Best UK business bank accounts for non-residents

Run a UK business but are living abroad? You might struggle to find a bank that accepts business account applications from non-residents, but there are some options available.

We’re here to help, with a guide to the best UK business bank accounts for non-residents. We’ll cover features, fees and crucially, eligibility requirements - looking at options such as Wise, Revolut, Tide and Airwallex.

This should help you choose the right account, so you'll be able to manage your UK company’s finances from wherever you are in the world.

So, let’s get started.

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Can non-residents open business accounts in the UK?

Yes, but not usually with a standard high street bank. Most UK banks like Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest require there to be at least one company director who lives permanently in the UK and has a UK residential address.

This doesn’t mean though that it’s impossible to open a UK business account if you’re based abroad. There are some other options available, such as digital account providers like Wise Business, Revolut Business, Tide and Airwallex.

Some of these e-money services providers may require the business to be registered in the UK (and in some cases, have a UK office address) but they don’t always stipulate that company directors have to be based in the country as well.

We’ll explore all of these options in detail below.

Best UK business bank accounts for non-residents - an overview

Now, let’s dive into our list of business accounts available for non-UK residents.

Here’s an at-a-glance comparison of some of the best options:

Provider	Monthly fees	Best for
Wise Business	None, open an account for £50 (Advanced plan) or for free (Essentials plan)	International businesses, multi-currency transactions
Revolut Business	£10 to £90 per month¹	App-based banking, international businesses
Airwallex	£0 to £999 per month⁴	Multi-currency transactions, options for both startups and large businesses
Tide	£0 to £69.99 per month⁶	UK and app-based business banking

Wise Business

Wise Business is a multi-currency digital account specially designed for international companies. It’s not a bank account, but an FCA-regulated e-money services provider offering similar features, including payments and debit cards.

It’s ideal if your company trades internationally, you employ people across multiple countries or you need to make cross-border payments. One of the main benefits is the mid-market exchange rate used for all currency conversions, which has no expensive mark-up eating into your revenue.

Features:

• Hold and exchange 40+ currencies at once
• Get account details in 8+ currencies to receive money as if you are a local business
• Send fast, low-cost payments to 140+ countries
• Debit and expense cards for your team, usable in 160+ countries
• No monthly fees, minimum balances or foreign transaction fees
• Integrates with Xero, QuickBooks and other accounting tools
• Batch payments for up to 1,000 recipients
• Free invoicing tools within the account.
• Easy multi-user access and automation via Wise API.
• Use the Wise Interest feature to make your money work harder when you’re not using it. Capital at Risk, growth not guaranteed.

*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.

Fees

There are no monthly fees with Wise Business, you can open an account for £50 (Advanced plan) or for free (Essentials plan). The fee to send money varies by currency, but starts from just 0.33%.

Eligibility

Businesses of all types can sign up with Wise Business. You’ll need to provide UK registration documents for the company and proof of a registered address for both the business and company directors.

If your business hasn’t relocated to the UK yet, with the Wise Business Advanced plan you can access local account details in 8+ currencies - so you can trade in the UK as if you were a local business (non-Swift payments). You can also hold and manage payments in 40+ global currencies.

The currencies available can vary depending on where your business is registered. See more about Wise Business account details.

Revolut Business

Revolut offers a modern and digital-first banking experience for incorporated businesses based in the UK and worldwide.

In the UK, you can choose from four different plans, each increasing in monthly fee cost but offering more perks and increased limits in return.

Revolut currently has a restricted banking licence and is working towards obtaining a full UK licence- it is FCA regulated, and you can do a lot with a Revolut Business account.

This includes local and international payments, debit card spending, expense management and accepting customer card payments (via payment links and Point of Sale solutions).

Features:

• Linked payment card options for spending and withdrawals, including physical and virtual cards
• Multi-currency features to manage 25+ currencies¹
• Some fee-free currency exchange on weekdays, to plan limits
• Make local and international payments
• Bulk transfers
• Accept online and in-person payments
• Unlimited multi-user access
• Payroll and expense management add on features
• Integrations with accounting software, HR platforms and business apps
• Analytics tools.

💡 Read more: Revolut Business vs. Wise Business

Fees

Revolut Business charges monthly fees for all its plans:¹

• Basic - £10 per month
• Grow - from £30 per month
• Scale - from £90 per month
• Enterprise - custom pricing

The more you pay, the more features you’ll get - along with increased limits on things like local and international transfers, and ATM withdrawals. The Grow, Scale and Enterprise plans also come with access to an interest-paying savings account.

Eligibility

Non-residents in the UK are eligible to open a Revolut Business account. However, you will need to have a current home address in the EEA or Switzerland (or the UK),² so this may not be a suitable option for all applicants.

Your company must be incorporated and registered in one of the countries that Revolut supports - this includes the UK and many EEA countries.²

You’ll find more info here, or you can contact Revolut Business to make further enquiries about the eligibility requirements for an account.

Airwallex

Airwallex is a multinational financial technology company based in Singapore. It offers digital global business accounts to companies based in the UK and worldwide.

Alongside multi-currency accounts, Airwallex also offers multi-currency cards, expenses management tools, global payments, ecommerce solutions and foreign exchange (FX) management.

