Joint Business Bank Accounts
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Your one stop authority on business bank accounts for small businesses and SMEs
Promoted Accounts – October 2023
Best Joint Business Bank Accounts
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Monthly Fee
£14.90- £14.90 + VAT per month
- or £149 + VAT a year if billed annually
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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
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Overdraft
-
Access Methods
App/Online- No cheque facilities
- Cash accepted via PayPoint (£300 per month free, then 1% commission fee)
Product Features
- Up to 5 debit card 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
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Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeFees apply CHAPS, SWIFT and SEPA transactions. -
Overdraft
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Access Methods
App/Online
Product Features
- 4.33% AER* (variable) instant access Savings Pot. Savings Pots are an exclusive feature of the Business Rewards Account
- Up to 1.5% cashback on eligible card spend. View Business Rewards Account Terms and Conditions on Allica bank website
- UK based dedicated relationship manager
- FSCS covered up to £85,000
- Direct accounting integrations with Sage and Xero
Eligibility Criteria
- Business must be trading for at least 12 months
- Business must have estimated turnover of £500+ or at least 5 employees
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Monthly Fee
Contact Revolut -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
Contact Revolut -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
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
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Monthly Fee
£19 per month -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
100 free per month- 100 free local transfers per month, then 20p thereafter
- International transfers: £5
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Overdraft
-
Access Methods
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
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
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Monthly Fee
£79 per month -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
1000 free per month- 1000 free local transfers per month, then 20p thereafter
- International transfers: £5
-
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
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
- 2 complimentary metal cards
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
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Monthly Fee
£49.99 -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeUnlimited free bank transfers -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
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
- 3 free expense cards included
- 0.5% cashback on Tide card spend (T&Cs apply)
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
3 FREE Expense Cards for co-workers
Unlimited transfers per month
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Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly fee for first 3 months, then £18 thereafter -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
£0.30 -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
AppNo cheque facilities
Cash paid in via Post Office (0.5% fee – £2 minimum) and PayPoint (3% fee)
Product Features
- Monthly subscription fees that go up and down in line with your business performance
- Rated ‘Excellent’ based on over 2,000 reviews on Trustpilot
- Built-in accounting software with receipt capture and live business insights
Eligibility Criteria
- Available to sole traders and limited companies
- You must be 18+ and a UK resident
- Unlimited monthly deposits
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Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly fee for first 3 months, then £9 thereafter -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
£0.30 -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
AppNo cheque facilities
Cash paid in via Post Office (0.5% fee – £2 minimum) and PayPoint (3% fee)
Product Features
- Monthly subscription fees that go up and down in line with your business performance
- Rated ‘Excellent’ based on over 2,000 reviews on Trustpilot
- Built-in accounting software with receipt capture and live business insights
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a UK resident, at least 18 years old and running a small business (Sole Trader/Director of a limited company)
- If your maximum monthly deposit is exceeded, then your account will automatically upgrade to the appropriate subscription plan. You will not be able to downgrade from this plan.
- £7,500 maximum monthly deposit
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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
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Overdraft
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Access Methods
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 no covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. See product FAQs for more info
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Monthly Fee
FreeNo monthly fee for first 3 months, £3 per month thereafter -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
30p -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
AppNo cheque facilities.
Cash paid in via Post Office (0.5% fee – £2 minimum) and PayPoint (3% fee)
Product Features
- Monthly subscription fees that go up and down in line with your business performance
- Rated ‘Excellent’ based on over 2,000 reviews on Trustpilot
- Built-in accounting software with receipt capture and live business insights
Eligibility Criteria
- Available to sole traders and limited companies
- You must be 18+ and a UK resident
- £750 maximum monthly deposit
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Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
FreeSWIFT payments vary £10-£20 -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
App/Online
Product Features
- Open domestic and foreign currency accounts with local bank details around the world with no monthly fees within minutes.
- Make international transfers to 150+ countries – save up to 80% on FX fees, app. 70% of funds arrive within a few hours / same day
- Accept payments worldwide via 160+ payment methods – no coding required
- Issue multi currency corporate cards
- Integrates with platforms like Xero, Amazon, Shopify, WooCommerce & more
- Automate your domestic and international bill pay workflows
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.
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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
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Overdraft
-
Access Methods
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
-
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 Methods
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
-
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 Methods
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
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Monthly Fee
Free -
Card Purchases
Free -
Bank Transfers
20p -
Overdraft
-
Access Methods
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
Earn up to 4.33% AER (variable) with the Tide Instant Saver Account (interest paid monthly).
