Key takeaways
- Monthly fees on standard UK business accounts ranged from £0 to £9.99 at the providers we checked on 6 November 2026, with paid app tiers up to £69.99.
- Barclays charges £8.50 a month and Santander £9.99 a month after a 12-month free period for eligible new customers.
- Monzo, Starling and HSBC's Small Business Banking Account charge nothing for standard UK transfers made online.
- Tide's free Lite plan includes 5 free bank transfers a month; Smart allows 30 and Pro and Max are unlimited.
- Cash deposits are the biggest variable: Monzo charges £1 per deposit, Mettle £2.75, Starling 0.7% with a £3 minimum and Santander £1.25 per £100 at a counter.
- Paying in £1,000 cash at a Post Office would cost about £1 with Monzo, £2.75 with Mettle, £5 to £9.90 with Tide, £7 with Starling and £12.50 with Santander.
- Eligible deposits at UK banks are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per eligible depositor per firm from 1 December 2025.
UK business bank accounts charge in three ways: a monthly fee, transfer fees and cash handling fees. At the eight providers we checked on 6 November 2026, monthly fees ran from nothing to £9.99 on standard accounts, most charged nothing for online UK transfers, and cash deposits ranged from £1 a deposit to £1.25 per £100. Which costs you most depends on how much cash you handle and how many payments you make.
Providers are listed alphabetically. Prices come from each provider’s own website and can change without notice.
Monthly fees at a glance
Monthly fees are the fixed charge for keeping the account open. These were the figures shown on 6 November 2026.
| Provider | Account | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| Barclays | Business Current Account | £8.50 after 12 months free |
| HSBC | Small Business Banking Account | £0 |
| Mettle | Mettle (Mettle+ optional) | £0 (Mettle+ £4) |
| Monzo | Lite, Pro, Team | £0, £9, £25 |
| NatWest | Business Current Account | No minimum monthly charge |
| Santander | Business Current Account Classic | £9.99 after 12 months free |
| Starling | Business account | £0 |
| Tide | Lite, Smart, Pro, Max | £0, £12.49, £27.49, £69.99 |
Barclays waives its fee for 12 months only if you do not already hold a Barclays Business Account. Santander’s 12 free months apply to start-ups in their first year of trading and to businesses switching through the Current Account Switch Service. Monzo Team adds £5 a month for each member after the first six. Tide does not say on its pricing page whether its fees include VAT.
What do UK transfers cost?
Most providers charge nothing for standard UK transfers made online or in the app. The exceptions are plan allowances and high-street tariffs.
- HSBC: standard electronic transfers through Business Internet Banking or the app are free on the Small Business Banking Account; cheques and CHAPS are charged.
- Monzo: sending and receiving pounds within the UK is free on every plan, according to its fee information dated 18 August 2026.
- Starling: no transaction fees on UK bank transfers in or out.
- Tide: Lite includes 5 free transfers a month, Smart 30, and Pro and Max unlimited.
- Barclays and NatWest: per-item charges are set by each bank’s tariff. Barclays offers a tariff calculator, and NatWest publishes a business account charges booklet.
If you pay suppliers or staff often, count your monthly payments before choosing a plan with an allowance.
What do cash deposits cost?
Cash is where fees differ most. These are the published charges for paying in cash.
| Provider | Where | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Mettle | Post Office | £2.75 per deposit |
| Monzo | PayPoint or Post Office | £1 per deposit |
| Santander | Santander cash machine | Free up to £1,000 a month, then £1.25 per £100 |
| Santander | Branch or Post Office counter | £1.25 per £100 |
| Starling | Post Office | 0.7%, minimum £3 |
| Tide | Post Office | £2.50 up to £500; above £500, 0.99% (Lite) or 0.5% |
| Tide | PayPoint | 3% |
Santander also charges 70p for each cheque paid in. Mettle charges £1 for each cash withdrawal with its card. Monzo’s UK cash withdrawals are free.
Worked example: paying in £1,000 cash
Here is what one £1,000 deposit at a Post Office would cost, using the charges above.
| Provider | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mettle | Flat fee | £2.75 |
| Monzo | Flat fee | £1.00 |
| Santander | 10 × £1.25 | £12.50 |
| Starling | 0.7% of £1,000 | £7.00 |
| Tide Lite | 0.99% of £1,000 | £9.90 |
| Tide Smart, Pro or Max | 0.5% of £1,000 | £5.00 |
A Santander customer paying in at a Santander cash machine would pay nothing on the first £1,000 that month. Fees on larger or more frequent deposits scale differently, so run your own monthly cash figure through each tariff.
Is your money protected?
Eligible deposits at a UK-authorised bank are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £120,000 per eligible depositor per firm. The FSCS limit rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025.
Not every business account is a bank deposit. Tide says its current accounts are provided with ClearBank and are FSCS protected, but some older Tide e-money accounts are safeguarded rather than covered by the FSCS. Mettle says its e-money account is not FSCS protected, while its bank account, provided by National Westminster Bank plc, is.
Which fees matter for you?
- If you rarely handle cash, focus on the monthly fee and any transfer allowance.
- If you pay in cash every week, compare cash charges first; they can outweigh a monthly fee.
- If you make more than 5 payments a month, check that a free plan’s transfer allowance is enough.
- If you are starting up or switching, a 12-month free period can help, but plan for the fee that follows.
Our guide to free business bank accounts covers no-fee options in more detail, and business bank accounts for startups looks at new businesses.
What to do now
- Pull three months of statements and count transfers, cash deposits and cheques.
- Work out a monthly cost at two or three providers using their published charges.
- Check FSCS cover and the provider’s sort code before moving large balances.
- Build bank charges into your cash flow forecast.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a business bank account per month in the UK?
At the providers we checked on 6 November 2026, standard business accounts cost £0 to £9.99 a month. Barclays charges £8.50 and Santander £9.99 after 12 free months for eligible customers.
Do business accounts charge for bank transfers?
Monzo, Starling and HSBC’s Small Business Banking Account charge nothing for standard online UK transfers. Tide’s free Lite plan includes 5 free transfers a month.
How much does it cost to pay cash into a business account?
It depends on the provider. Monzo charges £1 per deposit, Mettle £2.75 at a Post Office, Starling 0.7% with a £3 minimum and Santander £1.25 per £100 at a counter.
Are business bank accounts protected by the FSCS?
Eligible deposits at UK banks are protected up to £120,000 per eligible depositor per firm. E-money accounts are safeguarded instead, so check which type you have.
Is VAT charged on business bank account fees?
Most bank charges are exempt from VAT. Tide does not state on its pricing page whether its plan fees include VAT, so ask before you sign up.
Sources
Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.