UK Business Bank Account Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for the six most commonly considered UK business bank accounts: Tide, Starling, Monzo, Revolut, Cashplus and HSBC Kinetic. All data independently verified. Last updated 16 June 2026.
| Feature | Tide | Starling Business | Monzo Business | Revolut Business | Cashplus Business | HSBC Kinetic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account type | Financial platform | Fully licensed UK bank | Fully licensed UK bank | E-money institution | Fully licensed UK bank | Fully licensed UK bank |
| Licence / regulation | FCA e-money / ClearBank bank accounts | PRA/FCA (full bank) | PRA/FCA (full bank) | FCA e-money (UK); bank in EU | PRA/FCA (full bank, since 2021) | PRA/FCA (HSBC UK Bank plc) |
| FSCS protection | Yes (ClearBank accounts); safeguarded (e-money) | Yes — up to £85,000 | Yes — up to £85,000 | No — safeguarded | Yes — up to £85,000 | Yes — up to £85,000 (shared with HSBC UK group) |
| Monthly fee | Free / Smart £9.99 / Pro £18.99 / Max £49.99 | Free (sole trader); £7/mo (Ltd) | Free / Pro £5/mo | Free / Grow £19/mo / Scale £79/mo | £9.95/mo (standard) | £6.50/mo (after free period) |
| UK transfers | Free (capped on Free plan) | Free (unlimited) | Free | Free (capped on Free plan) | Fee per transfer | Free |
| UK ATM withdrawals | Fee per withdrawal | Free | Free (UK) | Fee per withdrawal | Fee per withdrawal | Free |
| Cash deposits | Post Office / PayPoint (fee) | Post Office (fee) | PayPoint (fee) | Not available | Post Office (fee) | HSBC branches + Post Office |
| Invoicing | Yes — built-in, all plans | Basic in-app | Basic (Pro plan) | Yes — built-in | No | No |
| Accounting integrations | Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent | Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent | Xero, FreeAgent | Xero, QuickBooks, Sage | Limited | Xero, QuickBooks |
| Company formation | Yes — integrated | No | No | No | No | No |
| Sign-up offer | REFER200 — up to £200 cashback | None typically | None typically | Occasional promotions | None typically | Fee waiver promotions (verify live) |
| Support | In-app chat | 24/7 phone + in-app chat | In-app chat | In-app chat | Phone + in-app | HSBC branch network + phone |
| Opening time | Minutes (sole trader); ~1 day (Ltd) | Minutes (sole trader); 1–2 days (Ltd) | Minutes (sole trader); 1–2 days (Ltd) | Minutes | Minutes (high acceptance rate) | Minutes (sole trader); 1–2 days (Ltd) |
| International payments | Limited | Multi-currency add-on (EUR/USD) | Limited | Excellent — multi-currency, low FX fees | Limited | HSBC FX infrastructure |
| Business savings | Tide Instant Saver (variable rate) | Business Saver / fixed-term | Business Pots (variable rate) | Savings Vaults (variable rate) | No | HSBC Business Savings |
| Expense cards | Yes (Smart+) | No | Virtual (Pro) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes (add-on) | No | Yes — 25+ currencies | No | Yes (via HSBC FX) |
| Overdraft / credit | No (credit via partners) | No | No | No | Yes — business overdraft available | Yes — via HSBC lending |
Data last verified 16 June 2026. Fees and features change — always verify on each provider's website before opening an account. This site is independent and not affiliated with any provider listed.
How to read this data
This page provides structured reference data for the six most commonly compared UK business bank accounts. It is designed to be a neutral, factual starting point — not a recommendation. The right account depends on your specific business type, transaction volume, cash handling needs, and whether FSCS protection or international payments are priorities.
Tide is the only provider on this list currently offering a structured cashback sign-up offer (REFER200 — up to £200 cashback for new customers). This makes it the strongest first-year value proposition for eligible new businesses, but it is not the right choice for every business.
Starling and Monzo are fully licensed UK banks with FSCS protection up to £85,000 per depositor. They are the cleaner answer for businesses that prioritise regulatory protection and free UK ATM withdrawals.
Revolut Business is the strongest option for businesses with significant international payment volume or multi-currency needs. It is not FSCS-protected in the UK (it is an e-money institution, not a licensed bank), which is a meaningful consideration for larger balances.
Cashplus became a fully licensed UK bank in 2021 and has the highest acceptance rate of any provider on this list — useful for newer businesses, those with limited credit history, or those that have been declined elsewhere.
HSBC Kinetic is the only high-street bank on this list. It offers branch access, the HSBC lending infrastructure, and multi-currency via HSBC's FX platform — but it is restricted to sole traders and single-director limited companies.
Data methodology
All data on this page is sourced directly from each provider's published pricing pages, terms and conditions, and FCA register entries. It is checked and updated on a regular basis. Where a feature is described as "variable" (e.g., savings rates), this reflects that the rate changes over time and the current rate should be verified in-app or on the provider's website.
This site is independent and not affiliated with any of the providers listed. We may receive a referral reward when a new customer opens a Tide account via our link. This does not affect the data or our editorial judgement.
Key data points
- Tide is the only provider on this list with a structured cashback sign-up offer (REFER200 — up to £200).
- Starling, Monzo, Cashplus and HSBC Kinetic are fully licensed UK banks with FSCS protection.
- Tide and Revolut are e-money institutions / financial platforms — not licensed banks.
- Revolut is strongest for international payments and multi-currency.
- Cashplus has the highest acceptance rate — useful for newer or declined businesses.
- Data last verified: 16 June 2026.
Related guides
Open Tide with REFER200 — up to £200 cashback
Use referral code REFER200 at sign-up to claim up to £200 cashback when you meet the qualifying steps.
Up to £200 cashback
Use referral code below when opening your Tide business account.
REFER200Up to £200 cashback. T&Cs apply. Tide determines account approval, eligibility and cashback validation. Last checked 16 June 2026.
Independent introducer disclosure: this site is not Tide and is not operated by Tide. If you sign up using our link or the code REFER200, we may receive a referral reward. Tide controls account approval, eligibility and cashback validation. This is not financial advice. Always check the latest Tide terms before applying. Last checked 16 June 2026.