Compare SOLE TRADER
bank Accounts
Manage your personal & business finances easily by keeping them separate, with built-in tools for invoicing, accounting & expenses
21 Products Compared
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Monthly Fee
Contact Revolut -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
Contact Revolut -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/OnlineNo cash or cheque facilities
Product Features
- Multi-currency accounts – recieve payments and exchange in 25+ currencies
- Control and monitor team spending with multiple debit and virtual cards, manage permissions and levels of access and more
- Various payment facilities including Tap to Pay on iPhone (fees apply)
- Earn annual interest daily with a linked business savings account
- Tailored for larger businesses
Eligibility Criteria
- Available for limited companies, PLCs, LLPs, Partnerships & unlimited companies
- Currently available for companies registered in and with a physical presence within the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, UK and US
Revolut is not a fully licensed bank in the UK. Your money is held in a safeguarded account with a regulated bank or high quality liquid assets. Your savings are deposited with partner banks and eligible deposits are protected up to £85k per bank.
*Monthly plan subscription fees will automatically apply after the trial period.
*Monthly plan subscription fees will automatically apply after the trial period.
-
Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeDirect debits, Faster Payments, BACS: Free | CHAPS and International payments: Fees apply -
Overdraft
Rate is negotiable. -
Access
App/Online/Branch
Product Features
- Free day-to-day online business banking (excluding CHAPS and international payments)
- Earn 0.25% Cashback on debit card purchases. Terms and exclusions apply
- Manage all your business data in one place using Virgin Money’s M-Track insights platform. Link up your business to market leading tools, such as Sage, Xero, Google, Shopify and more, to track them from one simple dashboard
Eligibility Criteria
- Available for eligible businesses with up to £1m annual turnover
- Must be based and operated in the UK (excluding Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Northern Ireland)
- All owners, directors, senior managers and account signatories must be over 18 years old
*excluding CHAPS and international payments
Show More Products From Virgin Money M AccountShow Fewer Products From Virgin Money M Account
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Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly fee for first 25 months, then £6.50 thereafter -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeNo fees for first 25 months, excludes international and CHAPS payments -
Overdraft
Rate is negotiable. -
Access
App/Online/Branch
Product Features
- Debit Card Cashback – automatically earn up to £500 per calendar year when using your Debit Card for purchases. Some exclusions apply
- If you’re a new business or just new to Virgin Money, you could qualify for 25 months free day-to-day banking when you open or switch to this business current account
- Digital Money Management Tools – helping you manage cash flow, budgets and invoices
Eligibility Criteria
- Available for eligible businesses with up to £6.5m annual turnover
- Must be based and operated in the UK (excluding Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Northern Ireland)
- All owners, directors, senior managers and account signatories must be over 18 years old
25 months’ fee free day-to-day banking
-
Monthly Fee
Free*12 months free, £6.50 per month thereafter* -
Card Purchases
FreeNon-Sterling Transaction fee – 2.99% of the
sterling amount of the transaction, minimum
£3. Cash Fee – 2.99% of the amount advanced,
minimum £3. -
Bank Transfers
Free- Direct Debits & Internal Transfers: Free
- CHAPS: £20 to another HSBC Group bank
account, £30 to a non-HSBC Group bank
account via by phone or in-branch banking.
-
Overdraft
-
Access
App
Product Features
- No monthly account fee for the first 12 months, £6.50 thereafter. Other fees and charges apply, subject to eligibility, credit check and T&Cs
- Cashflow and spending insights
- Make payments of up to £25,000 per day in app
- Access great perks and benefits to kick start your business
- Send International Payments to over 150 countries
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a sole trader or a limited company with a sole director who is also the sole shareholder
- Must be a tax resident in the UK but not the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
- Your turnover is up to £6.5m per year
Show More Products From HSBCShow Fewer Products From HSBC
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Monthly Fee
Free*£19 p/month or £0 p/month if you deposit at least £10,000 per month or hold a minimum balance of £10,000. -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeSWIFT payments vary £10-£20 -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online
Product Features
- Open multiple accounts per entity and collect and hold in 20+ currencies
- Free local transfers to 120+ countries and domestic transfers. Access to interbank FX rates and batch transfers
- Multi-currency company and employee cards with zero international fees
- Includes 5 free employee card users and up to 10 company cards
- Online card and local payment method acceptance globally
- Bank feeds sync with Xero. ApprovalMax, WorkflowMax by BlueRock integrations
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Be a sole trader, partner in a partnership, or company
- Your business is registered in the UK. More markets are available with different Airwallex entities. Details can be found on the Airwallex website.
