Barclays Business Banking Review 2026: Accounts, Fees & Costs Quick Answer
Barclays Business Banking can be particularly competitive for businesses that choose the right price plan for the way they actually receive and make payments.
Barclays offers two main ongoing pricing structures for eligible Business Current Account customers: the Mixed Payments Plan e-Payments Plan
The important difference is how transactions are charged.
The e-Payments Plan is designed for businesses that mainly bank electronically, while the Mixed Payments Plan is aimed at businesses using a combination of electronic payments, cash and cheques.
Mixed Payments Plan: £8 monthly feee-Payments Plan: £8.50 monthly feeElectronic payments: free on the e-Payments Plan; transaction charges apply on the Mixed Payments PlanCash: cheaper to process on the Mixed Payments PlanCheques: cheaper on the Mixed Payments PlanATM withdrawals: free under the standard price-plan structureDigital banking: Barclays app and Business Online Banking availableBranches: physical banking remains available
Our view: Barclays is worth considering if you want a traditional UK bank with branches, digital banking and a choice of transaction-based price plans. The important thing is to choose the right plan: a business making mostly electronic payments has very different costs from one regularly paying in cash.
Compare Barclays with other UK business bank accounts →
How Do We Work?
Our comparisons are researched and reviewed by the Compare Your Business Costs editorial team using provider information, official UK guidance and business buying criteria. See how Compare Your Business Costs works.
Business banking prices, transaction charges, features and eligibility criteria can change. We check current provider information when updating our comparisons, but always confirm the latest Barclays tariff and terms before applying.
Authored by: Ally Cox – Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist, 10+ years’ experience.
Last updated: September 2026
Key Takeaways
Barclays offers different price plans depending on how your business makes and receives payments.
The e-Payments Plan costs £8.50 per month and is designed primarily for electronic banking.
The Mixed Payments Plan costs £8 per month and can be more suitable for businesses handling cash and cheques.
Electronic payments are free on the e-Payments Plan, while transaction charges apply on the Mixed Payments Plan.
Cash and cheque charges are lower on the Mixed Payments Plan.
Barclays provides branch access alongside Business Online Banking and its mobile app.
Business customers can create and manage invoices through the Barclays app.
Barclays also offers borrowing, business cards, international banking and payment services.
The cheapest Barclays option depends heavily on your monthly transaction mix.
Barclays Business Banking at a Glance
Feature Mixed Payments Plan e-Payments Plan
Monthly account fee
£8
£8.50
Electronic payments
35p per transaction
Free
Cash payments in/out
90p per £100
£1.50 per £100
Cheques/assisted payments
65p per transaction
£1.50 per transaction
ATM cash withdrawals
Free
Free
Business Online Banking
Yes
Yes
Barclays app
Yes
Yes
Branch access
Yes
Yes
Cash and cheque banking
Yes
Yes, but higher transaction charges
Barclays can change its tariffs and charges, so confirm the latest Business Current Account price plan before applying.
Which Barclays Business Banking Plan Should You Choose? The biggest decision is not simply whether to choose Barclays.
It is which Barclays price plan best matches your transaction behaviour .
Barclays e-Payments Plan The e-Payments Plan is designed for businesses that mainly make and receive payments electronically.
It has a monthly account fee of £8.50, but electronic payments are free under the standard tariff.
That can make it attractive for businesses receiving customer payments by bank transfer and paying suppliers, Direct Debits and other expenses electronically.
Best suited to: consultancies, agencies, professional services firms, online businesses and other companies with predominantly digital transactions.
Barclays Mixed Payments Plan The Mixed Payments Plan has a slightly lower £8 monthly account fee.
Electronic transactions cost more, but cash and cheque charges are lower than on the e-Payments Plan.
It can therefore make more sense for businesses regularly dealing with different types of payment.
Best suited to: shops, hospitality businesses, trades and other businesses that regularly handle cash or cheques alongside electronic transactions.
Compare Barclays business banking with alternative accounts →
How Much Does Barclays Business Banking Cost? The cost depends on both your price plan and how you use the account.
The monthly fee is only the starting point.
Transaction Mixed Payments Plan e-Payments Plan
Monthly fee
£8
£8.50
Electronic payment in/out
35p
Free
Cash payment in/out
90p per £100
£1.50 per £100
Cheque / assisted payment
65p
£1.50
ATM cash withdrawal
Free
Free
This creates an important difference between Barclays and some business accounts charging one flat monthly price regardless of transaction type.
