The Comparison Battle: Tide vs. Starling Bank vs. Monzo Business vs. Revolut Business

Key Takeaways

• Starling Bank is the strongest all-round choice for most UK small businesses. It has no monthly fee, offers unlimited free UK transfers and provides direct FSCS protection.
• Monzo Business stands out for its mobile banking experience and customer service. Its free Lite account includes unlimited UK transfers, while Pro adds invoicing, Tax Pots and accounting integrations.
• Tide is well suited to businesses seeking built-in financial management tools. Its invoicing, bookkeeping and Making Tax Digital features are useful, although transfer fees can make the free account costly for frequent users.
• Revolut Business is the leading option for international businesses. It supports more than 25 currencies, but its monthly fee may offer limited value to businesses trading solely in pounds sterling.
• FSCS protection is not structured in the same way across all four providers. Starling and Monzo offer direct protection, Tide provides it through ClearBank, and Revolut customers should check which legal entity holds their funds.
  

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Choosing a business current account used to mean walking into a high street branch. In 2026, most UK sole traders and limited companies choose between a handful of app-based providers instead — and the four names that come up most often are Tide, Starling Bank, Monzo Business and Revolut Business. They look similar on the surface: all four offer a UK sort code and account number, a debit card, a slick mobile app and integrations with accounting software. Underneath, they’re built quite differently, and that difference matters more than the marketing suggests.

Two of the four — Starling and Monzo — are full UK banks, meaning your balance is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 in its own right. Tide is not a bank; it’s an FCA-authorised e-money platform that holds customer funds via a banking partner (ClearBank), so FSCS protection is passed through rather than direct. Revolut spent years in the same e-money category but was granted a full UK banking licence in March 2026, and is now migrating customers onto FSCS-protected bank accounts on a phased basis — so which entity actually holds your money depends on when your account was opened.

A thorough business bank account comparison should look beyond headline monthly fees. This guide compares the four providers on transfer allowances, FSCS status, invoicing and accounting tools, foreign currency handling, overdraft access and customer support.

Pricing verified against each provider’s published UK terms between April and July 2026; Tide, Monzo and Revolut have all changed prices within the past year, so check the current rate before signing up.

Our Verdict at a Glance

• Best overall for most small UK businesses: Starling Bank — it’s the only one of the four offering unlimited free UK transfers, a full banking licence and no monthly fee, with no meaningful catch for a sterling-only business.
• Best for built-in invoicing and bookkeeping: Tide — its Pro and Max tiers bundle invoicing, credit tracking and a genuinely useful MTD-recognised accounting add-on.
• Best mobile experience and customer service: Monzo Business — it topped the CMA’s mandated 2026 service-quality survey for overall satisfaction and mobile banking.
• Best for holding and spending in foreign currencies: Revolut Business — nothing else here lets you hold 25-plus currencies natively at interbank rates.
• Best free option: Starling Bank, for pure UK banking; Monzo Lite, if you specifically want Tax Pots and MTD tools bundled in for free.

Tide

What it is

Tide launched in 2017 and has become one of the most widely used business account providers in the UK, with well over 650,000 small business members by 2026. It isn’t a bank: it’s an FCA-regulated e-money platform, with the underlying account provided by ClearBank, which does hold a full UK banking licence. That structure gives Tide customers indirect FSCS protection up to £120,000, but it’s worth understanding you’re a customer of a platform sitting on top of a bank, not a bank customer directly.

Plans and Pricing

Tide runs four tiers:

• Free — £0/month, 5 free transfers in or out, then 20p each; 3 free invoices a month
• Smart — £12.49/month (£99.99/year), 30 free transfers then 20p each
• Pro — £27.49/month (£219.99/year), unlimited transfers
• Max — £69.99/month (£559.92/year), unlimited transfers and invoicing, plus 0.5% cashback on card spending and savings rates up to 4.38% AER

There’s a separate Tide Accounting product (from £13.99 + VAT/month for sole traders, £19.99 + VAT/month for limited companies), plus a free HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital tool available on any tier.

Strengths

• Genuinely free tier with no time limit, useful for a very early-stage sole trader
• Built-in invoicing, credit-score tracking and accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage) on every plan
• Free MTD-compliant filing tools, useful ahead of MTD for Income Tax rollout
• No fees on card purchases, UK or abroad

Weaknesses

• Transfers aren’t free on the entry-level plan — 20p per transfer adds up fast for a business making regular payments
• No overdraft facility at all
• Not a bank in its own right, so protection is indirect via ClearBank
• Partnerships and LLPs aren’t eligible — only sole traders, freelancers and UK limited company directors

Pricing Verdict

Tide’s Free plan works well for a business making occasional transfers, but the 20p-per-transfer charge means anyone paying suppliers or contractors regularly will hit real running costs quickly. The paid tiers earn their fee mainly through the bundled invoicing and accounting tools rather than the banking itself — so Tide is best value for a business that would otherwise be paying separately for invoicing software.

