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Saffron Building Society VS Recognise Bank: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Saffron Building Society or Recognise Bank better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Saffron Building Society and Recognise 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


Recognise Bank Homepage
Recognise Bank Homepage
 

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Trustpilot Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)2.24.6
Percent 5-Star Reviews21%77%
Percent 1- Star Reviews73%5%
Total Number of Reviews58539
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/recognisebank.co.uk

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank App Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
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 Recognise Bank Account Fees & Charges

Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
Free Business Bank AccountNoYes
Free Business Account Term LengthNANo Limit
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£10No
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10No
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cheques (in/out)£1.50Free
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£15
SEPA Payments Cost25p25p

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Business Savings Rates

Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
Types of Business Savings AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accountsNotice account, Fixed Rate, Instant access
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.20%3.15%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.75%4.50%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1,000
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoYes
 

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Account Opening Times

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

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Features & Account Types

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


Recognise Bank Account Types
Recognise Bank Features & Account Types


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

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Customer Support Options

Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesNo
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Foreign Currency Accounts

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

Other Business Services From Saffron Building Society and Recognise Bank

Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Recognise Bank Account Types
Other Recognise Bank Services


Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesNo
Merchant Payment ServicesNoNo
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Saffron Building Society vs Recognise Bank Banking Basics

Saffron Building SocietyRecognise Bank
Bank TypeBuilding SocietyChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number100015849404
WebsiteSaffron Building Society WebsiteRecognise Bank Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Saffron Building Society or Recognise 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, Recognise Bank scores 4.6 out of 5 based 539 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 77% are 5-star and 5% are 1-star.

Does Saffron Building Society or Recognise 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, Recognise 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 Saffron Building Society or Recognise 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, Recognise Bank offers Notice account, Fixed Rate, Instant access accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.15% to 4.50% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Saffron Building Society vs Dudley Building Society
Saffron Building Society vs MyPOS
Saffron Building Society vs Ampere
OakNorth vs Airwallex
OakNorth vs Triodos Bank


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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