If you’re a sole trader or LTD currently paying for accounting software, Mettle changes the calculation. Zero banking fees plus a free FreeAgent subscription means your combined monthly cost for both tools, banking and VAT-ready bookkeeping, is £0.
The limitations are specific: no overdraft, no way to send money abroad, and only sole traders and LTDs can apply.
The Mettle account is provided by National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle. Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, a limit shared with any other NatWest Group accounts you hold. We checked this at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
The bank feed connects to FreeAgent automatically, so invoices, VAT records, and expense receipts are already organised when the tax return is due.
Mettle Business Account at a Glance
Our Verdict
If you want clean, zero-cost banking and were going to pay for accounting software anyway, Mettle is hard to argue with. FreeAgent on its own lists at £19 a month excluding VAT for a sole trader; here it costs nothing, and so does the banking.
Borrowing and currency are where it stops short. We found no overdraft, no credit facility, and no multi-currency account, and there is nothing beyond the £4-a-month Mettle+ add-on to grow into. When the balance hits zero, that is the limit.
For a business already paying for FreeAgent separately, that cost disappears on day one. Transfers cost nothing whatever the volume, so a firm paying suppliers and contractors by bank transfer each month keeps more than one paying 20p a time elsewhere.
Best For
Banking plus FreeAgent accounting runs to £0 a month for the business it’s built for: a sole trader or limited company with clean, recurring income.
Consultants, freelancers, and small service firms that invoice clients regularly fit best, especially anyone who wants banking and books joined up from day one.
Not Ideal For
If you need an overdraft or credit facility, look elsewhere. LLPs and partnerships cannot apply at all. The app invoices, but only one person can ever hold the account, so there is no multi-user access and no per-user spending control. It also cannot send money abroad, so a business paying overseas suppliers needs a second account for that.
Key Facts
Monthly fee: £0. UK bank transfers: free. FreeAgent accounting subscription: included free, for as long as you make one transaction a month (confirmed at mettle.co.uk, 1 September 2026). ATM cash withdrawals cost a flat £1 each, per Mettle’s Fee Information Document. Post Office cash deposits cost £2.75 each, and a replacement card is £5 if you lose or damage it, free if it is reported stolen.
Sole traders and limited companies only. Account provided by National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle. Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 (shared across NatWest Group brands). Debit card included. Trustpilot rating: 4.6 from 6,469 reviews, checked 10 September 2026.
What Is Mettle Business Account and How Does It Work?
How the Account Works
Mettle works as a full current account at no cost: a UK sort code and account number, a Mastercard debit card, and Faster Payments for domestic transfers.
Mettle is a mobile-first business current account provided by National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle, part of NatWest Group. We confirmed this structure at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
Transactions flow to FreeAgent automatically, no separate Open Banking authorisation required. Because both Mettle and FreeAgent are NatWest Group products, the connection is native. When a client payment lands, FreeAgent reconciles it against the invoice without manual input.
The banking itself is free and stays free. The one thing Mettle charges a subscription for is Mettle+ at £4 a month, which buys quotes rather than any banking feature, and there is no credit facility at any level.
Who the Account Is Designed For
If you want zero-cost banking with accounting software built in, Mettle is designed for that profile: sole traders and limited companies with clean, predictable cash flow.
Consultants, freelancers, and small service businesses that invoice clients and need their books organised for tax are the core fit.
It is the wrong account if cash flow is irregular and you need an overdraft to bridge payment gaps. A project-based sole trader invoicing on the 1st with 30-day terms has weeks between raising an invoice and receiving payment. Without an overdraft, there is nothing to cover that gap.
LLPs and partnerships cannot apply. Mettle is limited to sole traders and limited companies. Starling and Tide both accept LLPs if that structure applies to your business.
How to Open an Account
Applying is done in the app, with no branch visit required. You need photo ID for identity verification; if applying as a limited company, have your Companies House registration details ready.
No minimum trading history requirement is stated.
Once your account is open, the FreeAgent connection is set up through the Mettle app. You’re not configuring a separate integration, the link between Mettle and FreeAgent is built in as part of the account structure.
Account Plans and Pricing
Free and Paid Plans
The standard account is free at £0 per month. The free FreeAgent accounting subscription is included with the account, not a restricted trial, but the full product. We confirmed this at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
Mettle+ is an optional add-on at £4 per month. It adds quotes, converts them into invoices, and gives you bespoke messaging templates for clients.
