Updated: November 2nd 2026

Compare Small business bank accounts

Compare monthly fees and the cost of making UK transfers.
Find accounts with invoicing tools and integrations with accounting software.

Tide Business Bank Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £0 on Free plan*

Fee Transfers / Month: 5 included on Free plan*

Interest Rate (AER): 0.00% AER

Features:

Free business account, open in minutes in the app
Companies House registration via Tide
Instant Saver: up to 4.25% AER for 4 months (conditions apply)
Free Making Tax Digital tools

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	£120,000 (across all ClearBank accounts)
Regulator & FRN	Tide Platform Ltd (FCA, FRN 900843). Accounts powered by ClearBank Ltd (PRA/FCA, FRN 754568)
Disclaimer	*Free plan has no monthly fee and includes 5 bank transfers per month; paid plans from £12.49/month. International card payments on the Free plan carry a 2.75% FX fee. Tide is not a bank: Tide Business Accounts are powered by ClearBank Ltd and eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 across all ClearBank accounts. Some members hold e-money accounts with PrePay Technologies Ltd, which are safeguarded rather than FSCS-protected. Instant Saver rates: up to 4.25% AER for 4 months with a CASS switch of £10,000+, then plan rate (1.5% AER on Free). T&Cs apply.

Best for	Sole traders, freelancers and small UK businesses
Eligible business types	Sole traders and limited companies
Documents required	Valid photo ID and selfie verification in the app

Monthly fee & plans	Free; Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99 per month
UK transfers	5/month on Free, 30 on Smart, unlimited on Pro and Max
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	1 business card; team cards on paid plans (1–3)
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	GBP account; international payments available

One month free trial. T&Cs apply.

Airwallex Explore Business Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £0 or £19/month*

Fee Transfers / Month: Free domestic and local transfers*

Interest Rate (AER): 0.00% AER

Features:

Global Accounts to collect and hold 20+ currencies
Up to 10 free multi-currency company cards
No international fees on Airwallex card spending
Sync with Xero and QuickBooks

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	Not FSCS-protected (funds safeguarded)
Regulator & FRN	Airwallex (UK) Limited, Electronic Money Institution (FCA, FRN 900876)
Disclaimer	*Explore plan: £19/month (ex VAT), waived if you deposit at least £10,000 a month or hold a balance of at least £10,000. Free domestic transfers in GBP, EUR and CHF; SWIFT transfers £10–20; FX conversions 0.5% above interbank for major currencies, 1% for others. Additional spend users from £5/month. Airwallex is not a bank: funds are held as e-money and safeguarded, not protected by the FSCS. T&Cs apply.

Best for	UK businesses that pay or get paid in multiple currencies
Eligible business types	Limited companies, LLPs, partnerships and sole traders
Documents required	Photo ID, proof of address and business details (e.g. Companies House number)

Monthly fee & plans	Explore £0 or £19/month; Grow £49/month (ex VAT)
UK transfers	Free
International / SWIFT payments	Local transfers to 120+ countries; SWIFT £10–20 per transfer; FX 0.5% (major) / 1% (other) above interbank
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	Up to 10 free company cards on Explore
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	20+ currencies

Earn a boosted rate of up to 4% AER (variable), Start Saving with just £1

Tide Business and Savings Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £0 on Free plan*

Fee Transfers / Month: 5 included on Free plan, then 20p*

Interest Rate (AER): Up to 4.25% AER Variable*

Features:

Instant Saver: 3.25% AER for new members, up to 4.25% with a CASS switch of £10,000+
Instant access: no notice period, no withdrawal penalty
Savings FSCS-protected via ClearBank
Access business insurance

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	£120,000 per depositor, across all ClearBank accounts (current and savings combined)
Regulator & FRN	Tide Platform Ltd (FCA, FRN 900843). Current and savings accounts powered by ClearBank Ltd (PRA/FCA, FRN 754568)
Promotion	Instant Saver: 3.25% AER for new members, up to 4.25% AER with a CASS switch of £10,000+, for 4 months
Disclaimer	*New Tide members get 3.25% AER (variable), rising to up to 4.25% AER (variable) with a full CASS switch transferring £10,000+ into a Tide Business Account within 14 days of joining. The promotional rate applies for 4 months, then the Instant Saver rate of your Tide plan applies. Rates are tiered, with the top rate on balances up to £1M. A Tide Business Account is required. Free plan has no monthly fee and includes 5 bank transfers per month (20p each after); paid plans from £12.49/month. Tide is not a bank: current and savings accounts are powered by ClearBank Ltd and eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 across all ClearBank accounts. Rates correct as of 15/10/2026. T&Cs apply.

