Last updated: 21 October 2026. I checked every rate on this list of the best easy access savings accounts on the provider's own website on 20 October 2026.
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.
This is not financial advice, and CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Every rate here is variable and can change after I checked it, so confirm the rate on the provider's own page before you move any money.
Want the £50 Chip bonus?
Join Chip with a referral code by 31 October 2026, pay £1,000 into its Instant Access or Prize Savings account, keep it there for 90 days, and you get £50. The code and the full steps are on my Chip referral page.
The top easy access rates, and what each pays once its bonus ends
The best easy access savings accounts this month pay up to 5.00% AER, the Annual Equivalent Rate, which is the rate after a year of interest on interest. But almost every account near the top gets there with a bonus that lasts three, six or twelve months. So I took ten accounts and worked out what £10,000 actually earns in each one over the first year and the year after.
The best easy access savings accounts at a glance
My starting point was the Moneyfacts easy access savings chart, which listed 403 easy access accounts that day, and flagged 34 of them as its Best of Best. After that, I went to each provider's own page for the rate, the bonus and the small print.
Section 01 / The bonus problem
Why the top easy access rate is rarely the best one to hold
Generally, the top rates are a small standard rate with a temporary bonus on top.
For example, Tesco Bank shows the extreme case. Its Internet Saver pays 4.24% AER, but 3.19% of that is a bonus fixed for 12 months. In fact, the standard rate underneath is just 1.05%. After a year, £10,000 earns about £105 a year instead of £424, unless you move it.
Similarly, the two 5.00% accounts carry a bonus, only a shorter one. Specifically, LemFi and Starling both pay 5.00% for six months only. After that, LemFi drops to 3.04% and Starling to 2.50%. As a result, £10,000 in LemFi earns roughly £402 in the first year, and in Starling roughly £374. Meanwhile, Oxbury's 4.30% has no bonus at all and earns about £430 over the same year.
What £10,000 earns in each account over the first 12 months and the 12 months after. Tap the chart to open it full size.
What the £10,000 figures assume
Of course, these figures assume every rate stays where it was on 20 October 2026, which is unlikely. Every account here is variable, and the Bank of England's next interest rate decision is on 5 November 2026, with Bank Rate at 3.75% until then. Even so, the gap between a bonus rate and the rate underneath it does not move with Bank Rate, so the chart still shows which accounts need watching.
Tesco's 4.24% is a 1.05% account with a 12-month bonus on top.
In practice, a bonus account works well if you will actually move the money when the bonus ends. First, put the end date in your calendar the day you open it. If you would rather not think about it again, the three no-bonus accounts in section 03 are the ones to look at first.
Section 02 / Bonus rates
Easy access accounts with the highest rates right now
Six accounts that lead the table today, each with a date when the rate falls.
LemFi app screens from its App Store listing.
LemFi Instant Access Savings Account
Although LemFi is best known as a money transfer app, its savings account lives inside the same app. To begin with, it pays 5.00% AER for the first six months. After that it drops to a 3.04% rate that tracks Bank Rate. You can also open it with £1, save up to £250,000, and withdraw whenever you like with no penalty. Interest is worked out daily and then paid monthly.
However, the six-month window is the shortest of the 5% accounts. The deposits sit with ClearBank Limited, which also holds Chip's savings. Therefore, if you hold both, the £120,000 FSCS limit covers the two of them together, not each one separately.
5.00% AER variable for 6 months, then 3.04%
Starling app screens from its App Store listing. The balances shown are examples.
Starling Easy Saver
Starling's Easy Saver pays 5.00% AER on balances up to £25,000, including a 2.50% bonus fixed for six months. That rate only applies, though, if you open a new Starling personal current account from 1 October 2026 and then apply for the Easy Saver within 30 days. If you closed a Starling current account after 30 September 2026, you are not eligible.
