Mettle business account review
Mettle is the best pick if bookkeeping is your biggest cost, because it bundles full FreeAgent accounting free, worth at least £150 a year, with a genuinely free bank account. It is run by National Westminster Bank trading as Mettle, so deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000. The hard limits: no cash deposits at all, a maximum of two owners, and a £1 million balance ceiling.
| Monthly fee | No monthly fee. An optional Mettle+ add-on at £4 a month adds quoting and extra invoicing features. |
| Protection | Provided by National Westminster Bank plc trading as Mettle. Eligible deposits protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS. |
| Cash deposits | Mettle does not take cash deposits. If you handle cash at all, pick Starling, Tide or Zempler instead. |
| Invoicing | Basic invoicing free; quotes via Mettle+ at £4/month |
| Accounting | FreeAgent accounting included free, worth at least £150 a year, if you make one transaction a month |
| Who can open it | Sole traders and limited companies with up to two owners, UK-based with UK tax-resident owners, balance up to £1 million. |
The FreeAgent maths
FreeAgent's own pricing makes Mettle's bundle worth at least £150 a year, and you keep it as long as you make one transaction a month from the account. For a sole trader who would otherwise pay for accounting software, Mettle is effectively an account that pays you.
That matters more since April 2026: Making Tax Digital now requires sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 to keep digital records and file quarterly, and FreeAgent handles those submissions.
Who it will not fit
Anyone who touches cash. Mettle has no deposit route at all: no Post Office, no PayPoint. It also caps ownership at two people and balances at £1 million, and the invoicing extras (quotes) now sit in a £4 a month Mettle+ add-on.
If you want the same zero-fee banking with cash handling, Starling takes cash at the Post Office for 0.7% and Zempler for 0.55%.
The ledger, balanced
In credit
- Free FreeAgent accounting, worth £150+ a year
- No monthly fee, provided by NatWest with FSCS protection to £120,000
- MTD quarterly filing handled inside FreeAgent
In debit
- No cash deposits whatsoever
- Limited to businesses with up to two owners and £1m balance
- Quoting features cost £4 a month via Mettle+
Questions people actually ask
Is Mettle really free?
Yes. There is no monthly fee. The optional Mettle+ add-on for quoting costs £4 a month, and that is the only subscription on the account.
How do I keep the free FreeAgent?
Make at least one transaction a month from your Mettle account. Miss that and FreeAgent's normal fees apply.
Can I pay cash into Mettle?
No. Mettle has no cash deposit route. If you handle cash, choose Starling, Tide or Zempler instead.
Verified 3 Jul 2026 against mettle.co.uk. Confirm details with the provider before applying. We may earn a commission through links on this page.