Best business bank accounts in the UK for 2024

Compare business bank and e-money accounts to find the best.

Bank accounts come in all shapes and sizes, and some are likely to suit your business more than others. With so many business bank accounts to choose from, how do you pick the right one for you?

We reveal which banks are the best in the UK for customer satisfaction and which ones are top for overseas spending, cashback and more to help you choose the one that will suit you best and give you the features you want. We also have a guide on prepaid business cards if you’re a business owner looking for the best way to allow your employees to pay for expenses as part of their work.

The best business bank & e-money accounts in the UK for 2024, by category

ProviderBest forExpert score
Revolut businessBest e-money account for small businesses4.3/5
MettleBest business bank account for app and online banking4.2/5
Starling Bank businessGood for beginners and startups4.2/5
TideBest business bank account for new business and best for accounting integration4.0/5
ANNA MoneyBest business bank account for invoice service3.8/5
TSBBest business bank account for high street banking3.8/5
ZemplerBest business bank account for bad credit3.7/5
Monzo businessGood for international payments3.7/5
Card One Money businessGood for cashback3.3/5

Best business account for small businesses

Revolut Business Basic Account

Best business account for small businesses: Revolut Business

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.

The business account from Revolut enables you to create, send, manage and reconcile invoices, all within its Basic service. Revolut is known for its multicurrency approach, and its business account is no different. You can receive, hold and exchange money in more than 25 currencies worldwide with no hidden fees. You can set up as many sub-accounts in each currency as you need. In addition, you can get fixed foreign exchange rates for a set amount and date in the future, and you can spend like a local worldwide with your company debit card in 150 currencies. Each team member can get up to 200 virtual cards and 3 physical plastic cards. You can set card limits, track, freeze and unfreeze cards, as well as decide where cards can be used. If you’re looking for something a little more impressive, choose the Revolut Metal card, exclusive to Revolut’s paid plans. If you're a sole trader or a freelancer, you can't get this account but you can apply for Revolut Pro.

Best business bank account for bad credit

Zempler Bank Business Go Account

Best business bank account for bad credit: Zempler

Finder Score 3.7★★★★★

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

Opening a business bank account with bad credit can be complicated. Most banks carry out a credit check when you submit your application and reject it if you don’t meet the requirements. All is not lost, though! Some companies, like Zempler, offer banking services perfect for businesses with poor or no credit history. There are no credit checks when you apply. The only thing that needs to be verified is your contact details.

Best business bank account for new businesses and best for accounting integrations

Tide Free Account

Best for new business and best for accounting integrations: Tide

Finder Score 4.1★★★★★

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Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
Get £150 cashback when you open a Tide business bank account using the code 150BOOST.

Tide is a fintech app that offers business accounts to small businesses and freelancers, hoping to relieve some of the financial stress that comes with a growing company. One of the ways it does this is to help new businesses register their limited company and open an account all in one go. Tide also stands out for the number of accountancy software packages it can integrate with, giving you more choices to find one that suits your business needs.

Good for beginners and startups

Starling Business Current Account

Good for beginners and startups: Starling

Finder Score 4.7★★★★★

Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Up to £50,000 subject to eligibility and application
Requires credit check

The era of banking in its traditional form is being surpassed. Digital banking is on the rise, offering customers 24/7 access to their bank accounts via apps and other types of online accounts. Starling stands out for its user experience and its intuitive app. If you are just starting out, you can manage your money anytime you want and anywhere you are. What’s more, you can get instant notifications about the payments you’ve made or received and sort your invoices quickly and easily. If you’re looking for high service quality and features to help you manage your business costs, Starling may be the best option for you.

Best business bank account for app and online banking

Mettle by NatWest Mobile Account

Best business bank account for app and online banking: Mettle

Finder Score 4.2★★★★★

Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check

Mettle is the first standalone business banking app offered by one of the high street banks, NatWest Group. It lets business customers apply for an account in minutes, forecast business performance and create invoices. All of this can be done from its free-to-use app, which rivals the mobile app-based business accounts already offered by challenger banks. Mettle’s app has some of the highest ratings in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, showing it’s invested in a mobile-first customer experience.

Best business bank account for invoice service

ANNA Pay As You Go Account

Best business bank account for invoice service: ANNA Money

Finder Score 4.2★★★★★

Read review
Account feeFree
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check

Invoices are crucial for keeping solid financial and accounting records. To invoice your company’s clients, you can always do it the old-fashioned way and create them manually, using templates and sending the invoices via email. It can be time-consuming, though, and the last thing you want is to make a mistake while creating them. To avoid that, choose a digital bank that offers accounting software and services that automatically generate invoices you can send to your clients. One such company is ANNA Money, which can help you save time and avoid the stress of chasing payments.

