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Starling Bank VS Saffron Building Society: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or Saffron Building Society better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and Saffron Building Society 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


Saffron Building Society Homepage
Saffron Building Society Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.32.2
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%21%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%73%
Total Number of Reviews38,86958
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/saffronbs.co.uk

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society App Reviews

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.93.7
Number of iPhone Reviews477,50024
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.53.7
Number of Android Reviews114,00014
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/saffron-building-society/id1482290341

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
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)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%Free
Cheques (in/out)Free£1.50
CHAPS Payments Cost£20£15
SEPA Payments CostNo25p

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Business Savings Rates

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneRegular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NA1.20%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NA5.75%
Minimum Savings AmountNo£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesNo
 

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Account Opening Times

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 5 Working daysUndisclosed
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


Saffron Building Society Account Types
Saffron Building Society Features & Account Types


Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardNoYes
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesNo
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 servicesLocations in Essex only

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Customer Support Options

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Foreign Currency Accounts

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

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and Saffron Building Society

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


Saffron Building Society Account Types
Other Saffron Building Society Services


Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesNoYes
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesNo
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

Starling Bank vs Saffron Building Society Banking Basics

Starling BankSaffron Building Society
Bank TypeChallengerBuilding Society
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number730166100015
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsiteSaffron Building Society Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or Saffron Building Society 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, Saffron Building Society scores 2.2 out of 5 based 58 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 21% are 5-star and 73% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or Saffron Building Society 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, Saffron Building Society’s iPhone App is rated 3.7 out of 5 based on 24 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 3.7 out of 5 based on 14 reviews.

Does Starling Bank or Saffron Building Society 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, Saffron Building Society offers Regular Savings, Easy access, Fixed rate bonds, Notice accounts, Business/corporate accounts accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.20% to 5.75% (AER).

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


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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