£175 Free Cash

Nationwide is one of my favourites among the high-street names. The mutual structure means decisions tend to lean in the member's direction rather than the shareholder's, the branch network is now the biggest of any UK banking brand and is locked in until 2030, and the mobile app holds its own against the digital-only banks.

If you want a primary current account that feels solid rather than flashy, FlexDirect is a strong pick, 5% on up to £1,500 for the first year is one of the best in-credit rates around, as long as you can pay in at least £1,000 a month and you haven't held a FlexDirect before.

A few honest caveats. Nationwide rarely tops the savings tables, so if your priority is squeezing the maximum interest out of every pound, you'll probably want a separate easy-access account elsewhere alongside the current account.

The December 2025 FCA fine for old AML failings was real money and a fair black mark, even though Nationwide says no customer lost money and the controls have been rebuilt. And the Virgin Money integration that completed in April 2026 is still very fresh, the two brands are running in parallel for now, so if you bank with both, double-check your combined FSCS coverage.

There's no Nationwide sign-up bonus running through Quidsy at the moment, the £175 switch offer ended on 4 March 2026, but if Nationwide reopens a switch incentive we'll list it. For now, Nationwide is a "open it because it earns its keep" rather than a "open it for the cash" recommendation.