If your workflow is invoice-heavy, Mettle+ may reduce admin. For straightforward banking and bookkeeping, the free account covers the core use case.
Monthly Fees
Monthly account fee: £0. If you were planning to pay for FreeAgent separately, that cost disappears entirely.
FreeAgent lists at £19 a month excluding VAT for a sole trader buying it directly. Mettle includes it at no charge for as long as you make at least one transaction a month from the account, so an account you stop using eventually loses the subscription you opened it for. We confirmed this at freeagent.com and mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
Transaction and Transfer Fees
UK domestic payments are free in both directions. No per-transfer charge applies on outgoing Faster Payments, regardless of volume. We confirmed this at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
If you pay 50 suppliers, contractors, or staff in a month, your transfer fees with Mettle are zero. The same volume with Tide’s free plan costs £10. At 100 payments, payroll plus suppliers, that’s £20 Mettle doesn’t charge.
Cash Deposit, ATM and Card Charges
Mettle’s Fee Information Document sets cash withdrawals made with your card at a flat £1 each, and a Post Office cash deposit at £2.75. Neither figure looks like much on its own, but between them they are the only charges a normal week will put on a free account. Bank a week’s takings in notes every Friday and that single habit costs you about £143 a year before you have paid for anything else. Mettle suits a cash-heavy business least well of all, and this is the line in the fee document where you can see it.
Card payments for in-store and online purchases are included with your Mastercard debit card.
| Fee Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Monthly account fee | £0 |
| Incoming UK Faster Payment | Free |
| Outgoing UK Faster Payment | Free |
| FreeAgent accounting subscription | Free (included with account) |
| Incoming international payments | £4 per payment over £10, plus 1.5% if converted to GBP |
| ATM withdrawals | £1 per withdrawal |
| Cash deposits | £2.75 per deposit (Post Office) |
| Replacement card | £5 if lost or damaged, free if stolen |
| Verified from Mettle’s Fee Information Document, 21 August 2026. | |
Banking Features
Payments, Transfers and Direct Debits
Domestic payments run through Faster Payments and cost nothing in either direction. Direct debits can be set up and scheduled from the app, which Mettle states on its own account page. No overdraft facility is available at any level. When your balance reaches zero, that is the limit.
If you pay suppliers and contractors by bank transfer each month, your transfer fees with Mettle are zero regardless of how many payments go out. At 100 outgoing transfers, you save £20 compared to Tide’s free plan.
Cards and Expense Cards
A Mastercard debit card is included at no extra cost, and it works for in-store and online purchases. Replacing it costs £5 if you lose it or damage it, though Mettle waives that charge when the card is reported stolen.
There are no expense cards, and there cannot be. Mettle allows one owner to access the account, and one account per person. That is an eligibility rule rather than a missing feature, so it will not arrive in a future release. If a second person needs a card on the business, Mettle is the wrong account and Tide or Allica are the obvious swaps.
Accounting Integrations and Business Tools
A full FreeAgent subscription is included free with the account. Because both Mettle and FreeAgent are NatWest Group products, the integration is native: transactions flow to FreeAgent automatically without a separate Open Banking setup.
We verified the FreeAgent integration at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
FreeAgent gives you invoicing, expense tracking, VAT returns, Self Assessment preparation, and Making Tax Digital compliance. When a client payment lands, FreeAgent reconciles it against the invoice. Your P&L and tax position update without touching a spreadsheet.
Mettle integrates with FreeAgent, Xero and QuickBooks. Sage is the gap: there is no direct connection, and Mettle’s own answer for a Sage practice is to export transactions as CSV, Excel or OFX and import them by hand. Tide is the free challenger with a direct Sage feed if that is what your accountant runs on.
Multi-User Access and Spending Controls
Mettle accepts sole traders and limited companies with up to two owners, but only one owner can access the account. There is no multi-user access or per-user spending control.
If your business needs several team members with separate cards or spending limits, Mettle will not fit. Confirmed at mettle.co.uk, September 2026.
Savings, Credit or Other Extra Features
You must source credit elsewhere if your business needs it: no overdraft or credit facility is available on any plan. A savings pot is available paying 0.95% AER / 0.95% gross p.a. (variable) on balances from £10 up to £1m, and you can hold only one of them. There is no lending product at any level.
We confirmed the savings rate at mettle.co.uk in September 2026. Interest is calculated daily and paid monthly.
