Mettle vs Countingup: Business Bank Account Comparison

In our experience, Mettle suits a business that already knows it wants FreeAgent, or is happy to use it, and isn't planning to trade internationally any time soon. If Countingup's built-in bookkeeping doesn't appeal and you'd rather compare Mettle against a similarly free-first rival, our Tide vs Mettle comparison is worth a look.

What Countingup Is Designed For

Countingup is built for UK sole traders and small limited companies that want banking and bookkeeping handled entirely inside one app, without buying, learning or paying separately for Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent.

Key Characteristics of Countingup

• Automatic expense categorisation and receipt capture built directly into the account, with no separate accounting software to connect or pay for

• Real-time tax estimates that update as you spend, reducing the risk of a surprise Self Assessment or Corporation Tax bill

• A three-month free trial on every account before the deposit-banded monthly fee kicks in

• Business loans of up to £400,000 available through a partnership with iwoca, for profitable limited companies with at least 12 months of trading and £50,000-plus turnover

• International payments available through a partner, CurrencyFair, covering more than 150 currencies once you set up a separate CurrencyFair account

• Live business insights and profit and loss statements generated automatically from your transaction data

• A Trustpilot rating of around 4.1 out of 5 from just over 3,100 reviews as of July 2026, with recurring praise for the speed of onboarding and the built-in tax tools

Trade-Offs to Consider

• The monthly fee climbs with your deposit volume rather than staying fixed, so a business that grows its incoming payments can find itself moved from £3 to £9 or £18 a month automatically

• Every UK bank transfer costs 30p, charged on both incoming and outgoing payments, which is unusual among competitors and adds up quickly for a business invoicing regularly

• No overdraft or credit facility on the account itself, beyond the separate iwoca loan partnership

• Limited companies are capped at two directors, and LLPs, partnerships, charities and trusts are excluded entirely

• International payments require a separate CurrencyFair sign-up rather than sitting natively in the app, and foreign card transactions carry a 3% fee

• Support runs Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm UK time only, with no weekend or bank holiday cover, and no phone line

When we speak to business owners weighing Mettle against Countingup, the deciding factor is usually whether they want to pay for accounting software separately or fold that cost into a single monthly account fee. If Countingup's deposit-banded pricing doesn't suit a growing business, our Countingup vs Tide comparison is a useful next read.

How They Charge

Mettle Pricing

Mettle has one plan, and it's free: no monthly fee, no transfer fees, no minimum balance. FreeAgent is included at no cost provided the account has at least one transaction a month; miss that and standard FreeAgent charges apply once the trial period ends. ATM withdrawals cost a flat £1 each, per Mettle's fee information document, checked April 2026. Cash paid in through the Post Office is credited within two working days, subject to the deposit limits above.

A business making 50 UK transfers a month and never touching cash or an overdraft pays nothing on Mettle beyond the odd ATM withdrawal.

Countingup Pricing

Countingup's monthly fee is set automatically by how much you deposit: £3 a month if you deposit under £750, £9 a month between £750 and £7,500, and £18 a month above £7,500, confirmed from Countingup's published fee schedule in April 2026. Every account gets a three-month free trial before charges apply. Every UK bank transfer costs 30p, both in and out, and ATM withdrawals cost £1 each. Cash deposits cost 0.5% at the Post Office, with a minimum charge of £2, or 3% at PayPoint. Foreign card transactions carry a 3% fee.

A business making 20 transfers a month in each direction pays £12 in transfer fees alone on top of the monthly subscription, a cost structure Mettle's free, unlimited transfers avoid entirely.

For more on how bundled accounting software changes the calculation across providers, our guide to business bank accounts with accounting covers the wider software side of the decision too.

Mettle vs Countingup: Pros and Cons Compared

Feature Comparison: Mettle vs Countingup

Payments and Transfers

Mettle's UK transfers are free and unlimited on its single plan. Countingup charges 30p per transfer in both directions, so a business with regular invoicing and regular supplier payments accumulates fees Mettle simply doesn't charge.

Account Access

Both are app-only, with no desktop login for either provider. Mettle limits access to a single person even on a two-owner limited company. Countingup doesn't publicly advertise multi-user access either, so both accounts suit a sole decision-maker rather than a team that needs shared banking access.

