Banking Without Borders

In this episode, we run through the best UK savings rates for September 2026.

What we cover:

• Premium Bonds' rise to 4.35% — why that's not an interest rate, and the only people they genuinely suit
• Switch offers up to £500 — plus the bank now paying switchers in toothbrush
• Easy-access at 5% — a brand-new NatWest brand, the best no-cliff rate, and the small-balance account that quietly beats Santander's 6%
• Cash ISAs — eToro at 4.87%, Chip, Moneybox, a set-and-forget 4.52%, and Tembo's mortgage-linked HomeSaver
• Fixed bonds at 5% from £1,000 — and NS&I's Treasury-backed 4.82% with no protection cap
• Notice accounts — paying less than easy access; convince us in the comments
• Regular savers — four at 8%, why a 6% account out-earns them all, and stacking them with our new Savings Stacker tool

Every account we mention is on DepositScout.com — filter by type, compare rates properly, run the savings and tax calculators, and check the rate history graphs before you open anything.

eToro's 4.87% Cash ISA (Market Leading)
Tembo's Home Saver

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, we look at why Starling Bank — which has one of the best free current accounts in Britain — is seeing its revenue fall while Monzo and Revolut race ahead.

• Why the free account is as good as it is, and how Starling pays for it
• The liability-led model that makes an investment product bad business for them
• Starling £17.6m vs Monzo £150m vs Revolut half a billion — the marketing gap
• Engine by Starling: four clients in four years, £19.7m spent to earn £11m
• The credit card promised in 2019, and the one Engine sells to other banks
• The FCA onboarding restrictions still in place after four years
• What comes next — a paid tier, an insurance bundle, or a buyout?

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, we dig into a strange thirty days at Revolut: a flagship airport lounge announced for Copenhagen while WeWork access quietly shrank and Perplexity Pro was swapped for a cheaper, ad-supported ChatGPT — no email, no announcement. We think these changes are all connected, and one number in Revolut's accounts explains the lot.

• Revolut's Copenhagen lounge: what's actually been announced, who runs it, and the big unanswered question — who gets in
• The WeWork cut: cities lost (including the whole of Paris), and why the network shrank instead of the price rising
• Perplexity Pro out, ChatGPT Go in — why it feels more like a trial than a perk, and the auto-renewal catch to watch for
• The number behind it all: subscriptions grew 67% — faster than any other line Revolut has
• The $115bn valuation, the IPO, and the reported founder package that triggers at $500bn
• Our honest take: not "Revolut is getting worse" — Revolut is becoming something else. We'll let you decide if that's better.

Today's video sponsor is us! Please check out https://depositscout.com if you'd like to support the channel – thank you. 

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode we rank the four worst bank accounts in the UK — accounts marketed at people who think a high street bank won't take them, then quietly charged for almost everything. We break down CardOneMoney, Monese, Pockit and Suits Me, from £1.49 just to receive your wages to a £5 fee that only fires when your account is empty. Then we get to the part almost nobody knows: everything these accounts charge for, you're legally entitled to for free.

• Why "no monthly fee" is doing a lot of heavy lifting — and which accounts cost more the less money you have
• The £5 penalty for a bounced direct debit, the 4% foreign spending fee, and the £1-a-month charge for doing nothing
• Who these accounts are really aimed at, and why the fee structure targets people at their most desperate
• The fee-free basic bank account nine major UK banks must offer you by law — even with bad credit or no proof of address
• How to open one (and what to do if you've already been refused)

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode we pull apart five cards advertising up to 10% cashback — Krak, Nexo, Wirex, Plutus and Bybit — to see what those headline rates actually cost you.

We're not recommending any of them; this is a discussion of where the numbers fall apart once you read the tiers.

• Krak (Kraken) — up to 2%: the only card here with real EMI protection, but 2% needs £50k parked on the platform. The one that's arguably "boring but legitimate."
• Nexo — up to 2%: spend against your crypto without selling it. Clever idea, but the top rate is paid in NEXO and UK users earn nothing.
• Wirex — up to 8%: three plans, nine tiers, and a 7.5-million-token lockup for the headline rate. Paid in WXT.
• Plutus — up to 9%: perks that refund your subscriptions, buried under a level system you'd "need to be a mathematician" to follow — and ~£4,000 of PLU to unlock the top rate.
• Bybit — up to 10%: requires up to $500m of trading volume in 30 days… for a reward capped at 600 USDT. The biggest number pays the least.
• The real lesson: every big rate hides one of three catches — pay a subscription, buy their coin, or park a fortune with them. And no card here is FSCS-protected.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, Jonny and Jan run through the best UK savings rates for August 2026 — where to actually put your money now the Bank of England has held the base rate at 3.75%. From 8% regular savers to 5% fixed bonds and a market-leading cash ISA, we cut past the headline rates to the catches that decide what you really earn.

