Ongoing
Keep up to date with market trends and the latest finance news.
Our trusted partner Bionic, has experts who handle the comparison for you and guide you through your quotes.
Compare Business EnergyIn a constantly changing market, locking in a Business Energy deal could be beneficial.
Our trusted partner Bionic, has experts who handle the quote for you and you through your options.
Compare Business InsuranceSecure your business with the right insurance. From contents to cyber, we've got you covered.
We compare our best Business Broadband deals to find the ideal solution for your business.
Get ConnectedFind everything you need to decide which Business Broadband plan is right for you.
Set yourself up to take (and make) payments easily.
Find our most popular recent guides here.
This article will give you all the guidance needed to help you make an informed decision and switch business broadband providers smoothly and quickly.
How to Switch Business Broadband ProviderKeep up to date with market trends and the latest finance news.
Our trusted partner Bionic, has experts who handle the comparison for you and guide you through your quotes.
Compare Business EnergyIn a constantly changing market, locking in a Business Energy deal could be beneficial.
Our trusted partner Bionic, has experts who handle the quote for you and you through your options.
Compare Business InsuranceSecure your business with the right insurance. From contents to cyber, we've got you covered.
We compare our best Business Broadband deals to find the ideal solution for your business.
Get ConnectedFind everything you need to decide which Business Broadband plan is right for you.
Set yourself up to take (and make) payments easily.
Find our most popular recent guides here.
This article will give you all the guidance needed to help you make an informed decision and switch business broadband providers smoothly and quickly.
How to Switch Business Broadband ProviderOngoing
No monthly fees
0% AER
Various credit options available
*OFFER - Get £100 cashback when you open a Tide business bank account, enter code BCA100
Earn up to 4.22% AER each month when you open a business savings account T&Cs apply
Register a company for only £14.99
No monthly fee in the first 12 months. T&Cs apply
£8.50
0% AER
Please see 'Credit facilty' information
No monthly account fee* plus access to discounted services via key partners to help you set up and run your business effectively, worth over £5000**
*Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren't eligible for 12 months no monthly account fee. After 12 months, you'll pay £8.50 per month.
*Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change. **Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details.
Ongoing
No monthly fees
0% AER
Business overdraft available upon invitation
Apply in minutes
No monthly or annual fee
Helpful UK based telephone customer service
2 Years
No monthly fees
0% AER
None
FreeAgent is included as long as you retain your account
A dedicated Relationship Manager - a single point of contact to look after your business banking needs (turnover and eligibility criteria apply)
None
£10.00
0% AER
None
Business account: hold, send and receive funds in 25+ currencies, exchange up to £1,000 at the interbank rate and only 0.6% fee for anything over this allowance. 1% for exchanges outside market hours.
Free smart debit cards for you and one team member: track and control spending in real-time
No monthly fee in the first 12 months. T&Cs apply
£8.50
0% AER
Please see ‘Credit facility’ information
No monthly account fee* plus access to discounted services via key partners to help you set up and run your business effectively, worth over £5000**
*Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren't eligible for 12 months no monthly account fee. After 12 months, you'll pay £8.50 per month.
*Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change. **Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details.
No monthly fee for three months
£12.50
0% AER
Not available
No credit checks & available to all business types
*LIMITED OFFER* Free business account for 3 months
Application takes minutes and your business account can be open on the same day you apply
No monthly fee in the first 12 months. T&Cs apply
£8.50
0% AER
Please see ‘Credit facility’ information
No monthly account fee* plus access to discounted services via key partners to help you set up and run your business effectively, worth over £5000**
*Businesses with existing Barclays business current accounts aren't eligible for 12 months no monthly account fee. After 12 months, you'll pay £8.50 per month.
*Fees and charges will apply in line with the business account tariff which may be subject to change. **Terms and conditions apply per partner, see partner website for details.
2 Years
No monthly fees
0% AER
Credit options available
FreeAgent is included as long as you retain your account
No transaction fees for 2 years (then standard tariff applies)
No monthly fee for three months
£3.00
0% AER
Not available
Business current account, accounting & tax tools in one app!
Log expenses, send invoices, automate setting aside taxes
Apply in less than 4 minutes and get paid straight away
Our comparison service features a selection of providers from whom we receive commission. This table is ordered according to our commercial arrangements.
Even with a poor credit history, we can still find you the best business bank accounts for bad credit. We compare the top business bank accounts with no credit check options:
Switcher guarantee schemes
No need to visit a branch
Online and app-based banking
Pay in via Post Offices and more
May help improve your credit score
Whether you're starting a business or switching from your current bank, there are flexible options available, even if you've struggled with credit in the past.
Even though having a bad credit history can cause a lot of worry for many businesses, but that doesn’t mean you can't get a business bank account. In fact, many providers now offer business bank accounts for bad credit that don’t require a credit check at all.
