Best Digital Bank UK: Starling, Monzo, Revolut, Biscuit, Wise, Chase & Curve Compared
Seven UK digital banks compared fairly on fees, FX, sign-up bonuses and FSCS. No marketing spin — just what each one is actually good for.
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Which digital bank should you open in the UK?
Short answer: it depends on what you actually want the account for. There is no single "best" digital bank in the UK — there are seven decent ones, each strong in a different area, and the honest move for most people is to open two or three and use them for what they do well.
This guide compares Starling, Monzo, Revolut, Biscuit (by Zopa), Wise, Chase and Curve on the things that actually matter day-to-day: monthly fees, foreign exchange, sign-up bonuses, FSCS protection and who they suit. Every account below is free to open. Where a referral link pays you a meaningful bonus, it is flagged. Where it does not, it is not.
What counts as a digital bank in the UK?
We use "digital bank" loosely to mean app-first, UK-accessible financial accounts without a high-street branch. That includes full banks with their own banking licence (Starling, Monzo, Zopa — which runs Biscuit), high-street banks with digital-only arms (Chase, owned by JPMorgan), e-money institutions that hold funds through partner banks (Revolut, Wise) and card wallets that sit on top of your existing cards (Curve).
The distinction matters for two reasons. First, FSCS protection (the UK's deposit-guarantee scheme, raised to £120,000 per person per bank on 1 December 2025) only applies to fully-licensed banks. Second, e-money institutions can and do freeze accounts for compliance checks; full banks do too, but they are regulated more strictly on how quickly they must resolve it. Neither is a deal-breaker, but it is why we recommend a licensed bank for your main salary account and e-money providers for specific jobs (FX, travel, secondary spend).
How we compared these seven
Every account was scored on the same five criteria: monthly fee, foreign-exchange costs, FSCS protection, sign-up bonus value through a referral link, and the specific job it does best day-to-day. Figures come from each provider's published pricing and T&Cs and are re-checked monthly — the note under the comparison table shows when they were last verified.
Six of these — Monzo, Starling, Revolut, Biscuit, Wise and Curve — we have opened, used and hold active referral links or codes for. Chase is included for completeness because it is now one of the UK's best-known digital accounts and a comparison guide that excludes it would be thin. Chase does not have a public referral programme we can offer, so we pass on no bonus — the entry is for comparison only.
High-street digital arms we have NOT included: NatWest's Kite (children only), HSBC's MyMoney (under-18s) and Barclays' Blue Rewards (tied to full Barclays account). These are products with narrow audiences. If none of the seven below suit, look there next.
Side-by-side comparison
| Provider | Product type | Deposit protection | Referral status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starling | UK bank current account | FSCS for eligible deposits | See the deal page for the stored check date and qualifying action |
| Monzo | UK bank current account | FSCS for eligible deposits | Reward can vary; see the deal page |
| Revolut | UK Bank accounts plus separately provided services | FSCS for eligible deposits in Revolut Bank UK accounts; migration and product status can differ | One-sided campaign with our 50/50 fair-share policy; see the deal page |
| Biscuit (by Zopa) | Zopa Bank current account | FSCS for eligible deposits | Bonus currently recorded as inactive |
| Wise | E-money and international transfers | Safeguarding, not bank-deposit FSCS protection | Service perk rather than a universal cash bonus; see the deal page |
| Chase | UK bank current account | FSCS for eligible deposits | No public referral link currently listed here |
| Curve | Card wallet/e-money service | Not a bank deposit account | See the deal page for the recorded reward and check date |
Protection can depend on the exact provider entity and product. Referral amounts, fees and limits change; use the linked deal's check status and confirm the provider's current terms before opening an account.
How each sign-up bonus actually works
The reward is only one part of the decision. Each provider can apply different identity, eligibility, affordability or credit checks, and the exact check can depend on the product or whether you request credit such as an overdraft. Do not assume that every application uses the same type of search. Use the linked referral page for the recorded reward and qualifying action, then confirm the provider's current application terms before proceeding.
Starling Bank — the sensible default
Starling is the one to open if you want a proper UK current account with no fees, no catches, and no cross-sell pressure. It has a full UK banking licence, FSCS protection, in-credit interest on current-account balances, and one of the best in-app budgeting tools on the market (Spaces, round-ups, bill manager). Card spending abroad uses the Mastercard rate with no added fee.
The one thing Starling is not trying to be is flashy. There are no mystery rewards, no crypto, no metal cards. That is the appeal — it behaves like a bank. Starling has reopened its refer-a-friend programme: use code 1NPLM4N, open a new account, and make a qualifying payment within 30 days to earn £25. Bonus or not, it remains the account we would tell most people to open first.