Otherwise, anyone applying now gets 4.00% AER, which includes a 1.50% bonus for six months. After the bonus, or on any balance over £25,000, the rate is 2.50%. Withdrawals are unlimited, there is no minimum deposit, and interest is paid monthly. Deposits are held by Starling Bank Limited.
5.00% AER variable for 6 months on up to £25,000, then 2.50%
Tembo app screens from its App Store listing. The balances shown are examples.
Tembo HomeSaver
Tembo pays 4.55% AER on its HomeSaver, which includes a 1.55% introductory bonus for 12 months. After that, the standard rate is 3.00%. Besides that, you can save up to £20,000, withdraw as often as you like through the app, and anyone in the UK aged 18 or over can open one.
Tembo's headline figure, meanwhile, is 5.55%. That adds a further 1.0% bonus, but Tembo only pays it if you complete a mortgage through Tembo within three years. If you are not buying or remortgaging soon, 4.55% is the rate to compare. Tembo holds the money with a panel of partner banks, each FSCS protected up to £120,000. Tembo also has a referral offer, though it applies to its Cash ISA and Lifetime ISA rather than the HomeSaver, and my Tembo referral page explains how it works.
4.55% AER variable for 12 months, then 3.00%
Chase app screens from its App Store listing. The balances shown are examples.
Chase saver with a boosted rate
Chase pays 4.50% AER on a boosted saver, made up of its standard 2.25% rate plus a 2.25% boost fixed for 12 months. However, you can only open it in your first 31 days as a new Chase current account customer, and you get one boosted saver each. Once it is open, you can hold up to £3 million and take money out at any time, with interest paid monthly.
The drop at the end is steep, since 2.25% is the second-lowest standard rate here, after Tesco's. Chase may also withdraw the offer at any time. Deposits are held by J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, which trades as Chase. If you are opening a Chase current account anyway, my Chase refer a friend page covers the £50 sign-up bonus.
4.50% AER variable for 12 months, then 2.25%
OakNorth app screens from its App Store listing. The balances shown are examples.
OakNorth Easy Access Tracker
OakNorth pays 4.35% AER, including a 1.35% boost for the first three months for anyone new to OakNorth or new to this account. Then it returns to 3.00%, which tracks Bank Rate. You can also open it with £1 through the OakNorth app.
Three months is the shortest bonus in this list, which is why it comes last on the chart over a full year. Its 3.00% standard rate is still higher than Chase's or Starling's, though. Deposits are held by OakNorth Bank plc.
4.35% AER variable for 3 months, then 3.00%
Tesco Bank app screens from its App Store listing.
Tesco Bank Internet Saver
Tesco Bank's Internet Saver pays 4.24% AER on balances up to £1 million, with unlimited withdrawals and a £1 minimum. You do not need a Tesco current account, but you do need a UK current account somewhere. Interest is paid only once a year, though.
Of that 4.24%, though, 3.19% is a bonus for 12 months, while the standard rate is 1.05%. In fact, that is the lowest underlying rate in this list by a distance. Your savings are protected through Barclays Bank UK PLC, so the £120,000 FSCS limit is shared across any Barclays and Tesco Bank savings you hold.
4.24% AER variable for 12 months, then 1.05%
Section 03 / No bonus
Easy access accounts with no bonus to run out
Three accounts where the rate you open on is the rate you keep, until the provider changes it.
Oxbury app screens from its App Store listing. The balances and rates shown are old examples, not today's rates.
Oxbury Easy Access Autumn Account
Oxbury is a UK bank that lends to farming and food businesses. Unlike the accounts above, its Easy Access Autumn Account pays 4.30% AER with no bonus inside it, the highest straight rate I found. Interest is worked out daily and then paid monthly.
Still, it has three limits. It is for new Oxbury customers only, you need at least £1,000 to earn interest, and it holds a maximum of £120,000. Withdrawals land the same working day if you ask before 1pm. Oxbury also asks for two devices to register, a phone or tablet plus a separate device with a web browser. Deposits are held by Oxbury Bank plc.
