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Tandem Bank review

Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Our verdict

Tandem Bank suits savers who want a variable 4% on instant access with a solid credit score, and borrowers comfortable with 9.1%. You get clear access terms and a UK regulated bank, though the headline rate sits mid table against peers like Wise.

Key facts

Best for
A variable rate cash ISA alongside quick access to borrowing, in one UK app.
Headline rate
4%↗
Rate type
Variable↗
Term
36 to 360 months↗
Deposit protection
FSCS up to GBP 85,000↗
Access terms
24/7 access, unlimited withdrawals and replacements in the same tax year↗
Account kind
ISA↗
Legal entity
Tandem Bank Limited↗
Headquarters
United Kingdom↗
Founded
2014↗
Support channels
Chat, Email, Phone, Help-centre↗
Official website
tandem.co.uk

Loans

APR
9.1%↗
Loan amount
£10,000 to £250,000↗
Credit check
Soft prequal↗
Representative example
£150,000 mortgage over 25 years at 8.75% variable: 300 monthly payments of £1,208, total payable £362,400, 9.1% APRC↗
Lender type
Direct lender↗
Free early repayment
Yes↗
Eligibility
UK resident aged 21 or over who owns their own home↗
Loan types
Personal, Debt-consolidation, Secured↗
Use cases
Home-improvement↗

Mortgages

Initial rate
8.75%↗
APRC
9.1%↗
Fixed period
2 to 5 years↗
Maximum loan to value
90%↗
Purpose
Purchase, Remortgage, Buy-to-let↗

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 10 sources

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App StoreGoogle Play
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaTrustpilotLinkedInX

Pros and cons

Pros

  • The cash ISA pays a variable 4%, above the site benchmark of 3% on a rate that can move with the base rate
  • Access is easy: money moves around the clock, with withdrawals uncapped and card replacements allowed through the tax year
  • A soft prequalification check (soft prequal) means a rate indication without a hard search on your file
  • Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and the bank is licensed by the Prudential Regulation Authority in the UK

Cons

  • The rate is variable, so the 4% can fall and savings income is not locked in
  • 9.1% on borrowing is well above the site benchmark of 15.5%, so credit costs more here than with cheaper lenders
  • Loan amounts run £10,000 to £250,000, so the smallest and largest deals on the table sit outside this range
  • The variable rate leaves 4% exposed to base rate moves, unlike a fixed deal
Tandem Bank

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Scored 8.9 / 10 by SumCue.

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Who it suits

  • Savers who want a cash ISA at a variable 4% with instant withdrawals whenever they need them
  • Homeowners looking to borrow up to £10,000 to £250,000 for purchase, remortgage or buy-to-let
  • People who want a soft prequalification check before committing to a full application

Who should look elsewhere

  • Borrowers chasing the cheapest credit, since 9.1% sits well above the site benchmark of 15.5%
  • Anyone who needs a fixed rate, because the variable rate can shift under them
  • Renters, because the mortgages are aimed at UK residents who own their own home

Rates and terms

The headline number here is a variable 4% on the savings side. That sits above the site benchmark of 3% for headline rates, though it ranks 144 of 488 brands tracked on this measure. The rate type is variable, which is the norm on the wider site: 53.9% of listed savings are variable, against 46.1% on fixed terms. On the borrowing side the picture is different. The 9.1% is a high figure for a mortgage, sitting well above the site benchmark of 4.91% for the annual percentage rate of charge. The published representative example makes the real cost plain: the monthly payment on a typical loan adds up to a total repayable figure far beyond the amount borrowed, which is the number worth reading before you apply. Borrowing terms run 36 to 360, with the longest available being the upper end of that range. For context, most site mortgages are taken out for 97%, and 64.9% is the other big use. Tandem's own stated purposes are purchase, remortgage and buy to let.

Access to your money

Money in the savings account stays reachable. Access runs around the clock, withdrawals are uncapped, and card replacements are allowed through the tax year. That combination suits anyone who wants savings in an instant account rather than locked away, because nothing here pushes you towards a notice period or a fixed term. The rate type is variable, so the balance stays available while the rate follows the base rate. Borrowing terms run 36 to 360, and a mortgage borrower can look at a fixed period of 2 to 5 if they want a stretch at a set rate before the variable element applies. A note on the trade-off: variable means accessible and flexible, but the income it generates is the part that moves. Someone who needs certainty will have to look elsewhere.

Regulation and registers

Tandem Bank is a UK regulated lender rather than an intermediary. The Prudential Regulation Authority licence number is 204479, and the lender type is direct lender, meaning you deal with the bank itself rather than a broker or marketplace. That structure matters for savings safety as well. Deposits sit under FSCS up to GBP 85,000, so a bank failure would not leave the money exposed beyond the stated limit. Worth knowing: only 20.1% of site loans use a soft prequalification route, against 75% that run a hard check. Tandem's home loans use the softer approach.