If you need short-term credit flexibility, even a small one, choose a different account. Starling offers a business overdraft subject to eligibility and credit assessment, a feature Mettle doesn’t provide at any level.
International Features
Sending International Payments
Mettle does not send money abroad at all. The international payments feature is inbound only, and Mettle’s own page for it is headed “Do business globally. Get paid at home.” If you need to pay an overseas supplier, that payment has to leave from somewhere else.
If international payments are a regular part of your business, compare before committing. Mettle’s strength is domestic UK banking with accounting integration built in, not international payment infrastructure.
Receiving International Payments
You can take money from abroad in 30 currencies, and Mettle prices it in its own fee document: £4 on any incoming payment above £10, plus 1.5% where a foreign currency has to be converted into pounds. Anything under £10 arrives without the fixed fee, and if it was sent in pounds it arrives with no charge at all. The 1.5% still applies to a small payment sent in a foreign currency. On a £2,000 invoice settled in euros that is roughly £34 gone before the money reaches your balance.
Foreign Exchange Fees and Currency Support
There are no rates to publish, because there are no routes. Mettle does not send international payments, and paying £4 a month for Mettle+ does not add them either; that subscription buys quotes and bespoke messaging templates. If you pay an overseas supplier at all, Mettle is a second account rather than your only one.
If multi-currency management or regular international transfers are central to your business, choose an account designed for that. Starling charges no markup beyond the Mastercard exchange rate for overseas card spending, confirmed from Starling’s published terms in April 2026.
Eligibility and Account Limits
Who Can Apply
UK-registered sole traders and limited companies can apply. LLPs and partnerships can’t, so check the business structure before starting. Mettle also caps ownership at two, and only one of those owners can access the account. We confirmed the eligibility rules at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, because the account is provided by National Westminster Bank plc, trading as Mettle and part of NatWest Group. Anyone also holding a NatWest account shares that limit across both, so check the combined exposure.
This is the statutory FSCS deposit guarantee, the same protection you get from a high-street bank. The one caveat: the £120,000 limit is shared across NatWest Group brands, so if you also hold money with NatWest, Ulster Bank or NatWest Boxed, the cap covers your combined balances.
Supported Business Types
Only sole traders and UK-registered limited companies can apply. LLPs, general partnerships, and non-UK-registered businesses are excluded, and owners must be UK tax residents. We confirmed this at mettle.co.uk in September 2026.
If your business is an LLP or partnership, choose Starling: it accepts LLPs and provides zero-fee domestic transfers with FSCS protection. Tide also accepts LLPs.
Account Limits and Restrictions
The main account balance is capped at £1 million, and Mettle applies the same ceiling to sole traders and limited companies alike. The savings pot sits outside that cap with its own £1 million limit, and there is a further £100,000 across all the regular pots. Both sit on top of the main account cap rather than inside it. For most businesses that is academic, although it is worth knowing about if you park a large VAT or corporation tax balance in the account between filing dates.
If your business needs credit access at any level, source that separately before you switch, no overdraft is available. Mettle does not extend credit to cover gaps between invoicing and receipt of payment.
App, Online Banking and User Experience
Mobile App Experience
Everything runs through the app on iOS and Android: managing the account, sending payments, and opening FreeAgent. It’s a mobile-first product, which we confirmed at mettle.co.uk in September 2026. App features and platform support can change, so check before applying.
For a sole trader or small LTD managing their own accounts, that covers the core workflow. A finance team needing a multi-user dashboard will find the app too narrow.
Web and Desktop Access
There is a web version, and it is not a cut-down one. Mettle on the web signs you in at web.mettle.co.uk and carries invoicing, payments, categorisation and pots, which is most of what the app does. If your bookkeeping happens on a laptop rather than a phone, that is one fewer reason to rule Mettle out.
Ease of Day-to-Day Account Management
In practice, the day-to-day is checking a balance, sending transfers, and reviewing the FreeAgent books, all from one app.
For simple UK banking plus FreeAgent, the overhead is genuinely low. The friction shows up at the edges: we found no multi-user access, no expense cards, and no easy route for complex international payments. For a busier set-up, Mettle adds work rather than saving it.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
What Customers Like
Mettle holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.6 out of 5 from 6,469 reviews, checked on 10 September 2026, an “Excellent” score for a business banking product. Positive feedback clusters around account simplicity and FreeAgent value.
