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Ulster Bank VS Monese: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Ulster Bank or Monese better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Ulster Bank and Monese 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.

Ulster Bank Homepage
Ulster Bank Homepage


Monese Homepage
Monese Homepage
 

Ulster Bank vs Monese Trustpilot Reviews

Ulster BankMonese
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.54.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%68%
Percent 1- Star Reviews86%17%
Total Number of Reviews11440,330
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.ulsterbank.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.monese.com

Ulster Bank vs Monese App Reviews

Ulster BankMonese
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.8
Number of iPhone Reviews15,70068,100
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.14.5
Number of Android Reviews15,000101,000
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/ulster-bank-ni-mobile-banking/id469523324
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/monese-a-banking-alternative/id1102793407

Ulster Bank vs Monese Account Fees & Charges

Ulster BankMonese
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length24 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£8£5.95
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£12£14.95
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)43pFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)70p per £1003.5% / 2%
Cheques (in/out)40pFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£18.75No
SEPA Payments Cost€0.51No

Ulster Bank vs Monese Business Savings Rates

Ulster BankMonese
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access accounts, Fixed term accounts, Currency savings accountsNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.46%NA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)1.92%NA
Minimum Savings AmountNoNA
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Ulster Bank vs Monese Account Opening Times

Ulster BankMonese
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
24 working hours1 day
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Ulster Bank vs Monese Features & Account Types

Ulster Bank Account Types
Ulster Bank Features & Account Types


Monese Account Types
Monese Features & Account Types


Ulster BankMonese
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesNo
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesNo
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsNorthern Ireland OnlyNone, online only

Ulster Bank vs Monese Customer Support Options

Ulster BankMonese
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Ulster Bank vs Monese Foreign Currency Accounts

Ulster BankMonese
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • Swiss franc
  • Japanese yen
  • Australian dollar
  • Canadian dollar
  • New Zealand dollar
  • Swedish krona
  • EUR (Euro)
  • USD (United States Dollar)
  • AUD (Australian Dollar)
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • CHF (Swiss Franc)
  • DKK (Danish Krone)
  • NOK (Norwegian Krone)
  • SEK (Swedish Krona)

Other Business Services From Ulster Bank and Monese

Ulster Bank Account Types
Other Ulster Bank Services


Monese Account Types
Other Monese Services


Ulster BankMonese
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesNoNo
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Ulster Bank vs Monese Banking Basics

Ulster BankMonese
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000No
FCA NumberNA900960
WebsiteUlster Bank WebsiteMonese Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Ulster Bank or Monese have better customer reviews?

Ulster Bank scores 1.5 out of 5 based 114 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 8% are 5-star and 86% are 1-star.

Whereas, Monese scores 4.3 out of 5 based 40,330 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 68% are 5-star and 17% are 1-star.

Does Ulster Bank or Monese have a better App?

Ulster Bank’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 15,700 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.1 out of 5 based on 15,000 reviews.

In comparison, Monese’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 68,100 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 101,000 reviews.

Does Ulster Bank or Monese have better business savings rates?

Ulster Bank offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access accounts, Fixed term accounts, Currency savings accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.46% to 1.92%. (AER)

In contrast, Monese offers None accounts with interest rates ranging from NA to NA (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society
Ulster Bank vs OakNorth
Ulster Bank vs Airwallex
Ulster Bank vs Triodos Bank
Ulster Bank vs Soldo


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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