Best for	Sole traders and small UK businesses who want to earn interest on spare cash
Eligible business types	Sole traders and limited companies (Tide Business Account required)
Documents required	Valid photo ID and selfie verification in the app

Monthly fee & plans	Free; Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99 per month
UK transfers	5/month on Free (then 20p each), 30 on Smart, unlimited on Pro and Max
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	1 business card; team cards on paid plans (1–3)
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	GBP account; international payments available

Up to £800 Incentive***

Cynergy Bank Business Bank Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £5/month, refunded with £35k+ average balance*

Fee Transfers / Month: Free UK transfers**

Interest Rate (AER): Up to 4.00% AER variable**

Features:

Up to £800 incentive for new accounts opened by 30 November 2026***
3.50% AER on balances up to £35,000, plus 0.50% bonus for 3 months**
Hold GBP, EUR and USD; pay in up to seven currencies
Integrates with Xero, Sage and FreeAgent

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	£120,000
Regulator & FRN	Cynergy Bank plc, authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA, FRN 575105
Promotion	Up to £800 for new accounts opened 1 Oct–30 Nov 2026: £200 (£10k+), £400 (£35k+), £800 (£100k+)
Disclaimer	£5 monthly fee, refunded if your average cleared balance in the previous calendar month was at least £35,000. Free UK transfers exclude cash, CHAPS, SWIFT and SEPA transactions, which are charged. 4.00% AER variable on balances up to £35,000, including a 0.50% AER bonus for up to 3 months for customers maintaining an average balance of £35,000 or more; base rate 3.50% AER; 0.10% AER variable on balances above £35,000. **Open a Business Current Account between 1 October and 30 November 2026 and deposit from an external account within 30 days: £200 for a balance of £10,000+, £400 for £35,000+, £800 for £100,000+, based on your balance at the end of day 30. Maintain the balance for six months; paid in two equal instalments after 3 and 6 months. If your balance falls below your tier, future payments are reduced. Not available to sole traders. T&Cs apply.

Best for	UK limited companies, LLPs and partnerships holding larger balances
Eligible business types	Limited companies, LLPs and partnerships (not sole traders)
Documents required	Photo ID and business details; Companies House registration where applicable

Monthly fee & plans	£5/month, refunded if previous month’s average balance is £35,000+
UK transfers	Free**
International / SWIFT payments	Payments in up to 7 currencies; CHAPS, SWIFT and SEPA fees apply
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	Visa Business Debit Card
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	GBP, EUR and USD accounts; payments in up to 7 currencies

Best for businesses making regular international payments

WorldFirst Global Business Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £0, no account fees

Fee Transfers / Month: From £0.31 per UK payment*

Interest Rate (AER): 0.00% AER

Features:

Free multi-currency World Account: get paid in 20+ currencies
World Card: up to 1.2% cashback, no FX fees in 15 currencies
New customers: 0.30% FX rate for the first 6 months
£100 World Card bonus for new customers (T&Cs apply)

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	Not FSCS-protected (funds safeguarded)
Regulator & FRN	World First UK Limited, Electronic Money Institution (FCA, FRN 900508)
Disclaimer	*No account opening, subscription or maintenance fees. Payment fees apply: £0.31 per GBP payment in the UK, £0.27 per EUR SEPA payment, from £4.62 for international payments; payments to other World Accounts are free. FX conversion up to 0.50% for major currencies (0.30% for new customers for the first 6 months). World Card: up to 1.2% cashback; no FX fees when paying in 15 supported currencies; ATM withdrawals 2% (min £1). WorldFirst is not a bank: funds are held as e-money and safeguarded, not protected by the FSCS. T&Cs apply.

