10 easiest UK bank accounts you can open online

If you’re looking to open a new bank account quickly, the best way to do it is online. Nowadays, you can easily become a local UK bank client without even visiting one of their branches. All it takes is a few clicks and some documents on hand.

In this guide, we’ll show you some of the easiest bank accounts to open online in the UK. We’ll include their monthly fees, most important features and how long the opening process takes.

If you’re interested in alternatives to bank accounts, the Wise account from the money services provider Wise could be a good option for you. Even though this is not a bank account, it offers some similar features.

You can register for a Wise account online in minutes and start managing your money in GBP and dozens of other currencies. There are no monthly fees and Wise carries out all foreign currency exchanges at the mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent exchange fee*. What’s more, you can also get a Wise card for a one-time payment of £7 (or get the virtual card for free) to spend abroad like a local, saving money in the process.

Learn more about the Wise account 💰

Note: Eligibility is subject to verification of customers identity.

Table of contents

The easiest UK bank accounts you can open online - comparison HSBC Bank Account - Best for discount offers Barclays Bank Account - Best for money management tools NatWest Select account - Best for fraud protection Lloyds Bank Club Lloyds Account - Best for lifestyle benefits Halifax Current Account - Best for everyday saving Starling Bank Current Account - Best for travelling abroad Santander Basic current account - Best for poor credit history and basic account Nationwide FlexDirect current account - Best for interest-free arranged overdraft Co-operative Bank Current account - Best for exclusive savings accounts Monzo account - Best for sending and receiving money without sharing bank details How can you open a bank account online? How easy is it to open a bank account online? How long does it take to open a bank account online in the UK? Wise – An international alternative to a bank account

The easiest UK bank accounts you can open online - comparison

Let’s go through some UK bank accounts you can open online quickly and easily:

Account	Monthly fee	Best for
HSBC Bank account	£0	Discount offers
Barclays Bank account	£0	Money management tools
NatWest Select account	£0	Fraud protection
Lloyds Bank Club Lloyds account	£3 or £0 if you pay in £2,000 that month	Lifestyle benefits
Halifax Current account	£0	Everyday saving (Save the Change® feature)
Starling Bank Current account	£0	Travelling abroad
Santander Basic Current account	£0	A good choice if you have poor credit history or you’ve been rejected for another account
Nationwide FlexDirect account	£0	Interest-free arranged overdraft for 12 months
Co-operative Bank Current account	£0	Access to exclusive savings accounts
Monzo account	£0	Sending and receiving money without sharing bank details

Let’s take a closer look at each account.

💡 Read more: Best online bank accounts in the UK

HSBC Bank Account - Best for discount offers

The HSBC current account is made for everyday banking, especially through the HSBC app. You’ll also get access to savings accounts and various discounts and be able to take out an arranged overdraft.¹

The online account opening process lasts around 12 minutes. You can apply if you’re 18, willing to provide proof of address and ID and let the bank do a credit check. The account has no monthly fees.²

Barclays Bank Account - Best for money management tools

The Barclays bank account doesn’t have monthly fees.⁴ It’s a good everyday banking account with handy money management tools which can help you keep track of how much you’ve spent by category or by shop.

You can open the account through the app or on their website. It will only take a few easy steps, as long as you’re 18 and have proof of ID. Since they’re the only UK bank with Secure Digital Banking kitemarks for their app and website, you don’t have to worry about lack of security.³

NatWest Select account - Best for fraud protection

NatWest’s basic free current account is called the Select account. It comes with a debit card and a short-term overdraft. Along with this, they guarantee that they’ll refund any money a fraudster takes out of your account.⁵

Applying is simple and you’ll likely get instant approval. In order to finish everything quickly, prepare your ID and a selfie, so they can compare the two photos and verify your identity.⁵

Lloyds Bank Club Lloyds Account - Best for lifestyle benefits

The fee for the Club Lloyds account is £3, but it’s free if you pay in at least £2,000 a month. It comes with a contactless debit card, available arranged overdraft and access to mortgage offers. You can also choose a lifestyle benefit with your account each year, such as cinema tickets and a Disney+ subscription.⁶

You can apply on their website or through their official app. If you’re not their customer already, you’ll need to provide proof of identity. Make sure you have the necessary documents on you, so you can finish the process in minutes.⁶

Halifax Current Account - Best for everyday saving

You can open this Halifax account online or on their app. You get everyday banking features along with some perks, such as their Save the Change® scheme. Each time you use your Visa debit card to pay, the bank can round up the bill and put the change in your savings account.⁷

