Barclays
Major UK high street bank whose app covers current accounts, savings, loans and card controls.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · iOS, Android, Web
Is Barclays free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
- Starting price:
- £5 a month (Blue Rewards)
- Free plan:
- Yes, Barclays Bank Account with no monthly fees
Checked on Barclays's site Nov 8, 2026
Full Barclays pricing and plansSwitch from Barclays to
All 3- Verified facts
- 7 of 7
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
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- 0
About Barclays
Barclays is one of the UK's largest high street banks, and its mobile app is how most customers run their accounts day to day. The app shows balances and transactions, sends payments and transfers, lets you pay in cheques by photographing them, and has budgeting insights that flag where your money goes. Card controls let you set limits by payment type, see your PIN and freeze a lost card, and you can withdraw cash without a card. Savings, investments, loans and mortgages are reachable from the same app, and you can open a new current account in it. It suits people who want a full-service bank with branches, mortgages and wealth products alongside the app, rather than an app-only bank. Standard current accounts have no monthly fee, while reward and premier packages add perks for a fee or eligibility criteria. The app runs on iPhone and Android, with online banking on the web; it doesn't support Android Go phones.
Best for: UK customers who want an app plus branches, mortgages, savings and investing at one bank.
Barclays pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Barclays's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £5 a month (Blue Rewards) | Nov 8, 2026 | barclays.co.uk |
| Free plan | Yes, Barclays Bank Account with no monthly fees | Nov 8, 2026 | barclays.co.uk |
Pros and cons
What works
- Cheque imaging, cardless cash and card freezing in one app
- Savings, loans, mortgages and investing all reachable from the app
- Usable from age 11, so families can bank in one place
- Branch network for things the app can't do
Why people leave
- Doesn't support Android Go devices
- Spending abroad typically costs more than with app-only banks like Monzo or Wise
- Best perks sit behind paid or eligibility-based reward packages
Barclays vs NatWest, Monzo and Wise
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Barclays | NatWest | Monzo | Wise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Verified price | £5 a month (Blue Rewards) | £2 a month (Reward account) | £3 a month (Extra) | — |
| Free plan | Yes, Barclays Bank Account with no monthly fees | Yes, Select account with no monthly fee | Yes, Monzo Free (16+) | Free app |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web | Web, iOS, Android |
Full Barclays vs NatWest comparisonFull Barclays vs Monzo comparisonFull Barclays vs Wise comparison
Top Barclays alternatives
See all 3- 1
NatWest68.8Another big UK high street bank with an app used by millions, plus Round Ups and a subscription tracker.
- 2
Monzo61.8App-only bank with instant spending notifications, budgeting Pots and fee-free card spending abroad.
- 3
Wise59.4Better for holding and spending many currencies, with low fees on international transfers.
Why people left Barclays
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Barclays: common questions
What is Barclays?
Barclays: Major UK high street bank whose app covers current accounts, savings, loans and card controls. Best for UK customers who want an app plus branches, mortgages, savings and investing at one bank. Available for iOS, Android and Web.
Is Barclays free?
Barclays has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Yes, Barclays Bank Account with no monthly fees (checked on Barclays's own site).
How much does Barclays cost?
Barclays is free with paid plans. Starting price: £5 a month (Blue Rewards); Free plan: Yes, Barclays Bank Account with no monthly fees. Checked on Barclays's own site, November 2026.
Is Barclays open source?
No, Barclays is not open source.
What platforms does Barclays run on?
Barclays is available for iOS, Android and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Barclays?
The highest-ranked Barclays alternatives right now are NatWest, Monzo and Wise. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Barclays vs NatWest: what's the difference?
Both Barclays and NatWest are free with paid plans. Verified prices: Barclays £5 a month (Blue Rewards), NatWest £2 a month (Reward account). Both run on iOS, Android and Web.