Pretty stupid if I didn’t pick Santander due to currently having a student account with an interest-free overdraft.
Their app is also getting better, plus, I don’t really care about the features it doesn’t have.
Their card is also pretty nice
Starling clearly has a better app, but the savings accounts with Santander are also better for me, and I do occasionally get some pretty good freebies from Santander Boosts (£40 Amazon voucher and free Costa so far).
I went with HSBC, who I have been with since my Griffin Savers days with the Midland Bank precursor in the 1980s, mainly because they have and still do provide me with services that Monzo cannot, namely my mortgage and contents insurance
Monzo is definitely the better experience, and they are my main bank by usage by a wide margin, but you did ask for the one choice and I could put up with the slightly creaky aspects of HSBC better than the drop off in features with the reverse
As the OP has stated, if you were forced to bank with only one bank, who would it be? I have removed Monzo as some said it could be biased on a monzo forum. This is just for fun
Chase, by several miles. A clean, simple easy to use app, a great card when using it abroad & everyday cash back. I don’t see another card offering the same ‘all round’ benefits for me. Please feel free to correct me, I’m sure you will.
If, and when, Chase offer a business account, I’ll move that away from Monzo as well.
Shame because I was really happy with Monzo.
I chose HSBC. For years it would’ve been NatWest (despite my love for Fintech if I can have only one I want a high street bank) but their savings rates are non competitive.
It (HSBC) does everything I need, it might not have the bells and whistles of a Fintech but it’s close enough and the rewards have been pretty decent.