Santander launches Edge Explorer packaged account - is it worth going for?

Account holders can get 6% AER on savings, 24/7 GP access, cashback and travel perks for a monthly fee
Ruby FlanaganSenior Content Producer

With a background in financial journalism across national titles, Ruby loves helping people take control of their money and specialises in pensions, tax, banking and benefits.

Santander has launched a new packaged current account called ‘Edge Explorer,’  which includes a range of perks for £17 a month.

Extras include worldwide family travel and mobile phone insurance, UK and EU breakdown cover, 1% cashback on household bills, fee-free spending abroad and access to a linked savings account paying 6% AER. Additionally, in a first for a high street package account, it also provides customers with 24/7 access to a GP. 

Here, Which? takes a closer look at what the account offers and how the features compare.

What does Santander’s Edge Explorer account offer?

Like a regular bank account, Santander’s Edge Explorer account allows you to receive and send money, make payments, pay bills via Direct Debit and more.

As it’s a packaged account, it also offers a range of extras for a monthly fee of £17, or £204 a year. These extras include:

  • Worldwide family travel insurance
  • UK and EU Breakdown cover 
  • Mobile phone insurance 
  • 24/7 GP access
  • Access to the Edge Saver account paying 6% AER 
  • 1% cashback worth up to £20 a month on eligible debit card spending and direct debits
  • Fee-free spending abroad and no fees on international money transfers

Alongside this, account holders will also have access to Santander Boosts, which offer additional cashback, discounts, and prize draws.

The account will be available alongside Santander’s other accounts  — Santander Edge and Santander Edge Up —  which cost £3 and £5 a month, respectively. 

How does it compare?

From cashback to overseas spending and insurance tie-ins, we’ve looked at how Santander compares with other package accounts:

Worldwide family travel and mobile insurance, and breakdown coverage

The travel insurance (provided by Chubb) provides cover for emergency medical expenses while on holiday abroad, holiday cancellation costs, and personal property/money losses. 

The mobile insurance (managed by Likewize Device Protection and backed by Aviva) covers loss, theft, damage, and breakdown for a phone used by you or your family, up to a value of £2,000.

The breakdown protection (provided by AWP Assistance) covers anyone named on the Santander Edge Explorer account, and offers roadside assistance or recovery to the nearest garage, no matter what vehicle you are driving or travelling in, both in the UK and Europe. 

Here's how the three top-rated packaged accounts in our latest analysis compare:

  • Nationwide FlexPlus costs £18 a month and has earned a Which? Best Buy. In our analysis, its worldwide travel insurance scored 76%, while its family mobile insurance scored 72%. The account particularly excelled with its breakdown coverage, which includes Europe, scoring 97%. 
  • The Virgin Money Club M costs £12.50 per month, which was the most affordable in our analysis. It achieved an overall score of 76%, thanks to a high rating for its breakdown cover, which includes Europe. However, it was not named a Best Buy because its worldwide travel and family mobile phone insurance policies scored below 70%.
  • Monzo Max costs £17 a month and includes worldwide travel insurance, single phone insurance, and UK and Europe breakdown cover. Family can be added for an extra £5 a month. The breakdown cover scored a very good 96% in our analysis, while travel insurance scored a solid 67%, but the phone cover was a disappointing 55%.

Find out more: best travel insurance companies and policies 2025

Cashback

The Santander Edge Explorer account also gives 1% cashback on certain household bills and debit card spending, allowing you to earn up to £20 a month (£240 a year).

Eligible bills include council tax and energy, while spending cashback applies to supermarket and travel purchases. 

However, the £17 monthly fee will diminish the overall gain you make with this perk. If you are only after the cashback, there are other options.

Santander's Edge Up account allows you to earn £15 cashback per month for one year and costs significantly less at £5 a month.  

Other top paying cashback accounts include: 

  • Chase offers 1% cashback on groceries, fuel and transport, up to £15 per month, meaning you could earn up to £180 per year. 
  • Nationwide FlexDirect pays 1% on all debit card purchases, capped at £5 per month for the first year. Meaning you could earn £60 per year. 

Find out more: best bank accounts for cashback

Linked savings account

The Santander Edge Saver account offers a variable interest rate of 6% AER. 

It's a top rate, but it includes a 2% bonus that is only valid for the first 12 months, after which the rate drops to 4%. 

The interest is also only on balances of up to £4,000. So if you have a big lump sum to invest, you might want to take your money elsewhere.

If you have the maximum £4,000 saved, you can earn over £200 in interest in your first year. But it won't be worth opening the account just for this exclusive savings rate, as the monthly fee will almost entirely wipe out what you gain.

It's also important to note that there are other savings accounts out there which offer higher rates, without charging a fee. Chase Bank's Chase Saver account offers a booster of 2.25% above its standard variable rate saver. Right now, this sits at 4.75%. 

Santander-owned Cahoot offers a rate of 4.4% AER on its Simple Saver on balances up to £500,000. 

Overseas spending

Most debit cards allow for international spending, but will often charge fees. Card providers typically charge a transaction fee on purchases made overseas or processed by a foreign bank. The rate for this fee varies between banks, and some cards may also impose a flat fee for each transaction. 

Santander's Edge Explorer account doesn’t charge foreign exchange fees on overseas purchases or for cash withdrawals abroad. It also doesn’t charge for international money transfers. 

However,  the 0% foreign conversion fee will only take effect three working days after opening the account. If you make any transactions overseas before this, a 2.95% fee will be applied.

Several banks now offer fee-free spending abroad, including Chase, and Which? Recommended Providers Starling, First Direct, and Monzo. All of these accounts can be opened for free. 

What does the 24/7 GP service give you?

Santander's Edge Explorer account comes with 24/7 virtual GP access.

It's not a replacement for private health insurance, but the digital service can help you get quicker or more convenient access to a doctor and receive prescriptions. 

The service includes:

  • Advice available 24/7, 365 days a year (subject to availability)
  • Choice of phone or video consultation
  • Advice on mild to moderate ailments
  • Access to your consultation notes and information 
  • Prescriptions which are automatically sent, or medicine can be delivered to a chosen location
  • Private specialist referrals
  • Short-term sick notes

The perk covers you, your partner, and any dependent children under the age of 18, or up to 23 if they are in full-time education. The service is arranged by Chubb European Group SE and provided by Teladoc Health UK.

Because it is a private service, you will not receive an NHS prescription from Teladoc, even if you are normally exempt from prescription charges (like children). This means you will have to pay the full cost of any medicine.

Teladoc also cannot refer you to an NHS specialist. They can only provide a private referral. If you do not have private medical insurance, you will have to pay for the specialist appointment and any tests they recommend yourself.

Is Santander a good provider?

Santander achieved an above-average customer score of 73% in our latest satisfaction survey of bank customers.

Customers awarded it three stars for its telephone, in-branch, and general customer service, while its mobile banking app received four stars. 

Is it worth paying for a packaged account?

Packaged accounts can be great value, but only if you use the benefits.

So if you're thinking of opening a fee-charging bank account or already have one, ask yourself these key questions:

  • How many of the benefits do I need?
  • Does the insurance give me the right amount of cover?
  • Can I get any of the benefits cheaper elsewhere?
  • Am I already covered? 

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