If you would otherwise pay for FreeAgent separately, the account is a clear win: banking and bookkeeping at zero monthly cost. For freelancers and small LTDs, the combination of zero fees and native accounting is the core appeal.
Common Complaints
The risk is operational, and it is front-loaded: application delays and account restrictions during identity checks mirror the industry-wide pattern for regulated challenger accounts. This is not unique to Mettle, but it does mean the rough part of the experience lands in the first few weeks rather than in year three.
If your account is paused mid-week for identity review, a stalled supplier payment is an operational problem when cash flow is tight. That risk is the one to weigh against the zero fees, and it is why we would not put a business’s only trading account here without a second account standing by.
Customer Support and Service
Support Channels and Availability
Support runs through in-app chat, email at support@mettle.co.uk and a phone line on 0800 0987 765. The team works 8am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm at weekends and on bank holidays, so the cover is longer than a high-street bank keeps and shorter than Starling’s round-the-clock service. We checked all three channels at mettle.co.uk on 1 September 2026, and we would count the phone line as the thing that separates Mettle from most app-only accounts.
If your account is paused for a compliance check during a time-sensitive payment run, support response time stops being abstract. The in-app chat is not a live service, so the phone line is the route that matters on the day it goes wrong.
Help Centre and Self-Service Resources
The help centre covers most routine questions: account setup, FreeAgent integration, and common banking topics. For most sole traders and small LTDs, the self-service resources cover the core workflow.
Security, Regulation and FSCS Protection
Regulation and Authorisation
Mettle accounts are provided by National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle. NatWest plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and PRA under firm reference number 121878, which you can check on the FCA register. Confirmed in September 2026.
Because the account sits under NatWest plc’s banking licence, FSCS deposit protection applies to your eligible deposits up to £120,000. The practical caveat is that this limit is shared with any other NatWest Group deposits you hold rather than being a separate allowance.
FSCS Protection or Safeguarding
Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, the statutory guarantee, because the account sits with National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle. Older guides describing Mettle as a safeguarded e-money account are out of date; it now runs on NatWest plc’s full banking licence.
The detail that matters if you hold working capital is the shared limit. The £120,000 FSCS cap covers the combined total of all the deposits you hold across NatWest Group brands, not £120,000 with each. Any balance above that sits outside FSCS cover.
We checked this against Mettle’s own FSCS information page and the entry for National Westminster Bank plc on the FCA register. Both name the bank as the deposit taker, which is the fact that decides whether your money is covered.
Security Features
Mettle documents multi-factor authentication under Strong Customer Authentication: you confirm your identity before a payment leaves, and you sign in with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. You can lock the card yourself from the Account tab, and from the web if you have lost the phone. Payment notifications tell you when money lands.
Eligible funds are protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and because the account sits with NatWest the conduct rules of the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority apply as a baseline. We found both the authentication and the card lock documented in Mettle’s help centre on 1 September 2026, so treat any older review calling them unconfirmed as out of date.
Who Mettle Business Account Is Best For
Best Use Cases
Mettle works best for sole traders and small LTDs that invoice clients regularly and want banking and accounting integrated from day one. The fit is clearest when you’re already paying for FreeAgent or planning to, you open Mettle and the combined cost is zero.
Because FreeAgent reconciles each client payment against the matching invoice automatically, the profit-and-loss and tax position stay current without anyone opening a spreadsheet. For an invoice-heavy service business, that’s the saving that matters.
At 50 or 100 outgoing bank transfers a month, the transfer fees are zero regardless of volume.
When to Consider Alternatives
Starling is the one to weigh up if an overdraft matters or the business is an LLP. It’s free, holds a full UK banking licence, and offers an overdraft subject to eligibility. It does more than Mettle, but free accounting isn’t part of the deal.
Tide makes more sense for a business whose accountant works in Sage. It charges 20p per outgoing transfer, but it feeds Sage directly and Mettle does not.
Monzo is worth a look if a polished, consumer-style mobile account with FSCS protection and tax pots appeals more than bundled accounting. No free accounting software included.
Mettle Business Account vs Alternatives
Mettle vs Starling
The gap is overdraft access: Starling holds a full UK banking licence and offers one; Mettle has no overdraft. Both carry FSCS deposit protection (Mettle via NatWest plc) and both are free for domestic UK banking.
