UK banking · September 2026
Free app-based current accounts compared — what matters and the latest options
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Important: This guide provides general information, not personalised financial advice. Financial products, rates and eligibility rules can change, so check the provider’s current terms before applying. Some links are referral links — we may earn a commission. You can check a firm’s details on the FCA Register.
Quick comparison
Looking for a free app-based current account? Zopa, Monzo, Starling and Chase all offer a £0 personal current account with FSCS-eligible deposits (as of 12 September 2026). None wins outright: pick on features you’ll use — pots, travel spending, overdrafts, joint accounts.
If you want a seven-day switch through the Current Account Switch Service, Monzo, Starling and Chase (sole accounts only) take CASS switches; Zopa doesn’t (as of 12 September 2026).
| Bank | Monthly fee | On CASS? | Joint account | Overdraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zopa | £0 (Biscuit) | No — moves are manual | No | No arranged overdraft |
| Monzo | £0; paid plans Extra £3, Perks £9, Max £19 (18 Aug 2026) | Yes | Yes | Arranged overdraft available |
| Starling | £0 | Yes | Yes (no arranged overdraft on joint) | Not covered here |
| Chase UK | £0 | Yes, sole accounts only | No | No overdrafts |
As of 12 September 2026 unless another date is shown.
Want a free bank account that switches easily? Check the current offers →
Four free current accounts compared
Free personal current accounts side by side.
| Bank | Minimum balance | Fees | Payments | App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zopa Zopa explained | Not applicable (closest: no published minimum open/deposit balance for free personal CA ) | £0 free personal current account (Biscuit); paid tiers may exist separately | UK Faster Payments / debit card / app transfers (standard UK CA rails) | Yes — Zopa Bank app (app-first) |
| Monzo Banking hub | Not applicable (closest: no published minimum open/deposit balance for free personal CA ) | £0 free personal current account; paid Monzo Plus/Premium optional | UK Faster Payments / debit card / app transfers (standard UK CA rails) | Yes — Monzo app (app-first) |
| Starling | Not applicable (closest: no published minimum open/deposit balance for free personal CA ) | £0 free personal current account | UK Faster Payments / debit card / app transfers (standard UK CA rails) | Yes — Starling app (app-first) |
| Chase UK | Not applicable (closest: no published minimum open/deposit balance for free personal CA ) | £0 free personal current account | UK Faster Payments / debit card / app transfers (standard UK CA rails) | Yes — Chase UK app (app-first) |
Some links in this table are referral links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our review methodology, not commission.
Good for
Who each option suits
- Zopa may suit you if you don’t need CASS, an overdraft or a joint account, and you like its Smart Saver pots.
- Monzo may suit you if you want CASS, a joint account and the option of a paid plan.
- Starling may suit you if you want CASS, a joint account and Spaces.
- Chase UK may suit you if you want savings-linked extras such as round-ups and only need a sole account.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs branches or in-person cash deposits
- People who need a CASS switch with Zopa or Chase — confirm first
- Anyone who already holds money with a bank sharing Chase’s FSCS licence
- People looking for business banking — this page covers personal accounts
Our pick
Tie — Zopa, Monzo, Starling and Chase on a free FSCS-eligible personal current account.
Monzo, Starling and Chase are on the Current Account Switch Service — Chase for sole accounts only, as joint and business accounts can’t switch (Chase UK, checked 3 October 2026). Zopa is not on CASS, so moves are manual.
Pick on features you will actually use (pots, travel, overdraft, joint accounts), not on a single crown.
Our picks by need
Full explanation
App-first current accounts from Zopa, Monzo, Starling and Chase all offer a £0 personal account. Eligible deposits are covered by the FSCS up to £120,000 from 1 December 2025. The differences show up in switching (CASS), pots, travel spend, overdrafts and joint accounts — not in a single “top bank” badge.
Visual summary
Four free digital UK current accounts at a glance.
