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Finance · refreshed weekly

How AI wants digital current accounts

Digital Current Accounts is decided on attachment: Starling Bank indexes 111 there against YNAB at 85, a 26-point spread. Starling Bank holds the strongest overall profile, indexing 113 against the category average: ahead on all three. Across these 28 brands, attraction tracks being named most closely (rank correlation 0.23).

28 brands · 60 AI answers · 377 dimension scores · measured, never estimated

Attraction Standing out in the answer: named first, described as superior, magnetic and influential.
Affinity Belonging in the answer: tied to identity, values and legitimacy, not just specifications.
Attachment Staying in the answer: recommended again, dependable, easy, part of the routine.
AttractionAffinityAttachment Each whorl lights one ring per index threshold cleared (90 / 96 / 102 / 108 / 115)

100 = the average brand in the same category.100 = the average brand across every category in the index.

Finance

Digital Current Accounts

#Brand AttractionAffinityAttachment SummaryNamed in
1 Starling Bank: Attraction 114, Affinity 111, Attachment 111Starling Bank: Attraction 119, Affinity 116, Attachment 117Starling Bank 114119 111116 111117 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 38%
2 Monzo: Attraction 112, Affinity 107, Attachment 108Monzo: Attraction 117, Affinity 112, Attachment 114Monzo 112117 107112 108114 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 43%
3 Chase: Attraction 110, Affinity 106, Attachment 106Chase: Attraction 115, Affinity 110, Attachment 111Chase 110115 106110 106111 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 20%
4 HyperJar: Attraction 107, Affinity 106, Attachment 111HyperJar: Attraction 112, Affinity 110, Attachment 117HyperJar 107112 106110 111117 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 2%
5 Revolut: Attraction 111, Affinity 101, Attachment 99Revolut: Attraction 116, Affinity 105, Attachment 104Revolut 111116 101105 99104 Noticed, not returned toAhead on all three 25%
6 Emma: Attraction 103, Affinity 106, Attachment 108Emma: Attraction 107, Affinity 110, Attachment 114Emma 103107 106110 108114 Relied on, not excitingAhead on all three 7%
7 Wise: Attraction 103, Affinity 104, Attachment 104Wise: Attraction 107, Affinity 108, Attachment 110Wise 103107 104108 104110 Credible, not first choiceAhead on all three 7%
8 Nationwide: Attraction 103, Affinity 107, Attachment 100Nationwide: Attraction 107, Affinity 112, Attachment 106Nationwide 103107 107112 100106 Credible, not first choiceAhead on all three 20%
9 First Direct: Attraction 102, Affinity 104, Attachment 102First Direct: Attraction 106, Affinity 108, Attachment 107First Direct 102106 104108 102107 Credible, not first choiceAhead on all three 5%
10 Mettle: Attraction 103, Affinity 100, Attachment 104Mettle: Attraction 107, Affinity 103, Attachment 110Mettle 103107 100103 104110 Relied on, not excitingChosen, not loved 2%
11 Blackbullion: Attraction 102, Affinity 106, Attachment 98Blackbullion: Attraction 106, Affinity 110, Attachment 103Blackbullion 102106 106110 98103 Credible, not first choiceCredible, not first choice 3%
