uk banking Archives - COOLCURATION

April 12, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo vs Starling 2026: Which UK Challenger Bank Is Better?

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

The Monzo vs Starling debate is the one that never dies in UK personal finance. Both are app-first, both are FSCS-protected, and both let you spend abroad without sneaky fees. On paper, they look almost identical. But after using both across our team for years, the differences show up in the daily details. This is not a spec sheet comparison. It is what actually matters when you open both apps every day.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and does not provide personalised financial guidance. This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view. We have no commercial relationship with Starling Bank.

Picking Monzo? Grab the sign-up reward

Join through a referral link and make a card payment within 30 days, and a random £5 to £50 lands in your account; the steps are on our Monzo page.

Get the Monzo mystery reward

Published by Stiv in Apps, Finance, Money, Personal finance, Services

Tags: bank comparison, challenger banks, digital banking, free bank account, monzo, Monzo vs Starling, Starling, uk banking

March 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo vs Chase UK: Which Bank Account Is Better? (2026)

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

After the bigger sign-up bonus?

Chase's refer-a-friend offer pays £50 when you join and deposit £1,000 within 30 days; our referral page walks you through it.

Claim the Chase £50 offer

If you're weighing up Monzo vs Chase in 2026, you're in good company. Both are app-only banks, both are free to open, and both promise to make managing your money less painful. However, once you dig past the slick onboarding screens, the two take noticeably different approaches to savings, cashback and everyday features.

Chase (a trading name of J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) lures new customers with a boosted saver rate and 2% cashback on everyday spending. Monzo, the UK's original fintech darling, counters with powerful budgeting tools, paid plan perks like a free Railcard, and one of the most feature-rich banking apps on the market.

Below, we break down every meaningful difference so you can pick the one that actually fits your life. We also link to both referral offers if you want a bonus for signing up.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Banking, Comparisons, Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Reviews, Saving, Services

Tags: app review, bank comparison, cashback, chase, chase uk, digital bank, fintech, monzo, monzo vs chase, personal finance, savings, uk banking

November 26, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Is Zopa Biscuit Safe? UK Safety and FSCS Guide 2026

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Happy with the safety answer already?

No referral bonus is running at the moment, but any current Zopa Biscuit offer is listed on our referral page, together with how to open the account.

Check the Zopa Biscuit page

Zopa's Biscuit bank account has made waves with its 2% interest, cashback on bills and a 7.10% AER Regular Saver. But before handing over your money, you probably want to know: is Zopa Biscuit safe? The short answer is yes. Zopa is a fully licensed UK bank, regulated by the FCA and PRA, and your deposits are protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Below, we break down exactly what that means and what you should know before opening an account.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Finance, Saving, Services

Tags: Biscuit Account, Cashback Accounts, digital banking, fintech, FSCS Protection, High Interest Accounts, money saving, uk banking, UK Current Accounts, zopa bank, Zopa Biscuit

October 16, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Biscuit Bank Account Review 2026: Is It Worth It?

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

Cool Factor: 4/5

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Thinking of opening Biscuit?

The refer-a-friend bonus has ended, but our Zopa Biscuit referral page always carries whatever offer is currently running, plus the sign-up steps.

Open a Zopa Biscuit account

This Biscuit bank account review takes a look at Zopa's free current account after months of real-world use. With 2% interest on balances, 2% cashback on bills and access to one of the UK's best regular savers at 7.10% AER, it promises a lot for a no-fee account. But does it actually deliver? We break down what works, what falls short and whether it deserves a spot on your phone in 2026.

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Finance, Personal finance, Reviews

Tags: biscuit bank account, biscuit bank account review, biscuit bank account review 2025, cashback account, coolcuration, current account, digital banking, fintech, FSCS, high interest savings, mobile banking, personal finance, referral bonus, regular saver, uk banking, uk money apps, zopa, zopa bank, zopa bank review

October 9, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo vs Biscuit Bank Account: Which Is Best in 2026?

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Leaning towards Monzo?

New customers who join through a referral link can land a random reward of £5 to £50, and we keep the live offer details on our Monzo referral page.

See the Monzo referral offer

If you are weighing up Monzo vs Biscuit for your everyday banking in 2026, the answer depends on what you actually want from your bank account. One pays interest and cashback on a free account. The other gives you some of the best budgeting tools in UK fintech. Both are app-only, both are FSCS-protected, and both let you spend abroad without fees.

In this comparison, we break down how Monzo and Zopa's Biscuit bank account stack up across savings rates, cashback, features, travel perks, and sign-up offers, so you can decide which one deserves your direct debits.

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Finance, Personal finance, Reviews, Saving, Services

Tags: app review, bank comparison, biscuit bank, coolcuration, digital bank, fintech, monzo, monzo vs biscuit, personal finance, savings account, uk banking, zopa, zopa bank