*10% cashback on your first $1,000 USD equivalent in eligible international card spend.
Show More Products From AirwallexShow Fewer Products From Airwallex
-
Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
20p -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash deposits via Post Office (0.5% fee, minimum £2.50) and PayPoint (3% fee)
Product Features
- Create and send invoices for free
- Multi-business – hold up to 5 business accounts
- Automated 30-day cash flow forecasts
Eligibility Criteria
- For registered business account: you must be registered with UK Companies House as a director of that company or partnership
- For sole trader account: you must be a UK based sole trader/freelancer
- For all accounts: you must be aged 18+, have a valid UK phone number and address, and hold compatible device registered to a UK App or Google Play store
*Complete the application and spend £500 within 60 days of opening your account to receive a £150 cashback from TIDE. Enter code 150BOOST when you sign up. T&C apply.
Show More Products From TideShow Fewer Products From Tide
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Monthly Fee
£9.99 -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
20 free per month20 free per month, then 20p per transfer -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash deposits via Post Office (0.5% fee, minimum £2.50) and PayPoint (3% fee)
Product Features
- Create and send invoices for free
- Multi-business – hold up to 5 business accounts
- 1 free expense card included
Eligibility Criteria
- For registered business account: you must be registered with UK Companies House as a director of that company or partnership
- For sole trader account: you must be a UK based sole trader/freelancer
- For all accounts: you must be aged 18+, have a valid UK phone number and address, and hold compatible device registered to a UK App or Google Play store
*Complete the application and spend £500 within 60 days of opening your account to receive a £150 cashback from TIDE. Enter code 150BOOST when you sign up. T&C apply.
-
Monthly Fee
£49**One month free trial -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeSWIFT payments vary £10-£20 -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online
Product Features
- Everything in Explore, plus:
- 5 free active spend users and 50 free company cards
- Track cards and reimbursements with Expense Management
- Manage domestic and international bills with Bill Pay
- Automated receipt and bill data extraction and customisable, multi-layer spend approvals
- Xero expenses and bills integration
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Be a sole trader, partner in a partnership, or company
- Your business is registered in the UK. More markets are available with different Airwallex entities. Details can be found on the Airwallex website.
*10% cashback on your first $1,000 USD equivalent in eligible international card spend.
-
Monthly Fee
£999 -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeSWIFT payments vary £10-£20 -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online
Product Features
- Everything in Explore & Grow, plus:
- Central management of finances across global entities
- Single sign-on – coming soon
- Netsuite integration including expenses and bills sync
- HRIS platform integrations – coming soon
- Dedicated account manager and onboarding support
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Be a sole trader, partner in a partnership, or company
- Your business is registered in the UK. More markets are available with different Airwallex entities. Details can be found on the Airwallex website.
*10% cashback on your first $1,000 USD equivalent in eligible international card spend.
-
Monthly Fee
Custom**contact sales for custom pricing -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeSWIFT payments vary £10-£20 -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online
Product Features
- High-volume businesses
- Custom API implementations
- Embedded finance integrations to launch your own financial products
- Dedicated account management support
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Be a sole trader, partner in a partnership, or company
- Your business is registered in the UK. More markets are available with different Airwallex entities. Details can be found on the Airwallex website.
*10% cashback on your first $1,000 USD equivalent in eligible international card spend.
-
Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
Free -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/OnlineNo cash or cheque facilities
Product Features
- Get a Revolut Pro debit card for your freelance expenses and earn cashback on your spend
- Use your Pro card for business expenses to earn up to 1.2% cashback every time you spend
- Start selling online or in-person or let your customers pick their preference
Eligibility Criteria
- Designed for freelancers, sole traders and contractors
- You must be self-employed (not a company)
- You must have a Revolut Personal account
Revolut is not a fully licensed bank in the UK. Instead, your funds are held in a safeguarded account with a regulated bank or high quality liquid assets. Your savings are deposited with partner banks and protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000 for eligible businesses.