Best For / Not Ideal For

Choose Tide if: you’re a sole trader or limited company director who wants invoicing, MTD tools and bookkeeping built into your banking app, and you don’t mind paying per transfer or upgrading to a paid tier.

Consider another option if: you’re an LLP or partnership (you’re not eligible), you need an overdraft, or you make high transfer volumes and want them free without paying £27.49–£69.99 a month.

Starling Bank

What it is

Founded in 2014, Starling was the UK’s first fully licensed digital bank and holds a UK banking licence in its own right — it doesn’t rely on a partner bank. That makes its FSCS protection direct rather than passed through, and it’s a meaningful structural difference from Tide.

Plans and Pricing

Starling’s core GBP business current account is free, with no monthly fee and no charge on UK transfers, card payments or ATM withdrawals. Add-ons include:

• Business Toolkit — £7/month, adds invoicing and receipt capture (not built into the free account)
• EUR account — £2/month
• USD account — £5/month (new applications were closed as of April 2026)
• Currency conversion — 0.4% fee when exchanging between currency accounts

An arranged overdraft is available, subject to credit assessment — something Tide doesn’t offer at all.

Strengths

• No monthly fee and no per-transfer charges, with no cap on the number of transfers
• Full UK banking licence, so FSCS protection is direct
• Overdraft facility available, unusual among the app-based challengers
• In-app cheque deposit (up to £1,000 by photo)
• 24/7 UK-based human support

Weaknesses

• No built-in invoicing on the free account — it’s a £7/month add-on
• No direct Sage integration; Sage users export CSVs manually
• No cash deposit facility
• Multi-currency handling is more limited than Revolut’s — separate EUR/USD accounts rather than one multi-currency wallet

Pricing Verdict

For a UK-only business whose main need is a straightforward current account with unlimited free transfers, Starling is difficult to beat on pure cost — it’s the only one of the four with no monthly fee and no transfer charges combined. The trade-off is that invoicing, which comes bundled into Tide and Monzo Pro, is a separate £7/month cost here.

Best For / Not Ideal For

Choose Starling if: you run a UK-focused business, want free unlimited transfers, value having a direct UK banking licence, and don’t need built-in invoicing.

Consider another option if: you invoice clients regularly and want that built in without an add-on fee, you use Sage and want a native feed, or you handle cash regularly.

Monzo Business

What it is

Monzo Bank Limited holds a full UK banking licence (FCA register number 730427) and offers three business tiers: Lite, Pro and Team. Like Starling, its FSCS protection is direct.

Plans and Pricing

• Lite — free; current account, debit card, unlimited free UK transfers, Savings Pots, and a free tax-filing tool. No invoicing, no accounting integrations, no multi-user access.
• Pro — £9/month (first month free), formerly £5/month for existing customers before the price rise; adds invoicing, Tax Pots, virtual cards, auto-exports and accounting integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent and Sage.
• Team — £25/month, adds multi-user access for up to 15 people (limited companies only), expense cards, bulk payments and payment-approval controls.

A cash-deposit fee of £1 applies at PayPoints on any tier, and withdrawals above £200 in 30 days incur a 3% charge. An arranged overdraft is available: up to £3,000 for eligible sole traders, up to £5,000 for some limited companies, both subject to credit assessment and a personal guarantee from the applying director.

Strengths

• Genuinely free Lite tier with unlimited UK transfers and no transaction allowance to worry about
• Topped the CMA-mandated 2026 independent survey for overall business banking service quality (85%) and online/mobile banking (90%) among 17 major providers
• Overdraft available on both sole trader and limited company accounts
• Flat £1 cash-deposit fee, cheaper than percentage-based alternatives at higher deposit values
• Interest paid on Pots (1.30% AER on Lite/Pro, up to 3.25% on Team)

Weaknesses

• Pro’s price rose from £5 to £9/month for new customers, a meaningful jump for what it adds
• No native support for holding foreign currency; FX handled per-transaction rather than in a multi-currency wallet
• Cannot be used to hold client or customer money
• Business accounts are restricted to UK residents — a single overseas director disqualifies the application

Pricing Verdict

Monzo’s free Lite tier is one of the strongest genuinely free UK business accounts on the market, matching Starling on unlimited free transfers while adding Tax Pots. Where it costs money is invoicing and accounting feeds, which sit behind the now-£9/month Pro tier — worth it if it replaces a separate invoicing subscription, less clearly worth it if you already have Xero and just need the bank feed.

