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Alternatives

Best Starling Bank alternatives

Starling Bank scores 8.1. These are live products NeoBankDB would open next — each with a full review, not a leftover affiliate tile.

8.1Strong

4.7 user score on Starling Bank · compare licences below

Starling BankMonzoRevolutWiseMercury
Editorial score8.18.18.68.67.6
HQLondonLondonLondonLondonSan Francisco
MonthlyPersonal free Free Free Free personal Free core operations
ProtectionFSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per bank (StarFSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per authorisedEligible deposits at Revolut Bank UK Ltd: FSCS uSafeguarded e-money at Wise Payments Limited — nPass-through FDIC at Choice Financial Group and
Cardmastercardmastercardvisamastercardvisa
Users4M+11M+50M+16M+200k businesses

Full alternatives

#1 alternative

Monzo

active

UK current account that made banking feel like a group chat.

4.7

London · 11M+ · ~$1.3B raised

8.1Strong

The UK salary account to beat. Pair it with Wise or Revolut if you invoice in euros or dollars. Do not open Monzo expecting a travel-card replacement on the free plan.

Best for: UK residents who want FSCS protection and the best everyday app.

Why it beats Starling Bank

  • Full UK bank, FSCS on eligible deposits
  • Pots and salary sorting still class-leading
  • In-app support that actually answers

Watch-outs

  • Not a multi-currency specialist
  • US product is a different, thinner bank
  • Paid plans needed for serious travel
Licence
UK bank
Protection
FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per authorised firm (scheme cap from 1 December 2025) at Monzo Bank Limited.
Monthly
Free · Plus/Premium/Max paid
Full Monzo reviewMonzo alternativesVisit Monzo

#2 alternative

Revolut

active

Digital bank and e-money app. Licence depends on the entity.

4.7

London · 50M+ · $1.7B raised · ~$45B val.

8.6Strong

The default comparison set for a reason. Treat the UK bank product and the e-money wallet as different legal objects, then Revolut wins most travel and multi-currency briefs. It is not the quietest home for a salary if you want a full-licence high-street feel — that is still Starling or Monzo in the UK.

Best for: People who live in more than one currency and want one app for spend, FX, and extras.

Why it beats Starling Bank

  • Best-in-class FX for travellers on paid plans
  • Product depth: bank, broker, crypto, cards, kids
  • UK bank licence closes the old EMI objection for eligible users

Watch-outs

  • Support quality does not match the feature list
  • Weekend FX and fair-usage ATM rules catch Standard users
  • Crypto and stock sleeves are not the bank
Licence
UK bank (eligible customers)
Protection
Eligible deposits at Revolut Bank UK Ltd: FSCS up to £120,000 per person (scheme cap from 1 Dec 2025; Revolut FSCS sheet). Revolut Ltd e-money is safeguarded, not FSCS (UK personal terms, 11 Dec 2025). New customers from 11 March 2026 may still be onboarded onto an EMI account with Revolut Ltd.
Monthly
Free · Plus/Premium/Metal/Ultra paid
Full Revolut reviewRevolut alternativesVisit Revolut

#3 alternative

Wise

active

The mid-market FX rail everyone else is measured against.

4.7

London · 16M+ · Public (WISE)

8.6Strong

The control for cross-border. Pair with a licensed local bank for salary protection. Never describe Wise personal as a UK bank account.

Best for: Anyone who receives or sends money across borders for a living.

Why it beats Starling Bank

  • Honest FX — the number others hide
  • Local details that make you look domestic
  • Business platform that scales past the card

Watch-outs

  • Not a bank in the UK — no FSCS on the EMI wallet
  • Account reviews can freeze funds mid-invoice
  • ATM and spend caps on the free plan
Licence
EMI (personal)
Protection
Safeguarded e-money at Wise Payments Limited — not FSCS. Wise’s own help: they do not lend customer balances; safeguarding is not a deposit-guarantee scheme. Local account details may sit at partner banks (US: Community Federal Savings Bank in some states).
Monthly
Free personal · Wise Business subscription optional
Full Wise reviewWise alternativesVisit Wise

#4 alternative

Mercury

active

The US start-up current account, built with partner banks.

