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Saffron Building Society VS Countingup: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Saffron Building Society or Countingup better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Saffron Building Society and Countingup 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


Countingup Homepage
Countingup Homepage
 

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Trustpilot Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)2.24.4
Percent 5-Star Reviews21%81%
Percent 1- Star Reviews73%9%
Total Number of Reviews582,382
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/countingup.com

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup App Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)3.74.7
Number of iPhone Reviews242,800
Android Review Score (out of 5)3.74.5
Number of Android Reviews141,300
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/countingup-business-account/id1286828618

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Account Fees & Charges

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Free Business Bank AccountNoNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNANA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£10£3
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10£18
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free30p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)Free£1
Cheques (in/out)£1.50Free
CHAPS Payments Cost£15No
SEPA Payments Cost25pNo

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Business Savings Rates

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Types of Business Savings AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accountsNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.20%NA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.75%NA
Minimum Savings Amount£1NA
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoYes
 

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Account Opening Times

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Undisclosed5 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Features & Account Types

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


Countingup Account Types
Countingup Features & Account Types


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

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Customer Support Options

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Phone Support AvailableYesNo
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Foreign Currency Accounts

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsNoYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsNoYes
Other Currencies Available:No
  • GBP (British Pound)
  • EUR (Euro)
  • USD (US Dollar)
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • AUD (Australian Dollar)
  • NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
  • CHF (Swiss Franc)
  • SEK (Swedish Krona)
  • DKK (Danish Krone)
  • NOK (Norwegian Krone)

Other Business Services From Saffron Building Society and Countingup

Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Countingup Account Types
Other Countingup Services


Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesNoNo
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoYes

Saffron Building Society vs Countingup Banking Basics

Saffron Building SocietyCountingup
Bank TypeBuilding SocietyChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000No
FCA Number100015900010
WebsiteSaffron Building Society WebsiteCountingup Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Saffron Building Society or Countingup 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, Countingup scores 4.4 out of 5 based 2,382 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 81% are 5-star and 9% are 1-star.

Does Saffron Building Society or Countingup 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, Countingup’s iPhone App is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on 2,800 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 1,300 reviews.

Does Saffron Building Society or Countingup 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, Countingup offers None accounts with interest rates ranging from NA to NA (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK)
Saffron Building Society vs Charity Bank
Saffron Building Society vs Cumberland Building Society
Saffron Building Society vs Redwood Bank
Saffron Building Society vs Amaiz


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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