Monzo — budgeting-first for everyday spending
Monzo is the biggest digital bank in the UK by customer count (10M+) and its current account is free and fully FSCS-protected. What you are really paying for, if you upgrade to Plus or Premium, is the Trends dashboard, category spending breakdowns and Pots that auto-save when you round up transactions.
Two caveats worth knowing up-front: its fee-free FX allowance is capped at £250/month on the standard plan, after which Monzo charges 3% — that is worse than Starling or Chase. And Monzo's referral pays a mystery amount between £20, £50 and £100, revealed only after you sign up and spend. Most recipients report £20, but £100 is possible.
Revolut — travel and multi-currency, with caveats
Revolut is useful for frequent travellers and people who hold multiple currencies, but its UK protection position now depends on the account and provider entity. Revolut Bank UK launched in March 2026 and eligible deposits in migrated UK Bank accounts receive FSCS protection; customers who have not yet migrated, and separately provided savings, investments, crypto or commodities, can have different protection. Check the provider and protection shown in your app before relying on FSCS cover.
Revolut's personal referral is one-sided and its amount, deadline and qualifying steps can change between in-app campaigns. Our referral page explains the current recorded campaign and our 50/50 fair-share policy; use that page rather than this comparison for the live reward amount.
Biscuit by Zopa — savings and bill cashback
Biscuit is Zopa Bank's current account — the headline is 2% cashback on up to £125 of direct debits per month (so around £2.50/month if you route your council tax, broadband and utilities through it). Pair it with Zopa's Regular Saver (currently 7.10% AER on up to £300/month for 6 months, variable) and Smart Saver (up to 4.75% AER easy access if you deposit £500+/month, variable) and it becomes a credible savings hub alongside your main account.
Because Zopa holds a full UK banking licence, money in Biscuit is FSCS-protected up to £120,000. The £20 welcome bonus appears paused after our latest check, although the link may still track or reopen. Treat Biscuit as a complement to Starling, Monzo or Chase — not a replacement for your main current account. Rates are variable and subject to T&Cs; check in-app before assuming.
Wise — international transfers done right
Wise (formerly TransferWise) is not really a current-account replacement — it is the account you open alongside one. Where it shines is moving money between currencies: transfers use the real mid-market exchange rate with a visible, percentage-based conversion fee (usually 0.4–0.6%) instead of the hidden spread most banks charge. For freelancers paid in USD or EUR, or anyone with family abroad, the savings over a year dwarf any sign-up bonus.
The referral gives you either a free debit card (worth about £7) or a fee-free transfer up to £500, whichever is more valuable for your situation. Wise is an e-money institution — balances are safeguarded in regulated banks, not FSCS-protected — so we would not use it as your main salary account.
Chase — 1% everyday cashback (no referral)
Chase is the UK digital arm of JPMorgan Chase. Its current account is free, FSCS-protected up to £120,000, and pays 1% cashback on everyday spending capped at £15/month — a genuinely useful default if you do not want to fiddle with category cards. It also has a strong "Round-Ups" savings feature: every purchase rounds up to the nearest pound, with the difference moved to a saver paying competitive interest.
To keep the 1% cashback after the introductory period, most users need to pay in £1,500+ per month and spend through the account — it is set up to reward main-account behaviour, not casual use. Chase does not run a public referral programme we can offer, so we pass on no bonus — it is included in this guide for comparison only.
Curve — one card to carry them all
Curve is the odd one out: it is not a bank at all, but a wallet card that lets you pay from any of your other cards through a single Mastercard. The value is optionality — tap once, choose which card backs it afterwards, and get protection (Go Back In Time) that lets you move a transaction from one card to another after the fact within 30 days.
The specific reason to add Curve to a stack: it accepts Amex and routes the payment to retailers that do not. It is the cleanest way to earn Amex rewards at Aldi, Lidl and anywhere else that refuses Amex directly. With our code you get 1% cashback on all spending for 30 days (capped at £15), which is enough to cover a month of coffees.
Why most people should open two or three, not one
The honest answer to "which digital bank?" is usually "more than one". Opening multiple accounts has no cost, no credit-score impact beyond a soft search at sign-up, and lets each provider do what it is best at.
A pragmatic default stack for most UK residents: Starling or Chase as your main current account (salary, direct debits, joint spending), Biscuit for savings (higher interest, bill cashback), and either Wise (if you deal with foreign currency) or Curve (if you already carry a reward credit card worth routing). That covers everyday banking, meaningful interest on idle cash, and whichever specific friction you run into most.
If you want to maximise sign-up bonuses, the five referral links on this page can be combined, but the total varies because Monzo and Revolut use random reward amounts and Biscuit's referral bonus is currently unconfirmed. These offers avoid a full current-account switch and let you keep the accounts you open. Opening them across a month or two avoids any single-day credit-check spike.