Good for international payments

Monzo Business Lite

Good for international payments: Monzo Business

Finder Score 3.7★★★★★

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

Monzo has teamed up with international money transfer company Wise to support international payments. Wise is a specialised money transfer service that shows its fees and exchange rates upfront. If you are keen to avoid any nasty surprises, then you can use Wise’s calculator before making your payment to see how much you will be charged. Limits on how much you can send are the same as your daily and rolling 30-day transfer limits tied to your Monzo Business account.

Good for cashback

Small Business Account

Good for cashback: Card One Money

Finder Score 3.3★★★★★

Go to site Read review
Account fee£12.50 per month
(waived in first 3 months)
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
No monthly account fee for the first three months.

Card One Money has designed its business bank account specifically for small businesses, and you can apply if you are a sole trader, partnership or limited company. You can set up the account through a speedy online process, with no credit check required. One of the biggest draws is that you can earn cashback for everyday use of your prepaid business card. Order up to 4 cards for your team and add money directly from your account.

Best high street business bank account

TSB Business Plus Account

Best high street business bank account: TSB

Finder Score 3.8★★★★★

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Account fee£5 per month (waived if balance stays in credit and averages over £10,000)
Arranged overdraft
Requires credit check
30 months’ fee-free monthly and transactional business banking for switchers.

TSB’s Business Plus account comes with 30 months free day to day banking as well as a free Square Reader. TSB also has an exclusive app, Revenu, which is designed to help you keep track of customer payments and send digital payment requests by SMS, email or QR codes. If you’re looking to grow your business, TSB offers 12 months of free specialist support and advice through Enterprise Nation. This includes expert podcasts, videos and weekly masterclasses. To qualify you must be aged 18 or over, a sole trader, partner or director and your business must be registered in the UK.

How did we rate our business bank accounts?

Kate Anderson

Finder money expert Kate Anderson shares our research

To come up with our Finder ratings and picks for the best business bank accounts in the UK, our team looked at the free or cheapest version of a provider’s business account range and scored them across 7 key areas.

We looked at their app scores in the Google Play Store and the App Store, their monthly fees, their transaction fees for things like ATM withdrawals or cash deposits, their customer satisfaction scores, the number of accounting software integrations they have available, their payment features and their extra features like additional employee cards or tax calculators.

We scored each category out of 5. For example, a business bank account with all the payment features listed in our criteria would score 5 out of 5. To calculate our Finder rating, we averaged all these scores and rounded them to the nearest half-star.

You’ll also see accounts we picked as being outstanding in certain categories, such as the best business bank account for bad credit or the best business bank account for accounting integrations. What you want from a business banking account is down to you, so these picks are just a steer to help you choose.

How to choose the best business bank account for your business

There are many factors to consider when choosing a business account, many of which apply whether you are a foreigner or a UK resident. It’s important to do your research and think about the following:

  • Cost. Pricing structures can be complicated for business bank accounts. Some have monthly fees, some have transaction fees and many have both. Think about how you’ll use your account and what works out to be your cheapest option.
  • Your type of business. It’s a good idea to look for something that’s as tailored to your business as possible. Some banks offer both startup accounts and ones designed for more established businesses.
  • Cash. If you take a lot of cash payments and need to deposit this cash into your business account, make sure you have a bank branch or pay-in point nearby.
  • Ways to bank. Some business owners prefer to discuss banking in person, while others would rather have a great mobile app that makes banking slicker on the go. Not all banks will provide both.
  • Accepting payments. Do you need to set up card payment terminals as well as a business account?
  • Accounting software integration. If you’re managing a small business, being able to do banking and accounting from the same place makes life easier. Popular integrations include Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent.
  • Related financial products. Do you also need a savings account, insurance or a business loan, and does your chosen bank provide these?
  • International banking. Do you trade abroad or need to make a lot of international payments? Check if you can do this with the business account or if you can open an accompanying account in a different currency.
  • Bad credit. If you have a poor credit history, you might be more likely to have your business account application rejected, but some banking providers specialise in accounts for these types of customers.
  • Address checks. Some of the digital-only banking providers don’t ask for proof of address. This is particularly relevant if you have bad credit or are a foreigner without a UK address and are looking to open a business account here.
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Our expert says: The best business bank account for you

"There’s a range of factors to consider when looking for the business bank account that will suit you best, depending on the size and nature of your business.

