Business banking: Santander or HSBC?

[Goggy]

Choosing a business bank account.
I have a current account with HSBC and Santander and to be honest Santander is way better.
1) Better online banking(well-designed interface, easy view of range transactions - whilst in hsbc you always go by statements to find a transaction)
2) instant texts notifications if any transaction happens (hsbc sends only the next morning).
I would say in general looks like HSBC has developed it's techie side a while ago ..

and yes ...

3) I hate HSBC security device. I used to check my bank account frequently, not any more, thanks to this stupid thing.

Now I have to choose a business bank account and quite tempted to opt for Santander , but lots of people are recommending HSBC here.
I'll get 18 month free with both, Santander will charge slightly more afterwards, but it's not a problem to pay extra £2 if I get a better experience on daily basis.

Can you compare the two?

[malvolio]

People recommend HSBC for a reason. Count how many have reported HSBC screwing up compared to Santander, for example.

As for the "stupid" PIN device, that's an industry standard for properly secure remote access and about the only one that's proof from a anything but a fairly serious password hack. Nuff said?

[d000hg]

I have personal and business accounts with both and find them to be much of a muchness really. The online business banking is very similar to the personal online banking in both cases so I'd say pick whichever you prefer.

[DirtyDog]

Can you compare the two?

They are both pretty much of a muchness - I've used both and moved from HSBC to Santander when the free banking ran out.

Not had a problem with either, to be honest, but since Santander is free that's why I'm sticking with them for the time being.

[aoxomoxoa]

I have personal and business accounts with both and find them to be much of a muchness really. The online business banking is very similar to the personal online banking in both cases so I'd say pick whichever you prefer.

I use HSBC's online services for personal and business accounts. They're pretty similar but IME navigating around the business online banking service is clunkier than with the personal one. YMMV.

No issues at all with the security device - I find the business device is easier to use than the personal.

[Fred Bloggs]

I have used Santander now for 10 years. I find banking with them just fine. The website is a bit clunky but functional. Best of all, there's no monthly fee involved. Whether they still have a free business account available, I don't know.

[DirtyDog]

I have used Santander now for 10 years. I find banking with them just fine. The website is a bit clunky but functional. Best of all, there's no monthly fee involved. Whether they still have a free business account available, I don't know.

It's not free any more - they used to offer a free account, and guaranteed that if you were with that account they would never charge fees. They tried to charge fees at one point but were threatened with a judicial review, so gave up on that idea for existing account holders.