Merchant Machine

Barclays VS AIB (Allied Irish Bank): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Barclays or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) better for your small business?



Compare UK Business Bank Accounts

Powered By BusinessBankAccounts.co.uk



Below we look at both Barclays and AIB (Allied Irish Bank) 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.

Barclays Homepage
Barclays Homepage


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Homepage
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Homepage
 

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Trustpilot Reviews

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.42.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%20%
Percent 1- Star Reviews86%70%
Total Number of Reviews9,85910
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.barclays.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/aibgb.co.uk

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) App Reviews

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.81.7
Number of iPhone Reviews1,700,000227
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.81.9
Number of Android Reviews506,00021,400
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/barclays/id536248734
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/aib-mobile/id468042881

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Fees & Charges

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length12 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£8.50£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£8.50£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free (up to 500 per month; 35p after)35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)60p per £100/Free65p per £100
Cheques (in/out)60p each/60p each70p
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£25
SEPA Payments Cost35p£20

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Business Savings Rates

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Fixed-term Treasury Reserve AccountsDemand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.51%0.25%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)1.96%3.02%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Opening Times

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Up to 7 Working Days15 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types

Barclays Account Types
Barclays Features & Account Types


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Types
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types


BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYes, via BarclaycardYes
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardVisa
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsUK-wideBelfast, London and Dublin

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Customer Support Options

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Foreign Currency Accounts

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • Czech Koruna (CZK)
  • Danish Krone (DKK)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Norwegian Krone (NOK)
  • Polish Zloty (PLN)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • South African Rand (ZAR)
  • Swedish Krona (SEK)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • UAE Dirham (AED)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Other Business Services From Barclays and AIB (Allied Irish Bank)

Barclays Account Types
Other Barclays Services


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Types
Other AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Services


BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Card MachinesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYes, FreshBooksNo

Barclays vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Banking Basics

BarclaysAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Bank TypeHigh StreetHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number122702204793
WebsiteBarclays WebsiteAIB (Allied Irish Bank) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Barclays or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better customer reviews?

Barclays scores 1.4 out of 5 based 9,859 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 8% are 5-star and 86% are 1-star.

Whereas, AIB (Allied Irish Bank) scores 2.8 out of 5 based 10 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 20% are 5-star and 70% are 1-star.

Does Barclays or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have a better App?

Barclays’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,700,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 506,000 reviews.

In comparison, AIB (Allied Irish Bank)’s iPhone App is rated 1.7 out of 5 based on 227 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 1.9 out of 5 based on 21,400 reviews.

Does Barclays or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better business savings rates?

Barclays offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access, Fixed-term Treasury Reserve Accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.51% to 1.96%. (AER)

In contrast, AIB (Allied Irish Bank) offers Demand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account accounts with interest rates ranging from 0.25% to 3.02% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Barclays vs Unity Trust
Barclays vs United Trust Bank
Barclays vs HSBC Kinetic
Barclays vs CardOneMoney
Barclays vs Fair Everywhere


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



Please note: Merchant Machine is an information and comparison website only.
We do not provide merchant services nor can we recommend which solution is right for you and your business.
Blog · About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact Us
Copyright © 2025 Brilliant British Ltd trading as Merchant Machine

Registered Office Address:
3rd Floor Great Titchfield House, 14-18 Great Titchfield Street, London, United Kingdom, W1W 8BD
Company number 10490224