Zempler Bank (Cashplus) Review 2025: Pros, Cons & Alternative

Smart UK business banking option with solid basics but nothing groundbreaking

Zempler Bank offers a simple, reliable option for UK-based small businesses and sole traders who want an easy way to manage finances online. You get all the essentials—UK account number and sort code, FSCS protection, a clean dashboard, and handy tools like savings pots and an invoice generator. 

It’s a good fit for digital-first businesses that don’t deal with cash or require complex workflows. However, businesses with international needs or more complex operations may find it restrictive, so it is better to explore other providers.

Key Highlights

• Online-based UK business current accounts with FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 on eligible deposits. 
• Cash deposit at any of the UK’s 11500 Post Offices
• Tools like cashflow tracking and integrated accounting
• Travel currency cards
• Business credit builder programme
• Additional UK company registration service and business credit card product

Zempler Bank’s business accounts are simple and easy to use. Each account comes with a Mastercard® debit card for everyday payments. Alongside the basics, like receiving and sending payments, withdrawing cash, and depositing funds via online transfers, you also get helpful tools such as savings pots, an invoice generator, automated receipt capture, spending insights, and a Making Tax Digital tool, all presented in a dashboard that makes everything easy to view at a glance.

With a Zempler Business Account, you also get access to overdrafts, travel currency cards, and a business credit builder programme. These are nice extras if you're trying to grow your business over time, especially the credit builder programme that can help improve your credit history and credit score, making your business more attractive to future lenders.

There are three account tiers: Business Go, Business Extra, and Business Pro. All include the same core features. The main differences lie in how many free transfers you get per month, cashback rewards on card spending, and your account balance cap: £500,000 for Go and Extra, and no limit on Pro. All accounts are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) for up to £85,000 on eligible deposits.

Our Verdict: 6/10

Zempler Bank provides a solid suite of features tailored for startups and small businesses. What I like are tools like savings pots and the clean, easy-to-navigate dashboard that gives you a clear view of your spending. However, these features aren’t exactly unique. Most digital banks offer something similar. Overall, Zempler does the basics well, but if you're after more advanced tools or customisation, there are other providers that go further. It’s a good fit for keeping things simple but not ideal if your needs are more complex.

Zempler Bank, like other challenger banks, has a free basic business account that does the job if you mainly need to receive money. Here are the key fees for each Zempler account tier:

You can take a look at the full pricing table for each account on the Zempler Bank website.

The different account tiers have varying fees for services, which makes sense when you consider the monthly fee could ultimately provide good value. For example, the free business account includes 3 free transfers per month, while the Business Extra plan offers 20. If you make around 26 transfers monthly, the Go plan would cost £8.05 in extra fees, almost as much as the Extra plan, which offers more allowance and added perks.

Another key factor is foreign card spending. The Business Extra account plan waives the 2.99% non-sterling fee that applies to the free plan. So if you spend over £300 a month in currencies like the euro, the £9 monthly fee can pay for itself in FX savings alone. Combined with the higher transfer allowance, it looks like the paid plan offers solid value for businesses that trade or travel regularly.

Our Verdict: 7.5/10

I think Zempler’s pricing is pretty fair, especially if your business is mostly online. The free plan is decent for light use, but the paid tiers start to make sense quickly if you’re doing a bit more each month. The fee structure is clear, and it feels like you actually get value for what you pay. However, the fees to deposit cash or make an ATM withdrawal in the UK can be a drawback if your business handles physical money regularly. Overall, it’s a solid pick for digital-first businesses that want predictable costs without overpaying for extras.

Zempler Bank’s customer support varies by plan. On the free plan, you get access to UK-based phone support with real human agents. Paid plans include in-app messaging, and Pro users have access to support from a dedicated support team.

For general questions, the online Help Centre covers the most common topics. If your card is lost or stolen, you can contact the team 24/7 using the emergency number.

As a digital bank, Zempler doesn’t have physical branches. However, users can check real-time updates on the Service Status page, which is handy for monitoring outages or delays.

Our Verdict: 8/10

Zempler Bank offers decent customer support, especially for a digital-only provider. You get real human support via phone on the free plan, which is rare these days, and in-app chat on paid plans. Even without branch access, I found the available channels were enough to handle day-to-day needs.

Let’s look at the ease of opening a Zempler Bank Business Account and finding the information you need. 

Eligibility Criteria and What You’ll Need

• You must be over 18 years old.
• For sole traders or freelancers: You must be based in the UK and not registered with Companies House.
• For limited companies: Your business must be registered with Companies House, classified as active, and based in the UK.

Zempler Bank accepts applications from limited companies, sole traders, charities, and partnerships, as long as the business doesn’t operate in prohibited industries like cryptocurrency trading or money service businesses. No credit checks are required to open an account.

You can check their website for full details, including unsupported industries and the extra requirements for companies with corporate shareholders or PSCs (Persons with Significant Control).

How to Apply

You can open a Zempler Bank Business Account online by filling out the application form on their website. There’s also a step-by-step guide available, and if you need help, you can contact their support team.  Here are the steps:

1. Fill in your information. For limited companies, the bank will pull the information from Companies House, while other businesses (like charities or partnerships) will need to enter details manually. Sole traders only need to provide a home address.
2. Verify your identity
3. Download the app, activate your card and add money. You’ll get you card in 3-5 business days.

Our Verdict: 8.5/10

What makes the experience stand out is the balance between automation and accessibility: there’s a step-by-step guide, real human phone support even before you sign up, and straightforward language with no jargon. It only loses a point because more complex setups, such as having corporate shareholders or PSCs, still require extra checks, which is understandable but worth mentioning.

• Trustpilot: 3.8/5 (based on 12,372 reviews)
  A moderate score overall. Many users praise the responsive customer support and easy account setup, especially for an online banking platform. However, there are occasional complaints common to digital banks, such as sudden account closures without prior disclosure or warning. 
• Apple App Store Rating: 4.7/5 (based on 56.2K reviews)

Zempler’s iOS mobile app earns high ratings for its stability and ease of use. As an online bank, it delivers a smooth mobile experience, with most reviews highlighting reliable performance and helpful in-app features.

Zempler Bank works well for local business needs. But if you're handling cross-border payments in multiple currencies or expanding globally, particularly into Asia, Statrys is another option to consider.

Statrys Business Account supports 11 major currencies, including GBP, EUR, HKD, and SGD. It also supports SWIFT payments with complimentary MT103 documents for payment tracking, integrates with Xero accounting software, and has no transaction limits. Your business must be registered in Hong Kong, Singapore, or the BVI to be eligible.