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Co-operative Bank VS Saffron Building Society: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Co-operative Bank or Saffron Building Society better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Co-operative Bank and Saffron Building Society 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.

Co-operative Bank Homepage
Co-operative Bank Homepage


Saffron Building Society Homepage
Saffron Building Society Homepage
 

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Trustpilot Reviews

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.22.2
Percent 5-Star Reviews51%21%
Percent 1- Star Reviews39%73%
Total Number of Reviews7,69958
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/co-operativebank.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society App Reviews

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.73.7
Number of iPhone Reviews47,80024
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.33.7
Number of Android Reviews33,00014
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/co-operative-bank/id1439204021
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Fees & Charges

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length30 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeFree£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeFree£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)£1.50 per £100Free
Cheques (in/out)£1.50£1.50
CHAPS Payments Cost£25£15
SEPA Payments CostNo25p

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Business Savings Rates

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, 35+ day, 95+ dayRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.63%1.20%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)2.51%5.75%
Minimum Savings AmountNo£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoNo
 

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Opening Times

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
5 Working daysUndisclosed
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Features & Account Types

Co-operative Bank Account Types
Co-operative Bank Features & Account Types


Saffron Building Society Account Types
Saffron Building Society Features & Account Types


Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesYes
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesNo
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeVisaMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsLimited locations accross the UKLocations in Essex only

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Customer Support Options

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Foreign Currency Accounts

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
Other Currencies Available:NoNo

Other Business Services From Co-operative Bank and Saffron Building Society

Co-operative Bank Account Types
Other Co-operative Bank Services


Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Co-operative Bank vs Saffron Building Society Banking Basics

Co-operative BankSaffron Building Society
Bank TypeHigh StreetBuilding Society
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number990937100015
WebsiteCo-operative Bank WebsiteSaffron Building Society Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Co-operative Bank or Saffron Building Society have better customer reviews?

Co-operative Bank scores 4.2 out of 5 based 7,699 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 51% are 5-star and 39% are 1-star.

Whereas, Saffron Building Society scores 2.2 out of 5 based 58 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 21% are 5-star and 73% are 1-star.

Does Co-operative Bank or Saffron Building Society have a better App?

Co-operative Bank’s iPhone App is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on 47,800 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.3 out of 5 based on 33,000 reviews.

In comparison, Saffron Building Society’s iPhone App is rated 3.7 out of 5 based on 24 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 3.7 out of 5 based on 14 reviews.

Does Co-operative Bank or Saffron Building Society have better business savings rates?

Co-operative Bank offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access, 35+ day, 95+ day with interest rates ranging from 1.63% to 2.51%. (AER)

In contrast, Saffron Building Society offers Regular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.20% to 5.75% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Co-operative Bank vs OakNorth
Co-operative Bank vs Airwallex
Co-operative Bank vs Triodos Bank
Co-operative Bank vs Soldo
Co-operative Bank vs Cambridge Building Society


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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