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Starling Bank VS RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland): Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Homepage
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.31.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%7%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%89%
Total Number of Reviews38,869838
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.rbs.co.uk

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) App Reviews

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.94.8
Number of iPhone Reviews477,500106,900
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.54.3
Number of Android Reviews114,00081,700
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/royal-bank-of-scotland/id334852412

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term LengthNo Limit24 Months
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNoFree
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNoFree
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free35p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%70p per £100
Cheques (in/out)Free70p per item
CHAPS Payments Cost£20£20
SEPA Payments CostNo45p

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Business Savings Rates

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneBusiness reserve, Liquidity manager notice, Treasury reserve, Client deposit manager, Client account manager
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NA1.46%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NA4.25%
Minimum Savings AmountNoNo
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Opening Times

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 5 Working days5 to 7 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Types
RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Features & Account Types


Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
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 TypeMastercardMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsNone, but can use post office locations for some servicesUK-wide including the ability to use some Natwest locations

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Customer Support Options

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Foreign Currency Accounts

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • Swiss franc
  • Japanese yen
  • Australian dollar
  • Canadian dollar
  • New Zealand dollar
  • Swedish krona

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Account Types
Other RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Services


Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesNoYes
Invoice FinancingNoYes
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesYes
Free Accounting SoftwareNoYes

Starling Bank vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Banking Basics

Starling BankRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Bank TypeChallengerHigh Street
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number730166114724
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsiteRBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) scores 1.3 out of 5 based 838 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 7% are 5-star and 89% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 106,900 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.3 out of 5 based on 81,700 reviews.

Does Starling Bank or RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) 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, RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) offers Business reserve, Liquidity manager notice, Treasury reserve, Client deposit manager, Client account manager accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.46% to 4.25% (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Starling Bank vs Wise
Starling Bank vs Revolut Business
Starling Bank vs Danske Bank UK
Starling Bank vs Ulster Bank
Starling Bank vs Kent Reliance


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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