Features:

• Create global digital Airwallex accounts for 70+ countries³
• Send payments to 200+ countries and receive payments from 180+ countries³
• Automated domestic and international bill pay service
• Foreign exchange services
• Borderless corporate cards
• Expenses management
• Payment links and plugins
• Accept card payments from customers
• Receive payments through marketplace sites
• Accounting and other software integrations.

Fees

Airwallex business accounts are free to open, but there are some monthly fees to pay. Here are the available plans and prices:⁴

• Explore - £19 per month, or free if you deposit at least £10,000 a month or can hold a minimum balance of £10,000
• Grow - £49 per month
• Accelerate - From £999 per month.

As with some of the other providers on our list, the higher tier the plan - the more features, benefits and increased limits you’ll get. The Explore and Grow plans are a good fit for startups and SMEs, while Accelerate is designed for larger businesses with complex financial needs.

Eligibility

Airwallex accounts are only available to business customers - it doesn’t offer personal accounts at this time.

You can apply for an Airwallex account as a non-resident, but your business will need to be incorporated, registered and active in one of the countries Airwallex supports (this includes the UK).

Tide

Another popular account for non-UK business owners is Tide.

Based in the UK, it offers app-based business accounts which are quick to set-up and easy to use. It’s also good for intuitive business management tools, ideal for those who want to manage company finances on the move using just their phone.

Tide isn’t a bank, but it is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and its business accounts are provided by ClearBank. This is a registered bank, which means that it can offer Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection on eligible deposits.⁵

Features:

• Quick online application
• Integration with accounting apps such as Xero and Sage, or upgrade to Tide Accounting
• Integration with accounting apps such as Xero and Sage
• Spending control with employee expense cards
• Apply for business loans
• Access to Tide Instant Saver Account to earn variable interest
• Multiple ways to accept payments, including invoicing, payment links, card reader and Tap to Pay on iPhone
• Send and receive EUR payments
• Auto-categorisation of income and spending, for easier accounting
• Discounts and offers with Member Perks, plus access to additional Mastercard-led discounts and cashback
• Cashflow insights and forecasts.

The only potential drawback with Tide is its limitations on international transfers and multi-currency management. It only offers payments via SEPA, which are transfers in EUR to EEA countries. If you do business of any kind outside of Europe, you may need to find an alternative way to send international payments.

💡 Read more: Tide vs. Revolut Business

Fees

One of the most attractive things about Tide for small business owners is that it charges no setup or monthly fees. Its basic plan is free, but you can also upgrade to paid plans to take advantage of lower transaction fees, increased limits and access to benefits and rewards.

Plans include:⁶

• Smart - £12.49 per month
• Pro - £24.99 per month
• Max - £69.99 per month.

You can also sign up for optional add-ons including Tide Accounting (from £13.99/month, free on Pro and Max plans) and Tide Payroll (from £12.99/month, free on Max plan).

Eligibility

You can apply for a Tide Business account even if you’re not a resident of the UK, as long as you’re a director of a business that is registered with the UK’s Companies House.⁵

You’ll just need a valid photo ID and your business documents, and be ready to verify your identity via the Tide app.

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And that’s about it - our rundown of the best UK business bank accounts for non-residents. We’ve looked at all of the best options available, which essentially means looking elsewhere than a traditional bank.

You may find it possible to open a business account with a licensed UK bank if you’re not resident in the UK, but it’s likely to be more complex.

You may need to go through the overseas arm of an international bank like HSBC or Santander, but even then you may struggle to be accepted unless at least one director of the company lives in the UK.

It’s good to know then that there are alternatives available like Wise Business, offering convenient digital business accounts that are quick and easy to open online. Just make sure you have all your documents ready and you’ll be all set.

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FAQs

What documents will I need to open a non-resident UK business account?

While it varies between providers and accounts, you’ll usually need to provide the following to apply for a non-resident UK business account:

• Proof of identity - such as your passport, national ID card or other valid form of government-issued photo ID
• Proof of business - this includes your company incorporation documents, proof of a registered business address, and details of the business activities. You may also be asked for additional documents, such as a business plan or details of the company’s ownership structure.
• Proof of address - whether or not this address is in the UK, you’ll usually need to provide a recent utility bill or bank statement to confirm your residential address. You’ll also need proof of address for the business, and this may need to be in the UK for some providers and accounts.

Can a foreigner open a business account in the UK?

Yes, you can open a UK business account as a foreign national, but it depends on your residential status and the provider. If you’re a UK resident with a UK residential address - and your business is registered in the UK - you should be fine to apply for a business account at a traditional bank.

But if you live outside the UK, you may need to check out one of the alternative providers in this guide - such as Wise Business, Revolut Business, Airwallex and Tide.

Can I open a business in the UK as a non-resident?

Yes, you don’t need to be a UK citizen or resident to start a business there. However, your new business will need to have an official UK office address in order for the company to be legally registered with Companies House.

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Sources used:

1. Revolut - Business Account Plans
2. Revolut - Help - Eligibility to open a Business account
3. Airwallex - Business Account
4. Airwallex - Pricing
5. Tide - Business Current Account
6. Tide - Pricing

Sources last checked 04-Nov-2025