Starling review: is the Starling business account right for you?

Starling business account at a glance

Starling review: plans and fees

Starling keeps it simple: one Starling business account for limited companies, LLPs and sole traders, with no monthly fee. You can add paid extras if you need them, and multiple directors can be added free of charge.

Starling doesn't say whether the Accounting Plus price includes VAT, so check if you plan to reclaim it.

No monthly fee doesn't mean nothing costs money. These are the main per-item fees from Starling's schedule, effective 27 April 2026:

Starling pays no interest on positive balances in the main account.

Not a partner: we don't earn from Starling. Disclosure

Features

The Starling business account includes the everyday tools most small businesses need, without a paid plan.

• Invoicing: create and send invoices from the account at no extra charge.
• Spaces: separate pots inside the account for tax, overheads or anything else you want to set aside.
• Insights and receipts: spending insights and digital receipts attached to transactions.
• Accounting: Starling Accounting Essentials is included at no charge for Making Tax Digital, tax estimates and bookkeeping. Accounting Plus adds VAT returns.
• Integrations: connect Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent through the Business Marketplace.
• Several directors: you can add multiple directors to one Starling business account at no charge.
• Other currencies: Starling also offers euro and US dollar business accounts. Check their fees with Starling before you open one.

For the Starling business account, the only current promotion we found is the Accounting Plus price: £7 a month until April 2027, which Starling describes as 50% off, then £14.

Is the Starling business account safe?

Starling is a bank, not an e-money provider. The Starling business account is provided by Starling Bank Limited, which is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per bank.

Starling's FSCS information says eligible deposits in business accounts are treated as if made by a single depositor. If you hold more than £120,000, or you hold other money with Starling, check how the limit applies to you on the FSCS website.

A bank account gives you a different kind of protection from an e-money account, where money is safeguarded instead. Our guide to bank vs e-money accounts explains why that matters.

Cash and international payments

Cash. You can only pay cash into a Starling business account at the Post Office, and it costs 0.7% of the amount, with a £3 minimum. On a £1,000 deposit, that's £7. Starling also excludes businesses that make significant cash deposits, so it isn't designed for cash-heavy trades.

Starling's own pages differ on cash deposit limits. Both say £5,000 a day. The eligibility page gives a yearly limit of £100,000, while the sole trader page says £20,000 a calendar year. If you pay in cash regularly, confirm your limit with Starling before you open the account.

Sending money abroad. International payments from a Starling business account use Starling's outbound exchange rate plus a 0.4% conversion fee. Intermediary banks may take their own fees too.

Receiving money from abroad. Foreign currency is converted at Starling's inbound rate. Starling doesn't publish its margin, so compare the amount you receive.

Spending abroad. With a Starling business account, Starling doesn't charge a fee for using your card abroad, and Mastercard's exchange rates apply. ATM withdrawals carry no Starling fee.

Who it suits

Here's how the Starling business account fits different kinds of business.

Opening and switching

You can apply for a Starling business account online or in the app. Starling doesn't publish a typical opening time; it says it will confirm your account as soon as it can. Allow a few days before any deadline that matters.

1. 1

   Check you're eligible

   For a company or LLP, the applicant must be over 18 and both a director and a PSC, and all PSCs and directors with access must be UK residents. Sole traders must be UK resident, 18 or over and not in a partnership.

2. 2

   Apply

   Start online or in the Starling app and enter your business details.

3. 3

   Provide documents and ID

   Starling asks for business documents and identification. Check in the application exactly what you need.

4. 4

   Get a decision and your card

   Once Starling approves the account, your card is sent to you.

Switching. You can move your existing account to a Starling business account. Starling supports the Current Account Switch Service, and your switch is backed by the Current Account Switch Guarantee. Starling doesn't offer a switching incentive.

Becoming a company later. If you start as a sole trader and later form a limited company, you'll need a new Starling business account. The sole trader agreement doesn't transfer.

Limitations

No Starling review is complete without the limits. These are the points Starling states itself that are most likely to rule it out:

• Business types: no general partnerships, holding companies, insolvent businesses or client-money businesses, and no corporate shareholders.
• Residency: all PSCs and all directors with access must be UK residents.
• Excluded sectors: a long list, including gambling, crypto-adjacent financial services, used vehicles, CBD, antiques and precious metals.
• No interest on your main account balance.
• CHAPS costs £20 a payment.
• Cash deposits cost 0.7%, with a £3 minimum.
• No overdrafts for sole traders.
• Sole trader accounts: one per business, and no more than two in total.

If none of these affect you, this Starling review suggests the account will cover your everyday banking well.

Starling vs Tide

Tide is our featured partner, so here's a fair, factual comparison with the Starling business account. Both are run from an app and both have a £0 option.

The Starling business account is stronger for UK payments and card spending abroad on a £0 plan, and it's a bank in its own right. Tide adds company registration, a savings account with interest, and a choice of plans. Read our Tide review and our is Tide safe? guide for the full picture.

If Tide suits you better, new Tide members can use code STARTUP200 for up to £200 cashback: £75 after spending £100 on the Tide card within 30 days, plus £125 for paying £5,000 into a Tide Instant Saver within 7 days of opening and keeping it there for 30 days*. *T&Cs apply See our Tide promo code page for the details.

Alternatives to consider

If this Starling review has shown a gap, compare business bank accounts side by side, or read these reviews:

• Monzo Business review: a UK bank with a £0 Lite plan, £1 cash deposits, and paid plans for teams.
• Mettle review: no monthly fee, a flat £2.75 per cash deposit, and FreeAgent included for one-person businesses.
• Also see ANNA, Zempler, Revolut Business and Wise Business.

Our featured partner Tide also has a sign-up offer: code STARTUP200 can earn new Tide members up to £200 cashback, so compare it with Starling before you decide*. *T&Cs apply

Ready to apply after reading this Starling review? You can start online or in the app.

Not a partner: we don't earn from Starling. Disclosure

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Every fact in this Starling review comes from Starling's own pages. All sources checked 25 October 2026.

• Starling: business account
• Starling: Business and Sole Trader Current Account Schedule and Rates, Fees & Charges, April 2026 (PDF)
• Starling: FSCS protection
• Starling: business account eligibility
• Starling: sole trader bank account
• Starling: accounting
• Starling: switch your business account
• Starling: service information
• Starling: business account general terms, April 2026 (PDF)