Business Debit Cards

Both include a debit Mastercard as standard, and neither charges a fee for the card itself. Neither offers additional free cards for a wider team in the way some rivals do.

Invoicing and Admin

Mettle: In-app invoicing is powered by the bundled FreeAgent subscription, including customisable templates, payment status tracking and automated chasing of late payers.

Countingup: Invoicing sits inside Countingup's own bookkeeping engine rather than a third-party tool, alongside automatic expense categorisation and receipt capture built directly into the app.

Accounting Support

Mettle: FreeAgent comes included free with every account, and Mettle also syncs with Xero and QuickBooks for businesses that prefer a different tool.

Countingup: No integration with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage. Countingup is designed to be the entire accounting system rather than a data source for a separate one, which suits a sole trader managing their own books but is a limitation for a business whose accountant works in Xero or Sage.

International Payments

Mettle: None. There's no SWIFT facility, no multi-currency account, and no way to send an international payment from the app at all.

Countingup: Available through a partner, CurrencyFair, covering more than 150 currencies, though it requires a separate CurrencyFair account rather than sitting natively inside the Countingup app. This is a functional gap Mettle doesn't attempt to close at all, while Countingup at least offers a route to it, even if it's not built in.

Savings

Mettle: A Savings Pot paying around 0.95% AER (variable), holding up to £1 million, on top of the main account limit of £1 million. Confirm the current rate at mettle.co.uk before relying on it.

Countingup: No dedicated savings product. Money set aside for tax through Countingup's Tax Pots earns no interest, since it's a budgeting tool rather than a savings account.

Regulation and Protection

Mettle and Countingup sit in genuinely different regulatory categories, and when we look into this comparison specifically, it's usually the first thing that decides matters for a business holding a meaningful working balance.

Mettle is a trading name of National Westminster Bank plc, which holds a full UK banking licence and is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 121878). Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, shared with any other accounts held across NatWest Group.

Countingup isn't a bank. It's a registered agent of Prepay Technologies Ltd, trading as PPS, an electronic money institution authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (FRN 900010). Customer funds are safeguarded, held at Barclays and kept separate from Countingup's own money, but this isn't the same as the statutory FSCS guarantee. If deposit protection on your working balance is a priority, that's a meaningful factor to weigh, particularly for a business holding larger sterling balances.

Common Misconceptions About Mettle and Countingup

"Mettle and Countingup aren't proper banks." Mettle is. It's provided by National Westminster Bank plc and carries a full UK banking licence. Countingup is the e-money account here.

"Countingup is free." No. Countingup offers a three-month free trial, after which a monthly fee applies, set automatically at £3, £9 or £18 depending on deposit volume.

"You need to be a limited company to use Mettle or Countingup." Both accept sole traders. Mettle also accepts limited companies with up to two owners; Countingup accepts limited companies with up to two directors, though its Persons of Significant Control must all be UK residents.

"Neither provider handles cash." Both do, in different ways. Mettle accepts cash via Post Office barcode deposits, up to £500 a day. Countingup accepts cash at the Post Office (0.5%) or PayPoint (3%), though both carry a fee where Mettle's Post Office deposits don't.

"Countingup's fees make it more expensive than a free account." Not automatically. For a sole trader who would otherwise pay separately for accounting software, something we found consistently when comparing the two, Countingup's bundled bookkeeping can offset its monthly fee, particularly against a full FreeAgent or Xero subscription bought outside a banking bundle.

What Real Customers Say About Mettle and Countingup

Mettle holds a Trustpilot rating of around 4.5 out of 5 from more than 6,400 reviews as of August 2026. Recurring praise focuses on how straightforward the app is and the value of the free FreeAgent bundle for sole traders filing under Making Tax Digital. The main recurring complaint concerns delays during account opening and identity verification.

Countingup's Trustpilot rating sits at around 4.1 out of 5 from just over 3,100 reviews as of July 2026. Positive reviews consistently highlight the built-in invoicing and the ease of tracking expenses without separate software. Less positive reviews mention the 9-to-5, weekday-only support window and the accumulation of per-transaction fees, particularly the 30p charge on incoming transfers, which some reviewers say they hadn't fully accounted for before signing up.

