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Barclays VS RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Barclays or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Barclays and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Homepage
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Homepage
 

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Trustpilot Reviews

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.41.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%7%
Percent 1- Star Reviews86%89%
Total Number of Reviews9,859838
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.barclays.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.rbs.co.uk

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) App Reviews

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.8
Number of iPhone Reviews1,700,000106,900
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.84.3
Number of Android Reviews506,00081,700
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/barclays/id536248734
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/royal-bank-of-scotland/id334852412

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Fees & Charges

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term Length12 Months24 Months
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£8.50Free
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£8.50Free
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free (up to 500 per month; 35p after)35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)60p per £100/Free70p per £100
Cheques (in/out)60p each/60p each70p per item
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£20
SEPA Payments Cost35p45p

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Business Savings Rates

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Fixed-term Treasury Reserve AccountsBusiness reserve, Liquidity manager notice, Treasury reserve, Client deposit manager, Client account manager
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.51%1.46%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)1.96%4.25%
Minimum Savings Amount£1No
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Opening Times

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Up to 7 Working Days5 to 7 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Features & Account Types

Barclays Account Types
Barclays Features & Account Types


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Types
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Features & Account Types


BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
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 TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsUK-wideUK-wide including the ability to use some Natwest locations

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Customer Support Options

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Foreign Currency Accounts

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
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)
  • Swiss franc
  • Japanese yen
  • Australian dollar
  • Canadian dollar
  • New Zealand dollar
  • Swedish krona

Other Business Services From Barclays and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)

Barclays Account Types
Other Barclays Services


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Types
Other RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Services


BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Card MachinesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYes, FreshBooksYes

Barclays vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Banking Basics

BarclaysRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Bank TypeHigh StreetHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number122702114724
WebsiteBarclays WebsiteRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Barclays or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) scores 1.3 out of 5 based 838 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 7% are 5-star and 89% are 1-star.

Does Barclays or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 106,900 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.3 out of 5 based on 81,700 reviews.

Does Barclays or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) offers Business reserve, Liquidity manager notice, Treasury reserve, Client deposit manager, Client account manager accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.46% to 4.25% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Barclays vs Wise
Barclays vs Revolut Business
Barclays vs Danske Bank UK
Barclays vs Ulster Bank
Barclays vs Kent Reliance


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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