Best For / Not Ideal For

Choose Monzo Business if: you want free unlimited UK transfers, rate customer service and app polish highly, and are comfortable managing everything from your phone.

Consider another option if: you need to hold foreign currency natively, have a non-UK-resident director, or need to hold client money.

Revolut Business

What it is

Revolut Business is the multi-currency specialist of the four. Until March 2026, UK accounts sat with the e-money entity Revolut Ltd, meaning funds were safeguarded under the Electronic Money Regulations rather than FSCS-protected. Revolut Bank UK Ltd then received a full UK banking licence, and customers are being migrated in phases — so protection depends on which entity actually holds your account, something worth checking on your own statement rather than assuming.

Plans and Pricing

Revolut Business dropped its free plan for UK customers; all new accounts now carry a minimum monthly fee:

• Basic — £10/month; 10 free local transfers, £1,000/month FX allowance at the interbank rate, then a 0.6% fee
• Grow — £35/month (£360/year); 100 free local transfers, 5 free international transfers, £15,000/month FX allowance, bulk payments unlocked
• Scale — £125/month (£1,080/year); 1,000 free local transfers, 25 free international transfers, £60,000/month FX allowance
• Enterprise — custom pricing for larger, bespoke requirements

A flat 2% fee applies to ATM withdrawals abroad on every tier, and it doesn’t change as you move up plans.

Strengths

• Holds and exchanges 25-plus currencies within one account, at the interbank rate up to the plan’s monthly allowance
• Now FSCS-protected up to £120,000 for balances held with Revolut Bank UK Ltd
• Bulk payments and business API access from Grow upward, useful for payroll or multi-supplier runs
• Team cards and per-user expense controls on every tier, including Basic

Weaknesses

• No free tier for UK businesses — even light users pay at least £10/month
• FSCS protection isn’t guaranteed for every account; it depends on which legal entity holds your funds, and Revolut’s own onboarding sources have been inconsistent about who’s eligible to apply as a sole trader
• No cash or cheque deposits and no overdraft facility
• The £1,000/month FX allowance on Basic is easily exhausted by a business making regular international payments, after which a 0.6% overage fee applies

Pricing Verdict

Revolut only makes financial sense once foreign currency volume is genuinely part of your business. For a business converting roughly £20,000 a month, Basic is rarely the right plan — Grow tends to work out cheaper once the overage fees on Basic are accounted for, and Scale becomes worthwhile only at higher volumes still. For a sterling-only UK business, the £10-plus monthly floor buys nothing that Starling doesn’t already offer free.

Best For / Not Ideal For

Choose Revolut Business if: you regularly send, receive or hold money in multiple currencies and want interbank-rate FX inside a UK-regulated account.

Consider another option if: your business trades only in sterling — you’ll be paying at least £120 a year for features you won’t use.

How The Four Compare Directly

Tide vs Starling. These two business banking alternatives take different approaches to value. Tide combines banking with invoicing and bookkeeping features, while Starling focuses on straightforward banking with unlimited free UK transfers and no monthly account fee.

Starling vs Monzo Business. Both are full UK banks with free tiers, unlimited free transfers and FSCS protection. The practical difference is what’s included for free: Monzo’s Lite bundles Tax Pots and a basic MTD filing tool at no cost, while Starling’s free tier is banking only, with invoicing pushed into a £7/month add-on. Monzo currently has the edge on independently measured customer satisfaction; Starling has the edge on overdraft availability being slightly more broadly discussed in reviews, though both offer one subject to assessment.

Monzo vs Revolut. These serve different businesses almost entirely. Monzo is the stronger choice for a UK-only business that wants free banking and doesn’t touch foreign currency. Revolut is the stronger choice the moment multi-currency holding, international payroll or interbank-rate FX becomes a real requirement — Monzo has no native equivalent.

Tide vs Revolut. Neither offers free unlimited UK transfers on their entry tier, but for very different reasons: Tide because its Free plan charges per transfer, Revolut because it removed the free plan altogether. If invoicing and UK-focused bookkeeping matter more than currency flexibility, Tide is the more relevant comparison; if currency flexibility matters more, it’s Revolut.

