The best cash ISAs this week

After nosediving last week, the leading easy access ISA rate has now held steady as Principality BS continues to pay 4.40% AER yearly (including a 1.70% AER bonus for 12 months) on its Online Bonus 5 Access ISA (Issue 5). It requires a minimum deposit of £1 but, while savers can add to their account without restriction, they can only make up to five withdrawals per tax-year. Deposits and withdrawals must be made via a nominated account and, as this ISA follows flexible ISA rules, savers can replace any funds they withdraw in the same tax-year without affecting their ISA allowance. As the name of the account suggests, it is only available online.

For those who prefer an ISA that allows them to dip in and out of their savings, Trading 212 offers 4.38% AER monthly on its Cash ISA Promo Rate, which includes a 0.53% AER bonus for 12 months. Savers can access this bonus by opening an account via Moneyfactscompare.co.uk before 10 September and by depositing a minimum of £1. Available online or via mobile app, this ISA doesn’t set any restrictions on further deposits or withdrawals and also follows flexible ISA rules. Before opening this account, it’s important to check the provider’s partner banks to make sure your money will be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Meanwhile, Plum offers the third highest easy access ISA rate of 4.35% AER for another week, but it is now joined by Cynergy Bank after this provider raised rates. Cynergy Bank’s Online ISA Issue 56 pays 4.35% AER yearly on a minimum opening deposit of £1 and allows further deposits and withdrawals without any restrictions (withdrawals must be made via a nominated account). However, it doesn’t follow flexible ISA rules and transfers in from other ISAs are only allowed at the time of opening the ISA. Savers can open this account online and manage it online or via mobile app, but they will need the Cynergy Bank Authenticator App or Digipass to use online banking.

Alternatively, Plum pays the same rate monthly on its app-only Plum Cash ISA. However, this includes a 12-month bonus of 1.31% AER, which is available to savers who deposit a minimum of £100 and don’t make more than three withdrawals per year. However, this bonus rate isn’t available to those transferring in from another ISA. Any savers who don’t meet these conditions will receive a lower rate of 3.04% AER.

The best fixed cash ISA rates

The leading one-year fixed ISA rate remains the same this week at 4.32% AER and is offered by Chetwood Bank’s HL Active Savings – 1 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA. Interest is paid when the account matures on 11 September 2026. Furthermore, this provider offers the top five-year fixed ISA rate of 4.35% AER on its HL Active Savings – 5 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA, which is higher than the leading rate from last week. This account pays interest yearly until 11 September 2030. Both accounts require a £1,000 minimum deposit and are available online via the Hargreaves Lansdown Active Savings platform. If savers want to access their money before the end of the term, this is only allowed on account closure, subject to a 90-day or 360-day loss of interest penalty.

Elsewhere, the top two- and three-year fixed ISA rates saw no change this week. Vida Savings pays 4.22% AER monthly or on anniversary on its 2 Year Fixed ISA to top our two-year ISA chart. Savers can open this account online by depositing a minimum of £100, with the option to add to their savings for 21 further days. Once open, they can manage their account online or via mobile app but should note that earlier access to funds before the end of the term will incur a 180-day loss of interest penalty. All transactions must be made via a nominated account.

United Trust Bank also pays 4.22% AER on its Cash ISA 2 Year Bond, as well as paying the leading three-year fixed ISA rate of 4.23% AER on its Cash ISA 3 Year Bond. Interest on these accounts is paid on anniversary, with the option to withdraw the interest payments at this point. These accounts require a £5,000 minimum opening deposit and allow savers to make further contributions for an additional 14 days, but a 270-day or 320-day loss of interest penalty will apply if they withdraw their funds before the end of the term. Savers can open these accounts online and manage them online, by phone or by post. Note that all deposits and withdrawals need to be made via a nominated account.

The best notice cash ISA rates

Although Harpenden BS reduced rates last week, its Online 14 Days' Notice ISA Account (Issue 1) continues to pay the leading rate on ISAs with notice periods of up to 30 days. Now paying 3.79% AER yearly, this online-only account asks for a £1,000 minimum opening deposit and allows savers to make further deposits without any restriction. But, as it doesn’t allow earlier access, savers will need to wait 14 days before making a withdrawal (which must be made via a nominated account).

After The Stafford BS withdrew its 60-day notice ISA, Aldermore now offers the leading rate on ISAs with a notice period of up to 60 days. Its 60 Day Notice Cash ISA (Issue 7) pays 4.30% AER monthly or on anniversary on a minimum deposit of £1,000. Available online, this account allows savers to add to their account without any restrictions and, if they don’t want to wait 60 days before receiving any money they withdraw, they can access it sooner subject to a 60-day loss of interest penalty.

Bear in mind that the leading easy access cash ISAs continue to pay higher rates of interest than these top notice ISAs.