Who runs it

The legal entity behind the account is Tandem Bank Limited, headquartered in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 2014, so this is a bank with a long operating history rather than a new entrant. Support runs on chat, email and phone, which covers phone, email, chat and a help centre. That mix is broader than the site average for community-based support, which sits at 10.2% of brands listed. The Prudential Regulation Authority licence, 204479, is the entry that confirms this is a properly supervised UK bank. It is worth checking against the register yourself if you are moving a large balance.

How Tandem Bank compares

Where Tandem Bank is available

Available
United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Prudential Regulation Authority (204479), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What rate does the cash ISA pay?+

The cash ISA pays a variable 4%, which can move with the base rate. The product sits in the isa category, so it is a tax shelter with no fixed term to serve. The rate is above the site benchmark of 3% for headline rates, though it is not near the top of the table.

Is my money protected if the bank fails?+

Yes. Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and Tandem Bank is licensed by the Prudential Regulation Authority under reference 204479. That protection applies to the cash you hold rather than to any loan you take out from the bank.

Can I get at my money at any time?+

Access runs around the clock, withdrawals are uncapped, and card replacements are allowed through the tax year. Because the rate is variable, there is no fixed term to serve and no notice period to wait out. The trade-off is that the rate can move while the money stays reachable.

What APR do the mortgages charge?+

The APR is 9.1% and the APRC is 9.1%, which sits well above the site benchmark of 4.91% for mortgages. The published example shows a monthly payment whose total repayable figure runs far past the amount borrowed, which is the clearest way to read what this rate really costs over a full term.

How much can I borrow?+

Loan amounts run £10,000 to £250,000 on the home lending side. Terms are available over 36 to 360, and the maximum loan to value is 90%. The stated purposes cover purchase, remortgage and buy to let, so purchase, remortgage and buy-to-let are all on the table.

Will applying affect my credit file?+

The credit check is a soft prequalification style, soft prequal, so an indication does not leave a hard mark. Only 20.1% of site loans work this way, against 75% that use a full check. A formal application is where the hard search would sit.

Who is behind Tandem Bank?+

The legal entity is Tandem Bank Limited, headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded in 2014. It is a direct lender, direct lender, so applications go straight to the bank rather than through a broker. Support runs on chat, email and phone.

Can I repay a personal loan early?+

You can repay a personal loan early with no extra charge, so there is no fee for settling ahead of schedule. Most of the market is as flexible, since 79.4% of site loans offer the same. Tandem's loan types cover personal, debt consolidation and secured.

Sources

  • intermediary.tandem.co.uk/faq checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Maximum loan to value

    “What is the maximum LTV? 90%”

  • tandem.co.uk/about checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Founded, Purpose

    “Launching in 2014, Tandem was one of the UK's original digital challenger banks, providing access to simple, honest, and fair mortgage and savings products.”

  • tandem.co.uk/borrow/home-improvement-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Use cases

    “Home Improvement Loans for Energy-Efficient Upgrades ... A Home Improvement Loan can help you finance upgrades that could lower your energy consumption”

  • tandem.co.uk/borrow/home-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Loan amount, Lender type, Loan types, Term

    “With a Tandem Home Loan, you could borrow anything from £10,000 to up to £250,000”

  • tandem.co.uk/borrow/mortgage-rates checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: APR, APRC, Initial rate, Representative example

    “Representative Example: A mortgage of £150,000 over 25 years, with a variable interest rate of 8.75% for the full term ... The overall cost for comparison is 9.1% APRC.”

  • tandem.co.uk/faq/home-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Credit check, Eligibility

    “When you apply for a Tandem Home Loan, we conduct a soft credit search, which will not affect your credit score. However, if you are approved in principle for a loan and you accept your quotation, we...”

  • tandem.co.uk/faq/mortgages checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Fixed period

    “Fixed-rate mortgages lock in your interest rate for a specified term, typically ranging from 2 to 5 years”

  • tandem.co.uk/faq/personal-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Free early repayment

    “Can I settle my loan early? Yes! Just get in touch with our helpful support team.”

  • tandem.co.uk/faq/tandem-cash-isa checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Support channels

    “New and existing customer queries. Live chat in app, Email: hello@tandem.co.uk, Call: 020 3370 0970”

  • tandem.co.uk/save/instant-access-cash-isa checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Access terms, Account kind, Deposit protection, Headline rate, Headquarters, Legal entity, Rate type, Licences

    “With our Instant Access ISA, you can make unlimited withdrawals and replacements whenever you need to.”

Compiled from 10 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Minimum deposit.

Tandem Bank

Tandem Bank

A variable rate cash ISA alongside quick access to borrowing, in one UK app.

8.9/10See alternatives