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Virgin Money VS Starling Bank: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


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

Is Virgin Money or Starling Bank better for your small business?



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Below we look at both Virgin Money and Starling Bank 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.

Virgin Money Homepage
Virgin Money Homepage


Starling Bank Homepage
Starling Bank Homepage
 

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Trustpilot Reviews

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.44.3
Percent 5-Star Reviews5%76%
Percent 1- Star Reviews89%11%
Total Number of Reviews6,79938,869
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/uk.virginmoney.com
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/starlingbank.com

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank App Reviews

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.64.9
Number of iPhone Reviews125,000477,500
Android Review Score (out of 5)44.5
Number of Android Reviews23,400114,000
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/virgin-money-mobile-banking/id1482269155
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/starling-bank-mobile-banking/id956806430

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Account Fees & Charges

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term Length25 MonthsNo Limit
Cheapest Monthly Account FeeNoNo
Most Expensive Monthly Account FeeNoNo
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)FreeFree
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)90p per £1000.70%
Cheques (in/out)30p per chequeFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£25£20
SEPA Payments Cost£20No

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Business Savings Rates

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Types of Business Savings AccountsInstant access accounts, Notice accounts, Fixed term deposit accountsNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)1.35%NA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)5.15%NA
Minimum Savings Amount£1No
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Account Opening Times

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
1 to 47 Working days1 to 5 Working days
Do They Check Your Credit?YesYes
Current Account Switch ServiceYesYes

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Features & Account Types

Virgin Money Account Types
Virgin Money Features & Account Types


Starling Bank Account Types
Starling Bank Features & Account Types


Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesYes
Business Credit CardYesNo
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 LocationsNorthern England and Scotland onlyNone, but can use post office locations for some services

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Customer Support Options

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesYes

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Foreign Currency Accounts

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:No
  • CAD (Canadian Dollar)

Other Business Services From Virgin Money and Starling Bank

Virgin Money Account Types
Other Virgin Money Services


Starling Bank Account Types
Other Starling Bank Services


Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Business LoansYesYes
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesNoYes
Free Accounting SoftwareYesNo

Virgin Money vs Starling Bank Banking Basics

Virgin MoneyStarling Bank
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000Yes, up to £85,000
FCA Number121873730166
WebsiteVirgin Money WebsiteStarling Bank Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does Virgin Money or Starling Bank have better customer reviews?

Virgin Money scores 1.4 out of 5 based 6,799 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 5% are 5-star and 89% are 1-star.

Whereas, Starling Bank scores 4.3 out of 5 based 38,869 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 76% are 5-star and 11% are 1-star.

Does Virgin Money or Starling Bank have a better App?

Virgin Money’s iPhone App is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 125,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4 out of 5 based on 23,400 reviews.

In comparison, 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.

Does Virgin Money or Starling Bank have better business savings rates?

Virgin Money offers the following types of business savings accounts: Instant access accounts, Notice accounts, Fixed term deposit accounts with interest rates ranging from 1.35% to 5.15%. (AER)

In contrast, Starling Bank offers None accounts with interest rates ranging from NA to NA (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
Virgin Money vs Shawbrook Bank
Virgin Money vs RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland)
Virgin Money vs Wise
Virgin Money vs Revolut Business
Virgin Money vs Danske Bank UK


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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