Starling does more on the banking side and adds an overdraft Mettle can’t match. Mettle answers with free FreeAgent accounting that Starling doesn’t include. So for most service firms the split is plain: pick Starling if you need to borrow, Mettle if you need the books kept.
Mettle vs Tide
You pay 20p per outgoing transfer for a direct Sage bank feed that Mettle lacks. Both accounts invoice, so that is not the difference. At 50 payments per month, that’s £10. At 100, it’s £20. Mettle charges nothing.
Tide is the better fit for a business that invoices constantly and works with an accountant in Sage; for that firm the Sage feed is worth 20p a transfer.
Mettle wins for anyone happy with FreeAgent who just wants banking that costs nothing. Pick on the accounting software you will actually use, not the bank behind it.
Full comparison: our Tide vs Mettle guide.
Mettle vs Monzo
Both carry FSCS deposit protection, so the choice here is bundled accounting versus app polish: Monzo offers a free plan with a polished mobile app; Mettle is free at every level and includes FreeAgent. Monzo does not include accounting software.
Monzo is the pick if a clean, consumer-style mobile experience matters more than bundled accounting software. Choose Mettle instead if a free FreeAgent subscription is the thing you actually want from the account.
For a full market comparison, see our best business bank accounts guide.
Final Verdict: Is Mettle Business Account Worth It?
Mettle is worth it if you’re a sole trader or LTD that wants zero-cost banking and would otherwise pay for FreeAgent accounting separately. The free FreeAgent subscription changes the cost comparison: you get banking and bookkeeping for nothing, with transactions reconciling automatically.
It falls down for anyone who needs an overdraft, or for LLPs and partnerships, which can’t open the account at all. Starling or Tide serve those better.
The zero fees are only half of it. Ask two things: would you have chosen FreeAgent for your accounting anyway, and can the business trade without an overdraft to lean on. If both answers are yes, Mettle is the cleaner, cheaper choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mettle Truly Free?
Almost. Zero monthly fees, zero transaction fees on UK payments, and FreeAgent included free. The one everyday charge is cash: a flat £1 each time you draw money from an ATM. Cash is where it does charge: £2.75 to pay notes in at the Post Office, and £4 plus 1.5% on an inbound international payment over £10.
Is Mettle FSCS Protected?
Yes. The Mettle account is provided by National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle, so your eligible deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, the same statutory guarantee you get from a high-street bank. One caveat: that £120,000 limit is shared across NatWest Group brands (NatWest plc, NatWest Premier, Ulster Bank, NatWest Boxed and Mettle by NatWest), so if you also bank with any of those, the cap applies to your combined balances. Older guides describing Mettle as a safeguarded e-money account are out of date. We confirmed this at Mettle’s FSCS information page and the FCA register in September 2026.
What Does the Free FreeAgent Subscription Include?
Full invoicing, expense tracking, VAT return preparation, Self Assessment, and Making Tax Digital compliance. Transactions sync automatically from your Mettle account.
Can an LLP Apply for Mettle?
No. Mettle accepts only sole traders and limited companies. If your business is an LLP, Starling is the free alternative with zero domestic transfer fees and FSCS protection. Tide also accepts LLPs.
Does Mettle Have an Overdraft?
No. Mettle doesn’t offer an overdraft or any credit facility. If your business needs short-term flexibility, covering a cash flow gap between invoicing a client and receiving payment, Mettle isn’t the right account. Starling offers a business overdraft subject to eligibility and credit assessment.
What Accounting Software Does Mettle Connect To?
Mettle is built around FreeAgent, which is included free with the account. Because both products are NatWest Group, the integration is native: transactions flow to FreeAgent automatically without a separate Open Banking setup. Xero syncs in real time in the same way, and QuickBooks connects as well. Sage is the one Mettle does not name, so a Sage practice ends up exporting files by hand. If Sage compatibility is essential, Tide is the free challenger with a direct Sage bank feed.
How we reviewed Mettle
What we assessed. We evaluated Mettle on pricing, contract terms, features, and eligibility. These are the factors that matter most to UK small businesses considering this provider.
Data sources. Mettle’s feature pages, Fee Information Document, international payments page and help centre were checked on 1 September 2026, alongside FreeAgent’s own pricing page. Deposit-protection status was re-verified against Mettle’s FSCS information page and the FCA register. No comparison sites or affiliate material.
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. We have no affiliate relationship with Mettle, see our editorial policy.