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Barclays VS OakNorth: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Barclays or OakNorth better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Barclays 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.

Barclays Homepage
Barclays Homepage


OakNorth Homepage
OakNorth Homepage
 

Barclays vs OakNorth Trustpilot Reviews

BarclaysOakNorth
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.44.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%84%
Percent 1- Star Reviews86%3%
Total Number of Reviews9,8598,904
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.barclays.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/oaknorth.co.uk

Barclays vs OakNorth App Reviews

BarclaysOakNorth
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.8
Number of iPhone Reviews1,700,0001,600
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.84.8
Number of Android Reviews506,000468
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/barclays/id536248734
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/oaknorth-savings/id1476387507

Barclays vs OakNorth Account Fees & Charges

BarclaysOakNorth
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 (up to 500 per month; 35p after)Free
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)60p per £100/Free70p per £100
Cheques (in/out)60p each/60p each£1 per cheque
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£17
SEPA Payments Cost35pNo

Barclays vs OakNorth Business Savings Rates

BarclaysOakNorth
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Fixed-term Treasury Reserve AccountsFixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.51%3.85%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)1.96%3.85%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£10,000
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesNo
 

Barclays vs OakNorth Account Opening Times

BarclaysOakNorth
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Up to 7 Working DaysFew minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

Barclays vs OakNorth Features & Account Types

Barclays Account Types
Barclays Features & Account Types


OakNorth Account Types
OakNorth Features & Account Types


BarclaysOakNorth
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYes, via BarclaycardNo
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsUK-wideNone, online and phone only

Barclays vs OakNorth Customer Support Options

BarclaysOakNorth
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Barclays vs OakNorth Foreign Currency Accounts

BarclaysOakNorth
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
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)
No

Other Business Services From Barclays and OakNorth

Barclays Account Types
Other Barclays Services


OakNorth Account Types
Other OakNorth Services


BarclaysOakNorth
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Card MachinesYes, via BarclaycardNo
Free Accounting SoftwareYes, FreshBooksNo

Barclays vs OakNorth Banking Basics

BarclaysOakNorth
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number122702629564
WebsiteBarclays WebsiteOakNorth Website

Common Comparison Questions

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

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

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


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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