OakNorth vs Shawbrook Bank: Which UK Business Loan Provider in 2026?
OakNorth edges this matchup in our 2026 UK review, scoring 4.2 of 5 against Shawbrook Bank on 4.0. OakNorth runs a sme term loan + bridging at Bespoke with decisions in 7 to 14 business days; Shawbrook Bank runs a term loans, asset finance, commercial property at Bespoke. That said, the headline rating is not the whole answer: Shawbrook Bank beats OakNorth for £500k+ commercial property. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "when X wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.
Director, BestBusinessLoans
Oliver leads BestBusinessLoans's editorial reviews and methodology. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees lender research, rate verification and review independence.
Last reviewed: 26 April 2026
Side-by-side
| OakNorth | Shawbrook Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | SME term loan + bridging | Term loans, asset finance, commercial property |
| Founded | 2015 | 2011 |
| Ticket range | £500k to £50m+ | £25k to £25m |
| Typical rate | Bespoke | Bespoke |
| Decision time | 7 to 14 business days | 7 to 14 business days |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | No (hard search) |
| Limited companies only | Yes | Yes |
| FCA regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Companies House | 08595042 | Not published |
| Best for | £500k+ tickets; Acquisition / asset finance; Established Ltd with strong financials | £500k+ commercial property; Bespoke SME deals; Asset-backed lending |
| Overall rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Trustpilot | 4/5 (350 reviews) | 4/5 (1,900 reviews) |
| Last reviewed | 2026-04-26 | 2026-04-26 |
When OakNorth wins
- PRA-regulated UK bank.
- Proprietary credit modelling, willing to underwrite cases mainstream banks refuse.
- Significant facility size available.
- Strong record on commercial real estate and acquisition finance.
Best for
£500k+ tickets, Acquisition / asset finance, Established Ltd with strong financials.
Watch outs
- Not self-serve; a real banker has to engage.
- Headline rates not published.
- Not interested below £500k.
When Shawbrook Bank wins
- Genuine UK specialist bank.
- Strong on £500k+ tickets.
- Bespoke deal structuring.
Best for
£500k+ commercial property, Bespoke SME deals, Asset-backed lending.
Watch outs
- Broker-distributed; needs intermediary.
- Slower than fintech.
- Pricing not headlined.
FAQ
OakNorth or Shawbrook Bank: which is the better UK business loan in 2026?
OakNorth scores higher overall in our 2026 review at 4.2 of 5 versus 4.0 for Shawbrook Bank. That said, the right answer depends on what you trade and what you need. OakNorth is the stronger pick for £500k+ tickets, while Shawbrook Bank is the stronger pick for £500k+ commercial property. If your business sits inside one of those use cases, ignore the headline rating and pick for fit.
What rates and ticket bands do OakNorth and Shawbrook Bank offer?
OakNorth runs a sme term loan + bridging with tickets of £500k to £50m+ at Bespoke. Shawbrook Bank runs a term loans, asset finance, commercial property with tickets of £25k to £25m at Bespoke. Decision time on OakNorth is 7 to 14 business days; on Shawbrook Bank it is 7 to 14 business days. Headline rates rarely match the offered rate, so verify on the lender site before committing, and assume bespoke pricing above £100k where the data allows it.
Eligibility: OakNorth vs Shawbrook Bank, who qualifies?
OakNorth is a hard-search lender (footprint visible to other credit checkers) and lends only to UK limited companies. Shawbrook Bank is hard-search at quote and lends only to UK limited companies. OakNorth is FCA regulated; Shawbrook Bank is FCA regulated.
Which is the wrong answer for what?
OakNorth is the wrong answer for sub-£500k. Shawbrook Bank is the wrong answer for self-serve sub-£100k. If either of those describes your business, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative, or get a quote from our UK lender panel and we will surface the right shortlist.
Can BestBusinessLoans help me choose between OakNorth and Shawbrook Bank?
Yes. Our reviews are editorial; we run a UK lender panel via our /get-quotes/ form that includes both. Tell us monthly turnover, sector and what you need the money for. We match you against the lenders most likely to approve and beat your current cost, then route the application without affecting your credit file at quote stage.
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Get quotes →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-04-26. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).