12 Snoop: Attraction 100, Affinity 102, Attachment 104Snoop: Attraction 105, Affinity 106, Attachment 110Snoop 100105 102106 104110 Relied on, not excitingAhead on all three 7%
13 Chip: Attraction 104, Affinity 93, Attachment 104Chip: Attraction 109, Affinity 97, Attachment 110Chip 104109 9397 104110 Chosen, not lovedChosen, not loved 3%
14 Santander: Attraction 99, Affinity 98, Attachment 95Santander: Attraction 103, Affinity 102, Attachment 100Santander 99103 98102 95100 Noticed, not returned toAverage on all three 17%
15 YNAB: Attraction 100, Affinity 106, Attachment 85YNAB: Attraction 105, Affinity 110, Attachment 89YNAB 100105 106110 8589 Credible, not first choiceNoticed, not returned to 2%
16 Plum: Attraction 99, Affinity 93, Attachment 104Plum: Attraction 103, Affinity 97, Attachment 110Plum 99103 9397 104110 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 8%
17 N26: Attraction 99, Affinity 93, Attachment 98N26: Attraction 103, Affinity 97, Attachment 103N26 99103 9397 98103 Noticed, not returned toAverage on all three 3%
18 HSBC: Attraction 94, Affinity 97, Attachment 99HSBC: Attraction 98, Affinity 101, Attachment 104HSBC 9498 97101 99104 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 12%
19 Halifax: Attraction 96, Affinity 100, Attachment 98Halifax: Attraction 100, Affinity 103, Attachment 103Halifax 96100 100103 98103 Credible, not first choiceAverage on all three 3%
20 Bank of Scotland: Attraction 96, Affinity 100, Attachment 98Bank of Scotland: Attraction 100, Affinity 103, Attachment 103Bank of Scotland 96100 100103 98103 Credible, not first choiceAverage on all three 3%
21 Ulster Bank: Attraction 95, Affinity 106, Attachment 91Ulster Bank: Attraction 99, Affinity 110, Attachment 96Ulster Bank 9599 106110 9196 Liked, not chosenCredible, not first choice 2%
22 NatWest: Attraction 95, Affinity 94, Attachment 95NatWest: Attraction 99, Affinity 98, Attachment 100NatWest 9599 9498 95100 Behind on all threeAverage on all three 13%
23 Moneybox: Attraction 95, Affinity 93, Attachment 104Moneybox: Attraction 99, Affinity 97, Attachment 110Moneybox 9599 9397 104110 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 3%
24 Barclays: Attraction 92, Affinity 94, Attachment 94Barclays: Attraction 96, Affinity 98, Attachment 99Barclays 9296 9498 9499 Behind on all threeRelied on, not exciting 15%
25 Lloyds Bank: Attraction 94, Affinity 94, Attachment 95Lloyds Bank: Attraction 98, Affinity 98, Attachment 100Lloyds Bank 9498 9498 95100 Behind on all threeAverage on all three 15%
26 TSB: Attraction 92, Affinity 94, Attachment 95TSB: Attraction 96, Affinity 98, Attachment 100TSB 9296 9498 95100 Behind on all threeRelied on, not exciting 7%
27 Post Office: Attraction 89, Affinity 93, Attachment 95Post Office: Attraction 93, Affinity 97, Attachment 100Post Office 8993 9397 95100 Behind on all threeRelied on, not exciting 3%
28 Royal Bank of Scotland: Attraction 91, Affinity 92, Attachment 94Royal Bank of Scotland: Attraction 95, Affinity 95, Attachment 99Royal Bank of Scotland 9195 9295 9499 Behind on all threeRelied on, not exciting 5%

