Sidekick

Who they are

Sidekick is a money management app that offers savings and investment products. The pitch is straightforward: the team believes everyone deserves access to the tools and advantages that were once reserved for the wealthy 1%. In practice that means bundling competitive easy access savings with investment portfolios, a stocks and shares ISA, and even a borrowing facility - all under one app you download on iOS or Android.

Sidekick is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is not itself a bank - instead, its savings accounts are provided by UK regulated banks, and it partners with savings platform Bondsmith to deliver access to multiple banks, each of which has a full UK banking licence. At present, savings accounts are provided by OakNorth Bank and Hampshire Trust Bank. That's worth knowing before you open an account, because your FSCS protection sits with whichever partner bank holds your money, not with Sidekick itself.

Savings accounts

Sidekick currently offers one savings product relevant to cash savers: a High-yield Savings account - an easy access, variable-rate account with instant access and a minimum deposit of just £1.

The headline rate is 4.17% AER (variable), but there is an important nuance here. That rate includes a 0.6% Sidekick bonus, and the bonus only applies for 12 months and only on your first £60,000. Above that threshold, the rate drops to 3.57% - so if you are saving a larger sum, the effective blended rate will be lower than the headline figure suggests. It is worth doing the maths on your actual balance before assuming 4.17% applies to all of it.

On the protection side, eligible deposits held with Sidekick's partner banks are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 - double the standard £85,000 limit you see at most high street banks. That higher limit reflects OakNorth Bank's particular FSCS registration. Still, always check which partner bank is holding your specific deposit and confirm the protection level at the time you open.

Interest accrues daily, and the account offers easy access with unlimited next working day withdrawals - so you are not locked in or penalised for dipping into your pot.

A few things to bear in mind

Sidekick is primarily an app-based platform, and the experience is generally considered polished. That said, some users have noted that the rate structure can feel a little complex - the bonus is paid separately into a Sidekick Wallet rather than directly into the savings account, which means you may see multiple interest components showing at once. Withdrawals are processed on the next working day rather than instantly, so it is not quite the same as a same-day bank transfer if speed matters to you.

There are currently no current account switch offers attached to Sidekick.

Is it right for you?

Sidekick suits savers who want a genuinely competitive easy access rate and are comfortable with an app-only, fintech-style experience. The 4.17% rate is solid, and the £1 minimum makes it accessible. Just keep two things front of mind: the bonus rate only runs for 12 months, and it only applies to the first £60,000. At the 12-month mark, you will want to reassess whether the underlying rate still stacks up against the market.

If you have more than £60,000 to park, or you prefer a simple single-rate account without a bonus component, it is worth comparing what else is available before committing.

As always, the live rates on this page are the most up-to-date figures - specific numbers change regularly, so check back before you decide.