Our Verdict
For a sole trader or small limited company who wants banking and bookkeeping in one place, Countingup Bank Account does a real job: automatic expense categorisation, receipt capture, a live tax estimate, and full FSCS protection up to £120,000 through its Griffin-powered bank account.
The cost is the catch. The monthly fee climbs with your deposit volume (£5, then £12, then £20), and transfers cost 27p after the first 3 free each month. There are no direct Xero or Sage integrations, and no overdraft. But for the sole trader managing their own books, the HMRC recognised bookkeeping and 1.2% AER on the tax pot are genuinely useful additions.
See Countingup →Everything below explains the fees and trade-offs in full. Bank account powered by Griffin. Eligible deposits FSCS protected up to £120,000.
Countingup Business Account at a Glance
Key facts. Monthly fee: £5 (deposits up to £750), £12 (£750.01–£7,500), £20 (unlimited deposits). First 3 UK bank transfers free per month, then 27p each. 1.2% AER (Variable) earned on the tax pot balance. £1 ATM withdrawal. 3% foreign transaction fee. Cash deposits accepted via Post Office. HMRC recognised partner.
We confirmed these figures directly with Countingup in August 2026. The interest rate on the tax pot is variable and tracks the Bank of England base rate.
The account comes with a debit Mastercard and full built-in bookkeeping: automatic expense categorisation, receipt capture, profit/loss statements, real-time tax estimates, and HMRC invoice management, all at no extra charge.
Bank account powered by Griffin. Eligible deposits FSCS-protected up to £120,000. Eligible: sole traders and LTDs only.
What Is Countingup Business Account and How Does It Work?
How the account works. You open a business bank account powered by Griffin with automated bookkeeping built into the same app. Griffin is a fully authorised UK bank; eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000.
Transactions categorise automatically, receipts match against payments, and profit/loss and tax estimates update in real time. The account is an HMRC recognised partner, with full bookkeeping, HMRC and invoice management built in at no extra charge.
The account runs on Mastercard payment rails with a debit card for everyday spending. UK bank transfers, direct debits, and standing orders are supported.
Your tax pot earns 1.2% AER (Variable). The rate is variable and tracks the Bank of England base rate. This is a feature of the built-in bookkeeping layer; no separate savings account is required.
Who it is designed for. Countingup Bank Account is built for the business that would otherwise pay twice: once for a bank account, once for bookkeeping software. It collapses both into one app for sole traders and small limited companies that manage their own accounts, with the added benefit of FSCS protection and interest on the tax pot.
It is not built for a business that wants its accountant pulling a live Xero or Sage feed, since none of those integrations exist. For that use case, Tide or Starling are stronger choices.
How to open an account. You apply through the Countingup mobile app, not a web form. Download the app, complete identity verification, confirm your business structure, and receive your account details. No branch visit required.
You pay no subscription fee for the first three months. After the trial, your monthly fee is set automatically based on your average monthly deposits, no plan selection required. Confirm current eligibility and application requirements at countingup.com.
Account Plans and Pricing
The monthly fee is set automatically by your deposit volume: £5/month for deposits up to £750, £12 for £750.01 to £7,500, and £20 for unlimited deposits. Every tier includes the same features: full bookkeeping, HMRC tools, invoicing and the 1.2% AER tax pot.
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Monthly account fee (deposits £0–£750) | £5/month |
| Monthly account fee (deposits £750.01–£7,500) | £12/month |
| Monthly account fee (unlimited deposits) | £20/month |
| UK bank transfers | First 3 free per month, then 27p each |
| Tax pot interest | 1.2% AER (Variable), tracking BoE base rate |
| Card purchases | Free |
| ATM withdrawal | £1 |
| Foreign transactions | 3% |
| Cash deposit (Post Office) | Accepted (fees apply) |
| Provided by Countingup, August 2026. Bank account powered by Griffin. Eligible deposits FSCS protected up to £120,000. Interest rate is variable and tracks BoE base rate. Confirm current charges at countingup.com before applying. | |
The fee grows as you do. Tiers are set automatically with no opt-in. Past £7,500/month in deposits your subscription rises to £20, while the feature set stays the same. Mettle stays free at any turnover, though without the built-in tax tools or the 1.2% AER tax pot.
The free transfer allowance matters. Your first 3 UK bank transfers each month cost nothing. After that, 27p per transfer applies. Tide charges 20p per outgoing transfer only from the first transaction; Mettle charges nothing on either. At moderate volumes the Countingup allowance is a useful buffer.
