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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T&Cs apply · Referral link — we may receive a reward if you sign up.
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 for app-first, UK-accessible financial accounts. The providers here include banks such as Starling, Monzo, Zopa/Biscuit, Chase and Revolut Bank UK, plus e-money and card-wallet services such as Wise and Curve. Revolut also has separately provided services and customers may have different migration status, so check the entity and product named in your account.
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 | Fixed £60 referrer / £30 fair-share (by 15 Sept 2026); see the deal page |
| Biscuit (by Zopa) | Zopa Bank current account | FSCS for eligible deposits | £20 for qualifying new Zopa customers; 30-day account-opening window and referral cap apply |
| 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. The current recorded campaign pays the referrer a fixed £60 when friends complete the steps by 15 September 2026; we share £30 (50/50). Use the Revolut deal page for the live link and full step list.
Biscuit by Zopa — choose cashback or balance interest
Biscuit is Zopa Bank’s current account. Its current invitation offers a choice of 2.75% AER variable balance interest, 3% cashback on up to £150 of monthly eating-out spend, or 3% cashback on up to £150 of Direct Debits per month. Choose one benefit; they are not cumulative. Eligible deposits across Zopa accounts share FSCS protection up to £120,000.
Checked 10 September 2026: the £20 referral offer is active for customers entirely new to Zopa. Submit your mobile number via the link and open Biscuit using the same number within 30 days. The referrer must remain within the 10-successful-referrals cap when you qualify. Payment follows within 30 days of a successful referral. No card payments or full account switch are listed for this invitation.
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 — 2% on eligible categories (no referral link here)
Chase is the UK digital arm of JPMorgan Chase. Its current account has no monthly fee, with FSCS protection for eligible deposits. Its current cashback terms offer 2% on eligible sterling card purchases in the UK and Channel Islands, capped at £20 a month across Chase cards.
The eligible categories cover groceries, specified everyday transport, fuel and public EV charging, restaurants, cafés and takeaways. Merchant coding and payment-method exclusions apply.
After the joining grace period, qualification requires at least 15 eligible card or Direct Debit payments in the previous calendar month and a combined £1,000 or more in Chase saver accounts every day of that month. Current-account and round-up balances do not count. New joiners receive cashback during the rest of their first calendar month and the following month without first meeting those criteria. No Chase referral link is currently listed here.
Curve — one card to carry them all
Curve is a card wallet rather than a bank. It lets you select a supported underlying card for a payment. Go Back in Time can move an eligible past purchase to another supported card; on the free Curve Pay plan, there are three transfers per rolling 30 days for purchases up to 30 days old. This is a payment-management feature, separate from purchase protection.
American Express is not supported. Rewards on an underlying card depend on that issuer’s rules for Curve payments. Our referral offers 30 days of 1% cashback on eligible spending after five purchases of £2 or more, capped at £15 in Curve Cash Points. The points are for spending through Curve, not a cash withdrawal; exclusions and invitation conditions apply.
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 a choice of balance interest or cashback, and either Wise (if you deal with foreign currency) or Curve (if you want to manage supported cards in one wallet). 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 uses a random reward amount, Revolut currently pays a fixed £60 referrer reward (we share £30), and Biscuit offers £20 subject to new-Zopa eligibility and available referral capacity. 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
- Eligible-category cashback, subject to savings and payment requirements: Chase
- Frequent travel, multiple currencies: Revolut (weekday FX) or Wise (transfers)
- Getting paid in USD or EUR: Wise
- Choice of balance interest or cashback: Biscuit
- Managing supported payment cards in one wallet: Curve; Amex is excluded
- If you will only open one: compare Starling with Chase, including Chase’s cashback requirements
- 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?
Starling, Monzo, Zopa/Biscuit and Chase provide bank accounts with FSCS protection for eligible deposits. Eligible deposits with Revolut Bank UK Ltd also receive protection up to £120,000 per person; an e-money account with Revolut Ltd has safeguarding instead until it is moved. Wise and Curve are not UK bank deposit accounts. Check the exact account provider and product before relying on a particular protection; separately provided investments, crypto and other services are not covered by the Revolut Bank deposit limit.
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.