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Saffron Building Society VS State Bank of India (UK): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Saffron Building Society or State Bank of India (UK) better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Saffron Building Society and State Bank of India (UK) 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


State Bank of India (UK) Homepage
State Bank of India (UK) Homepage
 

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Trustpilot Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)2.23.7
Percent 5-Star Reviews21%33%
Percent 1- Star Reviews73%34%
Total Number of Reviews583
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/sbiuk.statebank

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) App Reviews

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)3.72.4
Number of iPhone Reviews24253
Android Review Score (out of 5)3.71.7
Number of Android Reviews141,640
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/yono-sbi-uk/id1454780358

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Account Fees & Charges

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Free Business Bank AccountNoNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNANA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£10£80
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10£120
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)Free£3 / Free
Cheques (in/out)£1.50£10.00 per cheque
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£25
SEPA Payments Cost25p£25

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Business Savings Rates

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Types of Business Savings AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accountsInstant Access, Notice Savings, Fixed Deposit, Limited Access
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.20%1.95%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.75%5.00%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoYes
 

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Account Opening Times

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Undisclosed3 to 4 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Features & Account Types

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


State Bank of India (UK) Account Types
State Bank of India (UK) Features & Account Types


Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
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 TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsLocations in Essex onlyLimited locations in London and Midlands

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Customer Support Options

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Foreign Currency Accounts

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsNoYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsNoYes
Other Currencies Available:No
  • Indian Rupee (INR)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)

Other Business Services From Saffron Building Society and State Bank of India (UK)

Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


State Bank of India (UK) Account Types
Other State Bank of India (UK) Services


Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingNoYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesNoNo
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Saffron Building Society vs State Bank of India (UK) Banking Basics

Saffron Building SocietyState Bank of India (UK)
Bank TypeBuilding SocietyForeign Bank
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number100015757156
WebsiteSaffron Building Society WebsiteState Bank of India (UK) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Saffron Building Society or State Bank of India (UK) 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, State Bank of India (UK) scores 3.7 out of 5 based 3 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 33% are 5-star and 34% are 1-star.

Does Saffron Building Society or State Bank of India (UK) 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, State Bank of India (UK)’s iPhone App is rated 2.4 out of 5 based on 253 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 1.7 out of 5 based on 1,640 reviews.

Does Saffron Building Society or State Bank of India (UK) 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, State Bank of India (UK) offers Instant Access, Notice Savings, Fixed Deposit, Limited Access accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.95% to 5.00% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Saffron Building Society vs Charity Bank
Saffron Building Society vs Cumberland Building Society
Saffron Building Society vs Redwood Bank
Saffron Building Society vs Amaiz
Saffron Building Society vs ICICI Bank UK


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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