Banking Features
What you get is a single-operator account wrapped around bookkeeping tools. The banking basics are covered; the gaps are around teams, credit, and third-party accounting.
| Feature | Countingup Bank Account |
|---|---|
| UK transfers | First 3 free per month, then 27p; standing orders and Direct Debits supported |
| FSCS protection | Yes, eligible deposits up to £120,000. Bank account powered by Griffin. |
| Tax pot interest | 1.2% AER (Variable); rate tracks BoE base rate |
| HMRC status | HMRC recognised partner |
| CHAPS / same-day high-value | Not available |
| Debit card | Mastercard; free on sterling, 3% on foreign card spend |
| Cash deposits | Accepted via Post Office |
| Built-in bookkeeping | Full bookkeeping, HMRC and invoice management at no extra charge; auto categorisation, profit/loss, real-time tax estimates |
| Accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage) | None; the built-in tools replace them rather than feed them |
| Team / expense cards and multi-user access | Not supported; single-operator only |
| Overdraft, credit or savings | None; a transactional account only |
| Verified 11 August 2026. | |
The bookkeeping is the reason to choose it. Full bookkeeping, HMRC and invoice management are all included at no extra charge. That is the Countingup proposition. Automatic categorisation, receipt capture, and a tax estimate that updates as transactions flow through. As an HMRC recognised partner, the tools are built for UK self-assessment and MTD compliance. For a sole trader who self-files, seeing the liability year-round changes how you manage cash through the filing cycle. We rate the integrated HMRC tools as the account’s strongest practical advantage over cheaper alternatives without built-in bookkeeping.
The 1.2% AER on the tax pot is a useful addition. Setting aside money for your tax bill is already built into the Countingup workflow; the interest earned on that pot means your tax reserve does not sit idle. The rate is variable and tracks the Bank of England base rate.
The gaps bite as you grow. No team cards or multi-user logins, so a bookkeeper cannot have their own access; no overdraft to cover a shortfall; and with no Xero or Sage feed, an accountant on those platforms works from manual exports.
International Features
Sending international payments. You will hit a wall on international payments with Countingup. The account is designed for UK domestic banking; international payments are not a core product feature.
Confirm current international payment support, available corridors, and any applicable fees at countingup.com before relying on this for overseas transactions.
Receiving international payments. You cannot hold multi-currency accounts or local receiving accounts in foreign currencies on Countingup. If you regularly receive payments from international clients, this is a structural limitation. Confirm current receiving options at countingup.com.
If you receive regular international payments, Wise accepts sole traders with local receiving accounts in multiple currencies at no monthly fee. Countingup is not designed for that use case.
Foreign exchange and currency. We confirmed the 3% foreign card transaction fee from Countingup’s published fee schedule in August 2026. Sterling purchases are free; the fee applies only to foreign currency card spend.
At £500/month in overseas card spend, that’s £15/month in FX fees; at £1,000/month, £30/month. We note the cost compounds if your billing is seasonal: a single supplier trip can concentrate a large FX charge into one month. For regular international buyers, that adds up across the year.
Starling applies no FX markup beyond the Mastercard exchange rate on foreign card spend, the difference is concrete at volume.
Eligibility and Account Limits
Who can apply. You can apply if you are a UK-based sole trader or UK-registered limited company. LLPs, partnerships, and non-UK-registered businesses are excluded. Confirm current eligibility at countingup.com before applying.
The bank account is powered by Griffin, a fully authorised UK bank. Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000. T&Cs apply.
If you trade as an LLP or partnership, Tide, Starling, and Mettle support a broader range of business structures. We cover the full landscape of eligible structures in our best business bank accounts guide.
Account limits and restrictions. Your monthly subscription tier is set automatically based on deposit volume, no cap on deposits, but your fee increases with volume.
Transfer limits, daily spending caps, and ATM withdrawal limits are not published on the Countingup pricing page. For high-value transactions, confirm the applicable limits directly with Countingup.
You cannot access an overdraft at any level. No credit facility. If you need short-term credit flexibility alongside your current account, source that separately.
App, Online Banking and User Experience
Mobile app. You run Countingup almost entirely from the mobile app. Banking, bookkeeping, receipt capture, invoicing, and tax estimates all live in a single mobile app. The design is built for sole traders managing their own accounts on the go.
Core app features include automatic expense categorisation, receipt matching, and real-time profit/loss and tax estimates.
Web and desktop access. You can use a web dashboard, but the experience is mobile-first and more limited than the app. If you expect full desktop banking, that is a constraint worth knowing before you switch.
Day-to-day management. For a sole trader managing their own accounts, the all-in-one app reduces day-to-day admin: transactions categorise automatically, receipts match against transactions, and the tax estimate is always current. By the Self Assessment deadline, the records are already there.
The three-month free trial gives you a full business quarter to evaluate it properly. We note that most sole traders can make a reliable call by month two, once automatic categorisation has run against a full month of their own transaction mix.