Although your options are limited due to your bad credit history, it does not mean that it is impossible for you to get a business bank account. Bad credit business bank accounts are a good option for those with a bad credit history because a lot of providers allow you to apply with no credit check.
Financial services are essential to all enterprises, which means it is very important that you have a full business bank account. Unfortunately, those with bad credit can struggle with this, bad credit business accounts will let the majority of businesses who apply with bad credit open and manage an account, regardless of their poor credit history.
This can include direct debits, multiple debit cards, online banking and even overdrafts. These accounts are also much quicker to setup now and for some businesses they can be cheaper than high street banks.
Whether you like it or not, your credit score makes a huge impact on the road your business leads. You may believe ignorance is bliss but when it comes to a low credit score it is not something that can be ignored.
So what are the first steps of improving your bad credit?
In order to monitor your credit report, you must ensure that the information you have provided is correct – this means that if there are accounts associated on your report that aren't actually yours then you must remove them, as this will affect your credit score. Any negative information that is from over 7 years ago should not be included in your credit report as this is the point at which payment defaults or other markers ‘drop off’. Any bankruptcies older than 10 years must also not be shown on your report.
To access your credit report, you can check your credit score for free or view it through Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. These credit reference agencies all have their own ways of rating or scoring businesses and their credit history, and lenders generally use one or more of these agencies as part of their assessment process before agreeing to bank accounts, loans or other types of borrowing.
If your business has a loan or credit card that requires monthly payments, then it is beneficial to organise the payments to come out automatically, so that they are not accidentally forgotten or overlooked – making payments on-time is an important factor to your credit score.
Applying for credit (whether you proceed with the actual borrowing or not) means that credit checks will be done on your business by lenders, which can be seen by other potential lenders on your file. A large number of credit applications in a short amount of time, such as over a few months, can be a red flag to lenders, indicating that your business may not be managing money well.
Ignoring business debt is never a good idea and it can have a catastrophic impact on your company’s credit rating if you are taken to court over money owed to other businesses or individuals. Resolving the issue before it gets to this advanced state is always preferable. This could mean reaching out to the party owed and agreeing a payment plan or another arrangement to help ensure that legal action is not taken.
Find out more about overcoming credit challenges in business banking.
Yes, it is possible. Many business bank accounts with no credit checks don’t perform hard credit searches, meaning you can apply even with a CCJ.
It depends on the account. Traditional business accounts usually involve a credit check, but a business bank account with no credit check, of course, does not.
If a hard credit check is performed, it could impact your score. No credit check accounts will not affect your credit history.
Yes, especially for sole traders where personal and business finances are linked. Limited companies are assessed separately.
If you're a sole trader, yes. For limited companies, only the business credit file is affected unless you have provided a personal guarantee.
It reflects the financial health of your company. A good score can help you secure finance and better terms.
Yes. Personal credit doesn’t usually prevent you from becoming a director of a limited company.
Not all do. Always check the small print or speak to the provider’s customer service team for confirmation.
Limited companies are legally required to have a separate business account. Sole traders can use a personal account, but having a business account is often better for financial management.
Yes. Rejection can be due to ID issues, fraud history or poor credit. If denied, consider applying for a business bank account with no credit check.
Ask the provider for the reason. If the issue is your credit history, try a no credit check account or look into prepaid options.
Request a free credit report from Experian.
Keep your records accurate
Register to vote
Pay bills on time
Use a credit card responsibly
Clear existing debts
Every bank, whether it’s a high street bank or an online-only one, will have their own criteria for assessing bank account applications that they do not share publicly, so it’s not possible to guarantee that your business will be accepted when you apply. However, some banks tend to look at a wider context of more than just credit history when making a decision, so are more likely to approve applications from some businesses with poor credit ratings.
At BusinessComparison, we know which banks and accounts are most likely to approve opening an account for businesses with bad credit, so we only include these in our panel for businesses that have a limited credit history or some adverse credit on their file.
The majority of UK banks will carry out a credit check before opening a business account for a company, but not all of them. If you are a business with no credit history at all (usually because you are a newly established company) or have some adverse credit on your file, you may find that most high street banks won’t help you.
The banks that are happy to work with businesses without including a credit check as part of the process are more limited, but we do have some on our panel that often accept company applications even where poor credit is an issue.
In some cases, banks that will open accounts for businesses with poor credit may limit the features of that account, at least initially, to help that company prove that they can manage their finances well over time and improve their credit rating.
All of the account features necessary for day-to-day business life will usually be included, such as:
Online banking for everyday transactions
Debit cards
Paying-in facilities available on the high street, such as through the local Post Office if the bank is branchless
Some features that might NOT be available with all bad credit business bank accounts can include:
Overdraft facility
Interest on balances
The good news is that often, businesses with this kind of bank account can build a more positive credit history over time, and once they have proven that they are lower risk when it comes to managing their finances, more features can become available. This could even include access to business loans or other forms of borrowing if you want to expand the company and drive further success.