Allica Business Savings 2026: 4.08% AER, Rewards Account
🏠 Savings Accounts» Allica Bank Business Savings Review (2026)
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Allica Bank Business Savings Review (2026)

Allica pays up to 4.08% on business savings, with instant access, notice and fixed terms. The rate can move, and your money is protected.

In-depth review
Independently assessed
Rates verified 13 August 2026
Top Pick
Allica Savings
  • Allica pays up to 4.08% AER on instant-access business savings accounts.
  • FSCS-protected up to £120,000 on Allica’s own banking licence.
  • Apply online in minutes with no need to switch your main business bank.
View Deal →

Best for sole traders

Tide Savings

Details →

Best for notice savings

OakNorth

Details →

Best for FSCS stacking

Capital on Tap Savings

Details →
Our score:4.5 / 5i
Score breakdown
Customer reviews
4.5
Value for money
4.2
Features
5.0

Allica Bank advertises up to 4.08% AER (variable) on its instant access savings pot, the highest headline rate among the savings accounts we review. But 4.08% is a conditional maximum, and the rate you actually earn depends on your balance and the boosts you can hold.

The 2.83% is a top-tier rate, not a floor. You only earn it once your combined Allica balance (current account plus pot) averages £40,000 or more; between £20,000 and £40,000 the standard rate is 1.83%, and below £20,000 the pot pays nothing. On top of the standard rate you add 0.50% for making 15 or more outbound transfers a month, and another 0.50% for six months if you switch your main account to Allica through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).

You add 0.25% for three months if you deposit £50,000 or more within 14 days of opening, an offer open to new customers until 30 September 2026. All three boosts stacked on the top tier reach 4.08%, though each boost starts the month after you qualify, not on day one. Allica’s own Key Product Information Document caps stacked boosts at 1%, so 4.08% is a promotional high; the activity boost is the only one that lasts, and that is the number to build your calculation from.

Allica also offers standalone savings with no behavioural conditions: 95-day notice at 3.65% AER, 6-month fixed at 3.86%, 12-month fixed at 4.00%, 24-month fixed at 3.80%, all with a £20,000 minimum. The 12-month fixed at 4.00% is the highest rate Allica pays with no strings attached.

Rates change. For businesses that can lock funds away, the fixed-term products beat the pot’s base rate without any conditions.

All product and fee claims on this page come from allica.bank, help.allica.bank, Allica’s Savings Pot Key Product Information Document, the FSCS register, and the FCA register, checked 13 August 2026. Rates are variable and can move.

Allica Bank Business Savings at a Glance

Our Verdict

If your business makes 15+ outbound bank transfers a month and you’ll switch your main current account to Allica via CASS, the 4.08% AER with independent FSCS protection is a strong package. Commit to Allica as your primary bank and the savings rate is among the strongest instant-access rates we review.

If you won’t do a CASS switch or can’t maintain 15+ monthly transfers, the pot pays its standard rate: 2.83% AER at £40,000+ combined balance, 1.83% between £20,000 and £40,000, and 0% below £20,000. Even the top standard rate sits behind Tide savings (up to 3.25%, no conditions), though it still beats OakNorth on any balance under £50,000, where an OakNorth notice account pays nothing at all. The headline doesn’t apply to you.

If you have £20,000 or more that your business will not need for a year, the 12-month fixed at 4.00% AER deserves serious consideration: no conditions, and stronger than any pot standard rate. The 6-month fixed at 3.86% does the same job over a shorter horizon.

Best For

Allica makes most sense if you run an established LTD or LLP, you will move your main current account across via CASS, and you already make 15 or more outbound transfers a month: that is exactly the customer the 4.08% is built for. Allica is also worth considering if you have £20,000 or more to put into a notice or fixed-term account, where the rate does not depend on your monthly banking activity.

Not Ideal For

The headline rate requires switching main banking to Allica. Also avoid if you make fewer than 15 outbound transfers/month (the activity boost does not apply).

Explicitly excluded: charities, trusts, public sector entities, businesses under 12 months old, and those with under £20,000 for notice/fixed products.

