Santander UK review
Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Santander UK pairs a £0 monthly fee on the everyday current account with an easy-access saver paying 2% on a variable rate. Deposits sit under FSCS up to GBP 85,000, so it suits UK adults, expats and families who want branch and online access without a monthly charge.
Key facts
- Best for
- Free UK everyday banking with an easy-access savings pot and branch access.
- Monthly fee
- £0↗
- Deposit protection
- FSCS up to GBP 85,000↗
- Currency conversion fee
- 2.95%↗
- Currencies
- 28↗
- Local account details
- UK-sort-code↗
- Free ATM withdrawals
- £0↗
- Transfer fee
- Free for single payments up to 25,000 GBP in Mobile and Online Banking↗
- Legal entity
- Santander UK plc↗
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom↗
- Founded
- 2010↗
- Support channels
- Phone, Chat, Help-centre↗
- Audience
- Expats, Students, Teens
- Pricing model
- No monthly fee
- Features
- Free ATM withdrawals, Joint account
- Official website
- santander.co.uk
Savings
Money transfer
- Exchange rate markup
- 1% to 3%↗
- Delivery time
- Same working day for EUR and USD within the EEA or UK; up to 4 working days outside; SEPA next working day↗
- Payout methods
- Bank↗
- Fee to send 1,000
- £25↗
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- The everyday current account carries a monthly fee of £0 on a no monthly fee model
- The easy-access saver pays 2% at a variable rate, with instant, penalty-free access
- Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000
- Free ATM withdrawals and a joint account are both listed among the features (free atm and joint account)
Cons
- Currency conversion charges 2.95% on top of an exchange rate margin of 1% to 3%
- Email is not among its support channels, which cover phone, chat and help centre only
- The savings rate of 2% is a variable rate, so it can move with base rates
Who it suits
- UK adults who want everyday banking with a monthly fee of £0 and free ATM use
- Expats and students named under the audience list (expats, student and teen) who hold UK pounds and spend abroad
- Households sharing costs through a joint account, which sits among the features (free atm and joint account)
Who should look elsewhere
- Frequent currency converters, since 2.95% and the 1% to 3% margin add up, where bunq charges €0 a month
- Savers after a fixed or higher return, as 2% is a variable rate, where Pixpay FR charges €3.99 a month
- Readers who want a euro account rather than UK sort code payments (uk sort code), where bunq Spain Bank Account charges €0 a month
Rates and terms
The easy-access saver pays 2% on a variable rate, and it is an easy access account, so the rate can move rather than lock. Access is instant and penalty-free: withdrawals work by website, Mobile and Online Banking, in branch or over the phone. A minimum deposit of £1 applies.
Who runs it
Santander UK is run by Santander UK plc, a bank headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded in 2010. It is regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, and its Financial Conduct Authority reference is 106054. Support runs on phone, chat and help centre.
How Santander UK compares
8.8 vs 8.7
8.8 vs 8.6
8.8 vs 8.0
8.8 vs 8.9
8.8 vs 9.1
8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 8.7bunq Spain Bank Account charges €0 a month, which suits euro account holders who want a free plan.
8.8 vs 8.7
8.8 vs 8.7Pixpay FR charges €3.99 a month, a paid plan for readers who accept a subscription to hold the account.
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 8.7
8.8 vs 9.5
8.8 vs 9.4
8.8 vs 9.3
8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 9.2
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8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 9.1
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 8.9
8.8 vs 8.9- 8.8 vs 8.9
8.8 vs 8.7
8.8 vs 8.5
8.8 vs 8.5
8.8 vs 8.5
8.8 vs 8.4
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8.8 vs 8.2
8.8 vs 8.1- 8.8 vs 8.1
8.8 vs 8.0
8.8 vs 8.0
8.8 vs 8.0
8.8 vs 9.1
Where Santander UK is available
- Available
- United Kingdom
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Financial Conduct Authority (106054), checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Prudential Regulation Authority, checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the everyday current account cost each month?+
The everyday current account has a monthly fee of £0 and runs on a no monthly fee model, so there is nothing to pay for keeping it open. ATM use carries a fee of £0. Single payments in Mobile and Online Banking are free within the stated limit.
How is the money in my account protected?+
Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000, so eligible balances sit inside the protection limit. The provider is Santander UK plc, regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under the reference 106054.
What interest do I get on savings, and can I take money out?+
The easy-access saver pays 2% on a variable rate, so the figure can change. Access is instant and penalty-free, by website, Mobile and Online Banking, in branch or over the phone. A minimum deposit of £1 applies.
Which currencies can I hold and get paid in?+
You can hold and receive 28 currencies, and payouts are made to bank. Domestic payments use uk sort code, which keeps money coming in from anyone paid in the UK straightforward. Conversion on other currencies is charged at 2.95%, which matters for anyone paid abroad.
Can I open a joint account with someone else?+
A joint account is listed among the free atm and joint account, so two people can hold the account together. The audience list (expats, student and teen) also names students and teens, which makes it a workable family account.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on phone, chat and help centre, so the phone, chat and a help centre are available. Everyday banking can also be done in branch, and the savings account allows withdrawals over the phone, which is useful if digital access fails.
Sources
- santander.co.uk checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Deposit protection, Headquarters, Legal entity, Licences
“Registered Office: 2 Triton Square, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3AN, United Kingdom. Registered in England and Wales.”
- santander.co.uk/about-santander/our-history checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“We launched in the UK in 2010”
- santander.co.uk/personal/current-accounts/everyday-curren... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free ATM withdrawals, Pricing model, Support channels
“Use Santander cash machines without any fees, even when travelling (Everyday Current Account)”
- santander.co.uk/personal/savings-and-investments/savings/... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Access terms, Account kind, Headline rate, Minimum deposit, Rate type
“Savings account with instant, penalty-free access ... Yes, you can make payments out of your account on our website, using Online and Mobile Banking, in branch or over the phone”
- santander.co.uk/personal/support/current-accounts/compare... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Features, Currency conversion fee, Monthly fee
“Santander Edge Student current account is available to customers who are studying with a higher education provider in the United Kingdom; 1|2|3 Mini Current Account (0-18yrs); If you have recently...”
- santander.co.uk/personal/support/current-accounts/making-... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Currencies, Delivery time, Exchange rate markup, Payout methods, Fee to send 1,000
“Electronic transfer (urgent) ... Available currencies: Australian dollar, Canadian dollar ... UAE dirham, US dollar”
- santander.co.uk/personal/support/ways-to-bank/payments-an... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Local account details, Transfer fee
“banking or savings account sort code and account number”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Licence type.
Related by the facts
Santander UK
Free UK everyday banking with an easy-access savings pot and branch access.