💸 Best High-Interest Savings Accounts in the UK & USA (Updated: July 2025)

In a world where inflation keeps rising, your savings shouldn’t be sitting idle — especially not in a traditional bank paying 0.10% interest.

If you’ve got money in savings, it’s time to upgrade to a high-interest savings account. These modern, digital-first banks offer up to 5.20% AER (UK) and 4.60% APY (USA) — without risking your money or locking it away for years.

This in-depth guide compares the top savings accounts for July 2025 in both the United Kingdom and the United States, covering rates, features, pros, cons, and who they’re best for.

🌍 What Is a High-Interest Savings Account?

A high-interest (or high-yield) savings account is a bank account that pays a much higher interest rate than regular savings.

Traditional bank savings: 0.10% – 0.50%
High-interest savings (2025): 4.00% – 5.20%+

The goal? Earn passive income on your idle cash, with instant access and full protection via FSCS (UK) or FDIC (USA).

🇬🇧 Best High-Interest Savings Accounts in the UK (July 2025)

🏆 1. Zopa Smart Saver

Interest Rate: Up to 5.20% AER
Access: Notice-based (7 to 95 days)
FSCS Protected: ✅
Min Deposit: £1
Mobile App: iOS/Android
Best For: People who can plan withdrawals in advance

Why We Like It:
Zopa allows you to set up different “Pots” — each with its own notice period and goal (emergency fund, vacation, etc.). The longer the notice, the higher the interest. It’s flexible but rewards patience.

🥈 2. Chase UK Savings Account

Interest Rate: 5.10% AER
Access: Instant
FSCS Protected: ✅
Min Deposit: £1
Extras: Cashback debit card, daily interest
Best For: People who want full control and fast access

Why We Like It:
Chase UK is one of the best all-in-one accounts — you earn interest daily, plus cashback from your debit card purchases. Perfect for savers who also spend smartly.

🥉 3. Tandem Instant Access Savings

Interest Rate: 5.00% AER
Access: Instant
FSCS Protected: ✅
Min Deposit: £0
Sustainability Focused: ✅
Best For: Beginners and eco-conscious savers

Why We Like It:
No fees. No minimum deposit. A clean, easy-to-use app. Tandem even uses your savings to back green energy projects — so you earn while helping the planet.

🇺🇸 Best High-Interest Savings Accounts in the USA (July 2025)

🏆 1. SoFi High-Yield Savings

Interest Rate: 4.60% APY
Access: Instant
FDIC Protected: Up to $2M
Min Deposit: $0
Extras: Budgeting tools, checking account bundle
Best For: High balance savers, smart money managers

Why We Like It:
SoFi offers a full ecosystem — checking, investing, budgeting — all in one app. You’ll get a high rate plus extra features like goal tracking and early paycheck access. Perfect for serious savers.

🥈 2. Synchrony High-Yield Savings

Interest Rate: 4.50% APY
Access: Instant + ATM
FDIC Protected: ✅
Min Deposit: $0
Extras: Optional ATM card
Best For: People who still want physical ATM access

Why We Like It:
One of the only high-yield accounts that includes free ATM access — no need to move money to another account to withdraw it. Simple, flexible, and powerful.

🥉 3. Marcus by Goldman Sachs

Interest Rate: 4.40% APY
Access: Instant
FDIC Protected: ✅
Min Deposit: $0
Mobile Experience: Smooth and fast
Best For: No-frills savers who want trust and simplicity

Why We Like It:
Marcus is backed by Goldman Sachs — you get strong rates and a very clean, ad-free experience. There’s no fancy budgeting tool, but if you just want easy saving, this is it.

📊 Comparison Table: UK vs USA (July 2025)

Feature	Zopa	Chase UK	Tandem	SoFi	Synchrony	Marcus
Country	UK	UK	UK	USA	USA	USA
Interest Rate	5.20% AER	5.10% AER	5.00% AER	4.60% APY	4.50% APY	4.40% APY
Access	Notice	Instant	Instant	Instant	Instant	Instant
Min Deposit	£1	£1	£0	$0	$0	$0
Insurance	FSCS	FSCS	FSCS	FDIC	FDIC	FDIC
Extra Perks	Pots	Cashback	Eco-saving	$2M FDIC	ATM Card	Trust name

💰 How Much Could You Earn?

Here’s how much you’d earn in 1 year (simple estimate):

Balance	0.5% Bank	Zopa (5.2%)	SoFi (4.6%)
£5,000	£25	£260	—
£10,000	£50	£520	$460
$10,000	$50	—	$460

Conclusion: You earn 10x more with high-interest savings.

📝 Final Thoughts

In 2025, there’s no reason to settle for low-interest accounts. With so many options offering 5%+ returns, you can grow your money without risk, effort, or large deposits.

Whether you’re in the UK or USA, switching to a high-yield account is the fastest and safest way to earn passive income in today’s market.