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Best high-interest bank accounts 2025
We reveal the current accounts that pay the most interest, helping you to grow your money
CC
Chiara CavaglieriSenior researcher & writer
Chiara is an award-winning investigative reporter who specialises in banking and fraud, joining Which? in 2015 following six years as a personal finance journalist at a national newspaper.
Why you can trust our reviews of high-interest bank accounts
More than interest rates
A great rate's not so useful if it's only paid on a small sum. We also look at maximum deposits and any requirements to pay in a certain amount each month.
Customer scores
Chances are you'll need to engage much more with your current account than your savings, which is why we also display bank scores from our customer survey.
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Whether you've just got paid or have funds put aside for emergencies, there's likely to be money sitting in your current account – but is it earning interest?
Here we reveal the current accounts that pay interest, helping you reduce the impact of inflation on your money.
We also compare current accounts to savings accounts, and explain some simple saving tips.
Table note: Data correct as of 3 November 2025. Customer score: Our rating for customer satisfaction, based on feedback from real customers. The score is made up of a customer's overall satisfaction with the brand, and how likely they are to recommend that brand to a friend. We surveyed 6,665 members of the general public in August 2025. Sample size in brackets. Our full table includes scores and star ratings for all banks.
High-interest current account reviews
Recommended Provider
Nationwide
Our pick of the bunch is Nationwide, which pays a healthy 5% interest on balances of up to £1,500 in the first year. Thereafter, the rate reverts to 1% AER on balances up to £1,500. Don't use this account for its overdraft (you'll be stung with a rate of 39.9% APR after the first £50) or spending abroad. If you prefer a bank account with travel insurance and breakdown cover bundled together, Nationwide offers a Which? Best Buy packaged account for £18 per month.
Customer score
84%
4=
of 22 current account providers with a customer score
'You're better off with a great savings account'
Chiara Cavaglieri, Which? banking expert, says:
I know this seems an odd statement in a guide to high-interest bank accounts.
But these days they're not exactly high-interest. Putting Nationwide's 5% aside (which only applies for a year) every other current account rate can be beaten by instant-access saver accounts.
And many current accounts have relatively low limits on how much money you'll earn interest on.
You're best off keeping the minimum possible in your current account, and any money you'll need day-to-day in an instant-access saver.
Just make sure your money will truly be available instantly and there isn't a limit on the number of withdrawals — you wouldn't want to miss a bill from your current account because you can't get the money from your savings.
Many current account customers get access to exclusive instant-access and regular saver accounts with high rates, which could save you time as you'll only need to use one app or online banking portal.
Check that the extra interest you'll get is worth the inconvenience of moving money between accounts.
You can set up a regular payment (standing order) to move money from your current account to your savings account after your salary or pension comes in.
Make sure the savings account has no restrictions on access and can be managed online or by app, so you can quickly make withdrawals.
If you don't need money in the near future, and have an emergency savings fund in place, considering putting savings in fixed-term accounts or investing it.
As well as paying interest directly on your current account balance, most banks now offer existing customers exclusive savings accounts.
They're typically instant access savings accounts, or regular savings accounts.
Step 1: Find the highest current account interest rates
Our table above shows you the best rates available on current accounts, along with the number of accounts you can open.
Step 2: Check the high-interest account requirements
Banks often set specific account requirements - such as fees, minimum monthly deposits and direct debits - to qualify for interest or to avoid paying a monthly fee on the account.
Each account limits the balance on which you can earn interest but, in most cases, banks will allow you to open a second main or joint account, essentially doubling that amount.
Watch out for accounts with tiered interest (where you get a higher rate for having a higher balance) as you must have a balance within the top tier to earn the top rate of interest. At lower tiers, these accounts become less competitive.
Step 3: Earn instant cash for switching
Before you start moving savings about, there's an easier way to save money.
Look out for conditions, such as depositing a certain amount, or using online banking services by a specific date.
Step 4: Open multiple high-interest current accounts
The number of accounts you'll need to open depends on how much money you're looking to save.
This is because accounts will only pay interest on balances up to a certain amount - see the notes on the table above. You want to make sure there's no 'excess' money sitting in accounts, but not earning interest.
Step 5: Circulate money between other high-interest current accounts
Most banks also require you to pay a certain amount into accounts each month.
Take a sum from your savings, equal to highest minimum deposit of the accounts you hold. So if you have three accounts, with minimums of £500, £1,000 and £1,500, put aside £1,500.
This sum will be continually circulated between these accounts.
Step 6: Deposit the rest of your savings in the other accounts
Divide the rest of your money between all the accounts, starting with the highest-earning account.
Once you've deposited the maximum sum the account will pay interest on, deposit money into the next highest-paying account and so on.
Step 7: Repeat step 5 each month
The easiest way to do this is to set up standing orders (instructions to your bank to pay a set amount at regular intervals to another account) so that the transfers take place automatically every month.
This means you meet the requirements of all the accounts and earn the most interest possible on the whole sum.
