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Starling Bank VS OakNorth: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or OakNorth better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and OakNorth 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


OakNorth Homepage
OakNorth Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankOakNorth
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.34.8
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%84%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%3%
Total Number of Reviews38,8698,904
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/oaknorth.co.uk

Starling Bank vs OakNorth App Reviews

Starling BankOakNorth
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.94.8
Number of iPhone Reviews477,5001,600
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.54.8
Number of Android Reviews114,000468
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/oaknorth-savings/id1476387507

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankOakNorth
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNo LimitNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNo£25
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNo£99.99
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%70p per £100
Cheques (in/out)Free£1 per cheque
CHAPS Payments Cost£20£17
SEPA Payments CostNoNo

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Business Savings Rates

Starling BankOakNorth
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneFixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NA3.85%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NA3.85%
Minimum Savings AmountNo£10,000
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesNo
 

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Account Opening Times

Starling BankOakNorth
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 5 Working daysFew minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


OakNorth Account Types
OakNorth Features & Account Types


Starling BankOakNorth
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardNoNo
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 BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsNone, but can use post office locations for some servicesNone, online and phone only

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Customer Support Options

Starling BankOakNorth
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Foreign Currency Accounts

Starling BankOakNorth
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesNo
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesNo
Other Currencies Available:
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
No

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and OakNorth

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


OakNorth Account Types
Other OakNorth Services


Starling BankOakNorth
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesNoYes
Invoice FinancingNoYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Starling Bank vs OakNorth Banking Basics

Starling BankOakNorth
Bank TypeChallengerChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number730166629564
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsiteOakNorth Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or OakNorth 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, OakNorth scores 4.8 out of 5 based 8,904 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 84% are 5-star and 3% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or OakNorth 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, OakNorth’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,600 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 468 reviews.

Does Starling Bank or OakNorth 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, OakNorth offers Fixed Term, Notice Accounts, Easy Access accounts with interest rates ranging from 3.85% to 3.85% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Starling Bank vs Airwallex
Starling Bank vs Triodos Bank
Starling Bank vs Soldo
Starling Bank vs Cambridge Building Society
Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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