British bank awards winners 2026

Monzo was one of the big winners, retaining the prestigious Best British bank award for the second year running. It also held on to Best children’s financial provider and added Best current account provider to its accolades. Reviews on the Smart Money People website frequently praised Monzo for its intuitive app, budgeting tools and ease of managing money, helping reinforce its position as one of the UK’s leading digital banks.

Zopa Bank and Leek Building Society were also both multiple award winners. Zopa Bank won Best banking app and retained Best credit card provider, reflecting its strength as a digital-first lender, while Leek Building Society won Best building society and retained Best specialist mortgage provider, highlighting its expertise in savings and niche mortgages.

LHV Bank was named Best newcomer, recognising its milestone of securing a full UK banking licence in 2023. Over the last few years, its UK expansion has been one of the more interesting fintech-bank growth stories in the market.  Particularly in providing infrastructure and services for fintechs and SMEs 

This year’s winners reflect a financial services landscape that continues to evolve at pace, with digital-first and customer-focused challengers strongly represented across categories. Investment and wealth platforms also stand out in 2026, taking home multiple awards and highlighting the growing demand for accessible, app-driven ways to save and invest.

Commenting on the awards, CEO of Smart Money People Peer Jelendorf said: “The British bank awards celebrate the very best in banking, from high street institutions to digital-first challengers and specialist providers. Voted for by customers through reviews on Smart Money People, the awards recognise banks delivering standout customer experiences. Monzo has once again demonstrated its commitment to a customer-first approach, retaining the title of Best British bank.

“A digital-first approach to banking is also clearly reflected in this year’s lineup, with established banks continuing to adopt new technologies to enhance their offerings, while fintech innovators such as Zopa Bank, Chip and Revolut push the boundaries of what modern banking can look like.”

“We want to empower consumers to make confident, informed financial decisions, and our awards shine a spotlight on the providers delivering real value, transparency and innovation across the market.”

British bank awards 2026 winners and highly commended:

Headline awards

Best British bank – Monzo

Innovation of the year – Instamo

Best banking app – Zopa Bank (Highly commended: Chase Bank)

Best newcomer – LHV Bank

Customer service champion – L&C Mortgages

Treating customers fairly champion – United Trust Bank

Best building society – Leek Building Society

Personal finance journalist of the year – Grace Witherden

Best ethical financial provider – Triodos Bank

Banking-specific awards

Best building society savings provider – Saffron Building Society

Best business banking provider – Mettle by NatWest

Best business finance provider – Allica Bank

Best cash ISA provider – Chip (Highly commended: United Trust Bank)

Best children’s financial provider – Monzo

Best credit card provider – Zopa Bank (Highly commended: Zable)

Best current account provider – Monzo (Highly commended: Triodos Bank)

Best international payments provider – Revolut

Best investments provider – Wealthify

Best lifetime ISA provider – Moneybox

Best mortgage broker – Tembo Money (Highly commended: L&C Mortgages)

Best online trading platform – Trading 212

Best personal finance app – Updraft (Highly commended: Moneybox)

Best personal loan provider – Lendable (Highly commended: Zopa Bank)

Best savings provider – RCI Bank (Highly commended: OakNorth Bank)

Best specialist mortgage provider – Leek Building Society

Partner awards

Consultancy of the year – 11:FS

Marketing and PR partner of the year – VCCP Roar

RegTech partner of the year – ComplyCube

Technology partner of the year – Gretel

The British bank awards will be back in 2027!

Voting will open for the thirteenth British bank awards on 11 January 2027, so save the date.