Award-winning business account
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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 Methods
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
-
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 Methods
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
Exchange money in 30+ currencies at interbank rates
Refine Your Search
- Freelancer Bank Accounts
- Best Business Bank Accounts
- Free Business Bank Accounts
- Joint Business Bank Accounts
- Small Business Bank Accounts
- Sole Trader Business Bank Accounts
- Multi Director Access Business Accounts
- No Credit Check Bank Accounts
- Switcher Business Bank Accounts
- Bad Credit Business Bank Accounts
- Corporate Business Bank Accounts
- Self Employed Business Bank Accounts
- Start Up Business Bank Accounts
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 offer
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
Joint Business Account Guide
In the realm of UK banking, while personal joint bank accounts are common, joint business bank accounts are somewhat different in their structure and purpose. Such accounts are typically used by business partners or co-directors to manage their company’s finances. This guide aims to demystify the concept and highlight the key points one should consider.
What is a Joint Business Bank Account?
Unlike a personal joint account shared by individuals (e.g., couples), a joint business bank account is designed for business operations. It’s essentially an account that allows multiple members of a business, often partners or directors, to access and manage the company’s finances collaboratively.
Benefits of a Joint Business Bank Account
- Shared Access: Multiple members can make transactions, which is useful for businesses where more than one individual needs to handle financial responsibilities.
- Transparency: Since all account holders can view transactions, it encourages transparency and mutual trust amongst partners.
- Simplified Accounting: Having a singular account for all business transactions can simplify bookkeeping and financial reporting.
Things to Consider When Opening A Joint Business Bank Account
- Authority Levels: It’s essential to define the authority levels for each account holder. For instance, you might decide that both partners need to approve transactions above a certain amount.
- Potential for Disagreements: With multiple stakeholders, there can be disagreements regarding spending or investment decisions. Clear communication and defined protocols are crucial.
- Regular Auditing: Regular checks ensure that all transactions align with the business’s best interests, safeguarding against potential misuse.
Setting Up a Joint Business Bank Account
To set up a joint business bank account in the UK, the business partners or directors will typically need:
- Proof of Identity: Valid photo ID like a passport or driving licence for each account holder.
- Proof of Address: Recent utility bills or bank statements.
- Business Documentation: This might include your business’s Certificate of Incorporation, Partnership Agreement, or a recent tax return.
Alternatives to Joint Business Bank Accounts:
Before setting up a joint business bank account, it’s worth considering alternatives:
- Multiple Signatories: Instead of a joint account, you can have a single business account with multiple authorised signatories. This setup provides the advantage of shared access without the complications of a joint account.
- Separate Business Accounts: Some partners opt for separate business accounts, dividing responsibilities and expenses. While this can simplify individual financial responsibilities, it can complicate the business’s overall financial picture.
When considering a joint business bank account in the UK, it’s crucial to approach the decision with clear communication and a shared understanding of the business’s financial goals. It’s also essential to review and compare offerings from various banks to find the best fit for your business needs.
In conclusion, a joint business bank account can be a beneficial tool for collaborative financial management in a business. However, as with any financial decision, it’s essential to weigh the advantages against the potential challenges. Ensure you maintain open lines of communication with all account holders and regularly review the account’s operations to keep your business’s finances running smoothly.
FAQs for joint business bank accounts
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How do joint business bank accounts differ from personal joint accounts or standard business accounts?
Unlike personal joint accounts, which are commonly used by couples, a joint business account caters to the needs of a business entity. While it offers shared access like a personal joint account, it’s geared towards business operations and might come with features tailored for businesses. In contrast to standard business accounts, which might have a single account holder or signatory, joint business accounts permit multiple individuals to manage and oversee the account.
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What documents are needed to open a joint business bank account?
To open a joint business bank account in the UK, partners or directors typically need to provide proof of identity (e.g., passport or driving licence), proof of address (e.g., utility bill or bank statement), and relevant business documentation, which could include the Certificate of Incorporation, Partnership Agreement, or recent tax returns.
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Can we set limitations on access or transaction approvals for different account holders?
Yes, many banks allow businesses to define authority levels for each account holder. For example, you can specify that certain transactions above a specified amount need approval from multiple account holders. This offers added flexibility and security.
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Does a joint business account need both signatures?
Whether a joint business account requires both signatures depends on the specific agreement set up with the bank when the account is opened. In the realm of business banking, there are typically two types of joint account mandates:
- Joint Mandate (Both-to-Sign): Under this arrangement, all parties involved in the joint account must sign for transactions. This mandate provides a high level of security as it requires the consent of all account holders for any financial activity, such as withdrawing money, writing checks, or making online payments. It’s often chosen to ensure that all significant financial decisions are made collectively, which can be particularly important in partnerships or businesses where equal control is desired.
- Any-to-Sign Mandate (Either-to-Sign): In this scenario, any one of the joint account holders can authorize transactions independently. This option offers more flexibility and is convenient for day-to-day operations, especially in scenarios where quick financial decisions are common or when one partner may be unavailable.