Which? names the current account providers worth switching to, as new research reveals millions of customers have stayed loyal for decades
Despite several banks launching new current accounts in recent years, a new Which? survey of over 6,600 current account holders has revealed that nearly four in 10 people (37%) have stayed loyal to the same provider for over 20 years.
Some of the UK’s biggest names top the list for long-term customers: six in ten (61%) account holders surveyed at Royal Bank of Scotland have stayed put for over two decades as have half of those at NatWest (54%) and Lloyds Bank (50%). Similarly, almost half of customers at HSBC (47%) and Halifax (46%) have done the same.
However, Which?’s latest analysis suggests that in some cases, this loyalty is going unrewarded - with none of these banks making it to the top of Which?’s current account tables for 2025.
To establish the best current account providers on the market, Which? examined product features including fees, overdrafts, charges and perks, and surveyed account holders to establish customer satisfaction. Only those providers that excelled in both areas met the criteria to earn a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) badge.
Many of the best rated providers distinguished themselves with perks or rewards including cashback, linked savings pots and bonus payments - even on free accounts. Just six providers secured the prestigious WRP badge: Chase, Danske Bank, first direct, Monzo, Nationwide and Starling.
Of these, two providers, Chase and Danske Bank, secured WRP status for the first time.
A digital bank launched in the UK by US giant JPMorgan, Chase scored an impressive 82 per cent customer score. It received five stars for its mobile app and four stars in categories including customer service, ease of applying, and telephone banking. For the first year, new customers can earn 1 per cent cash back on everyday spending up to a maximum of £15 a month - a feature that was particularly appreciated by survey respondents. It also offers an attached ‘roundup’ savings account boasting a competitive 5 per cent AER savings rate. Danske Bank meanwhile received a customer score of 80 per cent, and received a clutch of mostly four star ratings, including for overall customer service and online banking. One respondent said, “I love the service Danske Bank provides and I have been a very happy customer for many years” while another praised its “optimal service."
Starling secured WRP status for the sixth consecutive year, with a table topping customer score of 86 per cent. It achieved a full five star rating for both online and mobile banking, and four stars for customer service. With no monthly charge, its current account boasts fee-free foreign transactions as well an array of extra features including a bill splitting tool and ‘savings pots’ to ring fence money. One happy customer said, “They are the best bank I’ve been with, they have amazing customer service” while another praised it as an “extremely efficient bank, with good service ethos, and intuitive interfaces.”Like Starling, Monzo (85%) also impressed with the array of bells and whistles on offer with its current account, highlights of which also include fee-free foreign spending, bill-splitting, interest-paying savings pots, and tools to analyse spending or even automate where money is sent on payday. It scored five stars for ease of mobile banking, and four stars for overall customer service. As more than one respondent noted, “it has everything you need.”
With a customer score of 84 per cent, first direct distinguishes itself as the longest running current account WRP, holding the award for over a decade. It got an impressive run of five star ratings, including for overall customer service and for online, mobile and telephone banking, and four for ease of contacting customer services. The excellent standard of customer service was a recurrent theme in survey responses - one satisfied customer said, “First rate customer service - they always answer the phone and don't leave you queuing for hours”, while another said “I have never had any issues of note. If I have had to contact them, they have always answered quickly and been helpful.”
Also tied on 84 per cent is Nationwide, which achieved WRP status after narrowly missing out on the accolade in 2024. The only WRP with a UK-wide bank branch network, it received four stars for its in-branch service, and five for online banking. One customer said, “I adore having branches to go into…they are so good to their customers” while another praised the building’s society’s recent ‘Fairer Share’ payments, saying, “I got a £50 bonus from them. I feel that they care about customers.”
At the other end of the table, TSB took bottom place with a customer score of 67 per cent. It received 2 stars in many key categories like customer service and telephone banking, but secured four stars for online and mobile banking.
Just ahead of TSB in the table were Virgin Money, Santander and Halifax, all tied on 71 per cent.
Sam Richardson, Deputy Editor of Which? Money, said:
“Banks are not all the same and our analysis proves this. Perks like fee-free spending abroad and instant spending notifications are becoming normalised, while cash back, loyalty payments and switching bonuses can earn you hundreds of pounds.
“If you’re one of the millions of people who have stayed loyal to a bank for years for little in return, now may be the perfect time to switch to one of our Which? Recommended Providers. The process is quick and easy, with even your direct debits transferred over, hassle-free.”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
Which? surveyed 6,665 UK adults who hold a current account in August 2025. Fieldwork was carried out online by Deltapoll and the data has been weighted to be representative of all UK adults with a current account.
A full table of results can be found here.
Please include a link back to the Which? website - link will be updated with 2025 results at 00.01 20th November: https://www.which.co.uk/money/banking/bank-accounts/best-bank-accounts/best-and-worst-banks-a8VTn0B0PJNC
Nationwide missed out on WRP status in 2024 because it received below-average product scores for its current accounts.
This year, Allied Irish Bank narrowly missed out on becoming a WRP as while it matched the top performers with a customer score of 85 per cent, its below-average product score meant it didn't quite meet the WRP threshold.
Revolut also came close, however, it still operates as an e-money provider in the UK (it is awaiting a full banking licence) which means customers are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Which? has previously flagged its poor treatment of fraud victims given it has been named in more fraud complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) than any bank since 2023.
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