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Starling Bank VS AIB (Allied Irish Bank): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and AIB (Allied Irish 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.

Starling Bank Homepage
Starling Bank Homepage


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Homepage
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.32.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%20%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%70%
Total Number of Reviews38,86910
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/aibgb.co.uk

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) App Reviews

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.91.7
Number of iPhone Reviews477,500227
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.51.9
Number of Android Reviews114,00021,400
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/aib-mobile/id468042881

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNo LimitNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNo£10
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNo£10
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%65p per £100
Cheques (in/out)Free70p
CHAPS Payments Cost£20£25
SEPA Payments CostNo£20

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Business Savings Rates

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneDemand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NA0.25%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NA3.02%
Minimum Savings AmountNo£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Opening Times

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 5 Working days15 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Types
AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Features & Account Types


Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardNoYes
Business OverdraftYesYes
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardVisa
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsNone, but can use post office locations for some servicesBelfast, London and Dublin

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Customer Support Options

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Foreign Currency Accounts

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Canadian Dollar (CAD)
  • Swiss Franc (CHF)
  • Japanese Yen (JPY)
  • Chinese Yuan (CNY)
  • Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and AIB (Allied Irish Bank)

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Account Types
Other AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Services


Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesNoYes
Invoice FinancingNoYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank) Banking Basics

Starling BankAIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Bank TypeChallengerHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number730166204793
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsiteAIB (Allied Irish Bank) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better customer reviews?

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

Whereas, AIB (Allied Irish Bank) scores 2.8 out of 5 based 10 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 20% are 5-star and 70% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have a better App?

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.

In comparison, AIB (Allied Irish Bank)’s iPhone App is rated 1.7 out of 5 based on 227 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 1.9 out of 5 based on 21,400 reviews.

Does Starling Bank or AIB (Allied Irish Bank) have better business savings rates?

Starling Bank offers the following types of business savings accounts: None with interest rates ranging from NA to NA. (AER)

In contrast, AIB (Allied Irish Bank) offers Demand deposit account, Business fixed term deposit account, Currency deposit account accounts with interest rates ranging from 0.25% to 3.02% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Starling Bank vs Unity Trust
Starling Bank vs United Trust Bank
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Starling Bank vs CardOneMoney
Starling Bank vs Fair Everywhere


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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