Zopa
- Strengths: free personal CA; FSCS-eligible
- Limitations: not on CASS on our last check
Monzo
- Strengths: pots; on CASS; FSCS-eligible
- Limitations: feature set still evolves in-app
Starling
- Strengths: Spaces; strong abroad spend; on CASS
- Limitations: ATM daily caps when travelling
Chase UK
- Strengths: free CA; round-ups / rewards when live
- Limitations: FSCS shares licence pot; CASS for sole accounts only
Four free personal current accounts (as of 12 September 2026)
See the Our pick section below.
Only PRA-authorised UK banks with a free personal current account and FSCS-eligible deposits are in this table. Revolut is not in the main four because it does not meet all of these criteria (see the note below).
| Criterion | Zopa (Biscuit) |
Monzo |
Starling |
Chase UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Zopa Bank Ltd | Monzo Bank Ltd | Starling Bank Ltd | J.P. Morgan Europe Ltd t/a Chase |
| FRN | 800542 | 730427 | 730166 | 124579 |
| PRA bank personal CA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (JPME) |
| Free personal CA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FSCS deposits £120,000 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes — one pot with JPME (shared licence) |
Eligible bank deposits are covered by FSCS up to £120,000 per person per authorised firm from 1 December 2025. See FSCS protection limits.
Details table
Published-fact columns only. Cash switch bonuses live on current account switch bonuses.
| Criterion | Zopa |
Monzo |
Starling |
Chase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSCS / licence notes | Yes £120k. Full bank FRN 800542 — historic P2P lending brand is not a second deposit licence | Yes £120k (Monzo Bank Ltd) | Yes £120k (Starling Bank Ltd) | Yes £120k — shared with JPME FRN 124579 (not “Chase alone”) |
| Free personal CA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paid CA subscription | None found | Extra £3 / Perks £9 / Max £19 (+Family £23); Plus £6 still published (Monzo Fee Information, 18 Aug 2026) | None found | None found |
| Joint current account | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| CASS | No (manual move) | Yes | Yes | Yes (sole only) |
| Arranged overdraft | No | Yes (rate set out in the overdraft agreement) | Personal yes; joint no | No |
| Pots / spaces / savings (high-level) | CA pots + Smart Saver: Access 2.95% AER; Boosted up to 3.55%; Fixed up to 4.90% (Zopa, 18 Oct 2026) | Pots + Instant Access / Select Access (rates by plan) | Spaces + Easy Saver intro 4.00% AER incl. 1.50% six-month bonus on up to £25k (from 6 Jul 2026); Cash ISA 2.50%; 1-year Fixed Saver 4.20% (Starling, 18 Oct 2026) | Extra accounts + Saver 2.25% AER; Boosted 4.5% AER (new joiners from 29 Dec 2025, first 31 days; Chase, 18 Oct 2026); Round-up 5% AER |
| Published 0% FX card spend (issuer) | Yes (Visa; see travel money) | Yes (see travel money) | Yes (see travel money) | Yes (Mastercard; see travel money) |
| Official cash switch bonus (Sep 2026) | None found | None found | None found | None found |
FSCS: £120,000, and Chase shares a licence
Eligible bank deposits are covered up to £120,000 per person per authorised firm from 1 December 2025. All four banks in this table sit under that deposit scheme for eligible current-account credit balances.
Chase UK is a brand of J.P. Morgan Europe Limited (FRN 124579).
FSCS pools eligible deposits with that firm — not “Chase alone”. Full explainer: FSCS protection limits.
Zopa: full bank, not the old P2P licence
Zopa Bank Ltd (FRN 800542) is a PRA bank. The historic peer-to-peer lending brand is not a second deposit licence. Current-account and savings deposits with Zopa Bank are bank deposits for FSCS purposes.
Free personal current account (Biscuit). Rotating benefit (boosted interest / cashback options). No arranged overdraft.
No joint account. Not on the Current Account Switch Service — moves are manual. Digital-only; no cash pay-in.