Best for	UK businesses paying suppliers or getting paid internationally, including e-commerce sellers
Eligible business types	Ltd, sole traders, partnerships, LLPs
Documents required	Photo ID, proof of address and business details

Monthly fee & plans	Free: no setup, subscription or maintenance fees
UK transfers	£0.31 per GBP payment (Faster Payments or CHAPS)
International / SWIFT payments	GBP abroad £4.62; other currencies £4.62–£23; SEPA £0.27; FX up to 0.50% (0.30% for new customers for 6 months)
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	Up to 25 free virtual cards; up to 5 physical cards (£5 shipping each)
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	Hold and receive 20+ currencies; send in 100+

£0 business account + Auto Accountant free for 4 months

Anna Business Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £0 on Free plan*

Fee Transfers / Month: Unlimited outgoing; first £1,000/month incoming free, then 0.95%*

Interest Rate (AER): 0.00% AER

Features:

Auto Accountant: bookkeeping and tax returns, 4 months free (then £29/month)
MTD for Income Tax filing: free
ANNA Savings: up to 3.66% AER for the first 3 months**
Invoicing and receipt capture built in

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	Main account not FSCS-protected (funds safeguarded); ANNA Savings FSCS-protected up to £120,000 via Griffin Bank
Regulator & FRN	Account and cards issued by PayrNet Ltd, Electronic Money Institution (FCA, FRN 900594). Savings by Griffin Bank Ltd (PRA/FCA, FRN 970920)
Promotion	Auto Accountant free for the first 4 months, then £29/month
Disclaimer	Free plan: no monthly fee; unlimited outgoing transfers; first £1,000 incoming per month free, then 0.95%. Paid plans from £12.90/month + VAT. ANNA Money is a trading name of Absolutely No Nonsense Admin Ltd. Accounts and cards are provided by PayrNet Ltd (FRN 900594); funds in your main ANNA account are safeguarded and not protected by the FSCS. *ANNA Savings accounts are provided by Griffin Bank Ltd (FRN 970920) and are FSCS-protected up to £120,000; 3.66% AER is a promotional rate for the first 3 months, after which the rate depends on your plan. T&Cs apply.

Best for	Sole traders, freelancers and small companies wanting tax and admin done for them
Eligible business types	Sole traders and limited companies
Documents required	Photo ID and business details; apply in the app in under 10 minutes

Monthly fee & plans	Free £0; Grow £12.90, Business £22.90, Big Business £59.90 per month + VAT
UK transfers	Free plan: unlimited outgoing; incoming free up to £1,000/month, then 0.95%
International / SWIFT payments	SWIFT available (£5 per payment on paid plans after allowance); 1% FX fee (0.5% on Big Business)
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	1 card on Free plan; more on paid plans
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	GBP account + free USD, EUR and CHF currency accounts; payments to 200+ countries (1% FX fee, 0.5% on Big Business)

Get £100 when you open a Revolut Business Account*

Revolut Business Basic Account

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Monthly Fee:

Fee Transfers / Month:

Interest Rate (AER):

Features:

Monthly Fee: £10/month*

Fee Transfers / Month: 10 free UK transfers, then 20p**

Interest Rate (AER): 0.00% AER

Features:

Send, spend and exchange in 30+ currencies
FX at interbank rate up to £1,000/month
Unlimited team members; up to 3 physical and 50 virtual cards each
Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks and other accounting software

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EMI safeguarded
FSCS protection
Limit FSC Protection	£120,000
Regulator & FRN	Revolut Bank UK Ltd, authorised by the PRA, regulated by the FCA and PRA (FRN 981170)
Promotion	*Get a £100 welcome bonus when you sign up through our link and add at least £0.01 to your new account by 31/12/2026. Fees, promotion terms and T&Cs apply
Disclaimer	Basic plan £10/month. *10 free local transfers per month, then £0.20 each; international transfers £5 each. Currency exchange at interbank rate up to £1,000/month, then 0.6% fee (1% outside market hours). Other charges may apply, including card fees and paid add-ons such as expense management (£8 per user per month). Business accounts are provided by Revolut Bank UK Ltd (FRN 981170); eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000. Some accounts may still be held with Revolut Ltd (e-money, safeguarded) while transitioning. T&Cs apply.

