Five of the best cash Isas: We pick the top fixed-rate and easy-access deals
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In this regularly updated round–up, This is Money picks our five favourite cash Isas for savers in 2026.
It is essential reading to help you choose a top savings account for your money that can also protect you from tax – and we detail the top easy access and fixed rate cash Isa deals.
This top Isa round–up has been keeping our readers updated on the best savings deals since 2014 and is kept up–to–date weekly. Bookmark it for the very latest developments.
Piggy five: We round–up the best tax–free deals – and it is slim pickings at the moment
How an Isa works and why you should have one
Each year in April, savers are given a fresh Isa allowance that qualifies for tax–free interest.
For the 2025/26 financial year, starting 6 April 2025 and ending 5 April 2026, the limit is £20,000.
You can transfer Isa money whichever way you wish between an investment account to savings account, whereas previously you could only shift it from saving to investments.
Cash Isa rates have been rising, along with non–tax free rates. It is worth opening one to shield money away from the taxman, especially with rates moving upwards.
You can also transfer an old Isa for better returns. Here's a quick guide to Isa saving.
It is possible to switch your current year's cash Isa if you move the entire amount, but it is far simpler to get your choice right in the first place.
Get an Isa to beat savings tax
Higher rates have dragged more people into the savings tax net, meaning a cash Isa's shelter is even more valuable.
An Isa is worth having, despite the tax–free savings interest allowance of £1,000 a year for basic rate taxpayers and £500 for higher rate taxpayers.
If you're a basic–rate taxpayer earning 5 per cent interest, having more than £20,000 in savings will tip you into tax, for a higher–rate taxpayer that figure is £10,000 and if you are in the 45p tax bracket, you get no savings allowance at all.
You may also want to look into a stocks and shares Isa. Read about how to choose the best stocks and share Isa.
Our five favourite Isas:
Prosper, easy-access, 4.7%*
– Facts: £10,000 to open
– Transfers in: No
– Flexible: Yes
This is Money says: Prosper is an upstart wealth management platform that launched a cash Isa in February 2026. The rate was initially 4.5 per cent variable, including a 12–month boost – this has been hiked to 4.7 per cent as competition among cash Isa providers heats up.
The boost is a fixed 1.92 per cent, which should allow you to comfortably beat the base rate over the next year. Prosper's underlying rate tracks the base rate minus 1 per cent gross.
We like this account because of the high rate, plus the fact it's a flexible Isa, which means you can withdraw money and replace it in the same tax year without reducing your allowance.
The platform won't punish you by reducing your rate for making withdrawals either.
These features earn it a spot on our list, but keep in mind there's a high minimum deposit of £10,000 and the platform doesn't currently accept transfers.
Your money is FSCS protected up to £120,000.
Trading 212, easy–access, 4.68%*
– Facts: £1 to open
– Transfers in: Yes
– Flexible: Yes
> Full details at Trading 212*
This is Money says: Trading 212 has consistently offered one of our favourite cash Isas because it usually sits near the top of our rate table, it accepts transfers and has a low minimum deposit.
The rate includes a 1.08 per cent bonus rate which lasts for 12 months for new customers, after which it falls to 3.6 per cent. Use this special This is Money Trading 212* link to secure it.
Existing customers can earn 3.6 per cent with interest paid monthly.
The Isa is competitive because it has a good underlying rate, no withdrawal limits and is flexible.
Trading 212 will also apply the boosted rate to contributions made this tax year when transferring an Isa from another provider – previous tax year contributions receive the lower rate.
The account can only be opened by downloading Trading 212's app. There are no limits to how many times you can withdraw your money and Trading 212 will not reduce your interest rate for accessing your money.
Trading 212's Isa is a flexible Isa which is a big benefit to savers with the financial fire power to max out their Isa limit each year.
Any cash deposited with the Trading 212 cash Isa is fully FSCS protected, as are all of the accounts in this list. Funds in the Trading 212 Isa are held in partner bank accounts with Barclays, NatWest and JPMorgan, so they're FSCS protected with these providers.
Customers are able to see the percentage of their cash held at each bank is in the interest on the cash tab in the Trading 212 app.
It means if you already have money in Barclays, NatWest or JPMorgan, you'll need to be careful not to breach the £120,000 limit if you put money away with Trading 212.
Read our Trading 212 review to find out how it performs as an investment platform.
Virgin Money, one-year fix, 4.22%
– Facts: £1
– Transfers in: Yes
– Flexible: No
> Full details at Virgin Money
This is Money says: A duo of providers - Virgin Money and Tandem - are offering a one-year fix at 4.22 per cent interest.
They are both similar products, but Virgin Money's account only charges 60 days' worth of interest as a penalty if you need to withdraw money, with a minimum withdrawal amount of £1.
Tandem's interest charge is 90 days and you have to withdraw the full amount and close the account.
However, Tandem's product is competitive, so that's worth checking too.
A fix is worth considering if you're happy to lock your money away and prefer the certainty of earning a set level of interest for the year.
Tandem, two-year fix, 4.31%
– Facts: No minimum deposit
– Transfers in: Yes
– Flexible: Yes
This is Money says: Tandem is offering a great rate on its two–year fix at the moment, and it accepts transfers in from other providers.
If you want to withdraw money, you must close the account and withdraw the whole balance.
The best cash lifetime Isa
Moneybox, Cash lifetime Isa, 4.60%
– Facts: £1 to open
– Transfers in: Yes (not partial transfers)
– Flexible: No
This is Money says: For those aged between 18–39 who are either saving up to buy their first home or towards retirement, Moneybox has consistently offered a top rate on its lifetime Isa.
Save up to £4,000 each tax year and get a 25 per cent government bonus. The deal is only available through its app.
The rate includes a 1.8 per cent fixed bonus for the first year, making the underlying rate 2.8 per cent.
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