Saver 7% AER (save £25 to £300 a month, for current account holders only)
- Nationwide Flex Regular Saver 6.5% AER (save up to £200 a month, for current account holders only)
- Club Lloyds Monthly Saver 6.25% AER (save £25 to £400 a month, for Club Lloyds current account holders only)
- Natwest Digital Regular Saver 5.5% AER (save up to £150 a month, with higher rate paid up to £5,000, for current account holders only)
- RBS Digital Regular Saver 5.5% AER (pay in up to £150 a month, with higher rate paid up to £5,000, for current account holders only)
Best cash ISAs
You have a personal allowance of up to £20,000 a year for ISAs, which is pretty decent.
If you open a LISA, your allowance would be split between the LISA (up to £4,000) and the ISA, which can be with different providers.
There are a few different types of cash ISAs so choose carefully.
- Moneybox Cash ISA 4.40% AER
- Plum Cash ISA* 4.12% AER
- Chip Cash ISA 3.54% AER (but 4.7% AER for the first three months)
Other types of savings accounts
Aside from the most obvious types of savings accounts, if you have money that you don’t need immediate access to, there are lots of alternative options that can earn you a bit more interest.
For notice accounts for example, you have to give notice of 30 days, 90 days or longer to withdraw your money.
There are also fixed rate accounts where your money is locked away for longer periods of time, say at least a year, and you can withdraw it early on payment of a penalty (usually lost interest).
Or you could opt for bonds where, once you pay your money in, it’s effectively locked away until it matures.
If you want to try your luck, there are always savings accounts with prize draws.
I actually managed to win some money with Chip’s version and on Premium Bonds.
And then there are the savings accounts for kids, which usually offer higher interest rates.
How to find the best savings rates
If you’re short on time, here are a few easy ways to find the best savings rate.
Savings websites
Money Super Market shows the best savings rates at a glance.
You could also try Money.co.uk as an alternative.
Both will show the same savings accounts so it’s more about which format you prefer.
Savings platforms and hub accounts
Hargreaves Lansdown has an Active Savings* product where you can deposit your cash into one account and then funnel the money into different pots held with different providers.
Essentially it allows you to manage all your savings in one place, even if your money is all over the place.
The rates offered here may be different from what you see advertised elsewhere though as Hargreaves Lansdown gets paid a fee from the savings account providers.
Raisin* and Flagstone does a similar thing, but they require minimum deposits.
Savings newsletters
It’s also worth signing up to any newsletters from your current banks so you get alerted to any new products.
Nationwide for example has a Savings Watch service that emails you when there’s a product that might offer a better interest rate than what you’re currently getting.
And of course, don’t forget you can sign up for the Money Talk newsletter if you haven’t already.
This post was originally published in November 2022. It was updated in December 2025.
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