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Starling Bank VS Wise: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Starling Bank or Wise better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Starling Bank and Wise 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


Wise Homepage
Wise Homepage
 

Starling Bank vs Wise Trustpilot Reviews

Starling BankWise
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)4.34.2
Percent 5-Star Reviews76%83%
Percent 1- Star Reviews11%7%
Total Number of Reviews38,869207,506
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/wise.com

Starling Bank vs Wise App Reviews

Starling BankWise
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.94.8
Number of iPhone Reviews477,50085,400
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.54.8
Number of Android Reviews114,000762,000
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/wise/id612261027

Starling Bank vs Wise Account Fees & Charges

Starling BankWise
Free Business Bank AccountYesNo
Free Business Account Term LengthNo LimitNA
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNoFree
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNoFree
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)Free0.42%
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)0.70%2% / 1.75%
Cheques (in/out)FreeUnknown
CHAPS Payments Cost£20£25
SEPA Payments CostNoNo

Starling Bank vs Wise Business Savings Rates

Starling BankWise
Types of Business Savings AccountsNoneBlackRock ICS Sterling Government Liquidity Fund
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)NA4.67%
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)NA4.67%
Minimum Savings AmountNo£1
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Starling Bank vs Wise Account Opening Times

Starling BankWise
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 5 Working days2 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

Starling Bank vs Wise Features & Account Types

Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


Wise Account Types
Wise Features & Account Types


Starling BankWise
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesNo
Business Credit CardNoNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesYes
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesNo
Card TypeMastercardVisa/Mastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesYes
Branch LocationsNone, but can use post office locations for some servicesNone, online only

Starling Bank vs Wise Customer Support Options

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

Starling Bank vs Wise Foreign Currency Accounts

Starling BankWise
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)
  • AUD – Australian dollar
  • BGN – Bulgarian lev
  • BRL – Brazilian real
  • CAD – Canadian dollar
  • CHF – Swiss franc
  • CZK – Czech koruna
  • DKK – Danish krone
  • EUR – Euro
  • GBP – British pound
  • HKD – Hong Kong dollar
  • HUF – Hungarian forint
  • IDR – Indonesian rupiah
  • INR – Indian rupee
  • JPY – Japanese yen
  • MYR – Malaysian ringgit
  • NOK – Norwegian krone
  • NZD – New Zealand dollar
  • PLN – Polish zÅ‚oty
  • RON – Romanian leu
  • SEK – Swedish krona
  • SGD – Singapore dollar

Other Business Services From Starling Bank and Wise

Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


Wise Account Types
Other Wise Services


Starling BankWise
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesNoNo
Invoice FinancingNoNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoYes

Starling Bank vs Wise Banking Basics

Starling BankWise
Bank TypeChallengerChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000No, unless money is held in assets
FCA Number730166900507
WebsiteStarling Bank WebsiteWise Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Starling Bank or Wise 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, Wise scores 4.2 out of 5 based 207,506 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 83% are 5-star and 7% are 1-star.

Does Starling Bank or Wise 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, Wise’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 85,400 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 762,000 reviews.

Does Starling Bank or Wise 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, Wise offers BlackRock ICS Sterling Government Liquidity Fund accounts with interest rates ranging from 4.67% to 4.67% (AER).

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


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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