If you’re a small business, it’s worth considering Revolut Business. It doesn’t charge a monthly or annual fee for its Basic plan and allows you to create and manage invoices. You can also hold and exchange over 25 different currencies fee-free. However, this won’t work for you if you’re a freelancer or sole trader as your business has to be incorporated to be eligible (Revolut Pro is for freelancers and sole traders).

Your options may be limited if you have a poor credit history, as most banks perform a credit check before giving you an account. However, some will offer you an account without credit-checking you, such as Zempler, which offers the best business bank account for people with bad credit. Its Business Go account has no monthly fees, and you can bank online or through an app.

If customer satisfaction is your priority, digital-only bank Mettle comes top for this, according to our survey of business banking customers. It gets the highest rating for overall satisfaction, and 97% of its customers said they would recommend it. HSBC is the second best for overall satisfaction, with 97.2% of its customers saying they would recommend it."

Money expert

Best business banks for customer satisfaction in 2024

Our customer satisfaction awards are decided by the only votes that really matter – yours. We asked customers of 11 major business banking providers to tell us about their experiences. Now, we can reveal how they rated these UK banks. Learn more about the awards here, including our ratings methodology.

BrandLogoOverall satisfactionCustomers who’d recommendReview
RevolutRevolut logo★★★★★97%Revolut Business has been innovating and adding new features, and it apears this has paid off. It secured the top spot in this year’s survey with a score of 4.9 out of 5. Read our review
TSBTSB logo★★★★★97%TSB is currently offering an initial period of free business banking for 30 months to startups and account switchers. This and its services have proved popular with customers, scoring it 4.7 out of 5. Read our review
NatWestNatWest logo★★★★★97%It’s a competitive table again this year, so while NatWest also scored a “would recommend” of 97% and 4.3 out of 5, it placed third. Read our review
The Co-operative BankThe Co-operative Bank logo★★★★★97%The Co-operative Bank is known for its ethical business banking, and customers in our survey commended it on its reliable service. It scored 4.2 out of 5. Read our review
SantanderSantander logo★★★★★94%Santander operate a range of different business accounts, some of which come with discounted fees for startups or customers who are switching. It achieved a score of 4.2 out of 5 in our survey. Read our review
Lloyds BankLloyds Bank logo★★★★★93%Long-established Lloyds Bank recorded a score of 4.2 out of 5 in our survey. It offers business accounts for new and established businesses as well as one for clubs and charities. Read our review
TideTide logo★★★★★87%Tide is a digital-only business banking provider, and its customers highlighted its “top notch” customer service and ease of use. It scored 4.2 out of 5 in our survey. Read our review
BarclaysBarclays logo★★★★★94%Another high-street veteran Barclays posted an impressive 94% “would recommend” score and secured 3.9 out of 5 from its customers. The bank operates different business accounts depending on company size. Read our review
HSBCHSBC logo★★★★★94%HSBC the largest bank in the UK, posted a rating of 3.9 out of 5 in our survey. It now has HSBC Kinetic, which is an app-based business account with no monthly fee for the first 12 months. Read our review
ZemplerZempler logo★★★★★93%Zempler scored 3.9 out of 5 in our survey and a “would recommend” score of 93%. Its business bank account is designed for small businesses and is FSCS protected. Read our review
RBSRoyal Bank of Scotland logo★★★★★90%Royal Bank of Scotland posted 3.8 out of 5 and a “would recommend” score of 90%. Its customers that we canvassed praised its “trustworthiness” and level of service. Read our review
MettleMettle logo★★★★★90%Mettle is a relative newcomer to business banking and is a digital-only offshoot from parent company NatWest. It scored 3.8 out of 5. Read our review
AnnaAnna logo★★★★★83%Anna is a digital-only business account which also comes with invoicing and expense management features. It scored 3.8 out of 5 in our survey. Read our review

Frequently asked questions

Customer satisfaction scores methodology

We asked business account holders to rate their satisfaction with the service they had received from their banking provider and also whether they would recommend that provider to a friend. Our independent survey of 400 business banking customers was carried out in December 2023 – read full details of our methodology here.

We have crunched the numbers and shown the results for the 13 banking providers listed in the table above. We used these ratings to decide the winners of our awards (if there was a draw on the star ratings score, we used the “would recommend” percentage as a tie-breaker).

Business banking scores

★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our customer satisfaction scores (“Customers say”) are based on a survey of 400 customers carried out in December 2023.

Banking scores

★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor

Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.

To find out more, read our full methodology.

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.
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Katherine Denham, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
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Written by

Editor

Kate Steere is an editor at Finder, specialising in fintech, banking and cryptocurrency. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run. See full bio

Kate's expertise
Kate has written 176 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Fintech
  • Banking
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Mortgages
  • Payments

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