With Barclays, your transaction behaviour can materially change the actual monthly cost.
Worked Example: Mixed Payments vs e-Payments Consider a small consultancy making 50 electronic transactions each month and rarely using cash.
On the Mixed Payments Plan £8 monthly fee + (50 × £0.35) = £25.50 per month
On the e-Payments Plan £8.50 monthly fee + £0 electronic transaction charges = £8.50 per month
For this type of business, the e-Payments Plan could therefore be substantially cheaper.
Now consider a business regularly paying cash into its account.
If it deposits £5,000 in cash during a month:
Mixed Payments Plan cash charge:
£5,000 ÷ £100 × £0.90 = £45
e-Payments Plan cash charge:
£5,000 ÷ £100 × £1.50 = £75
The Mixed Payments Plan would save £30 in cash handling charges in this example before considering the rest of the business’s transactions.
This is why choosing a business bank account by monthly fee alone can be misleading.
Compare business accounts based on how your business actually banks →
Is Barclays Good for Electronic Payments? This is one of the strongest use cases for the e-Payments Plan.
Businesses making and receiving most payments electronically can pay the £8.50 monthly fee without paying individual standard electronic payment charges under the plan.
This can suit businesses that:
invoice customers electronically
receive bank transfers
pay suppliers online
use Direct Debits
make debit card purchases
rarely handle physical cash
Barclays also supports bulk payments for eligible business customers, which can be useful for tasks such as making multiple supplier or payroll payments.
Our view: businesses with a high number of electronic transactions should compare the e-Payments Plan carefully against accounts offering free transfers with no monthly fee.
Is Barclays Good for Cash Deposits? Barclays can accommodate businesses that still handle physical cash, which differentiates it from some app-first banking providers.
The Mixed Payments Plan is generally the more relevant Barclays option for cash-taking businesses because its standard cash charge is lower.
At 90p per £100, depositing £1,000 would create a £9 cash transaction charge.
Depositing £10,000 would create a £90 charge.
That means Barclays may be practical for handling cash without necessarily being the cheapest option for businesses depositing substantial amounts every week.
Retailers, pubs, restaurants, cafés and other cash-taking businesses should estimate their normal monthly deposits before choosing a price plan.
Barclays Business Banking App Barclays business customers can use its mobile banking app alongside Business Online Banking.
Supported functions include everyday account management and payments.
Barclays has also added business invoicing functionality to its app, allowing eligible Business Current Account customers to create, issue, view, track and manage invoices.
That can be useful for sole traders and smaller businesses wanting basic invoicing alongside their banking without immediately adding another piece of software.
There can be additional requirements where several people manage a business account, so check Barclays’ mobile access rules if your account has multiple signatories.
Can You Pay Cheques Into Barclays? Yes.
Barclays supports cheque banking, although the cost depends on the price plan and method used.
The Mixed Payments Plan is generally more favourable for businesses frequently handling cheques because its standard cheque and assisted-payment charge is lower than the e-Payments Plan.
Businesses receiving very few cheques may find the difference relatively unimportant.
Businesses receiving them frequently should include cheque charges when calculating the real cost of the account.
Barclays Business Banking for Multiple Payments Barclays offers a Bulk Payments service for eligible business customers.
This can allow small and medium-sized businesses to make between 5 and 50 payments together rather than processing each individually.
Potential uses include:
payroll
supplier payments
regular contractor payments
other batches of business payments
This can make Barclays more practical for businesses whose payment requirements have moved beyond very simple sole-trader banking.
Barclays Business Banking and Dual Authorisation Barclays also provides Dual Authorisation for business account customers.
This allows a business to require a second authorised person to approve certain payments, providing additional control over outgoing money.
Barclays does not currently charge separately for the Dual Authorisation service, although the normal account tariff and transaction charges still apply.
This can be particularly useful for companies where financial controls require more than one person to approve payments.
