Best business account for a one-person limited company
If you're the sole director of a brand-new limited company, you don't need a corporate banking relationship, you need an account that opens quickly, costs little, and keeps your business money cleanly separate from your personal cash. This is a short, honest comparison of the options that actually fit a one-person Ltd, and where we earn a referral fee versus where we don't.
The quick answer: if you haven't formed your company yet, forming and banking in one step is the fastest route. If you're already set up, there are excellent free accounts we earn nothing from, and we'll point you to them anyway.
The options compared
Tide
Top pickForm your company and open the account in one step.
- Monthly fee
- Free plan
- Account opening
- App, often same day
- Free company formation
- Yes, fee covered
- Built-in invoicing
- Built in
- Deposit protection
- Safeguarded (e-money)
- Free company formation in the same flow
- Invoicing and expense tools built in
- Fast, app-based onboarding
- Not a bank, funds safeguarded, not FSCS
- Higher limits need a paid plan
Best for getting trading fastest, For a brand-new one-person Ltd, forming and banking in one step is the quickest route, and the formation fee is covered. It's the simplest way to be operational the same day.
Mettle
We don’t earn from this oneA genuinely free account, backed by NatWest.
- Monthly fee
- Free
- Account opening
- App, a few days
- Free company formation
- No
- Built-in invoicing
- Built in (FreeAgent)
- Deposit protection
- Safeguarded (e-money)
- Genuinely free, no monthly fee
- Free invoicing and bookkeeping included
- Backed by NatWest
- No company formation
- Eligibility is more restrictive
Best for a free, no-frills account once you're formed, If you've already formed your company, Mettle is a strong free option with solid tools. We don't earn anything if you pick it, it's here because it's a fair choice.
Starling Business
We don’t earn from this oneA fully licensed bank with FSCS protection.
- Monthly fee
- Free
- Account opening
- App, a few days
- Free company formation
- No
- Built-in invoicing
- Paid add-on
- Deposit protection
- FSCS up to £85k
- A fully licensed bank, FSCS protected
- Well-regarded app and UK support
- Free business account
- No company formation
- Invoicing is a paid add-on
Best for wanting money held in an FSCS-protected bank, If having your money in a fully licensed, FSCS-protected bank matters to you, Starling is the standout, and again, we earn nothing from recommending it.
How to choose
For most people starting a one-person Ltd, the decision comes down to three things:
- Are you already formed? If not, an account that includes free company formation saves you a step and the filing fee.
- Do you want a licensed bank? If FSCS protection matters to you, choose a fully licensed bank rather than an e-money account.
- Do you invoice clients? Built-in invoicing means you get paid into the same place you manage your money, no extra tool.
None of these has a single "right" answer, it depends on your situation, which is exactly what our free wizard is for.
Work the numbers first
Before you pick an account, it's worth checking the maths on running a limited company at all:
- Is a limited company even right for you?
- What does running a Ltd actually cost in 2026?
- How should you split salary vs dividends?
Get a plan built around your situation
Answer three quick questions and we'll recommend the right account, formation route and accounting setup, with an honest reason for each.
Provider details (fees, features, eligibility) change, always confirm current terms on the provider's own site before opening an account. This guide is information, not financial advice.