What we cover:

• Switch offers worth up to £600 — and which are genuinely easy to qualify for
• Easy-access accounts topping 5% — and why a 4.55% account can quietly beat them
• Fixed rate bonds up to 5% — and whether locking in actually makes sense right now
• Cash ISAs — including eToro at 4.87%, why it's not a normal savings account, and the best fixed ISAs
• Notice accounts — and why they barely make sense this month
• Regular savers at 8% — plus the £675 "top" account that isn't what it looks like

Every account we mention is on DepositScout.com — filter by type, compare rates properly, run the savings and tax calculators, and check the rate history graphs before you open anything.

eToro's 4.87% Cash ISA (Market Leading)
OakNorth's Fixed Bonds
Tembo's Home Saver

Rates were correct at the time of recording and can change at any time. This is general information, not financial advice — always do your own research. Some links in the show notes are affiliate links, and we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

IHG has brought out its first UK cards in three years — two Revolut debit cards dangling instant hotel status, boosted points and a 30,000-point welcome bonus. Jonny and Jan run the real maths on the free Essential and the £18-a-month Elite to work out whether £216 a year is a genuine bargain or a shiny trap.

• Essential (free) vs Elite (£18/month, £216/year) — status, welcome bonuses and metal cards compared
• What an IHG One Rewards point is really worth, and why everyday spend earns just 0.2–0.6%
• Where the value actually hides: hotel spend, the welcome bonus and the £35k "full house"
• The catches — no Section 75, a Revolut account you can't avoid, and sneaky exit fees
• How it stacks up against Hilton, Marriott and Currensea, plus the cheaper Platinum shortcut
• Who these cards genuinely suit — and who's walking into a trap

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, we compare four stocks and shares ISA providers — XTB, Trading 212, IG and eToro — and work out which ones actually deserve your money.

What we cover:

• DIY, managed and advised — and why the fees only make sense inside their category
• What you can actually invest in at each provider, and why eToro is the weakest despite being the nicest app to use
• FX fees, interest on idle cash, and fractional shares
• The cash ISA cut from £20,000 to £12,000, and the money market route people are talking about
• Why we'd both pick XTB — and when Trading 212 is the better call
• St James's Place, Hargreaves Lansdown, and what you're really paying more for

Sign-up for XTB: https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/i53xvc
Sign-up for Trading212: https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/kf1n2y

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

Revolut's new light-up Dogecoin card promises "no exchange fees" — so we put £25 through it and tracked every penny. What we found was a £16.16 Amazon purchase actually cost £18.05, and a tax headache behind every tap. 

In this episode:

• What the Doge card actually is
• The  test: buying DOGE, spending it at Amazon, and where £2.54 went in 35 minutes
• The hidden markup: how a "fee-free" card carried a ~2.9% round-trip spread
• The tax trap: why every tap is a potential tax
• Follow the money: interchange, dormant crypto balances, and why this card makes perfect sense for Revolut
• Serious bank or meme machine? A glowing Shiba Inu, just months after the UK banking licence
• Who actually buys this — and our verdicts

Nothing in this episode is financial or tax advice. If you're considering spending crypto, speak to a professional about the capital gains implications.

Watch the blowtorch unboxing: https://youtube.com/shorts/mh916J-LnJQ

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

Summer 2026 is officially here, and so are the hidden fees waiting to ambush your holiday budget! In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we pull back the curtain on international spending to ensure your next vacation is as fee-free as possible. We break down the exact anatomy of a perfect travel card, expose the legacy banks secretly draining your wallet, and dive into why the most popular fintech giants might not actually be your best option abroad.

What We Cover:

• The 4-Point Travel Card Checklist: The essential features your card needs before you board a flight.
• Legacy Banks vs. Challenger Banks: Why traditional accounts from Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, and HSBC are costing you—and the free alternatives we highly recommend.
• The Wise & Revolut Debate: A transparent look at weekend markups, variable fees, and why they might not be the ultimate answer to international spending.
• Predatory ATMs & The DCC Trap: How to outsmart Dynamic Currency Conversion and avoid paying double fees at the terminal.

Revolut vs WISE: Who Has The Best Travel Card? https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458086/episodes/19324904

Trading 212 👉 https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/naSs
Get £25 using the link above or PROMO CODE "BWB". Sponsored content. Terms apply. Card distributed by T212, issued and provided by Paynetics (UK). Available with an Invest account. Other fees may apply.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]