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Barclays VS Starling Bank: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Barclays or Starling Bank better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Barclays 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.

Barclays Homepage
Barclays Homepage


Starling Bank Homepage
Starling Bank Homepage
 

Barclays vs Starling Bank Trustpilot Reviews

BarclaysStarling Bank
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.44.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews8%76%
Percent 1- Star Reviews86%11%
Total Number of Reviews9,85938,869
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.barclays.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com

Barclays vs Starling Bank App Reviews

BarclaysStarling Bank
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.84.9
Number of iPhone Reviews1,700,000477,500
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.84.5
Number of Android Reviews506,000114,000
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/barclays/id536248734
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430

Barclays vs Starling Bank Account Fees & Charges

BarclaysStarling 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 (up to 500 per month; 35p after)Free
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)60p per £100/Free0.70%
Cheques (in/out)60p each/60p eachFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£15£20
SEPA Payments Cost35pNo

Barclays vs Starling Bank Business Savings Rates

BarclaysStarling Bank
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access, Fixed-term Treasury Reserve AccountsNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.51%NA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)1.96%NA
Minimum Savings Amount£1No
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Barclays vs Starling Bank Account Opening Times

BarclaysStarling Bank
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
Up to 7 Working Days1 to 5 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Barclays vs Starling Bank Features & Account Types

Barclays Account Types
Barclays Features & Account Types


Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


BarclaysStarling Bank
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYes, via BarclaycardNo
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsUK-wideNone, but can use post office locations for some services

Barclays vs Starling Bank Customer Support Options

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

Barclays vs Starling Bank Foreign Currency Accounts

BarclaysStarling Bank
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • Czech Koruna (CZK)
  • Danish Krone (DKK)
  • Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
  • Norwegian Krone (NOK)
  • Polish Zloty (PLN)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)
  • South African Rand (ZAR)
  • Swedish Krona (SEK)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • UAE Dirham (AED)
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)

Other Business Services From Barclays and Starling Bank

Barclays Account Types
Other Barclays Services


Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


BarclaysStarling Bank
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Card MachinesYes, via BarclaycardYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYes, FreshBooksNo

Barclays vs Starling Bank Banking Basics

BarclaysStarling Bank
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number122702730166
WebsiteBarclays WebsiteStarling Bank Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Barclays or Starling Bank have better customer reviews?

Barclays scores 1.4 out of 5 based 9,859 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 8% are 5-star and 86% 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 Barclays or Starling Bank have a better App?

Barclays’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,700,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 506,000 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 Barclays or Starling Bank have better business savings rates?

Barclays offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access, Fixed-term Treasury Reserve Accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.51% to 1.96%. (AER)

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

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


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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