You see whether automatic categorisation holds up under your specific transaction mix and whether the tax estimate reflects your actual position.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
What customers like. Countingup holds an Excellent rating on Trustpilot at 4.3 stars, confirmed August 2026. Positive reviews cluster around the bookkeeping automation: automatic expense categorisation, receipt capture, and real-time tax estimates.
For sole traders who previously managed spreadsheets or separate accounting subscriptions, the integrated experience reduces admin meaningfully. The HMRC recognised partner status is well-regarded by customers who file their own Self Assessment.
Common complaints. We flag support delays during identity and compliance checks as the main risk; they dominate the negative reviews.
When your account pauses mid-week for a routine identity review, a stalled client payment becomes an operational problem; it hits harder for sole traders without a backup account to fall back on.
You will see account restriction complaints in Countingup reviews, the same industry-wide pattern that hits other e-money institutions. If a client pays you during an identity review hold, that invoice clears late. The cash flow gap is the real cost.
Customer Support and Service
Support channels. You contact support through the app and email only; there is no phone line. The team is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm UK time, and is closed on bank holidays. Confirmed from countingup.com, June 2026.
Watch for the support-delay drawback flagged in negative reviews. If your business relies on same-day transfer resolution or fast account access during disputes, factor this into your planning. The impact is greater if Countingup is your only business account.
Help centre and self-service. You can self-serve through Countingup’s help centre and support documentation at countingup.com. Coverage includes account setup, fee schedules, bookkeeping features, and tax reporting. For straightforward queries, the help centre is a reasonable first stop.
If you have bookkeeping or tax-related questions, the in-app guidance and help centre are more developed than the generic banking support. Verify current help resources before relying on them for time-sensitive issues.
Security, Regulation and FSCS Protection
Regulation and authorisation. Countingup Bank Account is powered by Griffin, a fully authorised UK bank regulated by the PRA and FCA. This is a full bank account, not an e-money product. Eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible depositor. We confirmed the banking licence and FSCS status directly from Countingup in August 2026.
We received the following mandatory regulatory text from Countingup: Bank account powered by Griffin. T&Cs apply. Interest rate is variable and tracks BoE base rate. Eligible deposits FSCS protected up to £120,000.
FSCS protection. Your deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, the same statutory guarantee as Starling, Monzo, Mettle, and Zempler. If Countingup or Griffin were to fail, the FSCS would pay compensation up to that limit per eligible depositor. The protection is confirmed to August 2026; T&Cs apply.
This is a material change from the previous Countingup product, which was an e-money account with safeguarding rather than FSCS protection. If you previously discounted Countingup on protection grounds, the product has changed.
Tax pot interest. The 1.2% AER (Variable) earned on the tax pot balance is a feature of the full bank account structure. The rate is variable and tracks the Bank of England base rate, which means it can rise or fall with monetary policy. Verify the current rate at countingup.com.
Who Countingup Business Account Is Best For
Best use cases. Countingup works best if your main admin pain is bookkeeping and Self Assessment. If you want tax visibility inside your banking app, don’t need your accountant to pull a Xero feed, and make a moderate number of monthly transfers, the integrated proposition is genuinely useful.
The three-month free trial gives you a full business quarter to test whether automatic categorisation holds up under your specific transaction mix.
If it does, you save the subscription you’d otherwise pay for Xero or QuickBooks. If it doesn’t match your workflow, you find out before you commit.
When to consider alternatives. Consider Mettle if you want a free account with full FreeAgent accounting software included. Mettle is FSCS-protected via NatWest, has no transaction fees, and comes at no monthly cost. The trade-off is separate software rather than integrated banking, and no interest on a tax pot.
Tide is your alternative if your accountant uses Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, or Sage. Tide connects directly to all four from its free plan, offers built-in invoicing, and charges 20p per outgoing transfer only. More flexible for businesses that need accounting integration rather than built-in bookkeeping.
ANNA is worth considering if you want AI-powered tax and expense automation with invoicing. The closest structural competitor to Countingup. Pay As You Go pricing suits low-volume businesses, though ANNA is an e-money product without FSCS protection on the current account balance.
Countingup Business Account vs Alternatives
Countingup vs Mettle
Mettle is cheaper than Countingup: free, with FreeAgent accounting software included and FSCS protection through NatWest. No monthly fee and no transaction fees on UK bank transfers. Both accounts are now FSCS-protected to £120,000.
The trade-off is integration versus separation. Countingup keeps banking and bookkeeping in one app, one login, no export; it also earns 1.2% AER on the tax pot balance.