*Make at least one genuine card transaction of at least £5 or equivalent from your Pro account in the first 30 days of you opening your Revolut Pro account.
*Make at least one genuine card transaction of at least £5 or equivalent from your Pro account in the first 30 days of you opening your Revolut Pro account.
Show More Products From Revolut FreelancerShow Fewer Products From Revolut Freelancer
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Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
Free -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online
Product Features
- Access to the multi-functional Wallester Business platform absolutely free
- Use the Wallester solution for free forever, pay only if you need more cards
- Expense control services and automated reporting
- Cutting-edge API for easy integration
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be at least 18 years old
- Be a sole trader, partner in a partnership, or company
Get 300 free virtual cards Free package of 300 virtual cards with zero fees or limitations
Show More Products From WallesterShow Fewer Products From Wallester
-
Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly account fee for the first 12 months, for new customers, then £8.50 per month. T&Cs apply. -
Card Purchases
FreeCharges for some bank transfers and card payments apply. -
Bank Transfers
FreeCharges for some bank transfers and card payments apply. -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online/Branch
Product Features
- No monthly account fee* plus access to discounted services via key partners to help you set up and run your business effectively, worth over £5000**
- A UK-based team of business managers to help you manage and grow your business
- Simple and secure online banking with group payments and cash collection booking tools
Eligibility Criteria
- Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren’t eligible for this offer. After 12 months, you’ll pay £8.50 per month. Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change.
- Must be over 18, a UK resident and a sole trader or the director of a limited company
- Overdrafts are subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history.
*Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren’t eligible for this offer. After 12 months, you’ll pay £8.50 per month. Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change.
**Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details
**Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details
Show More Products From BarclaysShow Fewer Products From Barclays
-
Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly account fee for the first 12 months, for new customers, then £8.50 per month. T&Cs apply. -
Card Purchases
FreeCharges for some bank transfers and card payments apply. -
Bank Transfers
FreeCharges for some bank transfers and card payments apply. -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online/Branch
Product Features
- No monthly account fee* plus access to discounted services via key partners to help you set up and run your business effectively, worth over £5000**
- A UK-based team of business managers to help you manage and grow your business
- Simple and secure online banking with group payments and cash collection booking tools
Eligibility Criteria
- Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren’t eligible for this offer. After 12 months, you’ll pay £8.50 per month. Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change.
- Your turnover must be between £400,000 and £6.5 million per year
- Must be over 18, a UK resident and a sole trader or the director of a limited company
- Overdrafts are subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history.
*Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren’t eligible for this offer. After 12 months, you’ll pay £8.50 per month. Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change.
**Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details
**Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details
-
Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly account fee for the first 12 months, for new customers, then £8.50 per month. T&Cs apply. -
Card Purchases
FreeCharges for some bank transfers and card payments apply. -
Bank Transfers
FreeCharges for some bank transfers and card payments apply -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online/Branch
Product Features
- No monthly account fee* plus access to discounted services via key partners to help you set up and run your business effectively, worth over £5000**
- A UK-based team of business managers to help you manage and grow your business
- Simple and secure online banking with group payments and cash collection booking tools
Eligibility Criteria
- Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren’t eligible for this offer. After 12 months, you’ll pay £8.50 per month. Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change.
- Your turnover must be between £1,000 and £400,000 per year
- Must be over 18, a UK resident and a sole trader or the director of a limited company
- Overdrafts are subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history.
*Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren’t eligible for this offer. After 12 months, you’ll pay £8.50 per month. Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change.
**Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details
**Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details
-
Monthly Fee
FreePlus a one-off card issue fee of £9.95 -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
3 free per month3 free per month, then 30p thereafter -
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash paid in via Post Office (0.5% fee)
Product Features
- 24/7 app and online account facilities
- FSCS protection – up to £85,000
- UK-based customer services team
- Invoicing tools that allow you to create and send invoices easily
Eligibility Criteria
- Available to UK registered companies or UK-based sole traders
- Application made by UK Director
- UK Director 18 years old plus
Show More Products From ZemplerShow Fewer Products From Zempler
-
Monthly Fee
£12.50Plus one-off £55 application fee -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
From 30p- Direct Debits: 30p
- Faster Payments (next day online): 30p
- Faster Payments (instant online): £7.50
- CHAPS: £30
-
Overdraft
-
Access
App/OnlinePay in cash and cheques via Barclays branches
Product Features
- No credit checks or signatures required
- Up to 4 additional cards for business use
- UK-based customer support.
- International payments in a range of currencies
Eligibility Criteria
- Available to Limited Companies, Sole Traders and Partnerships
- Your business must be registered in the UK and have an annual turnover of less than £2m
- You must be 18+ and a UK resident. Card One Money need to be able to verify your identity & residency.
- Card One Money is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. See product FAQs for more info
Open an account on the same day you apply with no credit checks.
Show More Products From Card One MoneyShow Fewer Products From Card One Money
-
Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
From 20p- Domestic: 20p per bank transfer
- International: £5 per SWIFT transaction (+1% currency conversion fee)
- Free direct debits
-
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash accepted via PayPoint (1% commission fee)
Product Features
- 1 debit card included (£3 per extra card) – 1% cashback on selected categories
- Personal payment link for accepting payments online (1% commission)
- Instant invoice generator and savings pots facility (fees apply)
- Landlords / property investors get a free 12 month subscription to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
- FastTrack to Credit – Boost your credit score and get access to credit after 3 months activity
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a Sole Trader, Director of a Limited Company (and listed on Companies House), or a Partner in a Limited Liability Partnership
- Business must be located within the UK and you also need to have a UK residential address
- Not available to charities
ANNA Business comes with invoice generator tools, HMRC recognised Tax calculator and filing. Automate your bookkeeping with ANNA.
Show More Products From Anna MoneyShow Fewer Products From Anna Money
-
Monthly Fee
£14.90- £14.90 + VAT per month
- or £149 + VAT a year if billed annually
-
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
50 free per month- Domestic: 50 free per month, then 20p thereafter
- International: 1 free per month, then £5 per SWIFT transaction (+1% currency conversion fee)
- Free direct debits
-
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash accepted via PayPoint (£300 per month free, then 1% commission fee)
Product Features
- Up to 5 debit cards included (£3 per extra card) – 1% cashback on selected categories
- Personal payment link for accepting payments online (£200 per month free, then 1% commission fee)
- Instant invoice generator and savings pots facility (fees apply)
- Landlords / property investors get a free 12 month subscription to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
- FastTrack to Credit – Boost your credit score and get access to credit after 3 months activity
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a Sole Trader, Director of a Limited Company (and listed on Companies House), or a Partner in a Limited Liability Partnership
- Business must be located within the UK and you also need to have a UK residential address
- Not available to charities
ANNA Business comes with invoice generator tools, HMRC recognised Tax calculator and filing. Automate your bookkeeping with ANNA.
-
Monthly Fee
£49.90
£49.90 + VAT per month
Or £499 a year +VAT if billed annually
-
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
From free- Domestic: unlimited free transfers
- International: 4 free SWIFT payments per month, then £5 per payment
-
Overdraft
-
Access
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash accepted via PayPoint with no fees
Product Features
- Unlimited free debit cards – 1% cashback on selected categories
- Personal payment link for accepting payments online with no fees
- Instant invoice generator and savings pots facility
- Landlords / property investors get a free 12 month subscription to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
- FastTrack to Credit – Boost your credit score and get access to credit after 3 months activity
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a Sole Trader, Director of a Limited Company (and listed on Companies House), or a Partner in a Limited Liability Partnership
- Business must be located within the UK and you also need to have a UK residential address
- Not available to charities
ANNA Business comes with invoice generator tools, HMRC recognised Tax calculator and filing. Automate your bookkeeping with ANNA.
