The UK's top and bottom banks are listed

When it comes to handling your finances and providing excellent customer service, we expose the top and worst UK banks

How does your supplier stack up?

It's not always easy to pick the best bank for your money. When choosing where to spend your money, there are many factors to consider, such as branch access, customer service, switching incentives, spending benefits, and available interest rates.

In a different guide, we examine the most and least popular banks. Nationwide stood out because of its high savings rates, Fairer Share payments, and generous cash bonus.

Which? has released a new analysis that highlights the top and bottom UK banks and bank accounts.

To let you know where your provider stands, we examine the winners and losers.

The ranking of the top UK banks.

Which? inquired about the opinions of thousands of clients regarding their banking providers. Easy application and service in a bank branch, over the phone, online and app-based, and customer helplines are some of the factors that determine the data.

Starling Bank, which has been one of Which?'s recommended providers for the past seven years, is ranked first. Current account holders are satisfied with the bank's online banking service, and it receives high marks for customer service. Additionally, Starling introduced a brand-new AI banking tool that gives clients more insight into their spending patterns.

Another company that Which? suggests is Monzo. Customers are impressed by the challenger bank's competitive savings rates, cashback on qualified purchases, and fee-free international spending, but customer helpline services are lacking.

One of only two banks to receive a perfect score of five stars for phone banking and customer service is First Direct, which is also ranked highly. Additionally, it has an alluring bank switching offer and fee-free transactions overseas.

Because of its wide branch network, Nationwide is ranked highly among more conventional high street staples. Until at least 2030, the building society has promised to keep its branches open.

We examine the complete results in the table that follows.

Source: Which one? N/A denotes a lack of responses for a product rating.

How to select the ideal bank account for you.

Chiara Cavaglieri, a banking expert at Which?, says that despite the aforementioned findings, "challengers like Monzo and Starling have quickly made their mark, but the biggest banks haven't had to work very hard to keep customers for too long." Bigger providers have been compelled to innovate as a result, creating a market where various providers excel in various domains. Consider your priorities even if you are unable to give up your long-standing bank. A "

With so many options for accounts, there are a number of things to think about before choosing one.

Although customers who switch banks will have more money to spend on Christmas, Rachel Springall, a finance expert at Moneyfactscompare . co . uk, cautions against making snap decisions.

"An upfront free cash injection is a great sweetener, but consumers should only ever switch accounts if the new deal offers them better value," she stated, emphasizing that although free cash offers are temporary, clients shouldn't feel compelled to do so.

Checking out the best packaged bank accounts may be worthwhile if you're looking for travel and spending benefits.

Customers may find a packaged account, which combines benefits, to be more affordable than purchasing separate insurance policies elsewhere, such as travel insurance or mobile phone insurance, according to Springall. A "

In a separate guide, we examine the value of travel insurance.

"High interest current accounts, those with a competitive overdraft tariff, packaged accounts with integrated insurance plans, or even accounts that reward savers or spenders are just a few of the many options available," Springall continued.

In contrast to a more conventional bank account, customers who intend to travel overseas frequently can also find accounts that don't charge them for using their debit card in an ATM or in-store. This allows them to avoid paying transaction fees. A "

Are your savings safe with the FSCS scheme?

Your investments and savings are safeguarded in the event that a financial services company fails by the Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

This covers ISAs, current accounts, savings accounts, and accounts that adhere to Shariah.

The FSCS cap increased from 85,000 to 120,000 on December 1, 2025. This means that if your money is in an FSCS-protected institution, you will be covered up to 120,000.

On the FSCS website, you can see which institutions are covered.

Learn more about the Monzo Financial Services Compensation Scheme, Santander UK, Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, and NatWest Halifax (bank).