Mettle pairs free banking with a separate FreeAgent account. We rate this as a clear binary: integrated banking-with-bookkeeping versus free banking with separate software. If you want the combined experience and the tax pot interest, Countingup has the edge. If you want to pay nothing at all and have FreeAgent do the accounting, Mettle wins.
Countingup vs Tide
Tide is cheaper to open than Countingup, with built-in invoicing and direct integration with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, and Sage from the free plan. 20p per outgoing transfer (not incoming). More feature-rich for businesses that invoice clients and need accounting integrations.
You decide whether you want bookkeeping inside the banking app (Countingup) or routed through third-party software (Tide). If your accountant uses Xero or Sage, Tide is the stronger choice. If you manage your own books inside one app, Countingup has the edge.
Countingup vs ANNA
ANNA offers AI receipt scanning, automatic tax calculations, and built-in invoicing with Pay As You Go pricing from £0. The closest structural competitor to Countingup: both offer tax automation and bookkeeping alongside banking.
ANNA’s Pay As You Go model suits low-volume businesses; Countingup’s deposit-tiered subscription suits businesses with moderate, predictable deposit volumes. A key difference: Countingup Bank Account is now FSCS-protected up to £120,000 through Griffin, while ANNA remains an e-money product without direct FSCS cover on the current account. We rate the FSCS protection as a meaningful differentiator for businesses that hold a material working balance in the account.
We have a full comparison across all options in our best business bank accounts guide.
Final Verdict: Is Countingup Business Account Worth It?
Countingup Bank Account is worth it for the sole trader or small LTD who wants banking and bookkeeping in one place, files their own Self Assessment, and values FSCS protection alongside the built-in tools. The combination of real-time tax estimates, HMRC recognised partner status, and 1.2% AER on the tax pot is genuinely competitive at lower deposit volumes.
The deposit-tiered fee is the main thing to calculate before you commit. At £5/month (under £750 in monthly deposits) with moderate transfer volume, the monthly cost is justified by the bookkeeping value. At £20/month with frequent transfers, Mettle at no cost becomes the stronger free alternative.
If the numbers work and the bookkeeping delivers, Countingup earns its subscription. If you want zero fees and are happy with separate software, Mettle or Tide are the stronger free alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Countingup FSCS Protected?
Yes. Countingup Bank Account is powered by Griffin, a fully authorised UK bank. Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per eligible depositor under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This is the same statutory deposit guarantee as Starling, Mettle (NatWest), Monzo, and Zempler. Bank account powered by Griffin. T&Cs apply. The FSCS status is confirmed to August 2026.
How Much Does Countingup Cost Per Month?
The monthly fee is set automatically based on your deposit volume: £5/month for deposits up to £750, £12/month for deposits between £750.01 and £7,500, and £20/month for unlimited deposits. Every tier includes the same features: full bookkeeping, HMRC tools, invoicing and the 1.2% AER tax pot. We confirmed these figures directly with Countingup in August 2026.
How Much Does Countingup Charge for Bank Transfers?
The first 3 UK bank transfers each month are free. After that, 27p per transfer applies. This covers both incoming and outgoing transfers. By comparison, Tide charges 20p on outgoing transfers only with no free allowance; Mettle charges nothing on either. For a business making and receiving a moderate number of payments each month, the 3-transfer free allowance is a useful buffer. We confirmed these figures directly with Countingup in August 2026.
Does Countingup Integrate With Xero or QuickBooks?
No. Countingup uses its own built-in bookkeeping system and doesn’t connect directly to Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, or Sage. The account is designed to be the entire accounting system for a sole trader, not a data source that feeds another platform. If your accountant works in one of those tools, you’ll need to export data manually. For direct integrations, Tide connects to Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, and Sage from its free plan.
Can a Limited Company Open a Countingup Account?
Yes. Countingup is available to sole traders and limited companies registered in the UK. LLPs and partnerships are not listed as eligible business structures. We confirmed the current eligibility from the published information available in April 2026. Confirm the current criteria at countingup.com before starting your application.
Does Countingup Have an Overdraft?
No. Countingup doesn’t offer an overdraft or any credit facility. If your balance reaches zero before a client payment arrives, the account doesn’t extend to cover the gap. For short-term credit flexibility, Starling offers a business overdraft subject to eligibility and credit assessment.
How we reviewed Countingup
What we assessed. We evaluated Countingup on pricing, contract terms, features, and eligibility. These are the factors that matter most to UK small businesses considering this provider.
Data sources. Countingup’s pricing page, terms, and product docs were checked directly in April 2026. No comparison sites, no press releases, no affiliate material. FCA register cross-checked for regulatory status.
Update cadence. We re-verify this page regularly, and whenever a provider changes pricing, eligibility, or terms. The verification date on the page reflects the most recent full review. Some links on this page are affiliate links, see our editorial policy.