Best Monzo Current Account Alternatives 2026: 6 Top Options

Best for: people who want the same digital experience as Monzo but with stronger in-credit interest and genuinely unlimited fee-free spending abroad, without paying a monthly fee.

Starling is a fully licensed UK bank regulated by the FCA and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000, the same as any high street bank. The account costs £0 per month with no hidden usage fees.

In our test, the Starling app felt marginally cleaner than Monzo for day-to-day payments, though both are genuinely excellent. Foreign spending is completely fee-free: Starling charges no foreign transaction fees and no ATM withdrawal fees abroad, with no monthly cap. That puts it ahead of Monzo's free tier, which applies a charge on foreign ATM withdrawals beyond a free allowance. Starling also pays in-credit interest on current account balances, a feature Monzo reserves for paid tiers. Apple Pay and Google Pay work out of the box, and the account opens entirely online in minutes.

• Zero monthly fee with no conditions attached
• Unlimited fee-free foreign spending and ATM withdrawals worldwide
• In-credit interest paid on the current account balance
• Spaces (sub-accounts) for budgeting, available without a paid tier

The one honest drawback is that, like Monzo, there are no physical branches, so paying in cash requires a visit to a Post Office.

Compared to Monzo, Starling's most important difference is on foreign spending: there is no cap on fee-free withdrawals abroad on the free account, which matters significantly for regular travellers or anyone who makes frequent non-sterling purchases online.

Best for: everyday spenders who want cashback on debit card purchases and a high-interest linked saver without paying any monthly fee.

Chase is the UK digital banking arm of JPMorgan Chase, which means it carries the full weight of one of the world's largest financial institutions. The account is free to open and free to run, with deposits covered by FSCS up to £85,000. You can open it entirely online in a few minutes.

The headline draw is cashback on everyday debit card spending, available during Chase's introductory period for new customers. Chase also links to an easy-access saver with a boosted interest rate, which competes directly with Monzo's Instant Access pots. Foreign spending is fee-free up to £500 per month, after which a 1.5% fee applies. That monthly cap is more generous than Monzo's free-tier foreign ATM allowance. Apple Pay and Google Pay are both supported.

• Cashback on eligible debit card spending during the introductory period
• Linked easy-access saver with a competitive boosted rate
• Fee-free foreign spending up to £500 per month
• 24/7 in-app customer support

The cashback is capped and time-limited rather than a permanent fixture, and Chase does not offer an overdraft facility, so it is not the right fit if you occasionally need a buffer.

Compared to Monzo, Chase's cashback element is the key differentiator: Monzo does not offer cashback on its free account, making Chase a stronger choice for people who spend heavily on everyday purchases and want something back each month.

Best for: savers who want a current account that actively rewards them with interest and cashback on Direct Debits, without any monthly fee.

Zopa Bank's Biscuit Current Account is operated by Zopa Bank Limited, a fully licensed UK bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA. Deposits are FSCS protected up to £85,000. The account is free to open and free to run with no conditions attached.

Zopa Biscuit stands out by paying 2% AER interest on the current account balance itself, with no upper limit on the qualifying balance. That is unusual: most accounts either pay nothing on the free tier or cap the qualifying balance at a low ceiling. On top of that, it offers up to 4% cashback on Direct Debits, capped at £2,000 of qualifying spend per year. The linked Regular Saver pot pays a notably strong rate. Foreign spending and ATM withdrawals abroad are fee-free at the real Visa exchange rate, with no monthly cap. Apple Pay and Google Pay are fully supported.

• 2% AER interest on the full current account balance, no upper limit
• Up to 4% cashback on Direct Debits (on up to £2,000 eligible spend per year)
• Linked Regular Saver pot at a market-leading rate
• Fee-free foreign spending and ATM withdrawals at the Visa exchange rate

One notable limitation is that Zopa Biscuit does not currently fully support the Current Account Switch Service (CASS), so moving your Direct Debits and salary across automatically is not available in the standard seven-day process. There is also no joint account option.

Compared to Monzo, Zopa Biscuit is the stronger pick for people who keep a meaningful balance in their current account: the 2% AER interest is available on the free account from day one, whereas Monzo gates in-credit interest on balances behind its paid tiers.

