NatWest Current Account Review

MoneyHQ Verdict

NatWest is a solid choice for everyday banking, particularly if you want a high street bank with a physical presence and a well-regarded app. The free Select account does the basics well, and the Reward account can pay for itself if you have two or more Direct Debits, earning £4 a month in rewards against a £2 monthly fee as well as having no foreign transaction fees abroad.

NatWest regularly offers a cash incentive for new customers who switch using the Current Account Switch Service, which can make it one of the more attractive switching options when an offer is live. To see if they're currently offering a switch offer, check out current Bank switch offers here.

The main weaknesses are customer service where NatWest holds a 1.4/5 Trustpilot score from over 8,600 reviews and an overdraft rate of 39.49% EAR variable, which is among the most expensive on the high street. The Which? customer score of 74% places NatWest 15th out of 22 providers, below challengers like Monzo and First Direct and slightly behind Barclays and Lloyds.

NatWest Current Account Options

NatWest offers accounts across several tiers:

Select account

The Select account is free with no monthly fee. The everyday account for straightforward banking. With the Select account you will have a foreign transaction fee of 2.75%, compared to 0 with the Reward accounts. Sometimes this account can also be eligible for a switch offer, you can check here to see if they are currently offering one.

Reward account

The Reward account has a £2/month fee. You can earn £4 in Rewards each month for two or more Direct Debits of at least £2 and paying in £1,250/month to an eligible NatWest account, plus cashback at partner retailers. There are also no foreign transaction fees on debit card spending abroad which could be beneficial if you go abroad. Sometimes this account can also be eligible for a switch offer, you can check here to see if they are currently offering one.

NatWest package account Reward Silver

NatWest Reward Silver is their cheaper packaged account available to existing NatWest current account customers. For £12 a month, it adds a suite of insurance and lifestyle benefits on top of the standard Reward account perks.

Cover includes European travel insurance for trips of up to 22 days, including winter sports and up to £10 million in emergency medical expenses.

Mobile phone insurance covers loss, theft, accidental damage and breakdown for the account holder.

The health and wellbeing package includes unlimited 24/7 virtual GP access by video or phone, mental health support with up to six appointments a year.

And a 3GB travel eSIM valid for 30 days once activated.

A Tastecard membership is also included, giving 2-for-1 meals and discounts at thousands of restaurants across the UK.

NatWest says the benefits are worth £561 a year based on May 2026 estimates - against a £144 annual fee.

NatWest package account Reward Platinum

Reward Platinum is NatWest's top-tier packaged account, also available to existing customers only. At £23 a month it upgrades the Silver benefits in several meaningful ways.

Travel insurance extends to worldwide cover for the whole family, including your partner and dependent children up to age 18 (or 23 in full-time education), for trips of up to 31 days.

AA breakdown cover is included for all your private vehicles, covering roadside assistance, home start and national recovery.

Mobile phone insurance extends to your partner and eligible children living at home.

The travel eSIM upgrades to 5GB.

And the health package covers the whole family rather than just the account holder.

NatWest says the Platinum benefits are worth £1,685 a year based on May 2026 estimates - against a £276 annual fee.

Does NatWest have a switch offer?

NatWest periodically offers a cash incentive to customers who switch their main current account using the Current Account Switch Service.

The current offer and its terms are shown below.

How the switch offer works (based on the offer live when we checked on 4 Sept):

• Open a Select or Reward current account
• Complete a full switch using the Current Account Switch Service via the app or online
• Pay in £15,000 within 90 days of switching (can be split across multiple payments, must stay in the account for 24 hours)
• Log into the NatWest mobile app

The cash is paid within 120 days of meeting all conditions. The offer is not available to anyone who held a NatWest current account on 6 May 2026, or who has previously received a NatWest Group switch incentive. Offers can be changed or withdrawn so it is always best to check the current terms before applying.

Is the NatWest Reward account worth it?

The Reward account costs £2 a month but earns £4 a month in Rewards simply for having two Direct Debits of at least £2. That means most households are up £2 a month (£24 a year) before any partner cashback.

On top of that, you get:

• No foreign transaction fees on debit card spending abroad (saving 2.75% vs the Select account)
• Retailer partner offers that rotate every two weeks
• Defaqto 5-star rating (2026)

You also need to pay in at least £1,250 per month to an eligible NatWest account to earn the Rewards, and the £2 monthly fee is not waived.

