ComparisonLast checked 8 November 2026

Airwallex vs Barclays

A multi-currency business account with company cards, bill pay and online payment acceptance, aimed at businesses that trade internationally. A high-street business current account for sole traders, limited companies and LLPs, with free UK electronic payments and card spending, and a monthly fee after the first year. We also show Incard, our pick for businesses whose main costs go on cards.

By the editorial team. How we make money.

Where Incard beats both

You spend thousands a month on cards, especially on advertising, software or travel
You want a £0 plan, which Airwallex or Barclays don't list
You want card cashback, which Airwallex or Barclays don't list
You're comfortable with safeguarding instead of FSCS cover

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

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What a year of card spending earns you

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

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

£828 a year better off with Incard

Incard Free: £600 cashback, £0 fees
Airwallex's cheapest plan: no cashback, £228 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. Airwallex's cheapest plan: Explore: £0 if you deposit or hold at least £10,000 a month, otherwise £19 (excluding VAT).

Airwallex suits you if

You trade internationally and pay suppliers abroad
You want to accept card payments online
You keep at least £10,000 in the account, which makes Explore £0

Barclays suits you if

You want a high-street bank with counter services and FSCS cover
You pay in cash at the Post Office or a self-service device
You need a separate EUR or USD account at the same bank
You mostly make UK electronic payments, which are free

At a glance

**Table notes:** correct as of 8 November 2026, from each provider's own pages listed under Sources. “Not listed” means the provider's pages we checked don't say.
	Airwallex	Barclays	Incard
Type and protection	E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS	Bank · FSCS cover	E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS
Who can open one	UK sole traders, UK limited companies and Swiss GmbHs and AGs	UK sole traders, UK limited companies and LLPs	UK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders
Cheapest plan	Explore: £0 if you deposit or hold at least £10,000 a month, otherwise £19 (excluding VAT)	Free for 12 months, then £8.50 a month	Free: £0 a month
Plans (monthly)	Explore £0 or £19, Grow £49, Accelerate custom, excluding VAT	One plan: £8.50 a month after 12 months free	Free £0, Grow £49, Plus from £199
Card cashback	Not listed	Not listed	Free: 1% on ads, software and travel, 0.5% on other eligible spend. Higher on Grow and Plus. Uncapped
Card payments in other currencies	Not listed	2.75% non-sterling transaction fee	1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus
Domestic transfers	Domestic transfers in EUR, GBP and CHF free	Free in Online Banking and the app	100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each
International transfers	SWIFT £10 to £20 per transfer	SEPA £0.35, other international payments £15 online; receiving over £100 costs £6	3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR)
ATM withdrawals	Not listed	Free in the UK; 2.75% in a foreign currency	2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad
Cash deposits	Not listed	60p per £100 at the Post Office or a self-service device; £1.20 per £100 at the counter	Not listed
Currencies you can hold	Not listed	GBP; separate Foreign Currency Accounts in 17 currencies, including EUR and USD	GBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs
Accepting card payments	Online from 1.30% + £0.20 for UK cards	Not listed	Not listed

Where they differ

Based on what each provider lists on its own pages. If a feature isn't listed, check with the provider before you rule it out.

Only Airwallex lists card payments from customers.
Only Barclays lists cash deposits.
Only Incard lists card cashback and accounts for Swiss sole traders.

What each one is, and who can open one

Airwallex

Airwallex (UK) Ltd is an FCA-authorised e-money institution (FRN 900876). Airwallex says funds are safeguarded in line with local regulations. The FSCS says it can't protect money held with e-money firms.

Who can open one: Businesses registered in a supported country, including the UK and Switzerland (Swiss businesses are onboarded by its Netherlands entity). Companies must be fully incorporated and active. Sole traders are accepted in some locations, including the UK. Industry restrictions apply. Full Airwallex profile.

Barclays

Barclays Bank UK PLC, authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (Financial Services Register No. 759676). Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 per depositor by the FSCS. Deposits with Barclays, Barclays Business Banking, Barclays Premier Banking, Barclays Wealth Management and Tesco Bank are added together for that limit.

Who can open one: Sole traders, limited companies and LLPs. Applicants must be 18 or over, and at least one person on the application must be a UK resident. The 12-month free offer isn't open to businesses that already have a Barclays business current account. Full Barclays profile.

Incard

Incard Ltd is authorised by the FCA as an electronic money institution (firm reference number 1027309). It is not a bank. Safeguarded: Incard keeps customer funds separate from its own money, in accounts with authorised credit institutions, and doesn't lend or invest them. Funds are not protected by the FSCS.

Who can open one: UK limited companies and LLPs, UK sole traders and freelancers registered with their local authority, and Swiss GmbH, AG and sole-trader businesses. EEA onboarding is paused until an expected restart in 2027. Public sector bodies, cooperatives, charities, foundations and trusts aren't accepted, and a long list of industries is restricted. Full Incard profile.

Our e-money vs bank account guide explains what safeguarding and FSCS cover mean if a provider fails.

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