Barclays Business Banking: Pros and Cons
Advantages Things to Consider
Choice of price plans for different transaction patterns
Monthly account fee applies under ongoing standard price plans
Free electronic payments on e-Payments Plan
Cash is comparatively expensive on the e-Payments Plan
Lower cash and cheque charges on Mixed Payments Plan
Electronic transactions cost extra on the Mixed Payments Plan
Branch access
Pricing is more complicated than some app-first accounts
Business Online Banking and mobile app
The wrong price plan can materially increase monthly costs
Invoicing functionality available through the app
Additional charges can apply for specialist transactions
Bulk Payments available
Businesses should calculate transaction volumes before choosing
Dual Authorisation available
App access can be more complicated for accounts with multiple signatories
Access to broader Barclays business banking services
Digital banks may offer simpler pricing or different bundled tools
Who Is Barclays Business Banking Best For? Businesses making lots of electronic payments
The e-Payments Plan can work well where most transactions happen digitally and the business handles little cash.
Businesses handling a mixture of payments
The Mixed Payments Plan is specifically designed around businesses using cash, cheques and electronic payments rather than banking entirely online.
Businesses wanting branch and digital banking
Barclays combines app and online banking with access to physical banking services.
Businesses with more complex payment controls
Bulk Payments and Dual Authorisation can become useful as a business grows and more people become involved in managing payments.
Businesses wanting broader banking services
Barclays also provides business borrowing, cards, merchant services, international banking and other financial products.
Who Might Be Better Looking Elsewhere? Barclays may be less attractive if your business:
wants a permanently £0 monthly business account
wants very simple flat-rate pricing
deposits substantial amounts of cash
wants an entirely app-first banking experience
regularly spends or transfers money internationally and prioritises low FX costs
wants extensive accounting and budgeting tools bundled into the basic account
For example, Starling Business , Monzo Business and Tide Business use different pricing models and offer different approaches to business tools, cash and digital banking.
Compare Barclays with other business bank accounts →
Barclays vs Digital Business Banks The main distinction between Barclays and many newer app-first business banking providers is the breadth of the banking relationship.
Barclays combines:
mobile banking
Business Online Banking
branch access
cash and cheque handling
business borrowing
payment services
international banking
business cards
Digital providers can instead offer simpler pricing, more app-focused budgeting features or different international spending arrangements.
Neither approach is automatically cheaper.
A business making hundreds of electronic transactions has a very different banking profile from a shop paying thousands of pounds in cash into its account each month.
Compare the costs for your actual transaction pattern rather than choosing between “traditional” and “digital” banking alone.
Barclays vs HSBC Business Banking Barclays and HSBC both combine digital banking with the infrastructure of major UK banks, but their everyday pricing models differ.
HSBC’s Small Business Banking Account currently has no monthly account fee and includes free standard UK digital transactions.
Barclays instead uses price plans that allow businesses to choose between predominantly electronic banking and mixed transaction types.
That makes the comparison particularly dependent on:
number of monthly electronic transactions
cash deposits
cheques
branch requirements
borrowing requirements
international banking needs
A digitally focused small business may find HSBC’s current £0 proposition attractive, while Barclays’ pricing structure can offer a different balance for businesses using a wider mix of payment methods.
Is Barclays Good for Growing Businesses? Potentially .
One of the advantages of using a major bank is the ability to access more financial products as requirements become more complicated.
Barclays offers services beyond its Business Current Account, including:
business borrowing
overdrafts
business cards
payment acceptance
international banking
savings
That may matter to businesses expecting their banking requirements to expand beyond simply receiving customer payments and paying bills.
However, businesses should assess those services separately rather than assuming having a Barclays current account automatically makes Barclays the cheapest provider for borrowing, payments or international transactions.
Does Barclays Offer International Business Banking? Yes.
Barclays supports international business payments and additional international banking services.
Charges can apply depending on the payment method and account tariff.
For example, Barclays currently charges Business Banking customers £15 for an online CHAPS payment, while other payment types and international transfers can have their own charges.
Businesses regularly making international payments should compare:
transfer fees
exchange rates
FX margins
supported currencies
receiving fees
foreign card spending charges
against both other banks and specialist international payment providers.
Can You Switch a Business Account to Barclays? Eligible businesses can use the Current Account Switch Service to move qualifying business current accounts between participating banks.
The Current Account Switch Service can transfer regular payments and the existing account balance as part of a full switch.
A full switch is normally completed within seven working days.
Check Barclays’ current eligibility requirements and any available business switching terms before applying.
Is Money With Barclays Business Banking Protected? Eligible deposits held with Barclays Bank UK PLC are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to the applicable FSCS deposit protection limit.
The standard FSCS deposit protection limit is currently £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm .
Businesses holding larger cash balances should check how the FSCS rules apply to their legal entity and total eligible deposits.