Key Facts

Key Facts
Feature Detail
Savings pot rate (maximum) Up to 4.08% AER (variable)
Savings pot standard rate 2.83% at £40k+ combined balance; 1.83% at £20k–£40k; 0% below £20k
Activity boost +0.50% if 15+ outbound transfers/month
CASS switching boost +0.50% for first 6 months
Welcome boost +0.25% for first 3 months (£50k deposit within 14 days; new customers, ends 30 Sep 2026)
6-month fixed rate 3.86% AER (fixed, £20k min)
12-month fixed rate 4.00% AER (fixed, £20k min), highest unconditional rate
95-day notice rate 3.65% AER (variable, £20k min)
Access on savings pot Instant access, no notice period
Interest payment Monthly (pot); daily accrual, annual payment (notice/fixed)
FSCS protection Up to £120,000 (Allica Bank licence)
Pot monthly fee No fee on savings pot itself
Account required (pot) Allica Business Rewards Account
Minimum deposit (pot) £1 (£50k to earn the welcome boost)
Maximum deposit (pot) £5,000,000
Minimum deposit (notice/fixed) £20,000
Maximum deposit (notice/fixed) £2,000,000
Sole traders Not eligible (Companies House-registered businesses only)
Verified from allica.bank, Allica’s Savings Pot Key Product Information Document, the FSCS register and the FCA register, 13 August 2026. Standard rates are variable and track the Bank of England base rate.
Allica Bank logo
Allica Instant Access Business Savings Pot
Allica Bank’s savings pot pays up to 4.08% AER, the highest rate of any affiliate on this page, and holds your deposit under Allica’s own banking licence, so FSCS protection is separate from any ClearBank-backed provider you may also use.
Best for: Established SMEs wanting FSCS-protected savings with a competitive rate
Watch out: Allica is for established, incorporated businesses; sole traders and firms under 12 months old are not eligible. Rates are variable. The savings pot requires an Allica Business Rewards Account.
Not ideal if: Not ideal if: you’re a sole trader, a startup under 12 months old, or you want a savings-only account without a linked current account.

What Is Allica Bank Business Savings and How Does It Work?

How the Account Works

There are really two different Allica savings propositions here, and it pays to separate them before you compare the rates, because each carries its own conditions. The savings pot is an instant access account embedded inside the Allica Business Rewards Account. You cannot open the pot without the current account.

The standalone savings accounts (notice and fixed-term) are separate deposit products with a £20,000 minimum and their own terms. We found most coverage treats the pot as the only Allica savings product; the standalone accounts are a meaningfully different decision.

The savings pot holds your funds under Allica Bank’s own banking licence, not passed to a third-party custodian like ClearBank. FSCS protection of up to £120,000 covers all eligible deposits with Allica Bank combined.

How Deposits and Withdrawals Work

For the savings pot: you move money between the Allica current account and the pot within the same account. Money lands straight away in both directions, with no notice period on the way out.

For standalone notice accounts: you must give 95 or 180 days’ notice before withdrawing. Early withdrawal is not permitted on fixed-term accounts; the funds can’t be accessed until the term ends.

Funding a fixed-term account must happen within 14 days of opening.

How Interest Is Earned

The effective rate on the savings pot can shift every month. Interest accrues daily and is credited monthly, and the rate applied depends on your average balance that month and which boosts you have unlocked. Because boosts land the month after you qualify, a month where your transfers drop below 15 shows up as a 0.50% cut the following month.

What you actually earn moves month to month, because it turns on two things. Your average balance sets the standard rate (nothing below £20,000, 1.83% up to £40,000, 2.83% above it), and any boosts you hold stack on top, up to the 4.08% a new switcher sees for three months. The table below breaks down every component.

Standalone notice and fixed-term accounts accrue interest daily, and the 24-month product pays annually rather than at maturity, which affects your cash flow planning.

Allica Bank Business Savings Products

Available Savings Options

Available Savings Options
Product Rate (AER) Type Min deposit Access
Savings Pot (inside Business Rewards Account) 0%–4.08% variable Variable £1 Instant
Easy Access Savings Account 2.80% variable Variable £20,000 Easy access
95-Day Notice Account 3.65% variable Variable £20,000 95-day notice
180-Day Notice Account 3.70% variable Variable £20,000 180-day notice
6-Month Fixed-Term Deposit 3.86% fixed Fixed £20,000 No early access
12-Month Fixed-Term Deposit 4.00% fixed Fixed £20,000 No early access
24-Month Fixed-Term Deposit 3.80% fixed Fixed £20,000 No early access
Verified from allica.bank, 13 August 2026. Standard rates are variable and may change. Savings Pot maximum £5,000,000; maximum on notice/fixed products £2,000,000.

Key Differences Between the Available Accounts

Allica offers two immediate-access routes: the linked Savings Pot and a standalone Easy Access account at 2.80% AER. The pot’s effective rate depends on your balance and whether you hold the boosts; the notice and fixed accounts pay unconditional rates but need a £20,000 minimum and give up some or all liquidity.

