Best Business Bank Accounts UK (2025) – Comparison & Rankings
Sep 24, 2025
Introduction
Choosing the right business bank account is a foundational decision for any business. The “best” account depends heavily on your transaction volume, international activity, need for cash deposits, and integration with accounting tools. This guide compares the top options in the UK, breaking down fees, features, pros & cons — to help you pick the right one.
What to Look for in a Business Bank Account (Key Criteria)
Before diving into providers, here are the criteria you should use to compare:
Feature | Why It Matters | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
Monthly / maintenance fees | Even a modest monthly fee accumulates over years | Some accounts waive fees for the first 12 months or under certain conditions |
Transaction fees / limits | High volume businesses get punished by per-transaction fees | How many free transfers, charges beyond threshold, “excess transaction” fees |
Cash / cheque deposit charges | Many small businesses deal with physical payments | Some banks charge for cash deposits or cheque clearing |
International payments / FX fees | Critical if you import/export or deal with multi-currency | Markup over the mid-market rate, fixed fees, currency spread |
Overdraft / credit facilities | May reduce need for separate lending provider | Terms, interest, arrangement fees |
Apps / integrations / tools | Simplifies bookkeeping, invoicing, expense management | Sync with Xero, QuickBooks, receipt upload, invoicing tools |
Customer support / branches / trust | Often a make-or-break factor | 24/7 support, branch access, reputation, FSCS protection |
Eligibility / business type restrictions | Some banks restrict by turnover, company structure, number of directors | Can a sole trader open? Do you need trading history? |
Recent data suggests many UK business bank accounts charge £5–£10 per month in fees (for standard accounts) as a baseline. British Business Bank Also, a few challenger / digital banks attempt to remove monthly fees and instead monetize via transaction costs or subscription models. Wise+2Starling Bank+2
Top Business Bank Accounts in the UK (2025) — Comparison & Reviews
Below is a side-by-side review of several of the top options, along with pros, cons, and target business types.
Provider | Typical Monthly Fee | Strengths / Differentiators | Drawbacks / Caveats | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Starling Business | £0 | No monthly fee; free UK transfers; free ATM withdrawals; no foreign fees (for card) | Cash deposits can be tricky; some inbound payments or third-party features may have limitations | Micro-businesses, service-based businesses, mobile / digital businesses |
Barclays Business | Free for some time, then ~£8.50 (depends on account tier) | Large branch network, trusted brand, integrated services and tools | Transaction fees beyond “free allowance” may be high; branch-based overheads | Businesses that still value branch access or hybrid operations |
NatWest / Mettle | “No minimum monthly charge — only pay for what you use” option (for some users) | Strong digital banking; relationship management in some tiers; good for SMEs | Higher tiers or added features cost extra; may limit certain industry types | Growing companies, SMEs that want a mix of digital + service |
Metro Bank Business Account | No monthly fee if you maintain balance above £6,000; includes 30 free UK transactions | Good for local presence, “always open” branches, overdraft options | Might cost if balance falls; transaction limits | Businesses with moderate balances and need for branch access |
Wise Business | £0 monthly in many cases; some one-time costs | Excellent for international payments and multi-currency business; good for invoicing and integration with accounting tools | Not a full bank (lack some banking services, e.g. in-branch cash); limits per country | Import/export businesses, freelancers with clients abroad |
Tide, Revolut, ANNA etc. (neobanks / fintech alternatives) | Ranges from free tiers to subscription (£10–£49+/month) | Very fast setup, excellent apps, clean UX, built-in invoicing, integrations | May have stricter eligibility or usage caps; not all banking services available | Startups, digital-first businesses, low-cash operations |
Provider Deep Dives
Starling Business
Fees & pricing: No monthly fee, free UK payments, free ATM withdrawals (six per day, max £300) Starling Bank
International: Allows international transfers to 34 countries with no hidden fees Starling Bank
Pros: Strong app, real-time notifications, card control, “Spaces” (sub-accounts)
Cons: Cash deposit convenience is lower (you’ll likely need to deposit via Post Office or intermediaries)
Best fit: Businesses with mostly digital cash flow, minimal physical cash handling.
Barclays Business
Barclays publishes a rates & charges tariff and offers a tariff calculator for estimating costs. Barclays
They often run promotions: e.g. free banking for the first year for some businesses via comparison sites. moneysupermarket.com
Pros: branch network, established trust, integration with Barclay services
Cons: for high transaction volumes or international usage, costs may escalate; customer experience may lag modern challengers.
NatWest / Mettle
NatWest offers no minimum monthly charge and “you pay for what you use” model for smaller businesses. NatWest
Their “Mettle” digital platform is connected; but NB: their business account product may not always include credit or borrowing under certain tiers. NatWest+1
Pros: decent brand backing, some physical support, decent digital features
Cons: additional features cost extra; possibly slower support than fintechs.
Metro Bank
One interesting model: if your average daily balance stays above £6,000, no monthly fee. Also includes 30 free UK transactions per month. Metro Bank
They also offer business overdrafts (up to £60,000) under certain terms. Metro Bank
Pros: good for businesses with moderate capital to hold, branch presence
Cons: If your balance dips, you will incur fees; the 30 free transactions may not be enough for high-volume users.
Wise Business & Multi-currency Options
Wise is not a bank in the classic sense, but it offers business accounts that let you hold and transact in 40+ currencies at mid-market exchange rates. Wise
They also offer invoicing capabilities out-of-the-box. Wise
Pros: excellent for cross-border commerce, freelancers / global clients, decoupled from bank overheads
Cons: lacks full banking services (e.g. cash deposit, some types of loans)
Use as a complement or alternative, not always a full replacement for a business banker for certain types of businesses.
How to Choose for Your Business
Here’s a framework to help you pick:
Project your usage
Estimate your monthly number of transfers, cash deposits, international payments, and overdraft needs. Then plug into fee tables of candidate banks to see estimated cost.Cash deposits / physical presence
If your business handles cash or needs branch access (for customers, local operations, deposits), prefer banks with branches or good partnerships (like Post Office).International / multi-currency operations
If you invoice clients in USD, EUR, etc., or import goods, prioritize accounts with low FX markup (Wise, Revolut, Starling’s international features).Accounting & tool integrations
If you use Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, or other tools, make sure your bank syncs cleanly. A poor integration can cost you hours of manual reconciliation.Buffer & scale
Choose a provider that lets you scale (offers credit, overdraft, more transaction limits) without needing to move again too soon.Trust, support, and reliability
Even if fees are low, if customer support is poor, a major error or downtime could cost you far more in lost business. A strong brand, FSCS protection, and reputation matter.