Independent BankAdvisor review
Santander Overview
Santander is a major UK high street bank offering current accounts, savings, credit cards, mortgages, loans, and insurance. Its current account range is now led by Santander Edge, Santander Edge Up, Santander Edge Explorer, and the fee-free Everyday Current Account, with a focus on cashback…
Quick facts
FSCS protection
Protected up to £120,000
Trust score
3.1 / 5
Monthly fee
£0-£17pm
Account type
High street bank
Account summary
Key features
| FSCS Protection | Yes — up to £120,000 per person, per authorised firm |
| Monthly Fee | Everyday: £0 | Santander Edge: £3 | Santander Edge Up: £5 | Santander Edge Explorer: £17 |
| Branch Network | Santander is moving to a refreshed 305-branch network, plus Santander Local support locations |
| Mobile App Rating | 4.8/5 Apple App Store | around 4.7/5 Google Play |
| Cashback | Santander Edge: 1% cashback on selected household bills, capped at £10 per month |
| Linked Savings | Santander Edge Saver: 6.00% AER/gross variable on balances up to £4,000, including a 12-month bonus |
| Regular Saver | 8.00% AER/gross variable, including a 5.00% bonus for 12 months; save up to £200 per month from a Santander current account |
| Overdraft Rate | Representative 39.94% APR/EAR variable on many current accounts |
| Spending Abroad | No Santander debit card fees abroad on Edge accounts; standard accounts may charge 2.95% |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | Yes — mobile wallet payments supported |
Santander at a glance
- Santander's distinguishing feature on the high street is that its current accounts are built around cashback on household bills rather than interest or perks. That makes the maths personal: the cashback accounts charge a monthly fee, so whether one pays off depends on whether your own bills fall into the categories Santander rewards.
- There is a fee-free account for people who would rather not make that trade, and higher tiers that bundle benefits such as travel insurance and breakdown cover for a larger monthly fee.
Santander services
Current accounts across fee-free, cashback and packaged tiers, instant-access and fixed-term savings, regular savings, Cash ISAs, credit cards, residential mortgages, personal loans and insurance, with app, online, telephone and branch access.
The linked savings accounts only work if you are already a customer: the Edge Saver and Regular Saver are open to account holders, so they belong in the value of the account itself rather than being compared on their own.
May suit
- OKSantander Edge pays 1% cashback on selected household bills, capped at £10 per month
- OKSantander Edge costs £3 per month and gives access to the Santander Edge Saver
- OKSantander Edge Saver pays 6.00% AER/gross variable on balances up to £4,000, including a 12-month bonus rate
- OKRegular Saver pays 8.00% AER/gross variable, including a 5.00% bonus for the first 12 months, with deposits up to £200 per month
- OKEveryday Current Account has no monthly account fee
- OKSantander Edge and Edge Explorer debit cards have no Santander fees for use abroad
May not suit
- !Cashback is capped and only applies to eligible categories and qualifying Direct Debits
- !Santander Edge has a £3 monthly fee and eligibility requirements, including monthly pay-in and active Direct Debits
- !Edge Saver's headline 6.00% AER rate includes a bonus for the first 12 months and only pays interest up to £4,000
- !Everyday Current Account debit card spending abroad can attract a 2.95% foreign currency fee
- !Arranged overdraft rate is high at 39.94% APR/EAR variable on many accounts
- !The branch network is being reduced and reshaped, with more reliance on Santander Local and digital support
Our Assessment of Santander
We like Santander for customers who can make practical use of its cashback and linked savings features. The Santander Edge account can work well for people with regular household Direct Debits, especially if they also want no Santander debit card fees abroad and access to the Edge Saver. The Everyday Current Account is a straightforward no-fee option, while Edge Explorer is aimed at customers who want packaged benefits such as travel insurance and breakdown cover.
Continue Reading
Continue with the Complete Santander Review
You've read the summary. Our Complete Review examines the account in much greater detail, helping you understand how it performs in everyday banking before you decide.
- Detailed feature analysis
- Fees and charges explained
- Everyday banking experience
- Account strengths and limitations
- Protection and eligibility
- Comparison with similar UK banks
How Santander compares
Compared with other high street banks, Santander's clearest difference is its cashback-led Edge account range. Lloyds focuses more on Club Lloyds lifestyle perks, NatWest has a very strong app and Reward account, while Nationwide stands out for its mutual structure. Santander is strongest for customers who will use household bill cashback, linked savings, and the no-Santander-fee travel benefit on Edge accounts. Customers who simply want a free current account may prefer Santander Everyday or another fee-free high street account, while frequent travellers should compare Edge against digital banks with wider fee-free overseas features.
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Financial Information Disclaimer
The information on this website is provided for general guidance only and may not always reflect the latest fees, rates, or terms offered by each bank. While we do our best to keep content accurate and up-to-date, you should always check the bank's official website or app before applying for an account. Nothing on this site constitutes financial advice.
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