The 12-month fixed at 4.00% AER is the strongest unconditional rate in the range, with the 6-month at 3.86% close behind for a shorter commitment. Lock £20,000+ away and either product beats every pot standard rate, with no transfer targets or CASS switch to maintain.

The notice accounts (95-day at 3.65%, 180-day at 3.70%) sit between the pot base rate and the fixed-term rate. They suit businesses that can plan withdrawals in advance but want to retain some flexibility rather than committing to a full fixed term.

Which Businesses Each Option May Suit

Go for the Savings Pot if you already make 15 or more outbound transfers a month and are ready to move your main account to Allica via CASS. That is the only route to the top rate, and it suits a business committing to Allica as its primary bank.

Without the CASS switch, the activity boost alone takes the pot to 3.33%, so compare that figure rather than 4.08%. It is a decent instant-access rate with no minimum deposit.

If access matters less, the 12-month fixed pays 4.00% without asking you to change how you bank, the highest rate Allica offers with no conditions. The 6-month fixed at 3.86% covers a shorter horizon.

The notice accounts suit a reserve you can plan around, a quarterly VAT pot or bonus fund you won’t touch for three to six months, though the rate is variable rather than fixed for the term.

Rates and Returns

Current Interest Rates

The rate on the savings pot depends on which boosts qualify. We ran the boosts across a full year, because stretching the 4.08% headline over twelve months badly overstates what a new customer earns. Here is how the four components stack:

Current Interest Rates
Rate component AER Condition Duration
Standard rate (Tier 3) 2.83% Combined balance £40,000+ Ongoing
Standard rate (Tier 2) 1.83% Combined balance £20,000–£39,999 Ongoing
Standard rate (Tier 1) 0% Combined balance below £20,000 Ongoing
Activity boost +0.50% 15+ outbound transfers in preceding month Ongoing (monthly)
CASS switching boost +0.50% Switch main account to Allica via CASS First 6 months only
Welcome boost +0.25% Deposit £50k+ into pot within 14 days of opening First 3 months only
Maximum (all boosts) 4.08% New CASS switcher, £50k deposit, 15+ transfers/month 3 months (months 2–4)
After welcome boost expires 3.83% CASS + activity boost only Months 5–7
After CASS boost expires 3.33% Activity boost only Months 8+
Standard rate, no boosts Up to 2.83% Fewer than 15 transfers, no CASS switch (rate by balance tier) Ongoing
Verified from allica.bank and Allica’s Savings Pot Key Product Information Document, 13 August 2026. Standard rates effective 19 December 2025, tracking the 3.75% Bank of England base rate. Boosts apply the month after you qualify. The KPID caps stacked boosts at 1% (a 3.83% ceiling); 4.08% includes the promotional Welcome Boost, open to new customers until 30 September 2026.

Fixed vs Variable Rate Structure

Fixed-term deposits lock your rate for the full term: the rate you open at is guaranteed until maturity, and early access is not permitted. The savings pot and notice accounts are variable: Allica can change them and communicates changes in advance.

How and When Interest Is Paid

Savings pot interest accrues daily and is credited to the pot monthly. On the notice accounts interest accrues daily, and the payment schedule varies by product; the 180-day account pays annually.

Fixed-term deposit interest accrues daily and pays at maturity (or annually for the 24-month product). Verify the payment schedule for each product at allica.bank.

What Can Change the Rate

When your quarter-end arrives and you’re waiting on client payments to clear, the savings pot stays fully accessible, unlike a 95-day notice account where you’d still be waiting for the notice period to expire. That liquidity comes at a rate cost: 2.83% vs 3.65% on the notice product.

Variable products carry a rate risk: Allica can reprice in line with the Bank of England base rate or its own decisions. The pot rate was set on 19 December 2025 and has been stable since.

We identified the activity boost as the most consequential variable for your ongoing rate. If your business makes fewer than 15 outbound transfers in a given month, the boost drops off the following month. Maintain 15+ transfers consistently to keep earning 3.33% AER or above.

What Allica Savings Pot Rate Will You Actually Get?

Two things set your pot rate: how much you keep with Allica, and what you do each month. The balance decides your standard rate; the activity decides your boosts. Allica averages your balance across the current account and the pot together, so the pot on its own does not clear the thresholds. Find your balance row, then read across for the boosts you can realistically hold.