How to Open a Barclays Business Bank Account Businesses can apply for Barclays Business Banking subject to eligibility and account requirements.
You should expect to provide information about:
your business
business address
business activities
expected turnover
directors, partners or business owners
identity and address details
how you expect to use the account
Barclays may request additional information depending on the business structure and application.
Before applying, estimate your expected number of electronic transactions, cash deposits and cheque transactions. This will make it easier to determine which Barclays price plan is likely to be more cost-effective.
Our View on Barclays Business Banking Barclays Business Banking makes most sense when you choose the price plan around how your business actually handles money.
For businesses operating almost entirely electronically, the e-Payments Plan has the clearer proposition: pay £8.50 per month and standard electronic payments are free under the plan.
For businesses handling cash and cheques as well as digital payments, the Mixed Payments Plan has lower charges for those physical transactions.
That flexibility is useful, but it also makes Barclays slightly more complicated to compare than a business account with a simple flat monthly fee.
Its broader advantage is the banking infrastructure surrounding the current account: branches, digital banking, invoicing, payment controls, borrowing and wider business banking services.
The trade-off is that monthly and transaction charges can accumulate.
Do not decide whether Barclays is cheap based on its £8 or £8.50 monthly fee alone. Calculate what your electronic payments, cash deposits and cheque activity would actually cost.
Compare Barclays with UK business bank accounts →
Frequently Asked Questions How much does Barclays business banking cost?
Barclays’ standard ongoing Business Current Account price plans include the Mixed Payments Plan at £8 per month and the e-Payments Plan at £8.50 per month. Transaction charges vary depending on the plan and how you use the account.
What is the Barclays e-Payments Plan?
The e-Payments Plan is designed for businesses mainly making and receiving payments electronically. It costs £8.50 per month and standard electronic payments are free under the plan, while cash and cheque transactions carry higher charges.
What is the Barclays Mixed Payments Plan?
The Mixed Payments Plan is designed for businesses using a combination of cash, cheques and electronic payments. It costs £8 per month, with additional transaction charges. Its standard cash and cheque charges are lower than the e-Payments Plan.
Which Barclays business account is cheaper?
It depends on how your business banks. Businesses making many electronic transactions and handling little cash may find the e-Payments Plan cheaper. Cash and cheque-heavy businesses may find the Mixed Payments Plan more appropriate.
Does Barclays charge for business bank transfers?
Under the standard price-plan structure, electronic transactions are free on the e-Payments Plan. The Mixed Payments Plan charges 35p per electronic transaction.
How much does Barclays charge to deposit cash?
Under the standard price-plan structure, cash payments cost 90p per £100 on the Mixed Payments Plan and £1.50 per £100 on the e-Payments Plan.
Can I deposit cheques with Barclays Business Banking?
Yes. Barclays supports cheque transactions. Standard charges differ by price plan, with the Mixed Payments Plan generally cheaper for cheque and assisted transactions.
Does Barclays have a business banking app?
Yes. Eligible business customers can use the Barclays app to manage supported business banking functions. Business Current Account customers can also create, issue, track and manage invoices through the app.
Can Barclays business customers make bulk payments?
Yes. Barclays offers a Bulk Payments service for eligible business customers, allowing multiple payments to be submitted together.
Does Barclays offer dual authorisation?
Yes. Barclays provides a Dual Authorisation service for Business account customers, which can require a second authorised person to approve payments. Barclays currently states that there is no separate charge for the service, although normal account transaction charges still apply.
Is Barclays good for businesses handling cash?
Barclays supports cash banking and its Mixed Payments Plan has lower cash charges than its e-Payments Plan. Businesses depositing substantial amounts should calculate their expected cash handling costs and compare them with alternative accounts.
Is Barclays business banking FSCS protected?
Eligible deposits with Barclays Bank UK PLC are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to the applicable limit, currently £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm.
Can I switch my business account to Barclays?
Eligible businesses can use the Current Account Switch Service to move a qualifying business current account. Full switches normally take seven working days.
Does Barclays offer business loans and overdrafts?
Yes. Barclays offers business borrowing products including loans and overdrafts, subject to application, eligibility, affordability and credit checks.
Compare Business Banking Options
Barclays is only one option.
Compare monthly fees, electronic transaction charges, cash deposits, international payments, accounting tools and banking support before choosing an account.
Compare UK business bank accounts →
Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
