Benefits of a business account

If you are a sole trader, what are the pros and cons of using a business bank account over a personal one?

Separating your work finances from your personal ones is almost always a good idea, although it may end up being more expensive.

What are the benefits of opening a business bank account?

Separating your business and personal banking is a necessity for anyone who owns a company. Not sure why exactly you should open a business bank account? Here are some of the many reasons:

  • All your business transactions are separated from your personal ones which makes your business accounting records more organised.
  • Some banks have mobile apps so you can check your records and make business payments anytime you want and anywhere you are.
  • You can set up standing orders for business expenses. No need to worry about not paying on time anymore!
  • You can pay your employees easily.
  • If you’re a small business owner, you may be able to enjoy a free banking period for some time.
  • From insurance to coffee supplies, some banks offer discounts for products and services that you may find useful for your company.
Revolut Business Basic Account

Revolut Business Basic Account

Finder Score 4.3★★★★★

Go to site Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
Sign up today and unlock 1 month of a paid plan without subscription fees.

A key benefit of Revolut Business is that the Basic plan has no fees, so you can set up your brand-new business account for free. You get both physical and virtual company cards for spending, and you can grant access to your entire team if you need to. It also has plenty of helpful features to elevate your business workflow, including expense management, invoicing tools and 24/7 customer support. You can integrate certain accounting software, such as Xero and Quickbooks. Revolut is particularly suited to businesses dealing in multiple currencies - with multi-currency accounts that allow you to easily send, receive and exchange money around the world.

Monzo Business Lite

Monzo Business Lite

Finder Score 3.7★★★★★

Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
Get a free business account with no monthly fees.

The Monzo Lite business account has no subscription fees, offering an affordable way to separate your personal and business finances. You can set up an account in no time, with easy access on both mobile and web browser. It comes with benefits such as 24/7 customer support, instant notifications, budgeting and categorised spending, digital receipts, and pots to separate money. You also get access to a free instant access savings account to manage your business savings. There's the option to upgrade to a paid-for plan if you decide you need any additional features such as integrated accounting or Tax Pots.

Tide Free Account

Tide Free Account

Finder Score 4.1★★★★★

Go to site Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
Earn 1% on all card spend.

Another fee-free business account, Tide offers a number of key benefits for business owners, such as free personalised invoicing and payment tracking, cashflow insights, spending categorisation and Open Banking integration. You can also open a linked instant business savings account with a competitive rate and access 24/7 customer support. One stand-out feature with Tide is the accounting integrations - you can link your business account to a whole host of software, including Clear Books, Sage, Xero, Quickbooks and more.It comes with 1 free Tide business card, but you can order additional company expense cards for team members for a small fee, as well as a card reader if you need one for payments.

Zempler Bank Business Go Account

Zempler Bank Business Go Account

Finder Score 3.7★★★★★

Go to site Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
By invitation
Requires credit check
No annual or monthly fee when you apply using the Finder link.

Formerly known as Cashplus, the Zempler Business Go comes with no monthly fee so you can get your business finances under control without paying extra. It comes with 1 dedicated card, although you can order additional cards for a small fee. Business-specific benefits of the Zemplar account include cashflow tracking, instant notifications and integrated accounting with software including Clear Books, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero and more. Other useful tools include digital receipts, invoicing and a Making Tax Digital feature.It could also be a good option if your business deals with cash as a Zemplar Bank Business Go Account allows cash deposits via the Post Office.

HSBC Kinetic Current Account

HSBC Kinetic Current Account

Finder Score 3.6★★★★★

Read review
Account fee£6.50 per month (waived in first 12 months)
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
Access to products and benefits on accounting software, insurance and more.

This business account is aimed at sole traders and single directors who want to get their business finances under control. There's no fee for the first 12 months but, after that, there's a monthly fee of £6.50. Categorised spending and cashflow insights are available in the app to help you stay on top of business expenses and plan ahead. Mobile cheque deposits are also available with this account and there's an international payments feature (but fees do apply). Another feature that business owners may find useful with the HSBC account is the overdraft - you can apply for an overdraft of up to £30,000 in the app, with quick availability of funds.

Card One Money Account

Card One Money Account

Finder Score 2.5★★★★★

Account fee£12.50
(waived in first 3 months)
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
No monthly account fee for the first three months.

Designed specifically for small businesses, the Card One Money account can be quickly and easily set up online. It also doesn't require a credit check - one of the few providers to offer this - so could be a good option for business owners concerned about their credit rating. Another great perk of this account is the cashback rewards programme - you can earn cash rewards of up to 3.5% at more than 35 different retailers by using the Mastercard that comes with the account. There is a monthly account fee associated with this account, but Card One Money sometimes runs a free trial where this fee will be waived for a set period.

