Merchant Machine

Santander VS RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Santander or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) better for your small business?



Compare UK Business Bank Accounts

Powered By BusinessBankAccounts.co.uk



Below we look at both Santander and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Homepage
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Homepage
 

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Trustpilot Reviews

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.41.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%7%
Percent 1- Star Reviews85%89%
Total Number of Reviews6,868838
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.santander.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.rbs.co.uk

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) App Reviews

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.8
Number of iPhone Reviews1,100,000106,900
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.44.3
Number of Android Reviews54,30081,700
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/santander-mobile-banking/id482973524
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/royal-bank-of-scotland/id334852412

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Fees & Charges

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term Length18 Months24 Months
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeFreeFree
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£7.50Free
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)70p per £10070p per £100
Cheques (in/out)Unknown70p per item
CHAPS Payments Cost£25£20
SEPA Payments CostNo45p

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Business Savings Rates

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Business Reward Saver, Fixed Rate Business Bond, Treasurer’s Savings AccountBusiness reserve, Liquidity manager notice, Treasury reserve, Client deposit manager, Client account manager
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)0.40%1.46%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)3.60%4.25%
Minimum Savings Amount£1No
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Opening Times

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Few minutes5 to 7 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Features & Account Types

Santander Account Types
Santander Features & Account Types


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Types
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Features & Account Types


SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
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 TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsUK-wideUK-wide including the ability to use some Natwest locations

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Customer Support Options

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Foreign Currency Accounts

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
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)
  • Swiss franc
  • Japanese yen
  • Australian dollar
  • Canadian dollar
  • New Zealand dollar
  • Swedish krona

Other Business Services From Santander and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)

Santander Account Types
Other Santander Services


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Types
Other RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Services


SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYesYes

Santander vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Banking Basics

SantanderRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Bank TypeHigh StreetHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number106054114724
WebsiteSantander WebsiteRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Santander or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) scores 1.3 out of 5 based 838 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 7% are 5-star and 89% are 1-star.

Does Santander or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 106,900 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.3 out of 5 based on 81,700 reviews.

Does Santander or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) offers Business reserve, Liquidity manager notice, Treasury reserve, Client deposit manager, Client account manager accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.46% to 4.25% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Santander vs Wise
Santander vs Revolut Business
Santander vs Danske Bank UK
Santander vs Ulster Bank
Santander vs Kent Reliance


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



Please note: Merchant Machine is an information and comparison website only.
We do not provide merchant services nor can we recommend which solution is right for you and your business.
Blog · About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact Us
Copyright © 2025 Brilliant British Ltd trading as Merchant Machine

Registered Office Address:
3rd Floor Great Titchfield House, 14-18 Great Titchfield Street, London, United Kingdom, W1W 8BD
Company number 10490224