Best Cash ISAs in the UK right now
If you’re saving for your first home or another big life event, a Cash ISA lets you save up to £20,000 a year without paying a penny of tax on your interest. But which Cash ISA is best? Let’s take a look at the top Cash ISAs available right now in the UK.
The below list is based on UK Cash ISA accounts providing the highest rate of interest. Accurate up to November 2024. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.
1. Plum
If getting the best interest rate is your top priority, take a look at Plum. This app-based Cash ISA currently pays the top rate of 4.92% for the first 12 months and 4.04% after that. If you save £1,000 in your Plum Cash ISA and you’re eligible for the bonus rate of 4.92%, after one year you’ll have earned £51.70 in interest, giving you a total of £1,051!
There are a few caveats, though. If you transfer in an existing ISA, you won’t have access to the introductory rate. You’ll earn 4.04% instead.
It’s quick and easy to withdraw from your Plum Cash ISA (withdrawals are paid within 1 working day), but you’ll earn just 3.00% AER (variable) if your balance drops below £100 or you make four withdrawals in a year. So if you want regular access to your cash without affecting your interest rate, you may be better suited to a different provider.
2. Chip
Looking for an instant Cash ISA with a generous interest rate and no minimum balance requirements? Chip’s Cash ISA currently offers 4.58% interest and gives you full flexibility over your savings.
3. Zopa
Zopa’s Smart ISA lets you split your allowance across multiple pots all within the same Cash ISA and app. This can make it easier to save for different life events and make the most of their competitive interest rate.
Need easy access to your savings? Keep some or all of your money in an Access ISA pot. You’ll earn 4.55% AER (variable) for 1 year from the date you open an account, after which your rate will drop to 4.05% AER (variable). You can withdraw money if and when you need it - and put it back as many times as you like in the same tax year, without affecting your ISA allowance.
Want reassurance that your rate will stay the same even if the Bank of England’s base rate falls? If you’re happy to lock your money away for between 1-5 years, keep some or all of your allowance in fixed-term pots. You’ll have 30 days from when you open a new Fixed-Term ISA pot to add money into it, after that you won’t be able to add any more money in.
You’ll earn 4.55% AER (fixed) for the first year, then this will gradually go down over time to 3.90% AER (fixed) by the end of 5 years - which could mean you continue to earn a high interest rate vs current rates on the market if interest rates fall.
Important!
If you take money out of your Fixed Term ISA pot before the term ends, you’ll break the term and pay an interest charge.
Coming soon:
Tembo Cash ISA
We know that your savings goals don’t vanish once you’ve bought your first home, or you might want to deposit more than £4,000 each year. So we’re launching a Cash ISA; so you can save up to £20k each year, tax-free.
FSCS-protected up to £85,000
Tax-free deposits up to £20,000
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4. Cynergy
If you want a good interest rate and easy access to your money at any time, Cynergy’s Online ISA could be the answer. It currently offers 4.82% AER (variable) and the interest is paid annually. Unlike some of the other providers, you can make unlimited withdrawals without giving notice or paying any penalties or fees.
With a £1,000 deposit, you could earn £48 in the first year, assuming no further deposits or withdrawals are made and there is no change to the interest rate.
Keep in mind that any money you withdraw from this account can’t be replaced.
5. Marcus (by Goldman Sachs)
The Marcus Cash ISA lets you start saving with £1 and earn 4.3% interest, fixed for the first 12 months. After that, the rate falls to 3.79% AER (variable). The interest is calculated daily and paid monthly, making it easy to track your savings progress and incentivise you to save more. You can make withdrawals from this account, but it’s not a “flexible” account, meaning any money you take out can’t be replaced within your ISA annual allowance.
Unfortunately, you can’t transfer an existing ISA into your Marcus Cash ISA, but if it ticks all your other boxes, you could keep both. To learn more, take a look at our guide to having more than one Cash ISA.
Work out how much you could save each month with our Take Home Pay Calculator.
If you’re saving for your first home (or retirement) a Lifetime ISA can be even more rewarding than your typical Cash ISA. Not only will you earn tax-free interest on your savings, you’ll also benefit from a 25% bonus from the government. You can place up to £4,000 of your ISA allowance in your LISA each year, meaning you could get a £1,000 government boost each year that you max out your account.
Be aware that Lifetime ISAs can only be used to purchase your first home (up to a value of £450,000) or fund retirement. Withdrawals from a Lifetime ISA for any purpose other than buying a first home or for retirement will incur a 25% government penalty, meaning you may get back less than you paid in.
Open the market-leading Lifetime ISA today
Open a Tembo Lifetime ISA today for our market-leading rate of 4.75% AER (variable). Already got a LISA? We can help you transfer your LISA to us within as little as 2-6 weeks.
