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


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

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



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Below we look at both Saffron Building Society and OakNorth 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


OakNorth Homepage
OakNorth Homepage
 

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Trustpilot Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)2.24.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews21%84%
Percent 1- Star Reviews73%3%
Total Number of Reviews588,904
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/oaknorth.co.uk

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth App Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)3.74.8
Number of iPhone Reviews241,600
Android Review Score (out of 5)3.74.8
Number of Android Reviews14468
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/oaknorth-savings/id1476387507

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Account Fees & Charges

Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
Free Business Bank AccountNoNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNANA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£10£25
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10£99.99
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)Free70p per £100
Cheques (in/out)£1.50£1 per cheque
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£17
SEPA Payments Cost25pNo

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Business Savings Rates

Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
Types of Business Savings AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accountsFixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.20%3.85%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.75%3.85%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£10,000
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoNo
 

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Account Opening Times

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

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Features & Account Types

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


OakNorth Account Types
OakNorth Features & Account Types


Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftNoYes
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 OakNorth Customer Support Options

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

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Foreign Currency Accounts

Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsNoNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsNoNo
Other Currencies Available:NoNo

Other Business Services From Saffron Building Society and OakNorth

Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


OakNorth Account Types
Other OakNorth Services


Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingNoYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesNoYes
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Saffron Building Society vs OakNorth Banking Basics

Saffron Building SocietyOakNorth
Bank TypeBuilding SocietyChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number100015629564
WebsiteSaffron Building Society WebsiteOakNorth Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Saffron Building Society or OakNorth 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, OakNorth scores 4.8 out of 5 based 8,904 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 84% are 5-star and 3% are 1-star.

Does Saffron Building Society or OakNorth 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, OakNorth’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,600 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 468 reviews.

Does Saffron Building Society or OakNorth 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, OakNorth offers Fixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.85% to 3.85% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Saffron Building Society vs Airwallex
Saffron Building Society vs Triodos Bank
Saffron Building Society vs Soldo
Saffron Building Society vs Cambridge Building Society
Saffron Building Society vs PayPal Debit


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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