Your Savings Pot rate by balance and activity
Average combined balance Standard rate + Activity boost + Activity & CASS + All three (first 3 months)
Below £20,000 0% 0.50% 1.00% 1.25%
£20,000–£39,999 1.83% 2.33% 2.83% 3.08%
£40,000 and above 2.83% 3.33% 3.83% 4.08%
Standard rates track the Bank of England base rate (3.75%), are variable, and were effective 19 December 2025; checked 13 August 2026. Boosts add to whichever standard rate applies and start the month after you qualify. The 4.08% peak needs all three boosts at once and the Welcome Boost is a new-customer offer ending 30 September 2026. Allica’s Key Product Information Document caps stacked boosts at 1% (a 3.83% ceiling), so treat 4.08% as a promotional high rather than the ongoing rate.

How the Savings Pot boosts work

None of the boosts starts the day you qualify. Allica applies each one from the first day of the following month, so there is always a lag between doing the work and seeing the rate.

Allica Savings Pot boosts
Boost Value How you qualify Starts Lasts
Bank Transfer Boost +0.50% 15+ qualifying outbound transfers in a calendar month The following month Each month you qualify
CASS Switching Boost +0.50% Full or partial switch via the Current Account Switch Service Month after the switch 6 months
Welcome Boost +0.25% New customer deposits £50,000+ within 14 days (before 30 Sep 2026) Month after you deposit 3 months
Verified from Allica’s Savings Pot Key Product Information Document and help.allica.bank, 13 August 2026. The Bank Transfer and Switching boosts are named in the KPID; the Welcome Boost is a promotional offer set out on Allica’s product pages.

What counts towards the 15 transfers? Any outgoing Faster Payment, BACS or CHAPS to an external account counts, including Direct Debits and standing orders. A bulk payment counts once per recipient. Card payments do not count, and moving money between your current account and the pot does not count.

How Much Could You Earn on Allica?

Here is what the rate structure means in cash, for a new customer who deposits in week one, switches via CASS, and makes 15 or more outbound transfers every month. Because boosts start the month after you qualify, the first month runs at the standard rate, the peak lasts only three months, and the rate then steps down as each boost expires.

First-year interest on a Savings Pot, new switcher making 15+ transfers a month
Period Rate (AER) Why On £50,000 On £100,000
Month 1 2.83% Boosts not live yet £118 £236
Months 2–4 4.08% All three boosts (Welcome Boost lasts 3 months) £510 £1,020
Months 5–7 3.83% Welcome Boost expired £479 £958
Months 8–12 3.33% CASS Boost expired (6 months) £694 £1,388
First-year total ~3.6% effective Blended ~£1,800 ~£3,601
Approximate, before monthly compounding; assumes the balance stays flat and you qualify for every boost from month two. Boosts start the month after you qualify, so the 4.08% peak runs for the Welcome Boost’s three months (months 2–4) and the CASS boost carries months 5–7. Standard rates are variable.

The lesson is not to multiply your balance by 4.08%. The peak rate runs for three months, and only for a brand-new customer who switches and hits the transfer target. Over a full year the £50,000 saver earns closer to £1,800, an effective rate of about 3.6%, still competitive but a long way from the headline. Multiplying £50,000 by 4.08% would suggest £2,040, which no first-year saver actually receives.

Fees and Charges

Account Fees

The savings pot carries no monthly fee, but the Allica Business Rewards Account (required for the pot) charges £25/month if your average balance falls below £10,000 in the preceding month.

This fee is waived if you hold an active Allica loan or overdraft. No monthly fee applies at £10,000–£50,000 average balance or above. We checked these thresholds from allica.bank in August 2026.

Deposit and Withdrawal Fees

Moving money between your Allica current account and the savings pot is free in both directions. There are no deposit fees on the notice or fixed-term accounts either.

Withdrawals from the savings pot back to the current account are free and instant. Notice account withdrawals are free after the notice period. Fixed-term early withdrawal is not permitted, early access is simply not available, so there is no fee to apply.

Transfer and Transaction Fees

The first 150 outbound Faster Payments each month are free. Above 150 payments, Allica charges 12p per transaction (the Faster Payments Fair Usage Fee).

If your current account balance is insufficient to cover this 12p fee, Allica can automatically sweep funds from your savings pot to settle it. Direct Debits, standing orders, BACS, and ATM withdrawals are free.

Allica publishes no price for international transfers, so treat an overseas payment as a quote rather than a rate if you plan to make them regularly.

Other Charges to Watch

The £25 monthly account fee is the main cost risk. If your average balance drops below £10,000 in any month, you pay £25 the next month. Note that this £10,000 fee threshold is a different test from the £40,000 balance that sets your top savings rate: Allica does not publish whether the pot balance counts towards the £10,000, so don’t assume it lifts you clear.

