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Saffron Building Society VS AIB (Allied Irish Bank): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Saffron Building Society or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Saffron Building Society 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.

Saffron Building Society Homepage
Saffron Building Society Homepage


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

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Trustpilot Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)2.22.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews21%20%
Percent 1- Star Reviews73%70%
Total Number of Reviews5810
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/aibgb.co.uk

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) App Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)3.71.7
Number of iPhone Reviews24227
Android Review Score (out of 5)3.71.9
Number of Android Reviews1421,400
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/aib-mobile/id468042881

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Fees & Charges

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Free Business Bank AccountNoNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNANA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£10£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)Free65p per £100
Cheques (in/out)£1.5070p
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£25
SEPA Payments Cost25p£20

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Business Savings Rates

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Types of Business Savings AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accountsDemand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.20%0.25%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.75%3.02%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoYes
 

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Opening Times

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Undisclosed15 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types

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


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


Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesYes
Business OverdraftNoYes
Accounts For StartupsNoYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardVisa
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsLocations in Essex onlyBelfast, London and Dublin

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Customer Support Options

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

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Foreign Currency Accounts

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsNoYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsNoYes
Other Currencies Available:No
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Other Business Services From Saffron Building Society and AIB (Allied Irish Bank)

Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


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


Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingNoYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesNoYes
Card MachinesNoYes
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Banking Basics

Saffron Building SocietyAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Bank TypeBuilding SocietyHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number100015204793
WebsiteSaffron Building Society WebsiteAIB (Allied Irish Bank) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Saffron Building Society or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better customer reviews?

Saffron Building Society scores 2.2 out of 5 based 58 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 21% are 5-star and 73% 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 Saffron Building Society or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have a better App?

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.

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 Saffron Building Society or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better business savings rates?

Saffron Building Society offers the following types of business savings accounts: Regular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.20% to 5.75%. (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:
Saffron Building Society vs Unity Trust
Saffron Building Society vs United Trust Bank
Saffron Building Society vs HSBC Kinetic
Saffron Building Society vs CardOneMoney
Saffron Building Society vs Fair Everywhere


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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