4.30% AER variable, no bonus
Leeds Building Society's own easy access page, 12 October 2026.
Leeds Building Society Online Access Saver
Similarly, Leeds pays 4.20% AER on its Online Access Saver (Issue 24), with unlimited withdrawals and no bonus. You need £1,000 to open it, you open and run it online, and interest is paid once a year.
Annual interest suits money you are leaving alone, but you will not see any interest land until the anniversary. Deposits are held by Leeds Building Society itself.
4.20% AER variable, no bonus
Hampshire Trust Bank's own rate page, 12 October 2026.
Hampshire Trust Bank Easy Access Online Saver
Finally, Hampshire Trust Bank pays 4.18% AER on its Easy Access Online Saver (Issue 36). You can start with £1 and save up to £250,000, and the gross rate matches the AER because interest is paid once a year. In addition, there is no bonus inside the rate.
It is the lowest of the three no-bonus rates, though it also has the lowest minimum. Deposits are held by Hampshire Trust Bank Plc.
4.18% AER variable, no bonus
Section 04 / Chip
Chip's Instant Access and Prize Savings accounts, and the £50 bonus
Lower rates than the table above, but a £50 sign-up bonus this month.
Chip app screens from its App Store listing. The balances shown are examples.
Chip Instant Access Account
Chip's Instant Access Account pays 3.51% AER for new customers, made up of a 3.00% standard rate plus a 0.51% boost for 12 months. The rate also tracks Bank Rate. Withdrawals are unlimited with no penalty, and interest is paid monthly. I save with Chip myself.
The rate is lower than the accounts above. Unlike them, though, it counts towards Chip's referral offer. Join through a referral code by 31 October 2026, pay in £1,000, keep at least £1,000 in for 90 days in a row, and you get £50. The bonus itself does not earn interest, though. Even so, on £10,000 the bonus takes the first year to roughly £401, about level with LemFi.
3.51% AER variable for 12 months, then 3.00%
My Chip Prize Savings Account in September 2026, with the balance and entries lowered for privacy. Tap or click to open it full size.
Chip Prize Savings Account
Chip's Prize Savings Account pays no interest. Instead, every £10 of your average balance over a calendar month is one entry into a monthly draw. In October 2026, Chip is giving away a share of £100,000 in prizes, with a £10,000 top prize. You can pay in between £10 and £85,000 and withdraw when you like.
Prizes depend on the draw and on luck, so two savers with the same balance can get very different results. Chip's page does not give the odds of winning either. On the other hand, it counts towards the £50 referral bonus, and winnings are tax-free. My Chip Prize Saver vs Premium Bonds comparison sets it against the NS&I draw, and my Premium Bonds alternatives guide covers the other prize draws open to new savers.
No interest, monthly prize draw
In addition, both Chip accounts hold your money with ClearBank Limited and are FSCS protected up to £120,000 in total, shared with any LemFi savings. Chip's referral terms list every account that counts towards the bonus.