Picture the scenario: your VAT quarter lands in January and a large supplier payment clears the same week, so your current account averages £8,000 for the month while the savings pot sits at £60,000.

Whether that triggers the £25 fee depends on something Allica does not spell out: if the £10,000 test looks at the current account alone, you pay it; if it counts the pot too, the £60,000 clears you. Allica’s fee page does not say which, so budget for the £25 in any month your current account runs thin.

We counted: at 200 payments a month, you pay 50 × 12p = £6 in overage. Only high-volume payers running 200+ monthly Faster Payments will notice the 12p charge, most SMEs stay well inside 150.

Eligibility and Deposit Requirements

Who Can Open an Account

Allica accepts limited companies (LTD), limited liability partnerships (LLP) and standard partnerships, each incorporated for at least 12 months. Allica positions itself for businesses with 5–250 employees, though this is a positioning statement rather than a published rule.

Sole traders cannot open Allica’s savings products. The Business Rewards Account and its pot are for businesses incorporated for at least 12 months, and the standalone notice and fixed-term accounts require a business registered with Companies House. A sole trader meets neither test.

Allica’s own site is where the confusion starts: its lending pages name sole traders, but that eligibility belongs to borrowing. Every page that governs the account or the savings says “incorporated for a minimum of 12 months” or “registered with Companies House”, which a sole trader does not meet.

If you trade as a sole trader, Tide Business Savings and Capital on Tap Savings both accept you without restriction, with no minimum turnover and no need to switch your main bank.

Minimum and Maximum Deposit Limits

Savings pot: the minimum is £1 and the maximum is £5,000,000. To earn the welcome boost (+0.25% AER for 3 months) you must deposit £50,000 within 14 days of opening, and only the £40,000+ combined balance earns the full 2.83% standard rate.

Notice and fixed-term accounts: minimum £20,000, maximum £2,000,000. Funding a fixed-term account must happen within 14 days of opening. If you hold more than £120,000 total across your Allica accounts, the balance above £120,000 is outside FSCS protection.

Ineligible Business Types

Explicitly excluded from Allica business savings: charities, trusts, public sector organisations, cooperatives. Businesses incorporated less than 12 months ago are not eligible. Sole traders are out as well: the application asks for Companies House information, which a sole trader does not have.

Account Access and User Experience

Online Banking and App Experience

You access Allica via a web portal and a mobile app. The app lets you view balances, move money between the current account and savings pot, and initiate payments.

Allica is built for business use rather than retail simplicity: the portal and app handle balances, pot transfers and payments, and it is built for business treasury rather than a consumer-app experience. Check current App Store and Google Play ratings for up-to-date feedback.

Managing Savings and Withdrawals

Savings pot transfers are instant in both directions via the app or web portal: no form, no notice requirement, no cooldown. Once in the current account, Faster Payments to external accounts are free up to 150 per month.

Notice account withdrawals require you to submit a withdrawal notice via the portal; funds are released after 95 or 180 days depending on the product. A fixed-term deposit gives no access until maturity, so plan accordingly before you commit.

How to Open an Account

You apply online at allica.bank. The process requires company documentation, identity verification for directors and significant shareholders, and confirmation of trading history (minimum 12 months). Allica assigns a dedicated relationship manager during onboarding.

Expect a more thorough process than app-only challengers. Allica’s underwriting is more rigorous because its target customer is an established SME. Onboarding takes longer than an app-only challenger because Allica underwrites each applicant, and the timeline moves with your business structure and how ready your documents are.

Security, Regulation and FSCS Protection

Regulation and Authorisation

Deposits are held under a full UK banking licence. Allica Bank Limited is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA (FCA Firm Reference Number: 821851). Confirmed from the FCA register in August 2026.

FSCS Protection

Eligible deposits with Allica Bank are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 per eligible depositor. The limit rose to £120,000 on 1 December 2025 (previously £85,000). It covers your combined Allica balance, current account plus savings pot plus any notice or fixed-term accounts.

Confirmed from allica.bank and the FSCS register in August 2026: the £120,000 protection is under Allica’s own banking licence, separate and independent from ClearBank.

Tide and Capital on Tap savings are both held via ClearBank, their £120,000 FSCS limit is shared across all ClearBank-backed accounts combined. Not £120,000 each.

We flagged this in our comparison: hold money at both Allica and a ClearBank provider and your protections are independent. That’s the stacking advantage.

