Close Brothers vs Bibby Financial Services
Close Brothers and Bibby Financial Services are two of the UK's most established invoice finance providers. Close Brothers is a merchant bank (est. 1878) with rates from 0.5%. Bibby is the UK's largest independent provider (est. 1982, part of the 1807-founded Bibby Line Group) with rates from 0.75%. Both accept businesses from £50,000 turnover and have specialist construction, recruitment, and export teams.
Close Brothers is cheaper (0.5% vs 0.75%) and better for established businesses wanting a bank-backed provider. Bibby is more flexible with startups, exports to 80+ countries, and has the larger construction team.
More detail + scope
Summary
Close Brothers is a merchant bank (est. 1878) with the lowest headline rate in market at 0.5%. Bibby is the UK's largest independent provider (family-owned since 1807) with rates from 0.75%. Both accept £50k turnover and offer specialist construction, recruitment, and export teams. Choose Close Brothers for lowest cost; choose Bibby for startups, difficult credit, or extensive international trade.
This page covers
Head-to-head comparison of Close Brothers and Bibby invoice finance for UK businesses in 2026
Not covered here
Individual provider reviews (see /providers/close-brothers/ and /providers/bibby/), export factoring (see /best/best-for-export/)
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Close Brothers | Bibby |
|---|---|---|
| Service charge from | 0.5% | 0.75% |
| Advance rate | Up to 90% | Up to 90% |
| Min turnover | £50,000 | £50,000 |
| Setup speed | 5 days | 5 days |
| Type | Merchant bank | Independent (family-owned) |
| Established | 1878 | 1982 (Group: 1807) |
| Export factoring | 60+ countries | 80+ countries |
| Construction team | Yes | Yes (larger) |
| Startup friendly | Moderate | Yes - day one |
| Bad debt protection | Available | Available |
| Our rating | 4.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
Choose Close Brothers If...
- Lowest cost is your priority
- You want a bank-backed provider with a long track record
- Your business is well-established with a clean credit profile
Choose Bibby If...
- You're a startup or have challenging credit history
- You export to many countries and need multi-currency support
- You're in construction and need specialist stage payment handling
- You prefer an independent provider over a bank
Director, Market Invoice
Oliver leads Market Invoice's editorial and comparison research. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees provider analysis, rate verification, and industry reporting across all verticals.
Last reviewed: 5 April 2026