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Starling Bank VS Cater Allen: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or Cater Allen better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and Cater Allen 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


Cater Allen Homepage
Cater Allen Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankCater Allen
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.31.9
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%7%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%80%
Total Number of Reviews38,869136
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.caterallen.co.uk

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen App Reviews

Starling BankCater Allen
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.9No Rating
Number of iPhone Reviews477,500No Reviews
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.5No Rating
Number of Android Reviews114,000No Reviews
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://www.apple.com/uk/app-store/

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankCater Allen
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNo LimitNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNoFree
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNo£25
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free£2
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%Free
Cheques (in/out)Free£6
CHAPS Payments Cost£20£25
SEPA Payments CostNo£2

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Business Savings Rates

Starling BankCater Allen
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneFixed Term, Notice Account
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NA3.00%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NA4.70%
Minimum Savings AmountNoNo
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Account Opening Times

Starling BankCater Allen
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 5 Working days7 days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


Cater Allen Account Types
Cater Allen Features & Account Types


Starling BankCater Allen
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardNoNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesYes
Card TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsNone, but can use post office locations for some servicesNone, online and phone only

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Customer Support Options

Starling BankCater Allen
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesNo
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Foreign Currency Accounts

Starling BankCater Allen
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • CHF (Swiss Franc)
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • AUD (Australian Dollar)
  • NZD (New Zealand Dollar)
  • SGD (Singapore Dollar)
  • HKD (Hong Kong Dollar)

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and Cater Allen

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


Cater Allen Account Types
Other Cater Allen Services


Starling BankCater Allen
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesNoNo
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Starling Bank vs Cater Allen Banking Basics

Starling BankCater Allen
Bank TypeChallengerHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number730166178737
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsiteCater Allen Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or Cater Allen 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, Cater Allen scores 1.9 out of 5 based 136 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 7% are 5-star and 80% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or Cater Allen 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, Cater Allen’s iPhone App is rated No Rating out of 5 based on No Reviews reviews. And it’s Android App is rated No Rating out of 5 based on No Reviews reviews.

Does Starling Bank or Cater Allen 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, Cater Allen offers Fixed Term, Notice Account accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.00% to 4.70% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Starling Bank vs Unity Trust
Starling Bank vs United Trust Bank
Starling Bank vs HSBC Kinetic
Starling Bank vs CardOneMoney


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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