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
We may earn a commission if you apply.
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
- 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
| Mettle | Revolut Business | Incard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type and protection | Bank · FSCS cover | Bank · FSCS cover | E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS |
| Who can open one | UK sole traders and UK limited companies | UK limited companies | UK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders |
| Cheapest plan | No fee for maintaining the account | Basic: £10 a month | Free: £0 a month |
| Plans (monthly) | No account fee; Mettle+ £4 a month | Basic £10, Grow £35, Scale £125, Enterprise custom | Free £0, Grow £49, Plus from £199 |
| Card cashback | Not listed | None listed for Revolut Business; up to 1% on Revolut Pro for sole traders | 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 | Not listed | 1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus |
| Domestic transfers | Not listed | 10, 100 or 1,000 a month included, then £0.20 each | 100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each |
| International transfers | Inbound over £10: £4 plus 1.5% if converted to GBP | £5 each on Basic; 5 or 25 a month included on Grow or Scale | 3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR) |
| ATM withdrawals | £1 per withdrawal | 2% on all plans | 2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad |
| Cash deposits | £2.75 per Post Office deposit | Not listed | Not listed |
| Currencies you can hold | Not listed | 25+ currencies | GBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs |
| Accepting card payments | Not listed | Online from 1% + £0.20; in person from 0.8% + £0.02 | 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 Mettle lists cash deposits and invoicing.
- Only Revolut Business lists card payments from customers.
- Only Incard lists card cashback, accounts for LLPs, accounts for Swiss GmbHs and AGs and accounts for Swiss sole traders.
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
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.
Work out your cashbackCheck eligibility
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
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
- Incard pricing
- Incard fee schedule: Business Fees – Free
- Incard Rewards Policy
- Incard Help Centre: Is my company eligible?
- Incard Help Centre: Restricted industries
- Incard: Safeguarding
- Incard: Licence (UK)
- Mettle by NatWest
- Mettle Fee Information Document
- Revolut Business plans
- Revolut Business Fees – All Plans (PDF)
- Revolut Business Terms (UK)
- Revolut: Small business accounts (eligibility FAQ)
- Revolut Pro (UK)
- Revolut Help: What is Revolut Pro and is it free?
- FCA Financial Services Register