You can even save money by spending, because you get 15% cashback with their Cashback Extras feature. The limit for contactless payments is £100, but you can also make it lower. The account is completely free of charge.⁷

Starling Bank Current Account - Best for travelling abroad

Starling Bank’s current account is not only easy to open, but it allows you to quickly open additional GBP or EUR accounts. With this account, you can split incoming payments, pay other Starling users via Bluetooth and withdraw up to £300 a day from ATMs.⁸

One of the best parts is that you can spend abroad with no foreign transaction fees and get 24/7 support if you need it. And of course, no monthly fees.⁹

You can open the account online in as little as 5 minutes.¹⁰

Santander Basic current account - Best for poor credit history and basic account

This basic bank account is great for those who have a poor credit history or those who haven’t been able to open a different Santander account. There’s no monthly fee, but also no mobile payments or arranged overdraft. If you prepare the necessary documents, it’s likely that you’ll be able to open the account right away.¹¹

However, you’ll be able to get a contactless debit card, mobile and online banking and access to Santander’s free rewards programme called Santander Boosts. You can also withdraw cash for free from all Santander ATMs abroad.¹¹

💡 Read more: Best basic bank accounts in the UK

Nationwide FlexDirect current account - Best for interest-free arranged overdraft

The next one on the list of the easiest UK bank accounts to open online is Nationwide’s FlexDirect account. Not only can you open this account online in minutes, you’ll manage it online as well.¹²

The main perks include no monthly fee and the possibility of an interest-free arranged overdraft for 12 months.¹²

Co-operative Bank Current account - Best for exclusive savings accounts

The current account at Co-operative has everything you might need for basic everyday banking - a contactless debit card, mobile payments and an arranged overdraft. Besides this, you can also access their exclusive savings accounts, such as Regular Saver and the Base Rate Tracker Savings Account.¹³

There aren’t any monthly fees for this account. If you’re applying for an individual account, the process will probably take around 10 minutes.¹⁴

Monzo account - Best for sending and receiving money without sharing bank details

Monzo is one of the most popular digital banks in the UK and opening an account online is standard procedure. This takes only 10 minutes and you get access to loans and overdrafts, spending without hidden charges and 24/7 customer support.¹⁵

One of their best features is sending and receiving money in a few taps, without sharing bank details. You also get unlimited fee-free withdrawals in the EEA and a £200 monthly withdrawal limit anywhere else.¹⁵

How can you open a bank account online?

You’ll usually need a few documents on hand, such as your ID or proof of address. Some banks will also ask for you to upload your photo so that they could compare it to your ID. Applications can be made through bank websites or their official apps.

Although these conditions are similar for all banks, make sure you check for any new information from the bank you end up choosing.

💡 Read more: How to open a bank account in the United Kingdom (UK)?

How easy is it to open a bank account online?

Opening an account online is very easy, as long as you have the necessary documents. You can take care of it in a few clicks and start using your account as soon as you get approved.

How long does it take to open a bank account online in the UK?

It depends on the bank, but it usually takes between 10 and 20 minutes. For example, opening a HSBC bank account online lasts approximately 12 minutes.¹ However, if the bank ends up needing to do more checks, this can make the process longer.

Wise – An international alternative to a bank account

If you need an account that’s easy to open** and offers multiple benefits especially for travellers, then consider checking out the Wise account. It’s not a bank account but offers many similar features.

With the Wise account you can manage your money in 40+ currencies and send international payments worldwide to 160+ countries for low fees* and mid-market exchange rates. All transfers are secure and trackable, and when you’re sending large amounts you’ll also get dedicated support.

There’s even a Wise card you can get for a one-time cost of £7 for spending in 150+ countries. This clever card automatically converts your pounds to the local currency at a great rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee* – or it’s free if you already have the currency in your Wise account.

Sign up with Wise today 💰

**Note: Eligibility is subject to verification of customers identity.

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Sources used:

1. HSBC - HSBC Bank Account
2. HSBC - Fee information document
3. Barclays - Barclays Bank Account
4. Barclays - Fee information document
5. NatWest - Select bank account
6. Lloyds Bank - Club Lloyds account
7. Halifax - Current account
8. Starling Bank - Current account
9. Starling Bank - Rates, fees and charges
10. Starling Bank - Open a bank account online - Apply in minutes
11. Santander - Basic current account
12. Nationwide - FlexDirect current account
13. Co-operative Bank - Current account
14. Co-operative Bank - Apply for a current account
15. Monzo - Open a free Monzo account

Sources last checked on date: 02-Sep-2024