Best for: social spenders and groups of friends who want to split bills and share expenses easily, with no monthly fees or foreign transaction costs.

Kroo is a fully licensed UK bank, authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA, with FSCS deposit protection up to £85,000. The account costs £0 per month with no conditions. It opens entirely online.

Kroo's defining feature is its built-in group-expense and bill-splitting functionality, making it well suited to flatmates, frequent travellers in groups, or friends who regularly eat out together. In our testing the group tab feature is more tightly integrated than equivalent tools in Monzo or Starling. Foreign spending and ATM withdrawals abroad are completely fee-free with no monthly cap. Apple Pay and Google Pay are both available. Kroo also pays in-credit interest on the current account balance.

• Built-in group expense tracking and bill splitting
• Zero fees on foreign spending and international ATM withdrawals, no cap
• In-credit interest paid on the current account balance
• Full FSCS protection as a licensed UK bank

Kroo is a younger bank with a smaller overall feature set than Monzo: there is no equivalent to Monzo's extensive savings pot system or the range of paid tier upgrades, and the product range is still growing.

Compared to Monzo, Kroo wins clearly on group expenses and on unlimited free foreign ATM withdrawals. Monzo offers more sophisticated solo budgeting tools and a broader ecosystem of paid upgrades for people who want them, so the right choice depends on how central shared expenses are to your daily banking.

Best for: people who spend frequently in multiple currencies or make regular international transfers, and can manage the free plan's usage limits on ATM withdrawals.

Revolut received its full UK banking licence in 2024, which means UK customer deposits are now protected by FSCS up to £85,000. The Standard plan costs £0 per month. The account opens entirely online.

Revolut's core strength is multi-currency: you can hold, exchange, and spend in a large number of currencies, and the exchange rates on weekdays are highly competitive. International transfers are fast and often cheaper than traditional bank wires. The app also bundles budgeting analytics, savings vaults, and access to features such as cryptocurrency and stock trading on higher tiers. Apple Pay and Google Pay work across all plans.

• Competitive weekday exchange rates across a wide range of currencies
• Fast and low-cost international money transfers
• Budgeting analytics and savings vaults built into the app
• Large ecosystem of paid tier upgrades with travel perks for frequent flyers

On the free Standard plan there are meaningful limits: fee-free ATM withdrawals abroad are capped at £200 per month (then 2%), and Revolut applies a small markup on foreign exchange at weekends. Customer support is primarily handled through in-app chat.

Compared to Monzo, Revolut is the better choice if international transfers and multi-currency holding are central to how you use your account. For straightforward UK day-to-day banking, Monzo's budgeting tools and customer experience are arguably more polished on the free tier.

Best for: people who want the reassurance of walking into a branch while still getting a free, app-accessible current account with strong in-credit interest.

Nationwide Building Society is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, owned by its members rather than shareholders, and regulated by the FCA and PRA. FSCS protection covers deposits up to £85,000. FlexDirect carries no monthly fee and can be opened online.

FlexDirect has historically offered one of the highest in-credit interest rates available on a free current account in the UK, typically applying to balances up to a set ceiling for the introductory period. Unlike every other account on this list, Nationwide operates a full branch network across the UK, which is a genuine differentiator for anyone who needs to pay in cash or cheques, or prefers face-to-face service when something goes wrong. Apple Pay and Google Pay are both supported.

• Extensive UK branch network for in-person banking
• Competitive in-credit interest rate on the current account balance
• No monthly fee
• As a building society, profits are returned to members rather than shareholders

The clear trade-off is on foreign use: Nationwide applies a non-sterling transaction fee of 2.99% on purchases abroad, which makes it an expensive card for regular overseas spending. For regular international use, any of the app-only banks on this list would be meaningfully cheaper.

Compared to Monzo, Nationwide FlexDirect is the right choice specifically if branch access is important to you. It is the only account on this list that can fully satisfy someone who needs to walk in and speak to someone in person, making it the natural alternative for the segment of Monzo users who find the lack of branches a genuine gap.