Which Account Is Best For You?

When you compare business bank accounts, focus on the costs and features that match your actual transaction patterns. Monthly fees, transfer volumes, foreign currency use, overdraft requirements and accounting integrations may matter more than the number of features advertised.

Use each phrase only once. Several keywords overlap closely, so distributing them across the article will read more naturally than placing them together in the introduction.

If you are looking for the best bank for small businesses operating mainly in sterling: Starling Bank is the strongest starting point. It combines unlimited free UK transfers, direct FSCS protection and no monthly account fee.

If you want invoicing and accounting tools built into your banking app: Tide, particularly the Smart or Pro tiers, or Monzo Pro if you’re already leaning towards Monzo for its mobile experience.

Banking integrations can improve transaction capture, but they do not replace structured bookkeeping, VAT oversight or management reporting. UK accounting operations specialist Megri Accounting supports accountants and businesses through outsourced accounting, payroll coordination, cloud accounting workflows and back-office finance processes.

If you’re a sole trader just starting out and want to spend nothing: Monzo Lite or Starling’s free plan — both offer genuinely free UK banking with no transfer charges, though Monzo adds Tax Pots and MTD tools at no cost.

If your business trades internationally or holds multiple currencies: Revolut Business, ideally on the Grow plan once your transfer and FX volumes justify the fee over Basic.

If you value customer service and app design most: Monzo Business, based on its performance in the CMA-mandated 2026 independent service survey.

If you need an overdraft: Starling or Monzo — both are full banks offering arranged overdrafts subject to credit assessment; Tide and Revolut offer neither.

If you run a partnership or LLP: Starling, Monzo or Revolut — Tide only accepts sole traders, freelancers and limited company directors, not partnerships or LLPs.

Is FSCS Protection Actually Different Across These Four?

Yes, and it’s one of the more commonly misunderstood points when comparing them. Starling and Monzo are both full UK banks in their own right, so eligible balances are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 directly. Tide is not a bank — it’s an e-money platform, and customer funds are held via ClearBank, which does provide FSCS-eligible protection, but you’re relying on that pass-through structure rather than banking with Tide itself. Revolut’s position changed materially in March 2026: Revolut Bank UK Ltd now holds a full banking licence and offers direct FSCS protection, but the phased migration means some accounts may still sit with the e-money entity Revolut Ltd, where funds are safeguarded rather than FSCS-protected. If this distinction matters to you — and for balances above the safeguarding norms, it should — check which entity holds your account on your statement rather than assuming.

FAQs

Which is the best business bank account in the UK for 2026?

There isn’t a single winner — it depends on what you need. Starling suits sterling-only businesses wanting free, unlimited banking; Tide suits those wanting invoicing built in; Monzo suits those prioritising app experience and service quality; Revolut suits those handling multiple currencies.

Is Tide actually a bank?

No. Tide is an FCA-regulated e-money platform. The underlying account is provided by ClearBank, which holds a UK banking licence, giving Tide customers indirect FSCS protection.

Does Revolut Business offer a free plan in the UK?

Not currently. Revolut removed its free UK business tier; the entry-level Basic plan starts at £10/month.

Can a partnership or LLP open a Tide account?

No. Tide’s business accounts are limited to sole traders, freelancers and UK limited company directors.

Which providers offer an overdraft?

Starling and Monzo, both subject to credit assessment. Tide and Revolut don’t offer overdrafts.

Are Monzo and Starling both fully FSCS protected?

Yes. Both hold full UK banking licences in their own right, so eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 per person, per bank.

Which account is cheapest for a business making frequent bank transfers?

Starling and Monzo Lite, since both offer unlimited free UK transfers with no monthly fee. Tide charges 20p per transfer past the first five on its Free plan, and Revolut charges for transfers beyond each plan’s allowance.

Final Verdict

For most UK small businesses trading only in sterling, Starling Bank is the strongest starting point — it’s free, unlimited on UK transfers, and backed by a full banking licence, with no real catch beyond invoicing sitting outside the core plan. Monzo Business is a close alternative, particularly if built-in Tax Pots or top-rated customer service matter more to you than Starling’s slightly broader free feature set. Tide earns its place for businesses that want invoicing, credit tracking and MTD tools bundled into the banking app itself, and are willing to pay a per-transfer fee or a monthly subscription for it. Revolut Business is the clear choice only once foreign currency is a genuine part of how the business operates — for a sterling-only business, its monthly fee buys little that the other three don’t already offer for free.