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


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

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



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Below we look at both Ulster 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.

Ulster Bank Homepage
Ulster Bank Homepage


Saffron Building Society Homepage
Saffron Building Society Homepage
 

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Trustpilot Reviews

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.52.2
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%21%
Percent 1- Star Reviews86%73%
Total Number of Reviews11458
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.ulsterbank.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society App Reviews

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.83.7
Number of iPhone Reviews15,70024
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.13.7
Number of Android Reviews15,00014
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/ulster-bank-ni-mobile-banking/id469523324
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Fees & Charges

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term Length24 MonthsNA
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£8£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£12£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)43pFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)70p per £100Free
Cheques (in/out)40p£1.50
CHAPS Payments Cost£18.75£15
SEPA Payments Cost€0.5125p

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Business Savings Rates

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access accounts, Fixed term accounts, Currency savings accountsRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.46%1.20%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)1.92%5.75%
Minimum Savings AmountNo£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesNo
 

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Opening Times

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
24 working hoursUndisclosed
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Features & Account Types

Ulster Bank Account Types
Ulster Bank Features & Account Types


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


Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesYes
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesNo
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsNorthern Ireland OnlyLocations in Essex only

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Customer Support Options

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Foreign Currency Accounts

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
Other Currencies Available:
  • Swiss franc
  • Japanese yen
  • Australian dollar
  • Canadian dollar
  • New Zealand dollar
  • Swedish krona
No

Other Business Services From Ulster Bank and Saffron Building Society

Ulster Bank Account Types
Other Ulster Bank Services


Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesNoYes
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Ulster Bank vs Saffron Building Society Banking Basics

Ulster BankSaffron Building Society
Bank TypeHigh StreetBuilding Society
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA NumberNA100015
WebsiteUlster Bank WebsiteSaffron Building Society Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Ulster Bank or Saffron Building Society 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, 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 Ulster Bank or Saffron Building Society 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, 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 Ulster Bank or Saffron Building Society 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, 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:
Ulster Bank vs OakNorth
Ulster Bank vs Airwallex
Ulster Bank vs Triodos Bank
Ulster Bank vs Soldo
Ulster Bank vs Cambridge Building Society


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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