Best for	UK companies that pay, spend and get paid in multiple currencies
Eligible business types	Limited companies, LLPs and partnerships (sole traders: see Freelancer plans)
Documents required	Photo ID, proof of address and business details

Monthly fee & plans	Basic £10; Grow from £30; Scale from £90 per month; Enterprise custom
UK transfers	10 free per month, then 20p each
International / SWIFT payments	£5 per international transfer; FX free up to £1,000/month, then 0.6% (1% outside market hours)
Overdraft Available (EAR)

Mobile App
Multi Users / team cards
Invoicing tools
Tax tools (MTD / VAT)
Card included	Up to 3 physical and 50 virtual cards per team member
UK branches
Multi-currency
Supported Currency	30+ currencies

Want to know more?

Business bank accounts for small businesses: what to consider

A business bank account can help small businesses keep business transactions separate, manage day-to-day payments and maintain clearer financial records.

The right account will depend on how your business operates. A freelancer making a small number of transfers each month may have different requirements from a shop handling cash or a growing business with several employees.

When comparing small business bank accounts, look beyond the monthly fee and consider the transactions, tools and account features you are likely to use regularly.

How to choose a business bank account for a small business

There is no single business account that will suit every small business. Comparing the features that are relevant to your day-to-day activity can help you understand the differences between available accounts.

Monthly fees and transaction costs

Some business accounts have no monthly account fee, while others charge a fixed monthly amount. Consider both the regular account fee and the cost of the transactions your business expects to make.

Cash deposits

If your business regularly receives cash, check whether the account allows cash deposits, where deposits can be made and what charges or limits apply.

Cash deposit facilities vary between providers. This can be particularly relevant for businesses such as shops, cafés, salons and other businesses that regularly accept cash payments.

Other details

Accounting and invoicing tools

Some business accounts integrate with accounting software or include tools for invoicing, expense management and transaction categorisation.These features may help simplify routine administration and bookkeeping, particularly if your business processes a large number of transactions. Check which integrations and tools are included and whether additional charges apply.

Multiple users and employee cards

If other people need access to the account, check whether the provider supports additional users or employee cards. Some accounts also offer spending controls or different user permissions, which may be useful when employees or business partners need to make payments without having the same level of account access.

International payments

Businesses that receive money from overseas customers, pay international suppliers or regularly spend in foreign currencies should compare international payment and foreign exchange costs. Some accounts also provide multi-currency functionality or local account details for selected currencies. The features, supported currencies and charges vary between providers.

Account protection

Check how money held in the account is protected. Eligible deposits held with a UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union may qualify for Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection, subject to the scheme's eligibility requirements and applicable protection limit. Other types of providers may protect relevant customer funds through safeguarding arrangements rather than FSCS deposit protection. Check the provider's regulatory and protection information before opening an account.

Which account features matter for different small businesses?

Different types of small business may place greater importance on different account features.

Type of business	Features that may be relevant
Freelancers and consultants	Low transaction costs, invoicing and accounting integrations
Shops and hospitality businesses	Cash deposits, payment facilities and employee cards
Online businesses	Digital banking, accounting integrations and payment tools
Businesses with employees	Multiple users, additional cards and spending controls
International businesses	International transfers, foreign exchange costs and multi-currency features
Growing businesses	Multiple users, accounting tools and access to additional banking services

Want to know more?

Can small businesses get a free business bank account?

Some providers offer business accounts with no monthly account fee, including accounts available to small businesses.

However, no monthly fee does not necessarily mean that every service is free.

Depending on the account, charges may apply for:

bank transfers;
cash deposits;
ATM withdrawals;
international payments;
foreign currency transactions;
additional cards; or
optional tools and services.

Some accounts may also offer a fee-free introductory period before standard monthly charges begin.

When comparing free business bank accounts, check the full fee structure alongside the features your business expects to use.

What to check before applying for a small business bank account

Before applying, weigh these factors against how your business actually operates — the monthly fee, transaction costs, cash deposit facilities, accounting integrations, employee card access, international payment costs, overdraft availability and how your money is protected — rather than comparing accounts on the headline fee alone.

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