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Bank of Scotland VS OakNorth: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


By: Ian Wright | Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Is Bank of Scotland or OakNorth better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Bank of Scotland and OakNorth reviews on Trustpilot along with their App reviews from Apple and Google.

We then look at typical fees, business savings rates, foreign currency options and a whole bunch of other account features to help you make up your mind.

Bank of Scotland Homepage
Bank of Scotland Homepage


OakNorth Homepage
OakNorth Homepage
 

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Trustpilot Reviews

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.64.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews12%84%
Percent 1- Star Reviews80%3%
Total Number of Reviews6498,904
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.bankofscotland.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/oaknorth.co.uk

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth App Reviews

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.8
Number of iPhone Reviews269,4001,600
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.54.8
Number of Android Reviews44,100468
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bank-of-scotland-mobile-bank/id485728109
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/oaknorth-savings/id1476387507

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Account Fees & Charges

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length12 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£8.50£25
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£8.50£99.99
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free / 20pFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)£85p / £1.50 per £10070p per £100
Cheques (in/out)85p per cheque£1 per cheque
CHAPS Payments Cost£30£17
SEPA Payments Cost£5No

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Business Savings Rates

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Types of Business Savings AccountsFixed Term Deposit, Notice Accounts, Instant Access AccountFixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.31%3.85%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)4.37%3.85%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£10,000
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesNo
 

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Account Opening Times

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
7 Working daysFew minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Features & Account Types

Bank of Scotland Account Types
Bank of Scotland Features & Account Types


OakNorth Account Types
OakNorth Features & Account Types


Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeVisaMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsScotland onlyNone, online and phone only

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Customer Support Options

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Foreign Currency Accounts

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
Other Currencies Available:
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
No

Other Business Services From Bank of Scotland and OakNorth

Bank of Scotland Account Types
Other Bank of Scotland Services


OakNorth Account Types
Other OakNorth Services


Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Bank of Scotland vs OakNorth Banking Basics

Bank of ScotlandOakNorth
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number169628629564
WebsiteBank of Scotland WebsiteOakNorth Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Bank of Scotland or OakNorth have better customer reviews?

Bank of Scotland scores 1.6 out of 5 based 649 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 12% are 5-star and 80% are 1-star.

Whereas, OakNorth scores 4.8 out of 5 based 8,904 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 84% are 5-star and 3% are 1-star.

Does Bank of Scotland or OakNorth have a better App?

Bank of Scotland’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 269,400 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 44,100 reviews.

In comparison, OakNorth’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,600 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 468 reviews.

Does Bank of Scotland or OakNorth have better business savings rates?

Bank of Scotland offers the following types of business savings accounts: Fixed Term Deposit, Notice Accounts, Instant Access Account with interest rates ranging from 1.31% to 4.37%. (AER)

In contrast, OakNorth offers Fixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.85% to 3.85% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Bank of Scotland vs Airwallex
Bank of Scotland vs Triodos Bank
Bank of Scotland vs Soldo
Bank of Scotland vs Cambridge Building Society
Bank of Scotland vs PayPal Debit


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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