For pairing the above with cashback cards and apps, see our UK Cashback Guide. For moving taxable savings into an ISA, see our Low-Cost ETF ISAs guide. And if you are willing to move an account entirely, switching pays more than any referral — see Best Bank Switch Bonuses UK for who pays what right now.
Quick picks by job
- Main current account (salary, bills, joint): Starling or Chase
- Budgeting and spend tracking: Monzo
- 1% everyday cashback without fiddling: Chase
- Frequent travel, multiple currencies: Revolut (weekday FX) or Wise (transfers)
- Getting paid in USD or EUR: Wise
- High-interest savings and bill cashback: Biscuit
- Squeezing rewards out of an Amex card: Curve
- If you will only open one: Starling (sensible) or Chase (1% cashback)
- If you will only open two: Starling + Biscuit
Can I open more than one UK digital bank account?
Yes. There is no legal or regulatory limit on how many current accounts a UK resident can hold, and most people who use digital banks seriously hold two or three. Each opening typically involves a soft credit check only (no impact on your credit file) except where you apply for an arranged overdraft, which triggers a hard search. Opening several accounts in a short window can trigger extra identity-verification steps with some providers, so spacing applications a week or two apart is sensible but not required.
Which of these digital banks are FSCS-protected?
Of the seven covered here, four hold full UK banking licences and are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per person per banking group (the deposit limit since 1 December 2025): Starling Bank, Monzo Bank, Zopa Bank (which runs Biscuit) and Chase (via JPMorgan Chase). Revolut, Wise and Curve are e-money institutions, not banks. Your money with them is safeguarded — held in segregated accounts at regulated banks — but safeguarding is a different and weaker protection than FSCS. In practice, this matters most for large balances. For a main salary account or savings above a few thousand pounds, stick to a fully-licensed bank.
Is Starling or Monzo better for everyday spending?
Starling may suit people who value straightforward everyday banking, while Monzo may suit people who use app-based budgeting features such as Pots and spending categories. Standard accounts have no monthly fee and eligible deposits are FSCS-protected, but current fees, limits and eligibility should be confirmed with each bank. Starling's referral programme reopened in 2026 and the recorded deal currently offers £25 after the qualifying action; Monzo's referral amount can vary. Check each linked referral page for its stored verification date before relying on the bonus.
Are digital bank sign-up bonuses taxable in the UK?
Bank sign-up bonuses are generally treated as miscellaneous income by HMRC, not interest, which means they do not count towards your Personal Savings Allowance. Most people will not owe anything because the total is small — under £200 across the accounts on this page — and sits well inside the £1,000 trading and miscellaneous income allowance available to most taxpayers. Higher-rate taxpayers or anyone who already uses that allowance should keep a record and declare bonuses through Self Assessment if in doubt. This is general information and not tax advice; ask an accountant if your situation is unusual.
Is it safe to switch my main current account to a digital bank?
For Starling, Monzo and Chase, yes — all three are fully-licensed UK banks, FSCS-protected, and participate in the Current Account Switch Service (CASS), which guarantees your direct debits and standing orders move across in seven working days with no lost payments. Millions of UK customers have done exactly this with no material downside beyond the occasional outage. The pragmatic option if you are nervous is to open the digital bank first, run it for a month or two alongside your existing account, and only initiate the CASS switch once you are confident the app and support quality suit you.
What is the best digital bank in the UK right now?
There is no single best digital account for everyone. The right choice depends on whether you prioritise everyday banking, budgeting tools, overseas spending, transfers, savings or cashback. Check the provider's current fees, protection and eligibility as well as any introductory reward. The comparison above is a starting point, and each linked deal page shows the date its referral offer was last checked.
Is an online bank the same as a digital bank?
The labels "online bank", "digital bank" and "fintech" are often used loosely, but the providers in this guide are not legally identical. Starling, Monzo, Zopa and Chase provide UK bank accounts with FSCS protection for eligible deposits. Revolut Bank UK also provides eligible FSCS-protected bank accounts, while migration status and separately provided services can differ. Wise and Curve are not UK banks and use safeguarding rather than bank-deposit FSCS protection. Confirm the entity named in the provider's current terms and in your account before relying on a particular protection.
Sources & how we keep this current
Regulatory and protection facts should be checked against primary sources:
- FSCS deposit protection is £120,000 per eligible person, per bank, since 1 December 2025 — FSCS. The separate FSCS investment limit remains £85,000.
- The Current Account Switch Service includes a 7-working-day guarantee — Pay.UK.
- Revolut Bank UK launched in March 2026, with eligible migrated deposits covered by FSCS — Revolut's UK Bank announcement. Migration and separately provided products can have different protection.
Bonus amounts, fees and interest rates change often. Use each linked deal's check status and confirm the provider's current terms before opening an account.