Users on Reddit recommend Countingup in discussions about Making Tax Digital, while Mettle mentions are mostly limited to praise for the free FreeAgent bundle.

Who Should Consider Mettle?

Mettle may be a good fit if your business:

• Is a UK sole trader or limited company with a single person who needs account access

• Wants free banking and free accounting software combined, with no ongoing cost

• Deals mostly in GBP, with no need to send or hold foreign currency

• Occasionally takes cash and can work within Post Office deposit limits

• Would rather have FSCS protection on its working balance than a bundled bookkeeping engine

If you're weighing Mettle against a rival with broader eligibility, our Tide vs Mettle comparison covers a provider that accepts a wider range of business structures.

Who Should Consider Countingup?

Countingup may be better suited if you:

• Want banking and bookkeeping combined in one app, without paying separately for Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent

• Are a sole trader or a limited company with up to two directors, since Countingup won't accept LLPs, partnerships, charities or trusts

• Value real-time tax estimates and automatic receipt capture over a wider accounting software integration

• Can work within a Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 support window without needing weekend cover

• Are prepared to pay a deposit-banded monthly fee and a 30p charge per transfer in exchange for built-in accounting

If eligibility beyond Countingup's two-director cap is your main concern, our Countingup vs ANNA comparison looks at how it stacks up against a rival with wider business-type support.

FAQs About Mettle and Countingup

Is Mettle or Countingup better for international payments?

Countingup, by a narrow margin. It offers international payments through a partner, CurrencyFair, covering more than 150 currencies, though it requires a separate sign-up. Mettle has no international payment facility of any kind.

Can sole traders use Mettle or Countingup?

Yes to both. Mettle also accepts limited companies with up to two owners, while Countingup accepts limited companies with up to two directors. Neither accepts LLPs or partnerships.

Are Mettle and Countingup accounts FSCS protected?

Mettle is, up to £120,000, as a NatWest Group bank account. Countingup isn't. Funds are safeguarded at Barclays instead, which is a different form of protection to the statutory FSCS guarantee.

Do Mettle and Countingup offer free invoicing?

Mettle's invoicing comes through its bundled FreeAgent subscription, included at no extra cost provided the account stays active. Countingup's invoicing is built into its own in-app bookkeeping system, included as standard once the monthly fee applies.

Does Mettle or Countingup charge for bank transfers?

Mettle's UK transfers are free and unlimited. Countingup charges 30p per transfer, on both incoming and outgoing payments, which is worth modelling against your typical transfer volume before choosing between the two.

Is Countingup's monthly fee fixed?

No. It's set automatically based on your deposit volume: £3 a month under £750, £9 a month between £750 and £7,500, and £18 a month above £7,500. Mettle's single plan never charges a monthly fee at any deposit level.

Alternatives to Mettle and Countingup

• Want a free account with a wider range of eligible business structures than Mettle? Compare against Tide

• Need FSCS protection but also want to compare against a rival with broader features than Mettle? Our Starling vs Mettle comparison is worth a look

• Want Countingup-style bundled accounting from a different provider? Compare against ANNA, covered in our Countingup vs ANNA comparison

• Choosing between Countingup and a more flexible modular account? Read our Countingup vs Tide comparison

Our switching guide covers how the Current Account Switch Service works if you're moving from an existing account.

Our Verdict: Mettle or Countingup?

If your business is a UK sole trader or a small limited company with a single owner, banks mainly in sterling, and wants free banking backed by a full UK banking licence and statutory FSCS protection, Mettle is the more straightforward starting point, and in our experience the bundled FreeAgent subscription alone justifies a look for anyone already planning to pay for accounting software.

If your business would rather have bookkeeping, invoicing and real-time tax estimates built into the account itself, without buying separate software, Countingup is the better fit, provided you can accept a monthly fee that rises with your deposit volume and a 30p charge on every transfer.

Neither is the right pick for a business that needs an overdraft, since neither offers one on the core account, and neither accepts LLPs, partnerships or charities. A profitable limited company that outgrows Countingup's deposit bands, or a business that needs multi-currency banking rather than an occasional international payment via CurrencyFair, will likely be better served looking elsewhere in the market.