Section 05 / Side by side
Best easy access savings accounts compared
| Account | AER now | Bonus lasts | Rate after | Minimum | Withdrawals | Interest paid | Deposits held by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LemFi Instant Access | 5.00% | 6 months | 3.04% | £1 | Unlimited | Monthly | ClearBank |
| Starling Easy Saver | 5.00% | 6 months | 2.50% | None | Unlimited | Monthly | Starling Bank |
| Tembo HomeSaver | 4.55% | 12 months | 3.00% | Not stated | Unlimited | Not stated | Partner banks |
| Chase boosted saver | 4.50% | 12 months | 2.25% | None | Unlimited | Monthly | J.P. Morgan Europe |
| OakNorth Easy Access Tracker | 4.35% | 3 months | 3.00% | £1 | Unlimited | Monthly | OakNorth Bank |
| Oxbury Easy Access Autumn | 4.30% | No bonus | 4.30% | £1,000 | Same day before 1pm | Monthly | Oxbury Bank |
| Tesco Bank Internet Saver | 4.24% | 12 months | 1.05% | £1 | Unlimited | Yearly | Barclays Bank UK |
| Leeds Online Access Saver | 4.20% | No bonus | 4.20% | £1,000 | Unlimited | Yearly | Leeds Building Society |
| Hampshire Trust Bank Easy Access | 4.18% | No bonus | 4.18% | £1 | Unlimited | Yearly | Hampshire Trust Bank |
| Chip Instant Access | 3.51% | 12 months | 3.00% | Not stated | Unlimited | Monthly | ClearBank |
Also, Starling's 5.00% needs a new Starling current account, and Chase's 4.50% needs a new Chase current account. Where a cell says not stated, the provider's own page does not give that detail.
Section 06 / Before you move money
Tax, protection and the next rate decision
The £120,000 protection limit. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects eligible deposits up to £120,000 per eligible person per UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union, a limit in place since 1 December 2025. Importantly, the limit applies to the bank holding your money, not to the brand on the app. So LemFi and Chip share one limit through ClearBank, and Tesco Bank shares one with Barclays.
Tax on the interest. Most people can earn some savings interest tax-free under the Personal Savings Allowance. According to GOV.UK, that is £1,000 a year for basic rate taxpayers, £500 for higher rate and nothing for additional rate. At 4.30%, £23,000 earns roughly £1,000 a year, so a basic rate taxpayer with more than that saved may start paying tax on the interest. A cash ISA keeps the interest tax-free instead, and my best savings account guide covers cash ISAs, notice accounts, regular savers and fixed bonds alongside easy access.
The next interest rate decision. Bank Rate is 3.75%, and the Bank of England announces its next decision on 5 November 2026. The trackers here, from LemFi, OakNorth and Chip, follow Bank Rate automatically, while the others can change whenever the provider decides. My Bank of England base rate guide explains what a change means for savings. Because of that, I update this list of the best easy access savings accounts every month, and again after any rate decision that moves these accounts.
Easy access savings FAQs
What is the best easy access savings account right now?
On 20 October 2026, the highest rates were 5.00% AER from LemFi and from Starling, both including a six-month bonus. Over a full year on £10,000, though, Tembo's HomeSaver at 4.55% and Chase's boosted saver at 4.50% earned the most, and Oxbury's 4.30% was the highest rate with no bonus. Every rate is variable, though.
What does easy access mean on a savings account?
It means you can take money out without giving notice. Some easy access accounts limit how often you can do it, though. For example, the Moneyfacts easy access chart includes double access and triple access accounts that cap how many withdrawals you can make.
What happens when an easy access bonus ends?
The rate falls to the provider's standard rate, and nothing else changes unless you move the money. For example, Tesco Bank's Internet Saver drops from 4.24% to 1.05%, and Chase's boosted saver from 4.50% to 2.25%. Most providers tell you before the bonus ends, but putting the date in your own calendar is safer.
Is my money safe in an easy access savings account?
Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 per eligible person per UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union by the FSCS (since 1 December 2025). Check which bank actually holds your money, because two brands can share one limit.
Can I get a bonus for opening a savings account?
Yes, Chip pays £50 to new customers who join through a referral code by 31 October 2026, pay in £1,000 and keep it there for 90 days. Your first £1,000 has to go into Chip's Instant Access Account or Prize Savings Account.
Do I pay tax on easy access savings interest?
Only on interest above your Personal Savings Allowance, which is £1,000 a year for basic rate taxpayers and £500 for higher rate taxpayers. Additional rate taxpayers, by contrast, have no allowance.
Savings rates and terms change often, and every rate here is variable. This is not financial advice, and you may want to speak to a qualified financial adviser about your own situation. This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.
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