Mettle business bank account review

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Maximum daily payment out limit of £10,000

Mettle is the first standalone business banking app to be offered by one of the UK’s high street banks, in this case NatWest. Following a pilot phase, Mettle launched in November 2019, and is looking to rival the mobile app-based business accounts already offered by challenger banks. It stands out for its lack of monthly fees, free card use abroad and accounting software integrations. It won the Business Banking category in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2023, with 97% of customers saying they’d recommend it. It has also been recommended as one of our best business bank accounts.

FREE business bank account with no monthly fees

Finder Award

• Apply in minutes for your free business account
• Create, track and send invoices from your app
• Seamlessly connect to accounting software such as Xero and FreeAgent
• Get FreeAgent for free - a saving of £150 a year (based on FreeAgent's lowest tariff).*

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What is Mettle?

Mettle is a standalone business bank account offered by (but separate to) its parent company, high street bank NatWest. It has been featured in our best business bank accounts guide, with a standout mention for accounting software integrations. These include FreeAgent, Xero or QuickBooks.

This digital business account can be seen as a response to the challenger banks which have changed the face of banking in the last few years – reeling in customers by letting them open and manage app-based business bank accounts through their mobile phones, as well as offering great exchange rates for people who travel frequently. Mettle can also be accessed via the web.

Mettle lets business customers apply for an account in minutes, forecast business performance and create invoices. All of this is possible in its mobile app, which is designed to be easy to use, as well as free to use.

How does Mettle work?

Mettle offers its users a number of features, including:

• Fast application. Mettle will let customers open a business bank account in a matter of minutes.
• Invoicing. You can create and send customised invoices on the go. The app will let you know when you’ve been paid or if you need to chase.
• Reporting. You’re able to categorise business transactions and manage your expenses. You can then export your data and share it with your accountant.
• Accounting. Mettle can connect to accounting packages like FreeAgent, Xero and QuickBooks.
• Payments. You can schedule payments on the go and manage recurring payments directly from the app.
• Money pots. Set money aside from your main account into a “money pot”, where you can ringfence funds for future outgoings like corporation tax or VAT.
• No card fees abroad. There are no fees for using your card abroad and each transaction uses the exchange rates set by Mastercard.
• Freeze or unfreeze your card. You can lock your card in the app if you think you’ve lost it, then just unlock it if the card shows up.

What does the Mettle app look like?

How to open a Mettle account

These are the steps to open a Mettle account:

1. Download the Mettle app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Complete the application – Mettle will ask questions about you and your business.
3. Verify your ID and provide a business document.
4. Once approved, you’ll get an account number and sort code to get started.

Mettle’s fees and features

Product Name	Mettle by NatWest - Mobile business bank account Account
FSCS protected
Account fee	Free
UK ATM charge	Free
Account software integration
Accounting integrations	FreeAgent, Xero
Requires credit check	Soft search with no impact on credit score
Credit check
Credit check details	Soft search with no impact on credit score
Key benefits	Comes with a suite of free accounting software to integrate with
Overdraft
Freeze card from app or online banking
Interest rate	0%
Current account switch guarantee

Doing business overseas with Mettle

Product Name	Mettle by NatWest - Mobile business bank account Account
Overseas transaction charge	Unable to make international payments
Overseas ATM charge	N/A
International transfer charge	Use exchange rates set by Mastercard

Compare the fees of popular business bank accounts

Mettle fees, limits and pricing

• Mettle is free to join – you won’t be charged to download the app or to open an account.
• Mettle is free to use – there are no charges for transactions or for using any of the account’s features.
• There is a maximum account balance of £1.1 million for sole traders and limited companies (£1 million in main account, up to £100k in Money Pots).
• There is a maximum payment out of the account limit of £10,000 per day.

Mettle customer reviews

In our independent 2023 Customer Satisfaction Awards, Mettle was our winner, with 5 out of 5 stars and 97% of users saying they would recommend the service. Survey respondents highlighted its easy integration with accounting software and user friendly functionality. Here’s what some of those Mettle customers had to say in our survey:

“Mettle is transparent and easy to use”

“They have always provided me with great support”

“They have been perfect for what I need – very helpful and easy to deal with at all times”

Mettle has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 from over 20,000 reviews on the App Store. Over on Google Play, Mettle has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from more than 7,000 ratings on the Google Play Store (updated September 2023).

Pros and cons of Mettle

Our verdict: Is a Mettle account worth it?

Mettle is an interesting digital play by parent company NatWest. But as it’s separate from the high street bank itself, unfortunately you can’t visit a NatWest branch to discuss your Mettle account. However, a digital-only business account with Mettle is free to open and use, and it has strong mobile banking features. It also comes with a useful invoicing system and the ability to integrate with accounting software like FreeAgent and Xero. Time will tell if it’s successful enough to take on similar business account offerings from the likes of challenger bank rivals Starling and Monzo.

Get started by visiting Mettle's website and sign up for an account. If you have read this review and decided that Mettle’s account is not for you, you can use our guide to compare other business bank accounts on the market. You can also read our review of NatWest’s own business accounts here.

Frequently asked questions

• Who is eligible to open a Mettle account?

  Mettle offers a business current account, so you have to be running a business to open one. You’ll need to be a sole trader or a limited company with up to two owners. You’ll also need to be a UK-based company with owners that are UK residents.

• Is this a NatWest account?

  No, Mettle is separate from NatWest, so you can’t go into a NatWest branch to open or discuss a Mettle account. Mettle isn’t part of NatWest’s systems, but is a standalone digital platform built using different technology.

• Can I open multiple accounts with Mettle?

  No, you can’t currently open more than one account. Individuals and businesses are limited to one Mettle account. However, if you own more than one business then you may be able to open another Mettle account for this second business. To do this, contact Mettle through the in-app chat. You can also open a business account with other providers.

• Does Mettle offer interest?

  No, Mettle doesn’t offer interest on your account balance.

• Can I close my account?

  Yes, your account can be closed at any time by contacting the support team at Mettle through the in-app chat.

• Does Mettle offer an overdraft?

  No, Mettle doesn’t currently offer overdraft facilities. Learn more about business bank accounts that come with overdrafts.