Smile UKReviews 

I joined Smile because of its ethical credentials but the service is now so poor I am now looking to change asap.

Customer Service abysmal only have a secure message service which they promise to answer within 3 days. You have no copy of your message once sent! When you do get a reply it seldom addresses your issue and usually just a reaffirmation of what there system does or doesn't do. You try to be constructive but they just say we will pass onto to our IT dept but nothing has changed for years.

No contact phone and no chat line though they say they do? The online system is so basic. Frustratingly you make a payment to their credit card and there is nothing to say you have done this for days;
no pending payments, no change of balance nothing. Easy to forget you've made a payment and no way of checking.

I tried to query a credit card payment recently and spent ages filling in online forms which I was told were the incorrect ones with quite abrupt and unhelpful emails.

Recently taken over by the Coventry I thought things might improve but no.

I'll look at reviews and pick another.

Once again I started the day by trying to login to my Smile account (that I have had since Smile started) only to find yet again that internet banking was "unavailable because of scheduled maintenance". Why is this not done out of banking hours? Smile is cearly run for the convenience of its owners and not its customers and no longer can be called a bank. I am now looking around for a real bank that puts its customers first

So I’ve been with smile since it started in 1999 when it was truly excellent, forward looking and apparently ethical. Right now they are so bad that I’m about to leave. Security is utterly useless - as is updating my information of address, phone number, etc. Frequently blocked transactions for no apparent reason followed by lengthy calls to get the issue resolved, which then wasn’t I’ve lost faith in their competency. It’s a sad thing.

Blocked card, couldn't be bothered to tell me, can't be bothered to answer calls in real time.

Reported problem transaction with my card, spoke to fraud department who said they would get a replacement card in "8 - 10 working days"

No card arrived so I sent a secure message. Got a reply to that which said they'd tried to call me (spoiler alert - they hadn't) but to phone them.

After forever on hold, got told my replacement (?) card had been blocked but no-one had bothered to contact me.

Pure incompetence.

Blocked my card without explanation, no suspicious transactions on my account.
Refused to be contacted by email or WhatsApp for ‘security reasons’, only by phone (premium rate 0345 number uncontactable from Turkey due to they left me penniless).
Newsflash, you idiots: WhatsApp is double-end encrypted whilst a phone conversation is easily hacked.
Left me stranded in Turkey with zero cash and ruined what was shaping up to be a nice holiday. As soon as I get back, I’ll be moving every single penny from both my accounts to another bank. Revenge is a dish served cold 👿
They are an absolute joke. Avoid them.

Since my last review I have since read that the Co-operative Bank have been named "eco-providers" by Which?, in a report noting the absence of exposure to fossil fuels in their banking activities.
Another area which is very important to me is Animal Welfare and who the Co-op Bank will and will not do business with in that catagory, part of their Ethical Policy screening. As I have said I don't go abroad or shop on line so I cannot comment on card usage in those areas.
Smile still provide cheque books and the convenience of depositing and withdrawing cash at the Post Office which is so easy and convenient and not forgetting the App where you can easily transfer funds, pay bills and see pending transactions etc. I have banked with them for many years and will continue to do so into the future.

I've been with Smile since it started in 1999. And I've been a great customer. For years I've payed for a Smile More account, currently £18.50 a month. I've had Smile loans and credit cards all of which were paid off without a hitch. I used to think it was a great bank. But in recent years I've grown concerned about the quality of customer service and the bank's out of date tech. In the early years you really felt valued as a customer, but not now. My latest experience really rammed that home. For years I've had an overdraft which I've always used according to the bank's rules. Now, at ridiculously short notice, it's been reduced to £260 with no explanation. I asked for an explanation but was politely told I wouldn't get one. The bank is breaking its own rules, with the Smile More account I'm entitled to an automatic £500 overdraft. I've asked how I can make a formal complaint about this - no response. Is this how a reputable bank treats a loyal customer that's been with it for 26 years? A customer that's lived within the bank's rules and given the bank so much business. I'll be sad to leave a bank I really used to believe in, but it's not the same bank anymore. I came to Trustpilot to see if my experience was unusual, but it's clearly not.

Once again they have blocked my transfer to another bank saying in a text it might be fraud. They do this very often and then require that you call them, wait ages for the call to be answered, go through levels of security checks, then listen to some operative having to read inane and patronising questions from a screen. Half an hour later they then agree to let you spend your own money in the way you wished. They will never tell you why they thought it was a fraudulent transaction. If they suspect fraud surely they should be the ones making contact and facilitating what their customers want. I suppose it's a good way of keeping customers money in their bank for a longer period. Other banks seem to have a much more efficient process.

EDIT 27.10.25

So they've read my review and asked for further information. I thought I'd been very clear the first time. I also sent a message using their online system ( note this only possible via the website not the app - the app is very last century and hugely disappointing compared with other banks. Their reply is totally unhelpful. In fact I used the app of another bank ( Santander) . Brilliant the transfer went through instantly. Not held up by a dire anti fraud algorithm. Just need to answer all their questions before hitting the CONFIRM button. If you're thinking of a co-op/smile account just stay away. You'll be disappointed. It wasn't a surprise to find that Which find they were the worst main bank for security. I should stress that this is in no way a criticism of their operatives. They are polite and well meaning. I fell sorry for them having to work with such poor and outdated systems. If you (the bank) want further info from me. Please be very specific about what you need.