Safeguarding and Security Features

Deposits at Allica sit under statutory FSCS protection, the same regulatory class as a high-street bank, not e-money safeguarding. This is not a ring-fenced client account; it is statutory deposit protection with an automatic payout mechanism.

The account is protected by two-factor authentication and fraud monitoring.

Customer Reviews and Reputation

Public third-party ratingsAllica Savings ratings checked
Trustpilot4.5/51,854 reviews
Source ratings checked 27 July 2026. Ratings can change and are used as one signal alongside our editorial review.

What Customers Like

Allica holds 4.5 stars from 1,854 reviews on Trustpilot, checked July 2026. The review count is lower than mass-market challengers (Tide: 30,000+) because Allica’s eligibility is narrower, so read the score as coming from a smaller, self-selected base of businesses that qualified and opened.

What you find in positive reviews is specific relationship manager names, a sign the dedicated-contact promise works in practice. Customers also reference smooth CASS switching and the speed of loan application processing.

Common Complaints

The risk for applicants is underwriting friction. The negative reviews focus on businesses that did not meet eligibility criteria or found the process slow. One isolated review on SmartMoneyPeople cited an Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud dispute.

Most negative reviews concern onboarding and underwriting rather than the savings pot itself; we saw little savings-specific complaint about interest, withdrawals or rate accuracy in our August 2026 review, though individual experiences vary.

Customer Support and Service

Support Channels and Availability

A dedicated relationship manager is the primary support route for savings queries. Phone support is also available on 0330 094 3333, Monday to Friday 9:00am–5:00pm (Wednesday: 9:30am–5:00pm). Confirmed from allica.bank, August 2026.

That relationship manager is a direct line, bypassing the general support queue for savings queries. It is a structural product feature here, not a premium tier.

Portal live chat (human-assisted, with bot routing during busy periods) is also available, so a savings query need not wait in an app-only support queue.

Help Centre and Self-Service Resources

The first port of call for operational questions is the help centre at help.allica.bank, which covers account management, savings pot mechanics, payment limits, and fee details, including the Faster Payments (FPS) Fair Usage Fee. Use it before contacting your relationship manager.

Allica Bank Business Savings vs Alternatives

Allica vs Tide Business Savings

Allica savings pot: up to 4.08% AER (standard rate up to 2.83% at £40k+ combined balance). Tide savings: up to 3.25% AER, no behavioural conditions, no CASS switch required. We confirmed both rates from primary sources in August 2026.

If you won’t do a CASS switch and make fewer than 15 transfers/month, Tide’s unconditional rate beats Allica’s pot base rate (2.83%), so the 4.08% is not a rate you would ever reach.

Say you are holding surplus cash that earns nothing in your current account, you make around 20 outbound transfers a month, and you are willing to switch.

At Allica, a new switcher reaches the 4.08% peak only in months two to four; the activity and CASS boosts together are worth 3.83%, and once the CASS boost ends the ongoing rate is 3.33%. Over a first year that averages nearer 3.6%. At Tide you get up to 3.25% with no switch required.

That is worth roughly £280 a year on £80,000, and only if you’re committing to Allica as your primary account for the long run.

FSCS: Tide savings are held via ClearBank (£120,000 shared across all ClearBank-backed accounts). Allica sits under its own licence, independent of ClearBank. That’s the structural protection advantage.

If you are a sole trader or a business under 12 months old, choose Tide: Allica needs 12+ months of trading and does not accept sole traders at all. Newly trading or a sole trader: Tide.

Tide logo
Tide Instant Saver Account
Tide’s Instant Saver sits inside the Tide app, so if you already have a Tide current account, setup takes minutes with no separate application.
Best for: Businesses already banking with Tide
Watch out: Your rate is set by your Tide plan, and Free-plan users get just 2.00% AER, well below rivals. The headline 3.75% AER is an intro bonus that applies only for the first four months, then you drop to your plan’s standard rate. Deposits are held by ClearBank; if you also hold Capital on Tap savings (also ClearBank-backed), your FSCS protection is shared across both, not doubled.
Not ideal if: If you do not already bank with Tide, the standard rates give little reason to open a current account just for the saver, and dedicated savings accounts pay more. Watch the shared FSCS limit if you hold other ClearBank-backed savings, and remember the 3.75% intro rate lasts only four months.

Allica vs Capital on Tap Business Savings

Capital on Tap savings pays up to 3.82% AER with no behavioural conditions. The savings account is available to Capital on Tap card customers. Like Tide, it is held via ClearBank, same FSCS structure, same shared £120,000 limit.

