---
title: "The UK overdraft leaderboard: which bank costs least? | −overdrafts.com"
description: The real 30-day cost of a £250 arranged overdraft at all 22 UK banks we track, ranked cheapest first. Verified every day against the banks’ own pages. Never paid for.
image: https://overdrafts.com/brand/og-default.png
canonical: https://overdrafts.com/
updated: 2026-08-28
---

# Which bank costs you least when you’re overdrawn?

The real 30-day cost of a £250 arranged overdraft at every UK bank. Verified every day against the banks’ own pages.

## Click into your bank for more details

BankCost · 30 days

1.  [1First DirectFirst £250 free£0.00FREE](https://overdrafts.com/first-direct/)
2.  [2Starling15% EAR · best tier−£2.89](https://overdrafts.com/starling/)
3.  [3Club Lloyds£100 free, then 29.9%−£3.26](https://overdrafts.com/club-lloyds/)
4.  [4Halifax£100 free, then 29.9%−£3.26](https://overdrafts.com/halifax/)
5.  [5Monzo19% EAR · best tier−£3.60](https://overdrafts.com/monzo/)
6.  [6Virgin Money19.9% EAR · best tier−£3.76](https://overdrafts.com/virgin-money/)
7.  [7Lloyds29.9% EAR−£5.43](https://overdrafts.com/lloyds/)
8.  [8Nationwide£50 free, then 39.9%−£5.60](https://overdrafts.com/nationwide/)
9.  [9Barclays35% EAR−£6.24](https://overdrafts.com/barclays/)
10.  [10HSBC£25 free, then 39.9%−£6.30](https://overdrafts.com/hsbc/)
11.  [11Co-operative Bank35.9% EAR−£6.38](https://overdrafts.com/co-operative/)
12.  [12NatWest39.49% EAR−£6.93](https://overdrafts.com/natwest/)
13.  [13RBS39.49% EAR−£6.93](https://overdrafts.com/rbs/)
14.  [14TSB39.9% EAR−£7.00](https://overdrafts.com/tsb/)
15.  [15Santander39.94% EAR−£7.00](https://overdrafts.com/santander/)

Rates checked 28 August 2026 · Assumes 30 days continuously overdrawn in an arranged overdraft · No bank pays to be here · [How we rank →](https://overdrafts.com/methodology/)

Good to know

## Overdrafts, answered straight

### How is the cost worked out?

We take each bank’s advertised EAR, convert it to a daily rate, and compound it over 30 days on £250, minus any interest-free buffer. It’s the same method banks use to charge you. Full working on our methodology page.

### Is the table sponsored?

No. No bank pays to appear, rank, or be excluded, and we carry no adverts from lenders. The ranking is arithmetic.

### Does using an overdraft affect my credit score?

An arranged overdraft appears on your credit file like any borrowing. Used briefly and repaid, its effect is usually small; persistent heavy use can signal strain to lenders. For advice about your own situation, speak to a debt adviser. MoneyHelper is free.

### Where do the rates come from?

Each bank’s own published rate pages. Every figure links to its source with the date we last checked it.

### How often is this updated?

We re-check every bank every day. Changes are logged permanently on our changes page, including the ones banks make quietly.

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