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Bank of Scotland VS Starling Bank: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


By: Ian Wright | Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Is Bank of Scotland or Starling Bank better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Bank of Scotland and Starling Bank reviews on Trustpilot along with their App reviews from Apple and Google.

We then look at typical fees, business savings rates, foreign currency options and a whole bunch of other account features to help you make up your mind.

Bank of Scotland Homepage
Bank of Scotland Homepage


Starling Bank Homepage
Starling Bank Homepage
 

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Trustpilot Reviews

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.64.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews12%76%
Percent 1- Star Reviews80%11%
Total Number of Reviews64938,869
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.bankofscotland.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank App Reviews

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.9
Number of iPhone Reviews269,400477,500
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.54.5
Number of Android Reviews44,100114,000
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bank-of-scotland-mobile-bank/id485728109
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Account Fees & Charges

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term Length12 MonthsNo Limit
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£8.50No
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£8.50No
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free / 20pFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)£85p / £1.50 per £1000.70%
Cheques (in/out)85p per chequeFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£30£20
SEPA Payments Cost£5No

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Business Savings Rates

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Types of Business Savings AccountsFixed Term Deposit, Notice Accounts, Instant Access AccountNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.31%NA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)4.37%NA
Minimum Savings Amount£1No
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Account Opening Times

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
7 Working days1 to 5 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Features & Account Types

Bank of Scotland Account Types
Bank of Scotland Features & Account Types


Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeVisaMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsScotland onlyNone, but can use post office locations for some services

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Customer Support Options

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Foreign Currency Accounts

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)

Other Business Services From Bank of Scotland and Starling Bank

Bank of Scotland Account Types
Other Bank of Scotland Services


Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Bank of Scotland vs Starling Bank Banking Basics

Bank of ScotlandStarling Bank
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number169628730166
WebsiteBank of Scotland WebsiteStarling Bank Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Bank of Scotland or Starling Bank have better customer reviews?

Bank of Scotland scores 1.6 out of 5 based 649 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 12% are 5-star and 80% are 1-star.

Whereas, Starling Bank scores 4.3 out of 5 based 38,869 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 76% are 5-star and 11% are 1-star.

Does Bank of Scotland or Starling Bank have a better App?

Bank of Scotland’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 269,400 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 44,100 reviews.

In comparison, Starling Bank’s iPhone App is rated 4.9 out of 5 based on 477,500 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 114,000 reviews.

Does Bank of Scotland or Starling Bank have better business savings rates?

Bank of Scotland offers the following types of business savings accounts: Fixed Term Deposit, Notice Accounts, Instant Access Account with interest rates ranging from 1.31% to 4.37%. (AER)

In contrast, Starling Bank offers None accounts with interest rates ranging from NA to NA (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Bank of Scotland vs Shawbrook Bank
Bank of Scotland vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Bank of Scotland vs Wise
Bank of Scotland vs Revolut Business
Bank of Scotland vs Danske Bank UK


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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