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Starling Bank VS PayPal Debit: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or PayPal Debit better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and PayPal Debit 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


PayPal Debit Homepage
PayPal Debit Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankPayPal Debit
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.31.4
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%20%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%73%
Total Number of Reviews38,8695,277
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.paypal.co.uk

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit App Reviews

Starling BankPayPal Debit
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.94.1
Number of iPhone Reviews477,5001,600
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.53.3
Number of Android Reviews114,00091,500
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/paypal-business/id1053148887

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankPayPal Debit
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNo LimitNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNoNo
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNoNo
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%Free
Cheques (in/out)FreeFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£20No
SEPA Payments CostNoNo

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Business Savings Rates

Starling BankPayPal Debit
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NANA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NANA
Minimum Savings AmountNoNA
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Account Opening Times

Starling BankPayPal Debit
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 ServiceYesYes

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


PayPal Debit Account Types
PayPal Debit Features & Account Types


Starling BankPayPal Debit
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesNo
Business Credit CardNoNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesNo
Accounts For Sole TradersYesNo
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 only

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Customer Support Options

Starling BankPayPal Debit
Phone Support AvailableYesNo
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Foreign Currency Accounts

Starling BankPayPal Debit
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • AUD – Australian dollar
  • BRL – Brazilian real
  • CAD – Canadian dollar
  • CHF – Swiss franc
  • CNY – Chinese yuan
  • EUR – Euro
  • GBP – British pound sterling
  • HKD – Hong Kong dollar
  • INR – Indian rupee
  • JPY – Japanese yen
  • KRW – South Korean won
  • MXN – Mexican peso
  • NZD – New Zealand dollar
  • PHP – Philippine peso
  • PLN – Polish zloty
  • RUB – Russian ruble
  • SGD – Singapore dollar
  • USD – United States dollar
  • ZAR – South African rand

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and PayPal Debit

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


PayPal Debit Account Types
Other PayPal Debit Services


Starling BankPayPal Debit
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesNoNo
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareNoYes

Starling Bank vs PayPal Debit Banking Basics

Starling BankPayPal Debit
Bank TypeChallengerChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000No
FCA Number730166742277
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsitePayPal Debit Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or PayPal Debit 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, PayPal Debit scores 1.4 out of 5 based 5,277 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 20% are 5-star and 73% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or PayPal Debit 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, PayPal Debit’s iPhone App is rated 4.1 out of 5 based on 1,600 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 3.3 out of 5 based on 91,500 reviews.

Does Starling Bank or PayPal Debit 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, PayPal Debit offers None accounts with interest rates ranging from NA to NA (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Starling Bank vs Allica Bank
Starling Bank vs Cater Allen
Starling Bank vs AIB (Allied Irish Bank)
Starling Bank vs Unity Trust
Starling Bank vs United Trust Bank


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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