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first direct: Current Account reviews

Name: Current Account
Rating: 4.73 (1451 reviews)

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4.73

Based on 1,451 reviews, last reviewed 25th Mar 2026

8700% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

100% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

85%

Latest highest rating:

5

Great online banking. Great online banking. Very easy to set up. Reviewed on: 25th March 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

I have been a customer of First Direct for 34 years... I have been a customer of First Direct for 34 years so I know this bank very well For 33 years I often recommended it to friends but this past year th... Read more Reviewed on: 29th October 2025

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About this product

The first direct 1st Account is a current account that can be opened in minutes.

If you’re eligible, you can get an interest free overdraft of £250. You won’t be charged debit card fees when spending abroad. If approved for an account, you’ll get a virtual card you can use straight away.

first direct 1st Account reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used first direct before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

first direct Current Account reviews (1451)

Review of the first direct, Current Account:

Quick Service

Fast response to any issues and helpful at sorting things out quickly. Reviewed on: 25th May 2024

Great customer service

Very easy to contact and extremely helpful and informative Reviewed on: 5th November 2019

Genuinely helpful service, reasonable terms

Really happy overall - very pleased I switched banks Reviewed on: 5th November 2019

Premier banking without the fee

Have been with First Direct for more years than I can remember and never had a problem, it's always been like having premier banking but without the fees, first class service from all the operators I have spoken to and so good to speak to a call center in the UK. Reviewed on: 5th November 2019

Unbelievably stubborn and stupid! What has happened to first direct?

We joined first direct eight months ago, based on their excellent customer service. Reading the many recent negative reviews, this appears to have drastically changed in a few months I have been with them. I am now in the process of switching my account to another bank after what happened yesterday! I phoned first direct (spoke to Simon) to ask for help setting up access to my account using fingerprint recognition on my phone. All was going well, until I asked if my wife could also set it up on her phone. Simon said yes (we both had been speaking to him on speaker phone) then asked her, if anyone was able to hear the conversation or see the passwords. My wife said no, apart from my husband who he had just been speaking to. Simon then said that in order to proceed, I would have to leave the room. I joked that I would pretend to leave now, so that he could continue to speak to my wife. The tone of the conversation suddenly changed, and Simon said that he could not proceed with me listening anymore and so could not help my wife! I pointed out that when my wife and I opened the JOINT bank account (with a cheque book and statements with BOTH our names on) we were not told that the logon details and passwords we had set up together were only for one of us, and under no circumstances was the other one to know what those passwords were. I told Simon that my passwords were on my laptop (with a password), in a spreadsheet with a password, and in a locked house with an alarm. Simon said that my Wife of 22 years and who I have no secrets from, was not allowed to see MY logon details and immediately suspended access to OUR bank account! I demanded to speak to his supervisor and after 26 minutes on the phone, a women spoke but then immediately cut me off. I waited for her to phone me back, but she didn't, so I had to phone back again and go through the whole story with two other people. After banging my head against a brick wall for another 26 minutes, I was passed through to the security department to reset my passwords. At no point at all did they ask me if my Wife was listening! Once my account was accessible again, I started the bank switching process. DO NOT BANK WITH THESE STUPID PEOPLE! You have been warned (by many people!) Further to Andrew's reply below ...... you see; stubborn as mules! How did we used to apply for loans etc in the 'good old days' before 'progress'? Don't worry Andrew - I am taking my custom and money elsewhere. I suggest you look for another job ASAP before the First Direct ship sinks! Update ..... I have had a letter from FD (Marianna Behan). No apology at all for the poor service; just a letter to say that FD "are obliged to suspend the service until we can speak to the customer". They WERE speaking to the customer; my Wife and I were both there, so there was no need to suspend the account. She also said that security details should not be disclosed to a "third party" - it wasn't the window cleaner that knew my details. It was my WIFE who I share everything with and have done for 22 years - we have no secrets, but FD would now like us to! My Wife is also the joint account holder, so it's HER account also!! Finally, the supervisor that I spoke to originally said (when I asked her to) that she would find the phone call that was made when we originally opened the account earlier this year, that proved FD told us that we had to have separate passwords. No surprise that this 'evidence' has NOT been produced, or mentioned in the letter from Marianna!! I have now changed bank accounts - good riddance to FD! Reviewed on: 24th October 2019

Not the revolutionary, fantastic system it was years ago

I have been with First Direct for over 25 years and, initially, was totally impressed with everything they do. They were revolutionary and I loved that about them. As the years went on I noticed that other banks were offering better deals and long-standing, loyal customers weren't seeing these benefits. I doggedly stayed with them, partly because I didn't want the hassle of moving accounts but, mostly because their UK-based telephone service was superb (lovely staff!) and their internet banking was quick and straightforward. Sadly, the changes they have made to their internet banking over the past few years have made quick and straightforward a thing of the past and, when I ring because I can't access my account online, I am waiting for an average 5 minutes before I get past the recorded messages to speak to a real, live person. When I mentioned this to one of the telephone staff I was told that all banks operate the same system now. This made me wonder, "Why am I staying with you then?". I am now in the process of switching my bank account and going to be paid for doing so. I shall be sad to leave First Direct but times have changed and, regrettably, my loyalty has counted for nothing. (The two stars awarded are because the staff are still lovely - as you long as you don't mind hanging on until you get through to them) Reviewed on: 19th July 2019

Best customer service

I only joined due to their incentive, and would have moved on to another but their service is so good ive stayed. Reviewed on: 1st July 2019

Fantastic, friendly service

I have had an account with First direct for around 6 Years now and have found the 1st account fits my needs perfectly. The account comes with a £250 fee free overdraft facility that takes away the worry of going slightly overdrawn and incurring fees. When I have called their Customer service department , I have always found them a pleasure to deal with and they deal with the enquiry promptly every time . Great account, excellent service. Reviewed on: 23rd June 2019

Excellent service

first direct offer a good reliable online banking service Reviewed on: 10th June 2019

simply the best

nice to speak to a uk based help line. First direct make banking so simple Reviewed on: 9th June 2019

Continued great customer service year after year

First Direct remain the easiest and most helpful bank to deal with. Reviewed on: 9th June 2019

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