How to make money from Bank Switching Offers
A big welcome to the most profitable type of offers - current account switching!
These offers are one of Quidsy members' favourite offers.
Why is this? Simply put, they give you a big profit per offer, nice!
You can make £835 from the 4 offers available, so let's dive in. In this guide you will learn:
- Why do banks give you free cash?
- How quickly can you profit?
- How easy is it to switch?
- What are the criteria?
- How do I start my first offer?
Let's get into it...
Bank switching is when you move your current account from one bank to another using the free Current Account Switch Service (CASS) — and get paid a cash bonus for doing it.
Here's what actually happens when you switch:
- Your balance transfers automatically — every penny moves to your new account
- Direct Debits and standing orders move too — no need to update each one manually
- Incoming payments get redirected — salary, benefits, and transfers find your new account for 3 years
- Your old account closes — CASS handles this for you
The whole process takes 7 working days and is guaranteed by the bank. If anything goes wrong, they fix it and compensate you.
Banks pay £175–£220 per switch because acquiring a new customer through advertising costs them more. You're essentially getting paid their marketing budget.
Tip: You don't have to uproot your "main" account. Many switchers use a spare account purely for offers.
Your current account is a profitable account for banks.
Banks make money in various ways from your current account, such as making interest on your balance or charging foreign exchange fees.
The bank gives you a cash reward for switching to give them a try. This is simply their marketing cost and they hope to keep you as a customer, making more from you in the long run.
Banks will give you £175 to £260 depending on the bank for switching your current account to them, very nice!
Currently there are 4 offers worth a total £835 total profit
You can complete a switch offer in under 45 minutes.
Most of this time is spent completing the bank's online application plus doing some simple admin to meet the offer criteria.
The switch itself is automatic and takes 7 working days. Depending on the offer, it may take around 2-3 weeks to receive the free cash, at which point the offer is complete.
Assuming you complete 1 switch offer at a time, on average you will complete 1 switch offer per month.
This makes you £175 to £260 profit per month for under 45 minutes' work, awesome!
It is very easy due to the Current Account Switching Service (CASS).
This was launched in 2013 as part of a UK government reform.
When setting up your new account, you simply select that you are switching from another bank and enter its account number and sort code.
The new bank will:
✓ Move your balance
✓ Move Direct Debits and standing orders
✓ Re-direct future incoming payments e.g. salary, transfers
✓ Close the old current account
The switch is complete within 7 days and you receive an email and text message from your new bank. Easy peasy!
Each offer has typically 3 criteria. We give the exact criteria in every guide so it's simple for you to follow.
We have also ordered the offers in Your Offers, so it starts with the offer with the easiest criteria.
These criteria are:
1) Switch Direct Debits (before switch)
Most offers require you to switch across 2 Direct Debits e.g. electricity bill and internet.
Before Switch: You need to have these in place in your existing account so they are switched across to your new account.
✓ If you don't have these already in place, we give you tips on setting them up quickly.
2) Add Funds (after switch)
After the switch is completed, most offers require you to add £1,000 within the first 30 or 60 days.
✓ This can be via your salary or a bank transfer.
3) Card Transactions (after switch)
After the switch is complete, some offers require a few card transactions using your new card.
✓ This can be met easily as part of your day-to-day spending.
Before starting your first switching offer, you need to choose whether to switch away from your Main current account or a Spare current account.
Your Main current account is where you:
- Have your direct debits for utility bills e.g. council, electricity, internet.
- Receive your salary (if applicable).
- Day-to-day spending.
When to switch from your Main account
Chris's Tip: Some people really like their existing current account. If so, don't switch it and switch a spare instead!
If you're not fussed about your existing bank, then switch your Main account.
✓ The benefit of switching your Main current account is you will likely meet all 3 criteria automatically (direct debits, add funds, a few transactions).
If you'd like to switch your main account, simply head back to Your Offers and select the first offer at the top of the switch list and make your first switch profit!
A Spare current account is:
- An old current account you no longer use or rarely use.
- A current account you've set up for a Quidsy offer e.g. Monzo.
When to switch from a Spare account
Chris's Tip: If you want to keep your Main account, then simply use a Spare account. It's just a bit of extra admin but easy.
This is a popular option both for first time and seasoned switchers.
✓ Using a spare account is easy, it just needs a bit of admin.
Follow our Practical Tips guide 'How to set up a Spare account' so you can easily meet the criteria.
Keep a switching log — Note the date you applied, switch completion date, and expected payout date. Banks sometimes miss deadlines, and a log gives you evidence to chase.
Plan for "sitting" time — Most offers require your deposit to sit for 30-60 days. Don't move that £1,000 early or you'll void the bonus.
Track CASS completion — The 7-day countdown starts when CASS confirms, not when you apply. Watch for the confirmation email.
Batch your Direct Debits — Set up 2-3 cheap DDs (£1 charity, streaming, phone) on a spare account. Move them together when switching — saves setup time each round.
Quick glossary
CASS — the UK Current Account Switch Service.
Full switch — old account closed, payments moved and redirected.
Partial switch — old account remains open (and usually doesn't qualify for bonuses).
Funding requirement — the one‑off amount you must pay in (e.g., "pay in £1,250 within 60 days").
DD requirement— number of Direct Debits you need moved with the switch.