Santander UK review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Santander UK pairs a balance transfer credit card with a debit card whose monthly fee is £0. It suits UK residents who want one high street name behind everyday spending, and who plan to move an old balance across before spending again on credit.
Key facts
- Best for
- One high street name for a UK debit card, a balance transfer and a no annual fee credit card.
- Monthly fee
- £0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 2.95% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card type
- Debit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Santander UK plc (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1988 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Official website
- santander.co.uk
Credit cards
- Annual fee
- £0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- APR
- 24.9% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 2.95% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards type
- None (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Balance transfer intro period
- 12 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Balance transfer fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card kind
- Credit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Santander UK plc (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1988 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- No annual fee
Pros and cons
Pros
- The balance transfer offer runs for 12, a clear window for moving and clearing an old balance.
- One provider covers the current account, the debit card and the credit card, so the same bank handles the transfer.
- Regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority, with Santander UK plc behind the accounts.
Cons
- Currency conversion of 2.95% is the weak point, ranking 213 of 259 brands on that fee.
- The rewards type is none, so nothing comes back on credit card spending.
- An APR of 24.9% is steep, and with a rewards type of none there is nothing to offset a balance left over from month to month.
Who it suits
- UK residents who want a current account and a credit card from one high street brand.
- Anyone with an old balance to move across during the 12 transfer window.
- People who pay the credit card in full each month and want an annual fee of £0.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, if you spend abroad regularly: its currency conversion fee of 0.1% sits a long way under the 2.95% charged here.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if you would rather build credit from a deposit, since it is a secured card with a monthly fee of $0.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), if a US dollar secured card with a monthly fee of $0 suits you better than a UK current account.
Rates and terms
The credit card is priced at an APR of 24.9% for the Everyday balance transfer card. The transfer offer runs for 12, which is the window you have to move an old balance across and pay it down. Card payments still need clearing each month, and the offer covers the balance you transfer rather than new spending.
Fees and currency costs
The Everyday current account behind the debit card charges a monthly fee of £0, so day to day banking in the UK carries no account cost. Currency conversion is where spending adds up: the account fee information sets the cost at 2.95% on purchases made outside the UK, and it applies on top of the exchange rate your card network gives you.
How Santander UK compares
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.7
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 9.6
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.8- 9.2 vs 8.8
- 9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.8- 9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 8.3
9.2 vs 8.2
9.2 vs 8.0
9.2 vs 8.0
Where Santander UK is available
- Available
- United Kingdom
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Financial Conduct Authority (106054), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the Everyday current account cost each month?+
The account carries a monthly fee of £0, so holding it adds no regular charge to your bills. The card that comes with it is a debit card, so spending draws on money already in the account rather than adding to a balance. Keeping a small buffer there is the practical use.
How long is the balance transfer offer?+
The transfer offer runs for 12 and the balance transfer fee is 0%. That is the window for moving an existing balance from another card and paying it down. Start the transfer at the beginning of a billing period so the full window is available to you.
What rate do I pay on the credit card?+
The Everyday credit card is priced at an APR of 24.9%, which is a high rate to leave a balance on. It is a credit card, so it needs a credit check and a repayment each month. People who clear the balance in full pay nothing in interest.
What does it cost to spend abroad?+
Currency conversion is set at 2.95% on the debit card, charged on top of the rate your card network provides. That is the figure to check before a trip, because a fee on every foreign purchase adds up quickly. Paying in the local currency is better than letting the terminal convert.
Who regulates Santander UK?+
Santander UK holds a Financial Conduct Authority licence, reference 106054, in the UK, and the legal entity behind the accounts is Santander UK plc. The group was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in the UK, so this is an established high street name.
Does the card earn anything back?+
Nothing comes back on card spending: the rewards type is none, so there are no points, miles or cashback to track. The card suits people who pay in full and want a simple cost, rather than those who chase a rebate on their groceries.
Sources
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/compan... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Incorporated on 12 September 1988”
- santander.co.uk/about-santander/investor-relations/stock-... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Licences
“Registered Office: 2 Triton Square, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3AN, United Kingdom”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/AD_documents/everyday_... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Balance transfer fee
“0% of the amount of the balance transfer - Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/AD_documents/Summary_B... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: APR, Balance transfer intro period
“Representative 24.9% APR (variable) - Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/documents/basic_curren... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Currency conversion fee
“standard foreign currency conversion fee of 2.95% will apply - Everyday Current Account debit card”
- santander.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/everyday-credit-card checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Annual fee, Card kind, Pricing model, Rewards type
“No monthly account fee - Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card”
- santander.co.uk/personal/current-accounts/everyday-curren... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Monthly fee
“Everyday Current Account | No monthly account fee”
- santander.co.uk/personal/support/credit-cards/travelling checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type
“If you use your debit card outside the UK”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Santander UK
One high street name for a UK debit card, a balance transfer and a no annual fee credit card.