Can’t I just use my personal account?

First of all: if you have set up your business as a limited company, that’s a no. As a separate legal entity, your company must have its own bank account.

If you are set up as a sole trader instead, you can choose to just do everything from your personal account if you wish. And it might actually be ok if freelancing is just your side gig, and you only have to deal with a few occasional transactions.

However, if you manage a number of different clients and expect to receive various transactions a week or even a day, a business account will help you keep everything properly separated.

Also, keep in mind that most banks’ terms and conditions say you shouldn’t use your personal account for business purposes.

How a business account can help you organise your finances

A more organised workflow is probably the main benefit of using a business bank account for work, rather than dumping everything into your personal one. It’s the same difference between sporting a neat, clean desk, and working in a corner of your kitchen table.

It means not having to scroll through pub and supermarket transactions to find invoice payments, and being able to keep track of your earnings and expenditure.

A dedicated business account, together with a good accounting system, will enable you to quickly calculate how much you earn and what business expenses you have. Most importantly, it will save you time; and time really is money for a freelancer.

Once you have a clear picture of what your work finances look like, you can regularly transfer your net earnings into your personal account and use the money for everything that’s not business related, from bills to groceries to cinema tickets.

Dedicated business tools

Generally speaking, a business account and a personal account are pretty similar. But the best business accounts offer additional features that are built around the needs of small businesses and self-employed professionals.

For example, they sometimes come with some kind of accounting or invoicing service, or can integrate with existing software. This allows you to streamline your business finances, again saving you time and making it easier to keep track of what clients you should chase for payment.

Some also offer dedicated customer service, which can come in very handy if anything goes wrong.

Business accounts don’t have to be complicated

“Business account” sounds very official and grown-up, and it can feel weird if it’s just you, managing your business from a tiny desk in the corner of your living room. And indeed some of them are pretty complex products meant for big businesses.

But there’s also a whole range of business current accounts that are specifically meant for sole traders and very small businesses.

Some are digital-only, can be opened very quickly without too much hassle or administration, and are also cheap.

A business account can help you build your business credit rating

While you may have no intention of taking out a business loan now, you never know what the future holds.

At one point, you may want to grow your business, move it out of your living room, develop a great idea you’ve had, and might need credit to do so.

If that moment comes, you want to have a business credit history to show for, and getting a business bank account is a first step in that direction.

More costs

This is probably the main disadvantage of business bank accounts: they usually have more fees than personal bank accounts. Some come with a monthly fee, others will apparently be free but then charge you for things you wouldn’t expect, such as a simple bank transfer.

It may still be worth it, especially if the account is very good and offers extra features. It really goes back to the first point we made: Business bank accounts are great for freelancers that have to deal with quite a lot of invoices and transactions, and not just the occasional monthly payment.

Also, if you are looking for a mostly free business account and you don’t usually need to deposit cash, have a look at Starling Bank’s business account.

Pros and cons of business bank accounts if you are a freelancer

Pros

  • Keep your work and personal finances separate.
  • It’s easier to find clients’ payments, and keep track of how much your activity really earns you.
  • Dedicated business features, such as invoicing services.
  • It helps you build your business’s credit rating.
  • Some business accounts are actually easy to open and manage.

Cons

  • Business accounts tend to be more expensive than personal ones.
  • Slightly more banking administration, especially if you go via two different banks for your personal and business accounts.

Bottom line

As a sole trader or freelancer you may not necessarily need to open a separate business bank account, but it can be a very good idea. If you manage a number of different clients and expect to receive various transactions a week or even a day, a business account will help you keep everything properly separated.

Opening a business bank account can help your business for several reasons. It can help your business build a credit rating, which may be helpful in future if your firm needs to borrow money.

Some business account providers also offer services tailored to small business owners, including invoicing features and basic bookkeeping via banking apps.

The main drawback of using a business bank account is that a fair few banks charge their business account customers transaction and account management fees. These fees apply make managing a business account more expensive than a personal current account.

Frequently asked questions

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Matthew Boyle's headshot
Written by

Publisher

Matthew Boyle is a banking and mortgages publisher at Finder. He has a 7-year history of publishing helpful guides to assist consumers in making better decisions. In his spare time, you will find him walking in the Norfolk countryside admiring the local wildlife. See full bio

Matthew's expertise
Matthew has written 284 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Helping first-time buyers apply for a mortgage
  • Comparing bank accounts and highlighting useful features
  • Publishing easy-to-understand guides

More guides on Finder

Go to site