"How can they pay such huge interest rates?
Often these accounts only last a year, and there are strict limits on the amount you can save. Banks commonly use them as advertising tools, promising eye-catching interest rates, in order to grab your custom in the hope of flogging or forcing you to have their other products too.

Once it ends, your cash sweeps into a bog-standard account. Note the date, then ditch 'n' switch to a better deal immediately.

How does the interest work?
One point to note is that the interest received will be around half the interest rate of the account as the money is being saved monthly rather than in one lump sum. To maximise your overall interest, use the dripfeeding technique below.

When are they worth using?
While for pure interest rates, the top regular savers are unbeatable, they are taxed, meaning basic rate taxpayers lose 20% of any interest earned, higher rate 40%. This means, for many, the returns won't be as good as putting the cash in a tax-free Cash ISA; plus, if you don't use your £5,940 ISA allowance in a tax-year, you lose it.

Usually the right strategy is first fill your ISA each year, and once that's done, plump for the best regular savers (for more info, see the Where to Start Saving guide). Yet occasionally a regular savings account will pay so much, it can beat even the top untaxed ISA. The calculator below will help you compare."