4.6

San Francisco · 200k businesses · ~$150M raised

7.6Solid

If you are a Delaware C-corp, Mercury is the opening account. If you invoice in AUD and EUR, add Airwallex or Wise Business.

Best for: US-incorporated start-ups that need a beautiful operating account.

Why it beats Starling Bank

  • Best-in-class US start-up UX
  • Free core
  • Virtual cards for vendors

Watch-outs

  • Not itself a bank
  • International founders hit KYC walls
  • Synapse-era anxiety applies to every BaaS stack — know the partners
Licence
Fintech with partner banks
Protection
Pass-through FDIC at Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. Mercury is not a bank (Mercury footer).
Monthly
Free core operations
Full Mercury reviewMercury alternativesVisit Mercury

#5 alternative

Yuh

active

Yuh is not a bank. Swissquote Bank Ltd is. esisuisse cover is CHF 100,000, shared.

Gland · Swiss all-in-one app · Swissquote (100% after July 2025)

7.6Solid

Yuh is not a bank. The English homepage says it in one paragraph: Swissquote Bank Ltd provides the banking, FINMA authorises that bank, and esisuisse cover is CHF 100,000 shared with Swissquote. July 2025 ended the PostFinance joint venture. If you already hold cash at Swissquote, do not count CHF 100,000 twice. Zak is Bank Cler. Neon sits at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. Read those files separately.

Best for: People who live in Switzerland and want spend plus invest, and who accept Swissquote as the bank.

Why it beats Starling Bank

  • Official line: Yuh is not a bank
  • Swissquote Bank Ltd is named
  • esisuisse CHF 100,000 is printed

Watch-outs

  • Shared cap with any Swissquote cash you already hold
  • Swiss residency
  • Not Zak, not Neon, not Alpian
Licence
Fintech app — not a bank
Protection
Yuh itself is not a bank. Banking sits at Swissquote Bank Ltd, FINMA-authorised. esisuisse covers eligible deposits up to CHF 100,000. Yuh and Swissquote are one entity, so the cap is shared.
Monthly
No fees whenever possible — live list on yuh.com/en/pricing
Full Yuh reviewYuh alternativesVisit Yuh

#6 alternative

Chase UK

active

J.P. Morgan Europe Limited trading as Chase. UK bank, PRA/FCA, FSCS up to £120,000.

London · UK digital bank · JPMorgan Chase

7.6Solid

Chase UK is a bank. The legal name is J.P. Morgan Europe Limited. PRA-authorised, FCA-regulated, FSCS up to £120,000. It is a useful UK current account with honest travel spend. It is not Revolut’s multi-country stack and not a US Chase login. UK tax residents only.

Best for: UK residents who want a JPMorgan current account in an app, with FSCS, and cheap travel spend.

Why it beats Starling Bank

  • Real UK bank, not an EMI
  • FSCS £120,000
  • £0 monthly

Watch-outs

  • UK residents only
  • No overdraft
  • App-only
Licence
UK bank
Protection
FSCS up to £120,000 per depositor per bank (Chase UK FSCS page) at J.P. Morgan Europe Limited.
Monthly
£0
Full Chase UK reviewChase UK alternativesVisit Chase UK

Questions

01

Why look beyond Starling Bank?

Starling Bank is scored 8.1. Weaknesses on this file: Geography; Brand heat; Extras. Alternatives above are scored independently, not paid placements.

02

Are these Starling Bank alternatives available in the same countries?

Coverage is per product. Open the country page and the individual review — a UK bank licence does not travel, and an EMI is not FSCS.

03

How do I compare them side by side?

Use Compare on any card, up to four products, then open compare.

Back to the Starling Bank review