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Saffron Building Society VS Cater Allen: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Saffron Building Society or Cater Allen better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Saffron Building Society and Cater Allen 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


Cater Allen Homepage
Cater Allen Homepage
 

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Trustpilot Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)2.21.9
Percent 5-Star Reviews21%7%
Percent 1- Star Reviews73%80%
Total Number of Reviews58136
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.caterallen.co.uk

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen App Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)3.7No Rating
Number of iPhone Reviews24No Reviews
Android Review Score (out of 5)3.7No Rating
Number of Android Reviews14No Reviews
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341
https://www.apple.com/uk/app-store/

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Account Fees & Charges

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Free Business Bank AccountNoNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNANA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£10Free
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10£25
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free£2
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cheques (in/out)£1.50£6
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£25
SEPA Payments Cost25p£2

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Business Savings Rates

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Types of Business Savings AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accountsFixed Term, Notice Account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.20%3.00%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.75%4.70%
Minimum Savings Amount£1No
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoYes
 

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Account Opening Times

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Undisclosed7 days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Features & Account Types

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


Cater Allen Account Types
Cater Allen Features & Account Types


Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftNoNo
Accounts For StartupsNoYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsLocations in Essex onlyNone, online and phone only

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Customer Support Options

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesNo
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Foreign Currency Accounts

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsNoYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsNoYes
Other Currencies Available:No
  • CHF (Swiss Franc)
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • AUD (Australian Dollar)
  • NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
  • SGD (Singapore Dollar)
  • HKD (Hong Kong Dollar)

Other Business Services From Saffron Building Society and Cater Allen

Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Cater Allen Account Types
Other Cater Allen Services


Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesNoNo
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Saffron Building Society vs Cater Allen Banking Basics

Saffron Building SocietyCater Allen
Bank TypeBuilding SocietyHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number100015178737
WebsiteSaffron Building Society WebsiteCater Allen Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Saffron Building Society or Cater Allen 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, Cater Allen scores 1.9 out of 5 based 136 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 7% are 5-star and 80% are 1-star.

Does Saffron Building Society or Cater Allen 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, Cater Allen’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 Saffron Building Society or Cater Allen 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, Cater Allen offers Fixed Term, Notice Account accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.00% to 4.70% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Saffron Building Society vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Saffron Building Society vs Unity Trust
Saffron Building Society vs United Trust Bank
Saffron Building Society vs HSBC Kinetic
Saffron Building Society vs CardOneMoney


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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