If you already use the Capital on Tap credit card and want to earn interest on surplus cash without switching your main banking relationship, the CoT savings pot is a low-friction option.

If rate maximisation and FSCS independence are the priority and you qualify for Allica, the Allica pot (with activity boost at 3.33%) or the fixed-term products are the stronger choice.

Capital on Tap logo
Capital on Tap Business Savings Account
Read the headline carefully: the ongoing rate is 3.23% AER (3.18% gross), and the eye-catching 3.82% AER is a 60-day welcome rate for genuinely new customers only.
Best for: Limited companies and LLPs already using the Capital on Tap card
Watch out: The 3.82% AER is a 60-day promo for new customers only, then the rate falls to 3.23% AER, so treat 3.23% as the number that matters over a year. Limited companies and LLPs only: sole traders are not eligible. Deposits sit behind ClearBank, so if you also hold Tide savings your combined FSCS protection is £120,000 total, not per account. The rate is variable with no guaranteed floor.
Not ideal if: Not ideal if: you are a sole trader (you cannot open it), you don’t use the Capital on Tap card, you want the highest guaranteed ongoing rate rather than a promo that expires after 60 days, or you already hold other ClearBank-backed savings and would breach the shared FSCS limit.

Allica vs OakNorth Business Savings

The size of your balance settles this one before the rates do. OakNorth’s notice accounts pay nothing at all below £50,000, not a reduced rate, so a business holding £30,000 earns 0% there and 2.83% in the Allica pot without lifting a finger. Above £50,000 the picture flips: OakNorth’s 95-day account tracks the Bank of England base rate less 0.15 points and its 125-day account less 0.10, which came to 3.60% and 3.65% AER when we read the summary box on 27 August 2026.

That tracker structure is worth something on its own. An Allica boost lapses on a calendar; an OakNorth spread does not, so the rate rises and falls with the base rate instead of quietly dropping away after six months. The catch is the door: a notice account needs an OakNorth business current account first, and OakNorth wants turnover above £1m or £50,000 to deposit before it opens one. OakNorth also opens an easy access Earn vault alongside that current account, but publishes no rate for it anywhere on its site, so we will not put a number against it here.

Above £50,000, Allica only beats OakNorth’s 3.65% top notice rate when the pot reaches its 4.08% promotional peak, and that needs a CASS switch, a £50k welcome deposit within 14 days, and 15+ transfers a month. That’s a specific customer profile, not a general recommendation.

For fixed-rate business: Allica’s 6-month fixed at 3.86% AER beats OakNorth’s best notice rate (3.65% on 125 days) for businesses that can commit funds for six months, and asks for £20,000 rather than £50,000. Both carry FSCS protection under their own banking licences.

OakNorth Bank logo
OakNorth Business Savings
OakNorth’s notice accounts pay up to 3.65% AER on 125 days’ notice, and nothing at all below £50,000. That threshold is the thing to check first: at £49,999 the rate is 0%, and at £50,000 it is 3.20% or better depending on the notice period you accept.
Best for: Businesses with £50,000+ in reserves wanting notice-account rates
Watch out: Notice accounts pay 0% on balances under £50,000. An OakNorth Business Current Account is required before you can open savings, and the turnover requirement (£1m+) or minimum deposit (£50,000) may exclude smaller businesses. Rates verified 27 August 2026.
Not ideal if: Not ideal if: you have less than £50,000 in savings, your business turnover is under £1 million (without the £50,000 minimum deposit), or you want instant access at a competitive rate.

We have a full comparison across all options in our best business savings accounts guide.

Final Verdict: Is Allica Bank Business Savings Worth It?

Allica pays off only if you use it the right way. The 4.08% AER headline requires a CASS switch, 15+ outbound transfers monthly, and a £50,000 welcome deposit within 14 days. Do all three from day one and Allica delivers the best rate-plus-FSCS combination in this comparison.

The decision comes down to two thresholds you can hold against your own business: can you keep £40,000+ with Allica, and will you reliably make 15 or more outbound transfers a month? Clear both, switch via CASS and deposit £50,000 in week one, and the first month runs at the 2.83% standard rate while the boosts bed in, then months two to four hit 4.08%.

After month four the rate drops to 3.83% as the welcome boost expires, then to 3.33% from month eight onwards once the CASS boost ends (activity boost only). That’s still above Tide’s 3.25% on an ongoing basis, though Capital on Tap’s headline 3.82% is higher. For a business that clears both thresholds, Allica is the clear choice.

If you won’t switch via CASS or can’t hit 15 transfers a month, this is the wrong account: the pot’s unconditional base rate trails the no-strings rivals we name above.

