Retail business support
Starting & growing a retail business
No. Applying for a Zempler business account won't affect your credit score because we don't perform a hard credit check when you apply for an account.
Eligible businesses can apply online in minutes. You can start taking payments within 24 hours once approved in-app and in Online Banking.[
Eligible customers can apply for a business overdraft, helping provide additional flexibility when managing unexpected costs or short-term cashflow pressures.
No. Many retailers use a single Zempler account to manage both in-store and online sales, helping them keep track of income, expenses and cashflow in one place.
Staffing & access
Yes. The Zempler app allows you to manage payments, monitor transactions and keep track of your account wherever your business takes you.
Yes. All our business accounts allow up to 20 additional card holders per account. You can view the fees for cards across our different accounts here.
We don't currently offer multi-user account access. However, additional cardholders can manage their own card and view transactions made using that card. They will be able to:
- Access all funds in your account when spending on the card.
- View statements and transaction history for their card only.
- View and manage their card security detail.
- Request their PIN, activate and block card in the app and Online Banking.
Retail cashflow & stock
No, you can send as many payments as you need. The number of fee-free payments depends on your account plan. You can compare Zempler business accounts here.
Yes. Spending insights and categorisation tools can help you understand where your money is going, making it easier to monitor areas such as stock purchasing and supplier costs.
Yes. Many retailers need to buy stock weeks or months before they generate sales from it, particularly around Christmas, Black Friday and seasonal peaks. With Zempler, you can track spending, manage supplier payments and monitor cashflow through the app and Online Banking, helping you stay on top of outgoing costs.
Yes. You can time payments to match when cash comes in, giving you more control over short-term cashflow.
Yes. You can pay suppliers directly from your Zempler account and schedule payments when needed, making it easier to manage regular stock orders and supplier relationships.
Payments, tills & operations
Yes. Many retailers now sell through a combination of physical stores, websites, marketplaces and social commerce platforms. Your Zempler business account can be used to manage income and expenses across all your sales channels in one place.
Yes. Your account will link to your POS terminal provider, helping you automate reconciliation and get a near real-time view of your sales and cashflow.
Yes. With Tap to Pay you can take payments from your phone directly in the Zempler app. Your customers can pay quickly and easily using their contactless cards or mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. No card reader required. Fees apply. You can find out more about Tap to Pay here.
Yes. Real-time transaction tracking lets you check what’s come in throughout the day without waiting for end-of-day reports.
Multi-site & business structure
Yes. Many independent operators use a single account to manage multiple shops, especially if they’re under the same legal entity. If your shops are set up as separate limited companies, you will need a separate account for each site.
No. We currently only allow for one pot per account, so you wouldn’t be able to set multiple pots for different shops. However, you could put things like rent and staff wages into one pot if your account is being used to run multiple shops and they are under one legal entity.
It is possible but isn’t an automated process and could be complicated if there are similar transactions across different venues. You can find out more about our spending insights feature here.
Yes. You can connect your chosen accounting software like Xero, Quickbooks or Sage to your business account for free. Your balance and transaction data syncs automatically. You can download statements easily in CSV format directly from your account in-app or Online Banking. You can find out more about our integrated accounting feature here.
Cash, tips & VAT
Yes. You can deposit cash at any of the UK’s 11,500 Post Office locations nationwide, which is useful for hospitality businesses handling regular cash takings. There is a £4 minimum fee (or 0.55% fee of the total amount paid in).
Yes. You will need to set aside a portion of your income into a dedicated pot for VAT, helping avoid cashflow issues at quarter-end. Please note you can only have one pot per account. Zempler has a Making Tax Digital tool which lets you submit your VAT returns directly from your business account for free. You can read more about what Making Tax Digital for income tax is all about here. We’re also working with accounting software Coconut and offering all Zempler customers a year free of charge. You can find out more here.
Market traders & pop-up retailers
Yes. Zempler accounts are available to eligible sole traders and limited companies, including many market traders and mobile retailers.
Yes. With Tap to Pay you can take payments from your phone directly in the Zempler app. Your customers can pay quickly and easily using their contactless cards or mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. No card reader required. Fees apply. You can find out more about Tap to Pay here.
Yes. Zempler provides both app and Online Banking, making it easy to manage your business finances wherever you're trading.
Tax
Yes. You can use your account pot to set aside money for future tax liabilities and planned business expenses.
Yes. Zempler business accounts come with a free Making Tax Digital tool, helping eligible businesses manage VAT requirements more easily.