Martin Lewis names top 12 best Cash ISAs to open right now before rates or limits cut

Money expert Martin Lewis has named the 12 best Cash ISAs on the market right now - whether you want easy access or a locked-in fixed rate. Martin returned with a Cash ISA special of his podcast, The Martin Lewis Podcast, on BBC Sounds, Spotify and Apple Music, in which he took his listeners through the best Cash ISA products available right now in terms of rates and bonuses as ‘Cash ISA season’ draws to a close.

This time of year, where one tax year ends and another begins, is known as ‘Cash ISA season’, because it’s the period where banks, building societies and other financial institutions typically offer the best rates as they try to lure savers finishing off their allowance for the past tax year and then making a start on their £20,000 allowance for the new tax year. Right now, the limit is still £20,000 for the current tax year - April 6, 2025 to April 5, 2026 - so it’s still wise to make the most of it as soon as you’re able to, especially as the government has confirmed it is considering reducing the limit in future.

The two main types of Cash ISA are easy access or fixed. Easy access allows you to make withdrawals at any time (though only some let you put the money back in the same tax year without affecting your allowance) but your rate can be cut at any time with fairly short notice, while fixed deals offer you a guaranteed interest rate for a set period of time but will cut your rate if you withdraw the money.

Lewis, who has a rundown of the best rates on the market on his Money Saving Expert website, named the current best picks on his podcast, although the market is changing constantly and the best rates could change at any moment.

He said on his April 16 podcast episode: “So the very top rate is Trading212 at 5.04% [now 5.05%], minimum £1, then you’ve got Moneybox at 5.03% [now 5.05%], minimum £500. Tembo at 4.8% which is app-only, minimum £10.

“Now all of the accounts I’m mentioning do allow you to transfer old ISAs in.”

Martin added: “Now for the top bigger name easy access Cash ISAs.

“Leeds Building Society is 4.41% variable with a minimum £1,000.

“Markus, which is owned by Goldman Sachs, app only is 4.3% variable with a minimum £1, and the Post Office, which is probably the biggest of the big names I’m going to mention which has a decent rate, is 4.05% with a minimum £100.”

And on the same podcast he named his top fixed Cash ISAs, adding: Here, the rate is locked in, they cannot drop the interest rate on you.

“So, for one year you’ve got UBL UK at 4.31% [now 4.11%], minimum £2,000, Zopa at 4.3% [now 4.25%], minimum £1, and the big name here is Santander at 4.25% minimum £500.

“For a two-year fix, Progressive Building Society 4.3% minimum £500, UBL UK 4.26% minimum £2,000, and the bigger name here is Santander, 4.1% minimum £500.”

For the latest rates, Money Saving Expert has a live list of the top Cash ISAs on its site. You can still listen to The Martin Lewis Podcast from April 16 on BBC Sounds, Spotify and Apple Music.