Smart Saver pots (Zopa’s own savings page, 18 October 2026): Access 2.95% AER; Boosted up to 3.55%; Fixed up to 4.90%. Joint savings context: joint savings accounts — Zopa does not offer a joint current account.
Monzo
Free personal current account. Paid plans (Fee Info as of 18 August 2026): Extra £3; Perks £9; Max £19 (+ Family £23); Plus £6 still published.
Pots; Instant Access / Select Access rates by plan. Joint current account: yes. CASS: yes.
Savings and ISAs are not moved by CASS. No official cash switch bonus found when checked. Arranged overdraft: yes (the rate is set out in the overdraft agreement).
ATM abroad is plan-dependent; card-spend abroad detail sits on the travel-money page.
Starling
Free personal current account. Spaces.
Easy Saver intro 4.00% AER including a 1.50% six-month bonus on balances up to £25,000 (from 6 July 2026), then 2.50% AER; Cash ISA 2.50%; 1-year Fixed Saver 4.20% (Starling, 18 October 2026).
Joint current account: yes (no arranged overdraft on joint). CASS: yes.
Cash switch bonuses live on current account switch bonuses.
Chase UK
Free personal current account. No overdrafts.
No joint accounts. Extra accounts plus Saver 2.25% AER; Boosted 4.5% AER (boost for new joiners from 29 December 2025, first 31 days; still offered by Chase on 18 October 2026); Round-up 5% AER.
CASS: yes, sole only. Cashback needs a current account plus saver and monthly details.
Investments via J.P. Morgan Personal Investing are a separate FCA firm (FRN 552016) — not deposit FSCS.
Abroad fees
All four market fee-free card spend abroad (Visa or Mastercard scheme rate, no issuer markup). ATM limits and fees are covered in UK travel money cards.
Current Account Switch Service
CASS moves eligible current accounts. It does not move savings or ISAs. Zopa is out of CASS — any move is manual.
Chase and Zopa do not take joint current accounts, so you cannot CASS a joint account into them. How CASS and cash bonuses work: current account switch bonuses. Wider banking context: banking.
Revolut (not in the scored four)
Revolut is not in the main table because it does not meet every criterion for inclusion. As of 12 September 2026 it remains dual-entity: Revolut Ltd (EMI, FRN 900562, safeguarding) and/or Revolut Bank UK Ltd (FRN 981170, FSCS £120,000 once migrated). Not every Revolut balance is FSCS-protected.
Check Account details in the app. That is why it is covered in this note, not as a fifth scored bank.
The catch
- Zopa: not on CASS, digital-only with no cash pay-in, no joint account and no arranged overdraft.
- Monzo: paid plans add a monthly cost — check which features are only on paid plans.
- Starling: no arranged overdraft on joint accounts.
- Chase UK: no overdrafts or joint accounts, and its deposits sit with J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, so the £120,000 FSCS limit is shared across that firm.
Common traps
Informational checklist only. These rows do not score banks or break ties.
| Trap | What it means |
|---|---|
| Shared FSCS licence (Chase) | Chase UK sits under J.P. Morgan Europe Ltd (FRN 124579). Eligible deposits with that firm usually count toward one £120,000 limit — not a separate “Chase-only” pot. |
Zopa bank vs old P2P brand |
Zopa Bank Ltd FRN 800542 is a PRA bank. The historic peer-to-peer lending brand is not a second deposit licence. CA and savings deposits with Zopa Bank are bank deposits for FSCS purposes. |
| E-money vs bank confusion | Some “digital banking” round-ups mix e-money apps with PRA banks. This page’s main four are banks with FSCS-eligible deposits. Revolut Ltd EMI balances are safeguarded, not covered by FSCS deposit protection. |
| Older £85,000 figures | Some older PDFs and third-party pages still quote £85,000 for deposits. Live deposit cover is £120,000 from 1 December 2025. £85,000 is the investment scheme only. |
| Joint / CASS limits | Zopa: no joint CA, not CASS (manual). Chase: no joint CA, CASS sole only. Starling joint: no arranged overdraft on the joint account. |
Chase investments vs deposits |
Investments via J.P. Morgan Personal Investing are a separate FCA firm (FRN 552016) — not deposit FSCS. |
Important things to know
- Four PRA banks with free personal current accounts and FSCS £120,000 deposits.
