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ComparisonLast checked 8 November 2026

Mettle vs Revolut Business

A free business account from NatWest for sole traders and small limited companies, with invoicing and FreeAgent accounting included. A UK bank business account with wide currency coverage and tools for taking payments, payroll and expenses. Sole traders use Revolut Pro instead. 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 card cashback, which Mettle or Revolut Business don't list
  • You want accounts for LLPs, which Mettle or Revolut Business 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

What a year of card spending earns you

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

£600 a year better off with Incard

£600£0Today6 months12 months
  • Incard Free: £600 cashback, £0 fees
  • Mettle's cheapest plan: no cashback, £0 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. Mettle's cheapest plan: No fee for maintaining the account.

Quick verdict

Mettle suits you if

  • You want a free account from NatWest with FSCS cover
  • You want invoicing and FreeAgent accounting included
  • You're a sole trader, or a company with one or two owners

Revolut Business suits you if

  • You want your balance held by a UK bank, with FSCS cover
  • You get paid in many currencies: it holds 25+
  • You need to accept card payments online or in person
  • You want payroll and expenses apps alongside the account

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.
MettleRevolut BusinessIncard
Type and protectionBank · FSCS coverBank · FSCS coverE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS
Who can open oneUK sole traders and UK limited companiesUK limited companiesUK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders
Cheapest planNo fee for maintaining the accountBasic: £10 a monthFree: £0 a month
Plans (monthly)No account fee; Mettle+ £4 a monthBasic £10, Grow £35, Scale £125, Enterprise customFree £0, Grow £49, Plus from £199
Card cashbackNot listedNone listed for Revolut Business; up to 1% on Revolut Pro for sole tradersFree: 1% on ads, software and travel, 0.5% on other eligible spend. Higher on Grow and Plus. Uncapped
Card payments in other currenciesNot listedNot listed1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus
Domestic transfersNot listed10, 100 or 1,000 a month included, then £0.20 each100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each
International transfersInbound over £10: £4 plus 1.5% if converted to GBP£5 each on Basic; 5 or 25 a month included on Grow or Scale3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR)
ATM withdrawals£1 per withdrawal2% on all plans2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad
Cash deposits£2.75 per Post Office depositNot listedNot listed
Currencies you can holdNot listed25+ currenciesGBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs
Accepting card paymentsNot listedOnline from 1% + £0.20; in person from 0.8% + £0.02Not 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.

What each one is, and who can open one

Mettle

The Mettle bank account is provided by National Westminster Bank plc (FRN 121878), trading as Mettle. Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS. Some older Mettle e-money accounts, provided by PrePay Technologies (FRN 900010), are safeguarded instead and not FSCS-protected.

Who can open one: Sole traders and limited companies with up to two owners, of whom only one can access the account. One account per person. Full Mettle profile.

Revolut Business

In the UK, Revolut Business is provided by Revolut Bank UK Ltd (firm reference number 981170), a bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 in total.

Who can open one: Fully incorporated, active UK companies. Sole traders and freelancers are pointed to Revolut Pro. Charities, trusts, foundations and non-profits aren't eligible. Full Revolut Business 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
IncardOur 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

Work out your cashbackCheck eligibility

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

More: Mettle alternatives, Revolut Business alternatives, all comparisons.

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.

Show all 16 sources