GuideLast checked 8 November 2026

Amex alternatives

Two business charge cards, Business Gold and Business Platinum, for UK limited companies and LLPs, and the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card, which sole traders can also apply for. All earn points or Avios and carry an annual fee. If it doesn't fit, here are 31 accounts that share its market, starting with Incard, our pick for businesses whose main costs go on cards.

By the editorial team. How we make money. Our Amex profile.

Why Incard is our pick instead of Amex

Incard lists a £0 plan, which Amex's pages don't
Incard lists card cashback, which Amex's pages don't
Incard lists a euro account, which Amex's pages don't
Incard lists a US dollar account, which Amex's pages don't
Card cashback on Incard: Free: 1% on ads, software and travel, 0.5% on other eligible spend. Higher on Grow and Plus. Uncapped. Amex: Gold and Platinum: 1 Membership Rewards point per £1, 2 on American Express Travel; British Airways Accelerating: 1.25 Avios per £1

cashback a year on Incard's £0 Free plan from £5,000 a month of eligible ads, software and travel spend. Simple arithmetic, not a forecast.

£600

Apply for Incard on incard.co

We may earn a commission if you apply.

What a year of card spending earns you

Incard Free against Amex's cheapest plan, at your monthly spend on ads, software and travel.

Monthly card spend on ads, software and travel£5,000

£795 a year better off with Incard

Incard Free: £600 cashback, £0 fees
Amex's cheapest plan: no cashback, £195 fees

Simple arithmetic, not a forecast: 1% on eligible ads, software and travel spend at merchants on Incard's eligible brand list, and each plan's published monthly fee. Other fees, such as FX and ATM charges, aren't included. Amex's cheapest plan: Business Gold: £195 a year (£0 in the first year).

The alternatives

**Table notes:** correct as of 8 November 2026, from each provider's own pages. Incard is first as our pick for card spend (we may earn a commission from it); the rest are alphabetical, not ranked. “Lists” means the provider's pages mention it and Amex's don't.
Account	Cheapest plan	Lists, unlike Amex	Compare
IncardOur pick for card spend	Free: £0 a month	card cashback, a euro account, a US dollar account, Swiss GmbHs and AGs, Swiss sole traders	Compare Incard and Amex
AirwallexE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Explore: £0 if you deposit or hold at least £10,000 a month, otherwise £19 (excluding VAT)	a euro account, card payments from customers, Swiss GmbHs and AGs
Allica BankBank · FSCS cover	£0 a month with an average balance of £10,000 or more; otherwise £25 a month	card cashback, bank deposit protection
ANNAE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Free: £0 a month, pay for what you use	invoicing
Bank of ScotlandBank · FSCS cover	No account fee for 12 months on a business's first account, then £10 a month	a euro account, cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
BarclaycardCredit card · no deposits held	Select Cashback: £0 a year	card cashback	Compare Barclaycard and Amex
BarclaysBank · FSCS cover	Free for 12 months, then £8.50 a month	a euro account, a US dollar account, cash deposits, bank deposit protection
Capital on TapCredit card · no deposits held	Free: £0 a year	card cashback	Compare Capital on Tap and Amex
CountingupBank · FSCS cover	Free for 3 months, then £5 a month while you pay in up to £750 a month	card payments from customers, invoicing, bank deposit protection
Danske BankBank · FSCS cover	Small Business Digital: free for 2 years for eligible new Northern Ireland businesses, then £9 a month	a euro account, cash deposits, bank deposit protection
Equals MoneyE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Business: £25 a month (£250 a year)	a euro account, a US dollar account
HSBCBank · FSCS cover	£0 a month	cash deposits, bank deposit protection
LloydsBank · FSCS cover	Free for 12 months for businesses new to Lloyds, then £10 a month	a euro account, cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
Metro BankBank · FSCS cover	£8 a month, or £0 in any month your balance stays at £6,000 or more; 12 months fee-free for businesses new to Metro Bank, 31 months for full switchers	a euro account, a US dollar account, cash deposits, invoicing, bank deposit protection
MettleBank · FSCS cover	No fee for maintaining the account	cash deposits, invoicing, bank deposit protection
Monzo BusinessBank · FSCS cover	Lite: free	cash deposits, invoicing, bank deposit protection
NatWestBank · FSCS cover	No monthly fee; 2 years' free everyday banking for start-ups (turnover up to £1 million) and full switchers (turnover up to £2 million)	cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
PayhawkE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Growth program: £149 a month	Nothing extra listed
PleoE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Start: £8 per user a month	a euro account, a US dollar account
Revolut BusinessBank · FSCS cover	Basic: £10 a month	a euro account, a US dollar account, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
RBSBank · FSCS cover	No monthly fee; 2 years of free everyday banking for start-ups (turnover under £1m) and full-switch customers (turnover up to £2m)	cash deposits, bank deposit protection
SantanderBank · FSCS cover	Free for 12 months for start-ups and switchers, then £9.99 a month	cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
SoldoE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Standard: £27 a month + VAT	a euro account, a US dollar account
StarlingBank · FSCS cover	£0 a month	a euro account, a US dollar account, cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
Co-op BankBank · FSCS cover	£0 a month	cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
TideBank · FSCS cover	Lite: £0 a month	card cashback, cash deposits, bank deposit protection
TSBBank · FSCS cover	Free for 30 months, then £5 a month (not charged if your average balance is £10,000 or more)	cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
Virgin MoneyBank · FSCS cover	25 months' free day-to-day banking for eligible start-ups and switchers, then £6.50 a month	card cashback, cash deposits, card payments from customers, bank deposit protection
Wise BusinessE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	No subscription or monthly fee	a euro account, a US dollar account
WorldFirstE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	£0 a month	card cashback, a euro account, a US dollar account
Zempler BankBank · FSCS cover	Business Go: £0 a month	card cashback, cash deposits, card payments from customers, invoicing, bank deposit protection

What Amex does well

Before you move, check that you won't lose something you use. Amex suits you if:

You want points or Avios on business spend and will pay an annual fee
You pay the balance in full each month and want up to 54 days interest-free
You're a sole trader collecting Avios with the British Airways Accelerating Business card
You want airport lounge access through Business Platinum

Many businesses keep their existing account and add a second one for card spending. Our switching guide covers both routes.

When Incard isn't the answer

Incard isn't the right account if

Your business is registered outside the UK and Switzerland. EEA onboarding is paused until an expected restart in 2027
You're a charity, cooperative, foundation, trust or public body, or work in one of Incard's restricted industries

Our pick for card spend

Incard: 1% cashback on ads, software and travel, on a £0 plan

Our pick for UK and Swiss businesses whose main costs go on cards, as long as you don't need bank deposit protection.

E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS

Read Incard vs Amex Business Work out your cashback Check eligibility

Apply for Incard on incard.co

We may earn a commission if you apply.

a month on the Free plan, with team cards: £0
cashback on ads, software and travel; 0.5% on other eligible spend: 1%
IBANs in three currencies: GBP, EUR, USD

Sources

All checked on 8 November 2026. Where a provider's help centre or legal terms differ from its marketing pages, we follow the help centre and terms.

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