Business bank account comparison table: every key cost in one place
Important: This guide provides general information, not personalised financial advice. Financial products, rates and eligibility rules can change, so check the provider’s current terms before applying. You can check a firm’s details on the FCA Register.
Quick answer
This page is the reference table: one row per provider, with the costs and features that drive most decisions. Use it to shortlist two or three accounts, then check those providers’ current terms.
Reading tip: compare the monthly fee column with the transfers and currency columns together. A no-fee plan with tight allowances can cost more than a paid plan if you make lots of payments.
The full table
| Provider | Monthly fee | Transfers | Foreign currency | Accounting software | Protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starling | No monthly fee | No fees on UK payments in or out | Check provider | Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent feeds via Starling Marketplace | Bank — FSCS protected |
| Mettle (NatWest) | No monthly fee (optional Mettle+ add-on £4 a month) | Check provider | Check provider | FreeAgent included if you make one transaction a month | Accounts provided by NatWest — FSCS protected; older e-money accounts aren’t covered |
| Monzo Business | Lite: free. Pro: £9 a month (first month free). Team: from £25 a month | Check provider | Check provider | Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and Sage on Pro and Team | Bank — FSCS protected |
| Tide | Free plan: no plan fee. Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99 a month | Free plan: 5 bank transfers a month; Smart 30; Pro and Max unlimited | Free plan: 2.75% on card spending abroad; 0% on paid plans | Direct Xero feed (updates every 24 hours) | Tide isn’t a bank. Most accounts are held with ClearBank (FSCS); some older e-money accounts aren’t FSCS covered |
| Revolut Business | Basic £10, Grow from £30, Scale from £90 a month | Local transfers beyond your allowance: £0.20; international: £5 | Basic: £1,000 a month at the interbank rate, then 0.6% | Xero bank feed (syncs roughly every 4 to 6 hours) | Check which Revolut entity holds your account — Revolut Bank UK Ltd is a bank; Revolut Ltd is e-money and not FSCS covered |
| Countingup | 3-month free trial, then £5, £12 or £20 a month depending on monthly deposits | 3 free transfers a month, then 27p | 3% foreign transaction fee | Built-in bookkeeping and accountant access | New accounts held with Griffin — FSCS protected; older e-money accounts are on old pricing |
| ANNA | Free plan £0 (first £1,000 incoming a month free, then 0.95%). Business plan £22.90 a month + VAT | Business plan: 60 transfers a month, then 20p | Check provider | Syncs with software such as Xero | E-money — funds in the main ANNA account are safeguarded, not FSCS protected |
| Allica Bank | £25 a month if your average balance falls below £10,000 (unless you have an Allica loan) | Unlimited fee-free instant UK transfers | Check provider | Sage, Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent | Bank — FSCS protected |
| Barclays | No monthly fee for 12 months, then £8.50 a month; transaction charges apply | Check provider | Check provider | 12 months of Sage free, then 50% off | Bank — FSCS protected |
| Santander (Business Current Account – Classic) | 12 months’ free everyday banking for start-ups and switchers, then £9.99 a month | Check provider | Check provider | 6 months of Xero free (offer, T&Cs apply) | Bank — FSCS protected |
| NatWest | 2 years’ free everyday banking when you switch using the full Current Account Switch Service (turnover up to £2m) | Check provider | Check provider | FreeAgent free with a NatWest business current account | Bank — FSCS protected |
| HSBC | Small Business Banking Account: no monthly fee. Business Banking Account: £10 a month (12 months free for start-ups and switchers) | Check provider | Check provider | Check HSBC | Bank — FSCS protected |
Figures as of 3 October 2026, taken from each provider’s own website. Fees, plans and eligibility change, so check the provider before applying.
Who it’s for
- Owners who like to see the numbers before reading opinions
- Accountants and bookkeepers comparing options for clients
- Businesses re-checking their current account against the market
- Anyone shortlisting accounts before applying
Who should skip it
These are general points to weigh up, not advice. You may want to look elsewhere if:
- You want a guided recommendation by situation — try the decision guide
- You need specialist accounts (charity, client money, treasury)
- You’re comparing personal current accounts — see Banking
- You need regulated advice
Full explanation
How to use this table
Cross out any provider that doesn’t accept your business type (for example, Allica wants 12 months’ trading and £50,000 or more). Then price your typical month on the rest. Where a cell says “Check provider”, we couldn’t confirm the detail on the provider’s site on 3 October 2026.
Our picks by criterion
Our pick for no monthly fee and no UK transfer charges: Starling. Our pick for included accounting software: Mettle or NatWest (FreeAgent).
Our pick for multi-currency: Revolut Business. Our pick for established businesses with larger balances: Allica Bank.
Where the figures come from
Every figure is from the provider’s own website or published price list, checked on 3 October 2026. We’ve left out figures we couldn’t confirm rather than guess. Fees are explained in Business account fees explained.
Next: Which business bank account should I choose?, Business banking integrations comparison and the simple guide to business bank accounts.
The catch
Tables simplify. Each provider has more charges than fit in a row — cheques, CHAPS, replacement cards and more. Check the full tariff before applying.
Offers move. Free periods, software trials and incentives change often; we’ve dated everything to 3 October 2026.
Protection differs. “Bank — FSCS protected” and “e-money” are not the same. Money held with a UK-authorised bank is usually protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible depositor, per banking licence (source: FSCS).
See also: FSCS in 2026: £120,000 for deposits, £85,000 for investments
Prefer a short version with who each option suits?
Shortlisted a provider? Check its current tariff:
These go straight to each provider’s own website. They aren’t referral links and we don’t earn from them.
FAQs
How often is this table updated?
Figures are dated 3 October 2026. Providers change fees and offers, so check before applying.
Why do some cells say “Check provider”?
We only include figures we could confirm on the provider’s own website. Where we couldn’t, we say so.
Which providers in the table are banks?
Starling, Monzo, Allica, Barclays, Santander, NatWest and HSBC are banks. Tide and Countingup hold most accounts with partner banks; ANNA’s main account is e-money.
Does the table include every UK business account?
No. It covers widely used providers. Others, including Lloyds and Metro Bank, offer business accounts too — check them directly.
Is the order a ranking?
No. Rows are grouped by type, not ranked.
Get our weekly email
The Friday Finance Lowdown — five minutes of the money stuff worth knowing.
Free to join. See our privacy policy for how we handle your email address.