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


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

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



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Below we look at both Shawbrook Bank and Saffron Building Society 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.

Shawbrook Bank Homepage
Shawbrook Bank Homepage


Saffron Building Society Homepage
Saffron Building Society Homepage
 

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Trustpilot Reviews

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.72.2
Percent 5-Star Reviews85%21%
Percent 1- Star Reviews7%73%
Total Number of Reviews10,74758
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.shawbrook.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society App Reviews

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)No Rating3.7
Number of iPhone ReviewsNo Reviews24
Android Review Score (out of 5)No Rating3.7
Number of Android ReviewsNo Reviews14
Sources:
https://www.apple.com/uk/app-store/
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Fees & Charges

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Free Business Bank AccountNoNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNANA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeFree£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£12£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cheques (in/out)Free£1.50
CHAPS Payments Cost£35£15
SEPA Payments CostNo25p

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Business Savings Rates

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Types of Business Savings AccountsEasy Access, Fixed Rate, Notice AccountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)3.66%1.20%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.03%5.75%
Minimum Savings Amount£1,000£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesNoNo
 

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Opening Times

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
5 Working daysUndisclosed
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceNoYes

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Features & Account Types

Shawbrook Bank Account Types
Shawbrook Bank Features & Account Types


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


Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Business Current AccountNoYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesYes
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesNo
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeNoneMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingNoYes
In Person/Branch BankingNoYes
Branch LocationsLimited locations accross the UKLocations in Essex only

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Customer Support Options

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support NoYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportNoYes

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Foreign Currency Accounts

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsNoNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsNoNo
Other Currencies Available:NoNo

Other Business Services From Shawbrook Bank and Saffron Building Society

Shawbrook Bank Account Types
Other Shawbrook Bank Services


Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesYes
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesNoNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Shawbrook Bank vs Saffron Building Society Banking Basics

Shawbrook BankSaffron Building Society
Bank TypeChallengerBuilding Society
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number204574100015
WebsiteShawbrook Bank WebsiteSaffron Building Society Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Shawbrook Bank or Saffron Building Society have better customer reviews?

Shawbrook Bank scores 4.7 out of 5 based 10,747 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 85% are 5-star and 7% are 1-star.

Whereas, Saffron Building Society scores 2.2 out of 5 based 58 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 21% are 5-star and 73% are 1-star.

Does Shawbrook Bank or Saffron Building Society have a better App?

Shawbrook 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.

In comparison, 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.

Does Shawbrook Bank or Saffron Building Society have better business savings rates?

Shawbrook Bank offers the following types of business savings accounts: Easy Access, Fixed Rate, Notice Accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.66% to 5.03%. (AER)

In contrast, Saffron Building Society offers Regular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.20% to 5.75% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Shawbrook Bank vs OakNorth
Shawbrook Bank vs Airwallex
Shawbrook Bank vs Triodos Bank
Shawbrook Bank vs Soldo
Shawbrook Bank vs Cambridge Building Society


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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