The fixed-term range is underused. If you have £20,000+ you won’t touch for a year, the 12-month fixed at 4.00% AER is the highest rate Allica pays with no switching requirement, and the 6-month at 3.86% covers a shorter horizon. We found this consistently missing from other coverage of Allica savings.

Do the arithmetic on your actual balance and monthly transfer volume before committing to a CASS switch. Standard rates are variable and the boost offers can change.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is the Allica Bank 4.08% AER savings rate available to everyone?

    No. The 4.08% AER is a promotional peak that stacks three boosts on the top standard rate, and each boost starts the month after you qualify. The standard rate itself depends on your average combined balance: 2.83% at £40,000+, 1.83% between £20,000 and £40,000, and 0% below £20,000. Add 0.50% for 15+ monthly transfers, 0.50% for six months for a CASS switch, and 0.25% for three months for a £50,000 new-customer deposit (offer ends 30 September 2026). Allica’s Key Product Information Document caps stacked boosts at 1%, a 3.83% ceiling, so 4.08% is a short-lived high. Verified 13 August 2026.

  • Is Allica Bank business savings FSCS protected?

    Yes. Eligible deposits with Allica Bank are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per eligible depositor. This limit was raised to £120,000 on 1 December 2025 (previously £85,000). Allica holds a full UK banking licence (FCA FRN: 821851). This protection is under Allica’s own banking licence, separate and independent from ClearBank-backed providers like Tide and Capital on Tap. Verified from allica.bank and the FSCS register, August 2026.

  • Can I open an Allica savings account without the Business Rewards Account?

    For the savings pot: no. The pot is embedded inside the Business Rewards Account. You cannot open the pot as a standalone product. For the standalone notice and fixed-term accounts: yes, you can. Allica lists them on its own business savings page as separate products, each with its own online application, so no Business Rewards Account is involved.

  • What are the Allica Bank notice and fixed-term savings rates?

    As of 13 August 2026 (verified from allica.bank): 95-day notice 3.65% AER (variable); 180-day notice 3.70% AER (variable); 6-month fixed 3.86% AER (fixed); 12-month fixed 4.00% AER (fixed); 24-month fixed 3.80% AER (fixed). All notice and fixed accounts require a minimum £20,000 deposit and a maximum of £2,000,000. The 12-month fixed at 4.00% is the highest rate Allica pays with no conditions. The notice rates are variable, so those two figures are the position on 13 August 2026, unchanged when we re-read the rate card on 27 August 2026.

  • Can sole traders open an Allica Bank savings account?

    No. Allica’s savings products are not open to sole traders. The Business Rewards Account and its pot need a business incorporated for at least 12 months, and the standalone notice and fixed-term accounts need a business registered with Companies House; a sole trader meets neither. Allica’s lending pages do mention sole traders, but that applies to borrowing, not saving. Tide Business Savings and Capital on Tap Savings both accept sole traders without restriction.

  • What is the Allica Bank FPS Fair Usage Fee?

    Allica Bank’s Business Rewards Account includes 150 free outbound Faster Payments per month. Above 150 payments, a 12p charge per transaction applies. If your current account balance is insufficient to cover this fee, Allica can automatically sweep the required amount from your savings pot. Verified from help.allica.bank, August 2026.

  • What Allica savings rate will I get on a £30,000 balance?

    A £30,000 average combined balance sits in the middle tier, so your standard Savings Pot rate is 1.83% AER, not 2.83%. You reach the 2.83% top tier only at £40,000+. Any boosts you unlock add on top of the 1.83%.

  • Do the Allica boosts start straight away?

    No. Allica applies each boost from the first day of the month after you qualify. So your first month runs at the standard rate, and a £50,000 new switcher hits the 4.08% peak in months two to four, not from day one.

  • Which payments count towards the 15 transfers?

    Any outgoing Faster Payment, BACS or CHAPS to an external account counts, including Direct Debits and standing orders. A bulk payment counts once per recipient. Card payments do not count, and moving money between your current account and the pot does not count.

How we reviewed Allica Bank Business Savings

What we assessed. We evaluated Allica Bank Business Savings on pricing, contract terms, features, and eligibility. In practice that meant the parts that decide the return here: how the standard rate steps up with your balance, how the boosts stack and expire, the fees, eligibility, and whether FSCS protection sits on Allica’s own licence.

Data sources. We checked Allica Bank Business Savings’ pricing page, terms, and product docs directly in August 2026. Rates checked: 13 August 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.