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first direct: Current account reviews

Name: Current account
Rating: 4.70 (1493 reviews)

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4.70

Based on 1,493 reviews, last reviewed 10th Aug 2026

92% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

No new 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

85%

Latest highest rating:

5

fd - hassles free internet banking No hassle, to steal a line from another no nonsense product, it does exactly what it says on the tin Reviewed on: 14th July 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

Stranded Abroad With 2 Young Kids. I switched from NatWest to First Direct. I regret it. I moved an account from NatWest to First Direct partly because of its reputation for customer s... Read more Reviewed on: 10th August 2026

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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 (1493)

Review of the first direct, Current account:

Simple but effective

Although they lack high street locations they have the best customer service available and you can use the post office to pay in cheques etc Reviewed on: 22nd November 2019

Stranded Abroad With 2 Young Kids.

I switched from NatWest to First Direct. I regret it. I moved an account from NatWest to First Direct partly because of its reputation for customer service. After discovering how its fraud process works when you need urgent help abroad, I will be moving elsewhere. Before travelling with my two young children, I informed First Direct of my travel through its online service. I was not told I needed to do anything further. My card worked normally before First Direct suddenly blocked it following an ATM transaction. I have no issue with a bank protecting customers from suspected fraud. The problem is what First Direct did afterwards. First Direct confirmed in writing that it blocked my card at 7:07pm. It did not contact me at all. No call. No SMS. No app notification. Had they told me, I could have dealt with it safely from my accommodation. Instead, I discovered it the following day while out with my two young children. I couldn't pay a restaurant bill and was then declined at three ATMs. I was stranded, unable to access my own money and with no idea First Direct had blocked my card the previous evening. What I have since learned about their procedure concerns me even more. First Direct says its system determined that my case required "human intervention", meaning the normal SMS verification wasn't available. Instead, I was placed in a queue for its Fraud Detection Team to telephone me. First Direct says an outbound call "may take some time". More than 24 hours after blocking my card, they still hadn't called me. I had to call them. I find that astonishing. Their fraud system had identified potentially fraudulent activity abroad, blocked access to my money and determined human intervention was necessary. Yet their Fraud Detection Team couldn't get through its queue and contact me within 24 hours. This wasn't a routine customer service query. First Direct had actively prevented access to my money because of suspected fraud, yet 24 hours later I was still waiting for the required human intervention. First Direct also confirmed that when it doesn't send the SMS, it regards the card declining as the prompt for the customer to contact the bank. Think about that. The bank knows it has blocked your card. You don't. You find out when your card starts declining and, if their fraud team hasn't reached you, the burden is on you to contact them. When I contacted Live Chat and explained I was stranded, they couldn't remove the block or arrange a callback. I was told I had to telephone them. So, stranded with two young children and unable to access my money, I had to find a telephone or local SIM simply to call my own bank about a restriction it had imposed without telling me. When I eventually managed to call, the block was removed. I complained. First Direct's written position is that no bank error occurred and its systems worked as intended. It says the process complies with banking regulations and offered £50 as goodwill. That explanation is perhaps the most worrying part. If this genuinely is the system working as intended, customers should understand what can happen abroad: your card can be blocked without you knowing, SMS verification may be unavailable and you can be left waiting in a fraud queue. In my case, they still hadn't called more than 24 hours later. It leaves me questioning whether First Direct has sufficient resources if a customer requiring human intervention can remain in a fraud queue for more than 24 hours without contact. I also bank with NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays and Monzo and have never experienced anything comparable. First Direct prides itself on customer service. Being left stranded with two young children, unable to access my money, while the bank knew my card was blocked but hadn't contacted me more than 24 hours later, spectacularly failed that test. I regret switching from NatWest to First Direct and will be moving my banking elsewhere. Reviewed on: 10th August 2026

fd - hassles free internet banking

No hassle, to steal a line from another no nonsense product, it does exactly what it says on the tin Reviewed on: 14th July 2026

Very friendly and helpful staff

Whenever I have had trouble logging into my account or other issues in regards to my account, the staff are always very friendly and helpful. The are patient, and treat me with respect. They are also prompt to answer phone calls Reviewed on: 18th June 2026

Don't be unsure like I was!

Was unsure when I changed over 3 years ago. They handled transfer and it was all plain sailing afterwards. Haven't looked back. Well done. Reviewed on: 14th June 2026

Good Customer service, but lacks high Interest Rate...

Good Customer service, but lacks high Interest Rate Products apart from Regular Saver (@7%). Reviewed on: 13th June 2026

First class Bank.

First class Bank. First class customer service. First class App Reviewed on: 12th June 2026

Provides a great service at zero -- to me - cost.

Provides a great service at zero -- to me - cost. It's all I want or need so there's no need to go searching for an improvement. Reviewed on: 12th June 2026

1 star is far too generous.

1 star is far too generous. First Direct sent an email asking me to provide another review even though i have been waiting for a working PIN since February. No access to my cash since my account opened. Customer service have been rude and useless. 8/5/26 Regarding FD response. As disgussed with numerous members of your team the PIN I received through the post matches the PIN on my app and doesn't work with my card. I have tried 2 ATMs and 2 store payment machines, on different days, and each time they say it's the wrong PIN. This is ridiculous. I've called customer service and I still don't have access to my account - since February!!! Reviewed on: 8th May 2026

I’ve had a really positive experience with First Dir...

I’ve had a really positive experience with First Direct’s 1st Account. The account is simple to manage, with an easy-to-use app, reliable online banking, and customer service that’s been consistently helpful whenever I’ve needed support. One thing that really stood out was the switching offer—being able to earn £175 for switching made it even more worthwhile, alongside the fact there’s no monthly account fee. First Direct’s current offer gives eligible new customers £175 when switching through the Current Account Switch Service and meeting the qualifying criteria. Reviewed on: 5th May 2026

App, UK based telephone banking and service are bril...

App, UK based telephone banking and service are brilliant. Savings rates may not be best in class so for large balances you might want to look elsewhere but for day to day banking and bonus account it is great. Reviewed on: 28th April 2026

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