Business accounts
Free business banking isn’t always free.
The monthly fee is the headline. What paying cash in costs, when the free period ends and who can actually open the account decide the rest.
How to read this pageEvery figure is the provider’s own, from their published pages. A fee nobody stated shows as not stated, never as free. Eligibility is always the provider’s decision, not ours.
The market
Browse business accounts
Checked 25 Aug
What are you looking for?
William · Sorted by the standing monthly fee, cheapest first. A fee nobody stated sorts last, never as free.
Starling
Business Current Account
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Limited companies
Paying in cash
Cash deposits at the Post Office cost 0.7% of the amount, minimum £3. Cheques are free.
At a glance
No monthly fees · 24/7 UK support
Starling
Business Current Account
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Limited companies
Paying in cash
Cash deposits at the Post Office cost 0.7% of the amount, minimum £3. Cheques are free.
At a glance
No monthly fees · 24/7 UK support
Monzo
Business Lite
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
Free Lite plan as standard · Pro £9 and Team from £25 a month
Monzo
Business Lite
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
Free Lite plan as standard · Pro £9 and Team from £25 a month
Tide
Free plan
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
No plan fee · paid plans from £12.49 a month
Tide
Free plan
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
No plan fee · paid plans from £12.49 a month
Mettle
Business Account
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Cash deposits through the Post Office cost £2.75 per deposit.
At a glance
No account fee · FreeAgent included with a monthly transaction
Mettle
Business Account
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Cash deposits through the Post Office cost £2.75 per deposit.
At a glance
No account fee · FreeAgent included with a monthly transaction
Allica Bank
Business Rewards Account
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
No monthly fees · savings pot up to 4.08% AER (conditions) · up to 1.5% cashback
Allica Bank
Business Rewards Account
£0
No monthly fee
Who can open it
Limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
No monthly fees · savings pot up to 4.08% AER (conditions) · up to 1.5% cashback
Barclays
Business Current Account
£8.50 a month
Free for the first 12 months, then the fee starts
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Cash in at the Post Office, Barclays Collect or a self-service device: 60p each (Barclays' published charge).
At a glance
No account fee for 12 months, then £8.50 a month
Barclays
Business Current Account
£8.50 a month
Free for the first 12 months, then the fee starts
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Cash in at the Post Office, Barclays Collect or a self-service device: 60p each (Barclays' published charge).
At a glance
No account fee for 12 months, then £8.50 a month
Santander
Business Current Account – Classic
£9.99 a month
Free for the first 12 months, then the fee starts
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
Free everyday banking for start-ups and switchers for 12 months, then £9.99 a month
Santander
Business Current Account – Classic
£9.99 a month
Free for the first 12 months, then the fee starts
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
Free everyday banking for start-ups and switchers for 12 months, then £9.99 a month
Lloyds
Business Account
£10 a month
Free for the first 12 months, then the fee starts
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
No account fee for 12 months, then £10 a month
Lloyds
Business Account
£10 a month
Free for the first 12 months, then the fee starts
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
No account fee for 12 months, then £10 a month
NatWest
Start-up Bank Account
Fee not stated
Check the provider’s tariff before you rely on this account being cheap.
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
Free everyday banking for the first 2 years · FreeAgent included
NatWest
Start-up Bank Account
Fee not stated
Check the provider’s tariff before you rely on this account being cheap.
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Paying in cash
Not stated: check before you rely on it
At a glance
Free everyday banking for the first 2 years · FreeAgent included
Allica Bank
12-Month Fixed-Rate Business Savings
4.00% AER
4.00% AER fixed for one year
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Access
Fixed for 12 months: no withdrawals until the term ends, and a two-week deposit window on opening.
At a glance
4.00% AER fixed for one year
Allica Bank
12-Month Fixed-Rate Business Savings
4.00% AER
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Access
Fixed for 12 months: no withdrawals until the term ends, and a two-week deposit window on opening.
At a glance
4.00% AER fixed for one year
Allica Bank
Easy Access Business Savings
2.80% AER
2.80% AER variable · withdraw anytime
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Access
Withdraw anytime.
At a glance
2.80% AER variable · withdraw anytime
Allica Bank
Easy Access Business Savings
2.80% AER
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Access
Withdraw anytime.
At a glance
2.80% AER variable · withdraw anytime
Redwood Bank
95 Day Business Savings Account
4.05% AER
4.05% AER variable · 95 days' notice
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Access
Withdrawals with 95 days' notice. Pay in from £10,000 up to £1 million.
At a glance
4.05% AER variable · 95 days' notice
Redwood Bank
95 Day Business Savings Account
4.05% AER
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Access
Withdrawals with 95 days' notice. Pay in from £10,000 up to £1 million.
At a glance
4.05% AER variable · 95 days' notice
Shawbrook
1 Year Fixed Rate Business Bond
4.70% AER
Business savings
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
Shawbrook
1 Year Fixed Rate Business Bond
4.70% AER
Who can open it
Sole traders and limited companies
A higher commission never buys a higher position. How we make money →
Go deeper
The detail behind each one.
Every account above has its own page: the fees, who can open it, the catch and the date we checked it.
Starling Business Current Account →Mettle Business Account →NatWest Start-up Bank Account →Allica Bank Business Rewards Account →Redwood Bank 95 Day Business Savings Account →Allica Bank 12-Month Fixed-Rate Business Savings →Allica Bank Easy Access Business Savings →Barclays Business Current Account →Lloyds Business Account →Monzo Business Lite →Santander Business Current Account – Classic →Shawbrook 1 Year Fixed Rate Business Bond →Tide Free plan →
Before you open an account
Know what it costs to run.
A business account is priced on how you use it: a monthly fee, a free period that ends, and charges for paying in cash or making transfers. The headline fee is rarely the whole cost.
Quick answers
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