- Any “our pick” here is based on dated details only.
- Chase shares FSCS with J.P. Morgan Europe Limited.
- Zopa Bank FRN 800542 is not the old P2P deposit story.
- Zopa and Chase: no joint current account. Zopa: not CASS.
- Revolut is covered in a separate note, not in the scored four.
Check providers’ current offers
Zopa
Good for: Zopa may suit you if you don’t need CASS, an overdraft or a joint account, and you like its Smart Saver pots.
Free personal current account (Biscuit); not on CASS at last check.
Check Zopa’s current offer →Monzo
Good for: Monzo may suit you if you want CASS, a joint account and the option of a paid plan.
Free personal current account; on CASS; paid tiers optional.
Check Monzo’s current offer →Some links in this table are referral links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our review methodology, not commission.
What we looked at (12 September 2026)
Some links in this table are referral links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our review methodology, not commission.
Key takeaways
- Monzo, Starling, Chase UK and Zopa are PRA-authorised banks with FSCS-eligible deposits up to £120,000 — not e-money wallets.
- Pick on everyday banking habits: pots, interest on balances, overseas spend, and how you like the app to work.
- A free personal current account still has eligibility and usage rules; switching via CASS is separate from any bonus.
- This page is about personal accounts, not business banking for startups.
Free UK bank current accounts: FAQs
What are free UK bank current accounts from Zopa, Monzo, Starling and Chase?
This page covers four PRA-authorised UK banks that offer a free personal current account with FSCS-eligible deposits: Zopa (Biscuit), Monzo, Starling and Chase UK. It is about personal, app-based accounts — not business banking for startups. It is to open an account.
Are Monzo, Starling, Chase and Zopa covered by FSCS?
Yes for eligible deposits. Deposit protection is £120,000 per eligible person per authorised firm from 1 December 2025. Chase UK is a brand of J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, so eligible deposits share one pot with that firm. See FSCS protection limits.
Monzo vs Starling vs Chase: what differs?
Published details differ on paid plans, joint accounts, CASS, overdrafts and savings extras. Monzo and Starling offer joint current accounts; Zopa and Chase do not. Zopa is not on CASS. See the Our pick section for the dated conclusion.
Is Zopa a real bank?
See Zopa: full bank, not the old P2P licence above.
Do these banks offer joint current accounts?
As of 12 September 2026: Monzo and Starling yes; Zopa and Chase no. Starling’s joint current account has no arranged overdraft. Joint savings are a different product — see joint savings accounts.
Can I switch to Zopa, Monzo, Starling or Chase with CASS?
Monzo, Starling and Chase (sole only) support the Current Account Switch Service. Zopa is out of CASS — moves are manual. CASS does not move savings or ISAs. See current account switch bonuses.
Does Chase share an FSCS limit with another brand?
Yes. Chase UK is a brand of J.P. Morgan Europe Limited (FRN 124579). FSCS pools eligible deposits with that firm — not “Chase alone”. The live deposit limit is £120,000 from 1 December 2025.
Is Revolut in this comparison?
Revolut is covered in a separate note, not as one of the four scored banks. As of 12 September 2026 it remains dual-entity: Revolut Ltd (EMI, safeguarding) and/or Revolut Bank UK Ltd (FSCS once migrated). Not every Revolut balance is FSCS-protected.
Are abroad card fees covered here?
Only in outline. All four market fee-free card spend abroad at issuer level. ATM caps and detail sit on UK travel money cards. This page does not duplicate those tables.
Is this page about business banking for startups?
No. Despite the folder name, It is not about business banking for startups.