For most people with at least two Direct Debits, the Reward account costs nothing in practice and returns a small amount each month.

How good is NatWest's customer service?

NatWest apps are rated highly at 4.8/5 on the App Store and 4.7/5 on Google Play however independent complaints and review data tells a different story.

Which? customer score: 74%, placing NatWest 15th out of 22 providers in Which?'s September 2025 survey of 6,665 customers. That's well below challengers like Monzo (85%), First Direct (84%) and Chase (82%), and slightly behind high street competitors Barclays (76%) and Lloyds (75%).

Trustpilot: 1.4/5 from over 8,600 reviews and rated 'Bad' by Trustpilot themselves. Common themes in reviews include issues with account access, fraud disputes and customer service wait times. It is worth noting that NatWest does not actively invite customers to review on Trustpilot, which means the score is weighted towards customers with negative experiences.

Branch network: NatWest Group had 384 UK branches at 31 December 2025 which is one of the larger physical footprints among UK banks, which is a genuine advantage for customers who prefer face-to-face banking. You can use NatWest's branch locator to find a branch or service near you.

How can I contact NatWest customer service?

• By phone: Personal banking number 03457 888 444, lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
• Mobile app: Secure messaging and support available in the NatWest app
• Branch: Find your nearest branch at NatWest's branch locator
• Complaints: Call 03457 888 444 or visit a branch. If this is still unresolved after 8 weeks, then you can escalate your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge.

How does NatWest compare with other banks?

NatWest vs Barclays

Both offer free everyday accounts and fee-based reward tiers. Barclays scores 76% in Which?'s latest survey vs NatWest's 74%. The better choice will depend on the switch offer available when you compare and which rewards programme suits your spending habits. NatWest's Reward account cashback structure suits Direct Debit-heavy households; Barclays Blue Rewards works differently. Compare current accounts here.

NatWest vs Lloyds

Lloyds scores 75% in Which?'s survey, marginally above NatWest's 74%. Both are large high street banks with broad branch networks. Lloyds Club Lloyds account charges £5/month (waived with £2,000/month in) and offers lifestyle benefits including cinema tickets. NatWest Reward earns cashback. The right pick depends on which benefits you would use and current switch offers available.

NatWest vs Santander

Santander scores 71% in Which?'s survey, below NatWest's 74%. Santander's Edge current account offers up to 1% cashback on household bills paid by Direct Debit, which can make it worth more than NatWest's Reward account for households with high regular outgoings. Santander also periodically pairs the Edge account with a competitive linked savings rate. The better choice depends on your own spending patterns, current savings rates and switch offers available from the providers.

NatWest vs Monzo

Monzo scores 85% in Which?'s survey, well above NatWest's 74%. As a digital-only bank with no branches, Monzo suits customers comfortable managing everything by app. NatWest is the better fit if you need face-to-face banking. Both banks offer a premium tier for customers who want bundled insurance and perks: Monzo Max and NatWest Reward Platinum are broadly comparable in that regard, though the specific cover differs.

Who is NatWest best for?

NatWest may suit you if:

• You want a full-service high street bank with a large branch presence
• You have two or more Direct Debits and want a rewards account that pays for itself
• You're looking to switch and want to take advantage of a cash incentive
• You want a single bank for a wide range of services including current accounts, credit cards and mortgages

You may want to compare alternatives if:

• Customer service track record matters with other providers like Monzo, First Direct and Chase all score higher with Which?
• You want the lowest overdraft rate with providers offering significantly lower APR compared to NatWest's 39.49%
• You travel frequently on the free Select account as you will be hit with the 2.75% non-sterling fee whereas competitors like Zopa offer fee free overseas spending.

How we reviewed NatWest

MoneyHQ's NatWest review is based on current account information from NatWest's published product pages, independent Which? survey data (September 2025, 6,665 respondents) and Trustpilot ratings checked October 2026. MoneyHQ does not carry out its own customer satisfaction surveys or banking app testing.

We have assessed the information we can independently verify, including: current account fees and features, switch offer terms, overdraft rates, independent Which? customer scores, and Trustpilot ratings.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Which? data: September 2025 survey, 6,665 respondents

Trustpilot checked: October 2026