-
Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
5 free per month- 5 free local transfers per month, then 20p thereafter
- International transfers: £5
-
Overdraft
-
Access
App/OnlineNo cash or cheque facilities
Product Features
- Multi-currency accounts – recieve payments and exchange in 25+ currencies
- Control and monitor team spending with multiple debit and virtual cards, manage permissions and levels of access and more
- Various payment facilities including Tap to Pay on iPhone (fees apply)
- International payments – Send and receive money from 200 countries
Eligibility Criteria
- Available for limited companies, PLCs, LLPs, Partnerships & unlimited companies
- Currently available for companies registered in and with a physical presence within the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, UK and US
Revolut is not a fully licensed bank in the UK. Your money is held in a safeguarded account with a regulated bank or high quality liquid assets. Your savings are deposited with partner banks and eligible deposits are protected up to £85k per bank.
*Monthly plan subscription fees will automatically apply after the trial period.
*Monthly plan subscription fees will automatically apply after the trial period.
Show More Products From RevolutShow Fewer Products From Revolut
Types of business bank accounts available
How to compare business bank accounts…
Step One
Understand your requirements
How you do business will effect the type of account you need. How many transactions will you have each month? Do you need to pay in cash? Do you need a local branch?
Step Two
Check eligibility
Most providers have a range of business accounts to suit different types of businesses. Check the eligibility of each account to make sure if suited to your business.
Step Three
Compare the latest deals and offers
There are numerous offers and deals to attract new customers which can be compared with our handy tool above. Always consider the cost of the account once the free period ends
Sole Trader Business Account Guide
In the UK, sole traders often grapple with the decision of whether to open a business bank account or continue using their personal account for business transactions. While it’s not a legal requirement for sole traders to have a business bank account, there are several compelling reasons why having one is beneficial. This guide explores the key advantages.
Professionalism and Credibility
- Building a Brand: A business account can enhance your professional image. When clients make payments, they see your business name rather than your personal name, which can boost your credibility and brand image.
- Client Confidence: Having a separate business account demonstrates seriousness and commitment to your business, instilling greater confidence in your clients and suppliers.
Financial Management and Clarity
- Easier Accounting: Separating personal and business transactions simplifies accounting processes. It becomes easier to track income, expenses, and profits, essential for monitoring the financial health of your business.
- Tax Preparation: With a business account, preparing for taxes is more straightforward. Clear separation of business transactions reduces the chances of personal expenses being mistakenly claimed as business expenses, which can lead to issues with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
- Budgeting and Forecasting: A distinct view of your business finances aids in better budgeting and forecasting, helping you make informed financial decisions.
Banking Features and Services
- Tailored Banking Services: Business bank accounts often come with features and services tailored to the needs of businesses, such as higher transaction limits, overdraft facilities, merchant services, and business loans.
- Online Banking Tools: Many business accounts offer advanced online banking tools designed for businesses, including invoicing services, integration with accounting software, and payroll management.
Credit History and Funding Opportunities
- Building Business Credit: A business bank account helps in building a credit history for your business, separate from your personal credit. This can be beneficial when applying for business loans or credit lines.
- Access to Financing: Banks often consider a well-maintained business account as a criterion for granting loans or credit. Having a business account can improve your chances of securing funding.
Legal and Tax Implications
- Audit Trail: A business account provides a clear audit trail for HMRC, which is crucial if you are ever investigated. It shows that you are maintaining proper financial records.
- Legal Protection: In case of any legal disputes, having a business account helps establish that your business is separate from your personal dealings.
Growth and Expansion
- Scalability: As your business grows, a business bank account can more easily adapt to increased financial activity and additional services than a personal account.
- Professional Relationships: Establishing a business banking relationship can open doors to other valuable services and advice as your business expands.
While it’s not legally mandated for sole traders in the UK to have a business bank account, the benefits in terms of professionalism, financial management, access to tailored banking services, credit building, legal compliance, and business growth are substantial. A business bank account not only helps in streamlining financial operations but also positions the business for future growth and success. For sole traders looking to develop and expand their business, opening a business bank account is a step in the right direction. You can compare some of the latest deals above specifically for Sole Traders.
About This Information
Our articles, guides & reviews are provided as generic information only. Any expressed view, product or service mentioned within these does not constitute as financial advice or recommendation by us.
Be mindful that information may have changed since publication.