Best and worst bank account providers revealed in extensive CMA research

The large-scale survey of more than 20,000 people asks customers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to rate their personal current account provider for the quality of their experience.

Separate research into business current accounts was also undertaken.

The questionnaire asked respondents how likely they are to recommend their current account provider for:

Survey company Ipsos asked 1,000 customers of each of the 17 largest personal current account providers in Great Britain and 500 customers of each of the 11 biggest in Northern Ireland.

It also asked more than 22,000 business current account holders across 16 banks in Great Britain and five in Northern Ireland. For business customers, the quality of their relationship with their account manager and quality of those services is also covered.

Best banks in UK

The results are for July 2023 to June 2024. Overall the top rated personal current account providers in Great Britain are:

1. Monzo
2. Starling Bank
3. Chase

The best business current account providers in Great Britain were named as:

1. Monzo
2. Starling Bank
3. Tide and Handelsbanken (joint 3rd)

In Northern Ireland, the best personal current account providers were:

1. Monzo
2. Starling Bank
3. Nationwide

Best business current account bank in Northern Ireland:

1. Santander

Worst banks in Great Britain

The lowest-ranked personal current account banks in Great Britain came out as:

1. Royal Bank of Scotland (17th out of 17)
2. Virgin Money (16th out of 17)
3. The Co-operative Bank (15th out of 17)

The worst business current account providers were: 1. HSBC (16th out of 16) 2. The Co-operative Bank and Barclays (joint 14th out of 16) 3. Royal Bank of Scotland (13th out of 16)

In Northern Ireland the worst personal current account providers were:

1. Ulster Bank

2. Bank of Ireland UK

3. Allied Irish Banks

The worst business current account in Northern Ireland:

1. Bank of Ireland UK

Read more: NimbleFins Best Savings Accounts Guide

Which banks were included in the survey?

Banks participating in the survey in Great Britain were: Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Chase, first direct, Halifax, HSBC UK, Lloyds Bank, Metro Bank, Monzo, Nationwide, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Starling Bank, The Cooperative Bank, TSB, Virgin Money.

Providers participating in the survey in Northern Ireland were: AIB, Bank of Ireland UK, Barclays, Danske Bank, Halifax, HSBC UK, Monzo, Nationwide, Santander, Starling Bank, Ulster Bank.

Business account providers in the Great Britain survey were: Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Handelsbanken, HSBC UK, Lloyds Bank, Metro Bank, Monzo, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Starling Bank, The Co-operative Bank, Tide, TSB, Virgin Money and Zempler Bank.

In Northern Ireland the participating business account providers were: AIB, Bank of Ireland, Danske Bank, Santander, Ulster Bank.

Dan Turnbull, Senior Director of Markets at the CMA, said: “It’s important that banks listen to their customers and then provide services in a way that works for them.

“Strong competition is the most effective way to improve the customer service experience, and this survey provides the transparency that people need to be able to choose a new provider if they feel their bank is not up to scratch.”

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