HSBC Invoice Finance vs Close Brothers
HSBC is a global high street bank; Close Brothers is a UK specialist merchant bank (est. 1878, FTSE 250). Close Brothers wins on accessibility and speed: a £750k minimum turnover (HSBC £1m) and 5-day setup. Neither publishes its pricing. HSBC wins on international trade: integrated multi-currency invoice finance, letters of credit, and global debtor due diligence. UK-focused SMEs should start with Close Brothers; multi-currency exporters with concentrated overseas debtors should start with HSBC.
What this page covers
This page covers
Head-to-head comparison of HSBC Invoice Finance and Close Brothers invoice finance for UK and international businesses 2026
Not covered here
Provider deep-dives at /providers/hsbc/ and /providers/close-brothers/, export factoring guide at /guides/export-invoice-finance/
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | HSBC | Close Brothers |
|---|---|---|
| Service charge from | Not published | Not published |
| Min turnover | £1m | £750k |
| Advance rate | Up to 95% | Up to 90% |
| Setup speed | 10-15 days | 5 days |
| Type | Global high street bank | Specialist merchant bank (FTSE 250) |
| Established | 1865 | 1878 |
| Multi-currency | Strong (global) | UK-focused |
| Trade finance integration | Yes (LC, doc collections) | Limited |
| Confidential discounting | Yes | Yes |
| Construction expertise | Limited | Yes (specialist team) |
| Our rating | 4.0/5 | 4.5/5 |
Choose Close Brothers If...
- You turn over £750k to £1m (below HSBC's published minimum)
- Your business is under £1m turnover (below HSBC's published minimum)
- You need setup in 5 days, not 10-15
- You're in construction, recruitment, or other specialist sectors
- Your debtor base is UK-focused
Choose HSBC If...
- You trade internationally with concentrated overseas debtors
- You need multi-currency invoice finance integrated with letters of credit / documentary collections
- You bank with HSBC already and want a single global relationship
- Your facility is £500k+ and the trade integration is worth more to you than any difference in price
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.
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