ComparisonLast checked 8 November 2026

UBS vs ZKB

A CHF business current account from UBS for start-ups, sole proprietors and SMEs, opened online as the UBS key4 business package with optional debit, prepaid and credit cards. A CHF business account from Zürcher Kantonalbank, sold to SMEs and start-ups in the KMU-Package with two accounts, two Visa Debit cards and eBanking, free in 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 UBS or ZKB don't list
You want card cashback, which UBS or ZKB don't list
You want cards for your team, which UBS or ZKB 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

We may earn a commission if you apply.

UBS suits you if

You want a large Swiss bank with esisuisse cover and a free first year
You make up to 500 CHF or EUR payments a month
You pay cash in at a UBS counter or Bancomat Plus
You're founding a GmbH or AG and want the capital deposit account included

ZKB suits you if

You want a cantonal state guarantee on top of esisuisse cover
You make many payments: 600 electronic transactions a month are free
You deposit cash at ZKB branches or machines
You want card terminals from your bank

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.
	UBS	ZKB	Incard
Type and protection	Bank · esisuisse cover	Bank · esisuisse cover	E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS
Who can open one	Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders	Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders	UK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders
Cheapest plan	Free for the first year, then CHF 20 a quarter	Free for the first year, then CHF 7 a month	Free: £0 a month
Plans (monthly)	One account: CHF 20 a quarter after a free first year	Firmenkonto CHF 7 a month; KMU-Package free in the first year	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	1.25%, up to CHF 1.50 per Visa Debit transaction	1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus
Domestic transfers	500 electronic CHF and EUR payments a month free, then CHF 0.30 out and CHF 0.20 in	600 electronic transactions a month free, then CHF 0.20	100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each
International transfers	SEPA no charge; non-SEPA CHF 5 plus third-party charges	SEPA within the free allowance; other payments abroad CHF 4	3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR)
ATM withdrawals	Not listed	Free at ZKB and other cantonal bank ATMs, CHF 2 at other Swiss ATMs, CHF 5 abroad	2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad
Cash deposits	Counter deposits free up to CHF 250,000 a quarter, then 1‰; free at UBS Bancomat Plus	CHF notes free at ZKB machines and counters; coins 3% at the counter	Not listed
Currencies you can hold	CHF; extra current accounts in foreign currencies, including EUR and USD	CHF; foreign-currency current accounts, including EUR, USD and GBP	GBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs
Accepting card payments	Not listed	EFT/POS terminals and e-commerce payments offered (ZKB Ready); price 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 ZKB lists card payments from customers.
Only Incard lists card cashback, cards for your team, accounts for UK sole traders, accounts for UK limited companies and accounts for LLPs.

What each one is, and who can open one

UBS

UBS Switzerland AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of UBS Group AG, is licensed as a bank in Switzerland, subject to the Swiss Federal Banking Act and supervised by FINMA. UBS Switzerland AG is a member of esisuisse. Swiss depositor protection covers up to CHF 100,000 per customer per bank, with all accounts at the same bank added together.

Who can open one: Start-ups, sole proprietorships and SMEs (AG, GmbH and other legal forms). You must be 18 or over, live in Switzerland and hold a passport or ID card from an approved country. Start-ups also need an AG with CHF 100,000 or a GmbH with CHF 20,000 capital, at least 25% of the shares and individual signing rights in the commercial register. Full UBS profile.

ZKB

Zürcher Kantonalbank is an independent public-law institution of the Canton of Zurich (UID CHE-108.954.607), licensed as a bank by FINMA under the Swiss Banking Act. Deposits are covered by esisuisse up to CHF 100,000 per customer per bank, with all accounts added together. The Canton of Zurich also guarantees ZKB's liabilities, except subordinated ones, if the bank's own funds are not enough.

Who can open one: Companies based in Switzerland, associations and federations. ZKB's company-founding pages cover AG, GmbH and sole proprietorships (Einzelfirma) and point founders to the KMU-Package. Domiciliary companies and firms domiciled abroad pay a higher account fee. Full ZKB 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