# Bank referral bonuses in the UK: every sign-up and switching bonus, compared

> The best bank referral bonus in the UK right now depends on how you bank. Join through an invite and Monzo pays £10 personal or £50 business each side. Switch your current account and offers run from £175 at Nationwide to up to £300 at Barclays. We read all of these on each bank's page on 30 October 2026. Invites reward joining, while switches reward moving your account with CASS. Check each set of conditions, then compare them in the table below.

## Key takeaways
- Monzo Personal pays £10 to you and £10 to the friend who invited you.
- Monzo Business pays a flat £50 each side for sole traders and UK limited company directors.
- Nationwide pays £175 when you switch to a FlexDirect, FlexAccount or FlexPlus account.
- Barclays offers up to £300, including £150 for switching and paying in a salary of at least £2,000 within 30 days.

## Quick facts
- Canonical URL: https://honestcodes.co.uk/guides/bank-referral-bonuses-uk
- Comparing: https://honestcodes.co.uk/codes/monzo, https://honestcodes.co.uk/codes/revolut
- Last verified: 2026-10-30
- Eligible region: United Kingdom

## Get the offer
- **Monzo**: £10 personal · £50 business. Code: fzwdlcvv. Link: https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/monzo. Terms: Add money and make one purchase with your Monzo card (ATM withdrawals, money transfers and virtual-card payments don't count)
- **Revolut**: Free account and travel card. Code: behzad6664!OCT1-26-VR-GB. Link: https://honestcodes.co.uk/go/revolut. Terms: New joiner passes the ID check, tops up from another bank or card, orders a physical card and makes the card purchases the campaign asks for

## Comparison

| | Monzo | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus | £10 Personal or £50 Business, to you and your friend | Cash reward to the friend who invited you; any welcome offer in the app is yours |
| What you do | Add money and pay with your Monzo card within 30 days | Pass the ID check, top up, order a physical card and make the card purchases the campaign asks for |
| Paid | Usually within minutes of the first qualifying payment clearing | Once the four steps are finished |
| Type | Refer a friend | Refer a friend |

## Every bank bonus in one table

Our bank referral bonus table puts every offer in one place, so you can compare at a glance. Here is how to read it: a referral bonus is paid for joining through an invite from a friend, while a switching offer is paid for moving your current account with the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). Each row shows what the offer asks you to do, so you know exactly what to expect.

Every figure was read on each bank's own page on 30 October 2026. Offers can end, so the table only includes those live on each bank's page. Check the page before you apply, then choose the offer that suits you.

| | Bonus | What you must do | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monzo | £10 Personal, £50 Business (both sides) | Add money and pay with your card within 30 days | Usually within minutes of the first qualifying payment |
| Revolut | Reward to the inviter; welcome offer in the app is yours | Four steps, including a physical card and card purchases | Once the four steps are finished |
| Nationwide | £175 switching | Full switch within 28 days, 2 Direct Debits, pay in £1,000 and use your card within 31 days | Within 10 days of meeting the requirements |
| NatWest | £200 switching to Select or Reward | Switch a current account held elsewhere | See NatWest's offer terms |
| first direct | £210 switching (£175 plus £35 for accounts opened 14 September to 2 December 2026) | CASS switch with 2 Direct Debits, deposit £1,000, 5 card payments, within 45 days | By the 20th of the following month |
| Barclays | Up to £300 (£150 plus £150) | Switch and pay in a £2,000 salary within 30 days; 10 card payments a month for the second £150 | First £150 after your salary lands; second after five months |
| HSBC | £220 switching | Full switch with 2 Direct Debits, pay in £2,000, spend £500 within 60 days | See HSBC's offer terms |

_Read on each bank's own page on 30 October 2026. Offers shown only where live on the bank's page today._

## Bank refer a friend UK: how Monzo and Revolut pay

Want a simple bank refer a friend UK win? Monzo Personal pays £10 to you and £10 to the friend who invited you. Monzo Business, for sole traders and UK limited company directors, pays a flat £50 each side. Just add money and pay for something with your Monzo card within 30 days. The reward is usually paid within minutes of that first qualifying card payment clearing. Start with the [Monzo referral code](/codes/monzo) and get started.

