Compare Switch

Compare Switch: A UK comparison service for SME business products

Compare Switch is a UK-based comparison service aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. The company presents itself as a broker that helps businesses review and switch contracts across a broad range of categories, from energy and telecoms to insurance, finance and banking. Its stated premise is that businesses are often underserved by comparison tools compared with retail consumers, and that many owners neglect to review contracts and end up paying more than necessary.

The service is free to the customer. Compare Switch states that it does not charge customers a fee for its broker services but receives a commission from partners following an introduction made through its website. It also describes itself as a credit broker rather than a lender, introducing borrowers to lenders for various types of loan agreements, including short-term unsecured and secured loans.

Product categories available for comparison

The site organises its comparison offering into several groups. The categories listed are:

• Telecoms: business broadband, leased line, mobile phones and VoIP.
• Energy: business energy, business electricity, business gas, energy procurement and small business energy.
• Payment solutions: card machines, merchant services and payment gateways.
• Insurance: business insurance, public liability, professional indemnity, business protection, cyber insurance, landlord insurance, van insurance and temporary van insurance.
• Finance: business loans, business credit cards, bridging loans, merchant cash advance, commercial mortgage, development finance, invoice finance, asset finance, tax loans and van leasing.
• Bank accounts: business bank accounts, start-up accounts, bad credit accounts, basic accounts, contractor accounts, free business bank accounts, online business bank accounts, small business accounts and switching accounts.

These categories are presented both in the site navigation and in a selector inviting visitors to choose what they want to compare.

How the service is described

Compare Switch outlines a three-step approach: getting to know the business and identifying the services that need attention; building relationships with vendors and suppliers to obtain the best market rate; and managing and maintaining the service so the client does not worry about being out of pocket. The company says it will manage the service, find the best price, carry out a comparison and help the business save money, while also guiding clients to the right products.

The site includes a section headed "How We Have Helped businesses achieve", which describes a comparison site under the name Energy Savers. That text explains that the site has helped businesses save money by switching energy providers, simplifying the switching process, offering tailored recommendations, providing access to a range of energy plans and exclusive deals, and handling paperwork to minimise disruption. The relationship between Compare Switch and Energy Savers is not explained in the material available.

Experience and positioning

Compare Switch states that it has been helping businesses for eight years, has compared products for over 10,000 businesses and describes itself as a multi-award-winning business. It also claims to offer exclusive offers for its customers and 5-star customer service. These are the company's own presentations and are not independently verified in the source material.

The company says it covers the UK and provides customer support, with online access always open. It also mentions sharing insider hints and tips about business growth through a newsletter.

Customer feedback shown on the site

The website displays testimonials attributed to named individuals and companies, including comments about sourcing urgent finance, leased line and VoIP upgrades, energy savings, card machine deals and support for a new start-up. The page also references Google and Trustpilot in the context of reviews, but no aggregate rating or review count is stated in the available text. The testimonials are individual accounts and are presented as such.

Broker status and fees

Compare Switch explicitly identifies itself as a credit broker, not a lender, and introduces borrowers and lenders for different types of loan agreements. It states that customers are not charged a fee for using its broker services, and that it receives commission from its partners following an introduction through the website.