5/11/25

A further update. I responded to their request for further info by giving my contact details. Never heard anything back from that although I have made a formal complaint which is hopefully being progressed. Bizarrely they let my transfer go through 5 days after my request, without my contacting their fraud department. By this time I was expecting the transfer to be cancelled as they advised me would happen if I didn't contact them promptly. As I had already used alternative funds for the transfer I then had to take remedial action. I've been with this bank for about 30 years. Used to be so good. Something happend??

I joined smile right at the start, must be nearly 30 years ago. They were fantastic back then - great internet software (at the time), really good customer service, couldn't fault them.

Like so many others they have rapidly declined over the past few years. Their software is outdated and clunky, their customer service is poor, their checks make transactions difficult.

I recently requested copies of my statements in csv/excel format but I was told that is not possible?? I then asked for copies in pdf, but I was told I have to manually click every single one and click download to save them? Really, in this day and age??

I keep meaning to switch but I definitely will now as they are just becoming more frustrating.

Been with Smile from it's inception. The last few years have seen a real downturn in all services. I travel to the USA and always alert them to my proposed use of cards, Without exception this is a waste of time as |have repeatedly had my card declined everywhere specially in busy supermarkets with the resultant chaos. Highly embarrasing. All because of their crazy fraud team. The response is always " It is in your interests". Let me tell you Smile it is NOT in my interest to be stuck in an Atlanta check out with a line of angry Americans behind me. Furthermore, many of my online transfers fail to go through straightaway as Smile fraud team block them - all "In my interests". When I want to make a prompt transfer it is NOT in my interests to have it stalled. Usually there is no message from Smile to let me know what is going on. I have to contact them!! "Sorry sir, it is in your interests!!!!!!!! So, I am leaving along with quite a few of my friends and family. Now, as I transfer my assets to my new bank, all my transfers are stalled despite my telling them it is what I am doing. They appear incapable of learning or listening.

felt quite aggressive on my teeth and didn't really work

Time to end my many years with Smile. As the system gets ever more faulty and I can't make simple payments because verification codes are not sent it becomes ever harder to get any support and there is no longer a support phone line. Smile are also absolutely security obsessed in ways that are completely unnecessary. Even if I have just gone through security to log in and I want to see my transactions from more than a month ago I need to go through more security and get a verification code which now is by phone only, since they have taken the email verification option away so they can use the text verification that doesn't work.

I haven't had much to do with them other than trying to navigate the website and the app but this is enough to have me absolutely tearing my hair out. I had to ring the helpline multiple times, queuing on each occasion for over ten minutes after finding my way through the maze of options. Just awful, awful. Have closed my account, or tried to - again, there is no obvious way of doing so, you have to message and wait for days, and then try and log in again to see if anyone has responded. Aaaaaaaaaaaargh! Never again.

I have been with smile for over 20 years and they have become utterly unbearable with their abysmal customer service. Most of the staff who write replies to online secure questions clearly are idiots or do not have a sufficient command of the English language as their replies are almost always insufficient or irrelevant. It is soul destroying dealing with the staff who write replies to questions - at least in the past with telephone enquiries one could almost always get a solution to a problem. Every time I read "Hi" and then simply get an anonymous forename at the end I feel that I am being spoken to as if I am a primary school child. Their ghastly presumptuous informality merely deepens the awful experience of the majority of their staff who clearly have absolutely no idea about how to behave professionally. It is so sad: smile used to be a wonderful bank to deal with and had such courteous and efficient staff. No longer though: it is truly, truly awful.
Since writing the above review yesterday the cyber bullying by smile staff has increased and crucially the online banking website did not work for more than an hour early this morning when they repeatedly failed to allow me access to my statements because they repeatedly delayed for more than an hour to send an access code. Neither the human nor computer functions work properly but as for the horrendous bullying by the staff on line it now seems to know no limit.

I have just made an official complaint to the complaints department and an anonymous reply immediately closed it. The online banking staff are out of control, degenerate and dishonest. After approximately 20 years with smile I say loudly and clearly: don't go anywhere near them.

Joined a couple of months ago and I must say I am very happy I switched to Smile. I have spoken to their customer service team a couple of times and they have all been very helpful (maximum time I had to wait on the phone was 10 mins) and any questions I had were answered swiftly, respectfully and with some humour as well (made me SMILE).

The App is very easy to use and so is the online banking. I shop online quite regually and have not come up against any failed online payments as some other reviewers have stated.

Before joining Smile, I had been with Barclays and Chase. Personally, I found the customer service lacking with both these banks and rude at times.

It gives me peace of mind to know that should there be an issue, it won't feel like mind numbing experience to get in contact with the people at Smile.

So far a pleasure to bank with.

Update ! I suggest you educate your staff as they are refused to supply.
They refuse to provide Large print statements unless you pay. The is a Clear breach of the equalities Act 2010

Once again, the doom loop of failed online payments.
Presumably fraud protection but the attempted transactions are to another bank and previous transactions have been completed without issue, on more than one occasion.
No email or SMS sent as according to my last contact with Smile, a users phone is no longer a trusted device.
No online customer support or phone support available.
I have hung on for years but my tolerance is gone and I will be taking my business elsewhere.

Zero if I could. Company charged me twice for same payment, typical response from smile bank when asked them to do a charge back, oh we can't do that. Why? Cos we don't make the rules, sarcastic response from a jumped up customer service agent. Will be moving on, joke of a bank!!!!

Absolutely rubbish full of lies

I have banked with smile from when it first started and I'm still with them now. I run my account in a diligent manner and Apart from a couple of occasions using my card abroad I've never had any significant issues. Found them a superb bank for over a quarter of a century. I have no plans to leave smile bank. And no I do not work for smile or the cooperative bank. Xavier