Revolut's October 2026 campaign works differently. The cash reward goes to the friend who invited you, not to you, once the four campaign steps are done: pass the ID check, top up from another bank account or card, order a physical card, and make the card purchases the campaign asks for. Any welcome offer Revolut shows you in the app is yours to keep. Get started with the [Revolut referral](/codes/revolut), then read [Monzo vs Revolut referral](/guides/monzo-vs-revolut-referral) and [the Revolut referral explained](/guides/is-the-revolut-70-referral-worth-it) to see the details.

## Best bank switching offers

Want the best bank switching offers? The Current Account Switch Service (CASS) moves everything from your old account in 7 working days, as NatWest says. Offers may ask for a full switch, Direct Debits or a pay-in.

Nationwide pays £175 for a full switch to a new or existing FlexDirect, FlexAccount or FlexPlus, completed within 28 days with at least 2 Direct Debits. See [Nationwide's £175 switch offer](https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/switch-offer/). NatWest pays £200 when you switch a current account held elsewhere to a Select or Reward account: see [NatWest's £200 switch offer](https://www.natwest.com/current-accounts.html).

first direct pays £210 for accounts opened 14 September to 2 December 2026. Within 45 days of opening, switch with CASS and deposit £1,000. New customers only: see [first direct's £210 switch offer](https://www.firstdirect.com/banking/switching-bank-accounts/). Barclays offers up to £300 on the Barclays Bank Account: £150 for switching and paying in a salary of at least £2,000 within 30 days, then £150 after five months. See [Barclays' switch offer](https://www.barclays.co.uk/current-accounts/). HSBC pays £220 on the HSBC Bank Account for a full switch with 2 Direct Debits, a £2,000 pay-in and £500 debit card spending within 60 days. New customers only: see [HSBC's £220 switch offer](https://www.hsbc.co.uk/current-accounts/). Figures checked 30 October 2026.

## Can you stack a bank referral bonus with a switching offer?

A bank referral bonus and a switching offer are different kinds of deal. A referral bonus is paid for joining through an invite, while a switching offer is paid for moving your current account with the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). Each bank sets its own rules for who counts as new. Nationwide asks whether this is the first time you have had one of its switch offers. For first direct, Barclays and HSBC, only new customers qualify. Monzo asks that you have never held a Monzo account.

Every switching offer needs a full switch of a current account, so read the conditions before you start. Each bank sets its own steps, deadlines and payment requirements, so check the exact terms on the bank's page first. Whether both offers apply depends on each bank's rules, so knowing them early keeps things simple.

## How to choose the right bank referral bonus

Compare three things before you pick a bank referral bonus. First, what you must pay in or spend. Nationwide asks you to pay in £1,000 within 31 days, while HSBC asks for £2,000 paid in and £500 spent on your debit card. Second, how long you have. Nationwide gives you 28 days to complete a full switch, first direct gives you 45 days from opening, and HSBC gives you 60 days. Third, how fast you are paid. Nationwide pays within 10 days, first direct pays by the 20th of the following month, and Barclays pays £150 once you switch and pay in a salary, then £150 more after five months.

A referral bonus is paid for joining through an invite, while a switching offer is paid for moving your current account. Browse our [Banking referral codes](/categories/banking) page, or read the [best student bank accounts](/guides/best-student-bank-account-uk-2026) guide if you are a student.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the biggest bank switching bonus right now?

Right now, the biggest switching bonus in our table is Barclays, at up to £300. You get it in two parts: £150 for switching and paying in a salary of at least £2,000 within 30 days, then £150 after five months of use (10 monthly eligible debit card transactions). We read each bank's own page on 30 October 2026.

### How long does it take to switch banks?

When you switch with the Current Account Switch Service (CASS), your old account moves in 7 working days. NatWest confirms that CASS moves everything from your old account in that time. Each offer may also set its own deadlines, so check the conditions before you start.

### Do I have to be a new customer?

Not for every offer. first direct and HSBC offers are for new customers only, and Barclays asks for new customers aged 18 or over. Nationwide's switch offer is only for the first time you have had one of its switch offers.

### Can I get a bank referral bonus and a switching bonus?

They are two different offers. A bank referral bonus is paid for joining through an invite, while a switching offer is paid for moving your current account with CASS. Each one has its own conditions, so read them before you apply.

### How quickly are bank bonuses paid?

It depends on the offer. Monzo usually pays its referral bonuses within minutes of your first qualifying card payment clearing, and Nationwide pays its switch offer within 10 days of meeting the requirements. Also, first direct pays by the 20th of the following month.