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HSBC VS Charity Bank: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is HSBC or Charity Bank better for your small business?



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Below we look at both HSBC and Charity 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.

HSBC Homepage
HSBC Homepage


Charity Bank Homepage
Charity Bank Homepage
 

HSBC vs Charity Bank Trustpilot Reviews

HSBCCharity Bank
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.53.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews7%33%
Percent 1- Star Reviews88%34%
Total Number of Reviews8,3993
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.hsbc.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/charitybank.org

HSBC vs Charity Bank App Reviews

HSBCCharity Bank
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.8No Rating
Number of iPhone Reviews1,400,000No Reviews
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.8No Rating
Number of Android Reviews260,000No Reviews
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/hsbc-uk-mobile-banking/id1220329065
https://www.apple.com/uk/app-store/

HSBC vs Charity Bank Account Fees & Charges

HSBCCharity Bank
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length12 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£6.50Free
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10Free
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)35pNo
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)£1.50Free
Cheques (in/out)50p per chequeFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£17£10
SEPA Payments Cost20p20p

HSBC vs Charity Bank Business Savings Rates

HSBCCharity Bank
Types of Business Savings AccountsBusiness Money Manager, Business Money Market, Clients DepositCITR accounts, Easy Access, Notice Accounts, Fixed Account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)0.10%2.02%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)2.02%4.51%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1,000
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesNo
 

HSBC vs Charity Bank Account Opening Times

HSBCCharity Bank
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
7 to 10 Working daysUndisclosed
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

HSBC vs Charity Bank Features & Account Types

HSBC Account Types
HSBC Features & Account Types


Charity Bank Account Types
Charity Bank Features & Account Types


HSBCCharity Bank
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeVisaMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesNo
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsUK-wideTonbridge

HSBC vs Charity Bank Customer Support Options

HSBCCharity Bank
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesNo
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

HSBC vs Charity Bank Foreign Currency Accounts

HSBCCharity Bank
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
Other Currencies Available:
  • Australian dollar (AUD)
  • Bahraini dinar (BHD)
  • Brunei dollar (BND)
  • Canadian dollar (CAD)
  • Chinese yuan (CNY)
  • Czech koruna (CZK)
  • Danish krone (DKK)
  • Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
  • Hungarian forint (HUF)
  • Indian rupee (INR)
  • Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
  • Israeli shekel (ILS)
  • Japanese yen (JPY)
  • Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)
  • Malaysian ringgit (MYR)
  • New Zealand dollar (NZD)
  • Norwegian krone (NOK)
  • Omani rial (OMR)
  • Polish zloty (PLN)
  • Qatari riyal (QAR)
  • Saudi riyal (SAR)
  • Singapore dollar (SGD)
  • South African rand (ZAR)
  • South Korean won (KRW)
  • Swiss franc (CHF)
  • Swedish krona (SEK)
  • Thai baht (THB)
  • United Arab Emirates dirham (AED)
No

Other Business Services From HSBC and Charity Bank

HSBC Account Types
Other HSBC Services


Charity Bank Account Types
Other Charity Bank Services


HSBCCharity Bank
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

HSBC vs Charity Bank Banking Basics

HSBCCharity Bank
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number765112207701
WebsiteHSBC WebsiteCharity Bank Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does HSBC or Charity Bank have better customer reviews?

HSBC scores 1.5 out of 5 based 8,399 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 7% are 5-star and 88% are 1-star.

Whereas, Charity Bank scores 3.3 out of 5 based 3 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 33% are 5-star and 34% are 1-star.

Does HSBC or Charity Bank have a better App?

HSBC’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,400,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 260,000 reviews.

In comparison, Charity Bank’s iPhone App is rated No Rating out of 5 based on No Reviews reviews. And it’s Android App is rated No Rating out of 5 based on No Reviews reviews.

Does HSBC or Charity Bank have better business savings rates?

HSBC offers the following types of business savings accounts: Business Money Manager, Business Money Market, Clients Deposit with interest rates ranging from 0.10% to 2.02%. (AER)

In contrast, Charity Bank offers CITR accounts, Easy Access, Notice Accounts, Fixed Account accounts with interest rates ranging from 2.02% to 4.51% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
HSBC vs Cumberland Building Society
HSBC vs Redwood Bank
HSBC vs Amaiz
HSBC vs ICICI Bank UK
HSBC vs Intergiro


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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