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Santander VS AIB (Allied Irish Bank): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Santander or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Santander and AIB (Allied Irish 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.

Santander Homepage
Santander Homepage


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Homepage
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Homepage
 

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Trustpilot Reviews

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.42.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%20%
Percent 1- Star Reviews85%70%
Total Number of Reviews6,86810
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.santander.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/aibgb.co.uk

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) App Reviews

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.81.7
Number of iPhone Reviews1,100,000227
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.41.9
Number of Android Reviews54,30021,400
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/santander-mobile-banking/id482973524
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/aib-mobile/id468042881

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Fees & Charges

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length18 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeFree£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£7.50£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)70p per £10065p per £100
Cheques (in/out)Unknown70p
CHAPS Payments Cost£25£25
SEPA Payments CostNo£20

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Business Savings Rates

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Business Reward Saver, Fixed Rate Business Bond, Treasurer’s Savings AccountDemand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)0.40%0.25%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)3.60%3.02%
Minimum Savings Amount£1£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Opening Times

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Few minutes15 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types

Santander Account Types
Santander Features & Account Types


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Types
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types


SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesYes
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardVisa
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsUK-wideBelfast, London and Dublin

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Customer Support Options

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Foreign Currency Accounts

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Other Business Services From Santander and AIB (Allied Irish Bank)

Santander Account Types
Other Santander Services


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Types
Other AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Services


SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Santander vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Banking Basics

SantanderAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Bank TypeHigh StreetHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number106054204793
WebsiteSantander WebsiteAIB (Allied Irish Bank) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Santander or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better customer reviews?

Santander scores 1.4 out of 5 based 6,868 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 8% are 5-star and 85% are 1-star.

Whereas, AIB (Allied Irish Bank) scores 2.8 out of 5 based 10 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 20% are 5-star and 70% are 1-star.

Does Santander or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have a better App?

Santander’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,100,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.4 out of 5 based on 54,300 reviews.

In comparison, AIB (Allied Irish Bank)’s iPhone App is rated 1.7 out of 5 based on 227 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 1.9 out of 5 based on 21,400 reviews.

Does Santander or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better business savings rates?

Santander offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access, Business Reward Saver, Fixed Rate Business Bond, Treasurer’s Savings Account with interest rates ranging from 0.40% to 3.60%. (AER)

In contrast, AIB (Allied Irish Bank) offers Demand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account accounts with interest rates ranging from 0.25% to 3.02% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Santander vs Unity Trust
Santander vs United Trust Bank
Santander vs HSBC Kinetic
Santander vs CardOneMoney
Santander vs Fair Everywhere


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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