Indexed against the average of the 28 indexed digital current accounts brands, so 100 is the category average and a brand is read against the rivals it actually competes with.Indexed against the average of every indexed brand in the whole index — 1,605 brands across 61 categories — so 100 is the average brand anywhere here and a number reads the same on every board. 28 digital current accounts brands, measured across 60 AI answers in the latest weekly run.

Driver by driver

Where the category actually separates. A wide spread means assistants describe these brands very differently on that driver; a narrow one means it is table stakes.

Attachment

26-point spread · tracks being named 0.21
Starling Bank111
YNAB85

The widest field of the three: this is where the category separates.

Attraction

25-point spread · tracks being named 0.23
Starling Bank114
Post Office89

Real separation, but not the category’s defining contest.

Affinity

19-point spread · tracks being named 0.18
Starling Bank111
Royal Bank of Scotland92

The tightest of the three: most brands land close together here.

Where each brand stands

Each brand's three indices, summed up in a line: which drivers it is ahead on, which it is behind on, and the one to build next. A brand that is noticed but not returned to has a different problem from one that is relied on but not exciting.

Starling Bank: Attraction 114, Affinity 111, Attachment 111
Ahead on all three
Above average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
Starling Bank · Monzo · Chase · HyperJar
No driver is behind; protect the lead.
Revolut: Attraction 111, Affinity 101, Attachment 99
Noticed, not returned to
Attraction is its strongest driver; attachment trails behind it.
Revolut · Santander · N26
Build next: attachment
Emma: Attraction 103, Affinity 106, Attachment 108
Relied on, not exciting
Attachment is its strongest driver; attraction trails behind it.
Emma · Mettle · Snoop · Plum · HSBC · Moneybox
Build next: attraction
Wise: Attraction 103, Affinity 104, Attachment 104
Credible, not first choice
Affinity (identity, values, legitimacy) is its strongest driver.
Wise · Nationwide · First Direct · Blackbullion · YNAB · Halifax · Bank of Scotland
Build next: attraction
Ulster Bank: Attraction 95, Affinity 106, Attachment 91
Liked, not chosen
Affinity is its strongest driver; attachment is below average.
Ulster Bank
Build next: attachment
Chip: Attraction 104, Affinity 93, Attachment 104
Chosen, not loved
Attraction and attachment are ahead; affinity trails behind them.
Chip
Build next: affinity
NatWest: Attraction 95, Affinity 94, Attachment 95
Behind on all three
Below average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
NatWest · Barclays · Lloyds Bank · TSB · Post Office · Royal Bank of Scotland
Build next: attraction
Starling Bank: Attraction 119, Affinity 116, Attachment 117
Ahead on all three
Above average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
Starling Bank · Monzo · Chase · HyperJar · Revolut · Emma · Wise · Nationwide · First Direct · Snoop
No driver is behind; protect the lead.
YNAB: Attraction 105, Affinity 110, Attachment 89
Noticed, not returned to
Attraction is its strongest driver; attachment trails behind it.
YNAB
Build next: attachment
Plum: Attraction 103, Affinity 97, Attachment 110
Relied on, not exciting
Attachment is its strongest driver; attraction trails behind it.
Plum · HSBC · Moneybox · Barclays · TSB · Post Office · Royal Bank of Scotland
Build next: attraction
Blackbullion: Attraction 106, Affinity 110, Attachment 103
Credible, not first choice
Affinity (identity, values, legitimacy) is its strongest driver.
Blackbullion · Ulster Bank
Build next: attraction
Santander: Attraction 103, Affinity 102, Attachment 100
Average on all three
Close to average on every driver.
Santander · N26 · Halifax · Bank of Scotland · NatWest · Lloyds Bank
Build next: attraction
Mettle: Attraction 107, Affinity 103, Attachment 110
Chosen, not loved
Attraction and attachment are ahead; affinity trails behind them.
Mettle · Chip
Build next: affinity

What assistants actually talk about

The sixteen dimensions underneath the drivers, scored 0–10 on how the answers describe each brand. Spread is the distance between the strongest and weakest brand: the widest are where a brand can still separate itself, the narrowest are the price of entry.

Where brands separate

DimensionDriverCategory avgStrongestSpread
Innovation & Technology Attraction 7.4 Monzo 9.0 3.0
Leadership & Momentum Attraction 7.4 Monzo 9.0 3.0
Heritage & Authority Attraction 7.6 HSBC 9.0 3.0
Ease of Use & Onboarding Attachment 7.7 Monzo 9.0 3.0
Differentiation vs Sameness Attraction 7.1 Monzo 8.7 2.7

Where everyone reads alike

DimensionDriverCategory avgStrongestSpread
Delivery & Fulfilment Attachment 7.2 Monzo 8.0 1.0
Trust & Credibility Affinity 7.8 Monzo 8.7 1.7
Quality & Performance Attraction 7.8 Monzo 8.7 1.7
Range & Availability Attachment 7.8 HSBC 9.0 2.0
Customer Service & Support Attachment 7.4 First Direct 9.0 2.0

Does desire track being recommended?

Rank correlation between a brand's driver index and the share of answers naming it, across the 28 indexed brands in this category. A relationship inside one run's answers — descriptive, never causal, and easily moved by a single brand at this sample size.

Attraction0.23
Affinity0.18
Attachment0.21

Method & limitations

Every week, each category runs a fixed set of unbranded consumer prompts against ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. A separate model reads the answers and scores every brand named in them across 16 perception dimensions, 0–10. Those dimensions are grouped into the three Drivers of Desire from the Havas Science of Desire framework, and each brand's driver score is indexed against the average brand in its own category — 100 is the category average, 115 is fifteen per cent above it. The Vs all categories switch re-indexes the same scores against the average of every indexed brand across every category, so boards can be read against each other; the ranking inside a category is the same either way. Each category's own average, indexed against the whole index, is its place in the category table. The summary beside each brand describes where it stands on the three drivers against whichever benchmark is showing: above 104 counts as ahead, below 96 as behind.

This measures how AI assistants describe brands in their answers. It is not a survey of people, and it is not an endorsement: the scores are a reading of machine-generated text at the time of the run, and relationships between drivers and how often a brand is named are correlational. A brand needs at least six scored dimensions in a run to be indexed, and a category needs at least four such brands to get a board. See the full methodology.