Our verdict
Starling Bank is a UK bank that lives in an app. It has one personal account with no monthly fee and no paid tiers, a Mastercard debit card that charges nothing extra abroad, and an optional euro account with its own IBAN. Deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000, because Starling is a fully authorised bank.
For anyone in the UK who travels, gets paid in euros or sends money abroad now and then, it is one of the simplest accounts to recommend. Its limits are just as clear: it is for UK residents only, and personal customers can hold pounds and euros but no other currencies. Here is what it costs, worked through with Starling’s own fee documents.
Starling fees at a glance (personal account, 2026)
| Starling | |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None; one personal account for everyone |
| Card payments abroad | No Starling fee; Mastercard exchange rate |
| Cash abroad | No Starling fee; up to £300 a day in local currency |
| Euro account | No monthly fee; own IBAN; 0.4% to convert, plus a 0.5% margin at weekends and on bank holidays |
| Sending money abroad | 0.4% conversion fee plus delivery: £0.30 (EUR, USD, PLN), £0.90 (CZK, HUF) or £5.50 by SWIFT |
| Receiving foreign currency | No fee, but converted to pounds at Starling’s inbound rate (includes a margin) |
| Cash deposits at the Post Office | Free up to £1,000 a calendar year, then 0.7% |
| Replacement card | £5, or £10 if lost or stolen abroad |
From Starling’s personal account schedule (effective 31 May 2026) and its travel, euro account and international payments pages. ATM owners may add their own fees.
What Starling costs: worked examples
A week in Spain: €800 by card and €400 in cash
Starling charges nothing on either. You pay Mastercard’s exchange rate on the card payments, and the €400 of cash is free as long as you take out no more than £300 worth a day (€400 is about £335, so split it over two days). Choose to be charged in euros whenever a card machine or ATM offers pounds.
A month in Thailand with £500 of cash
Still £0 in Starling fees, within the £300 daily limit. Some local ATMs charge their own fee, which Starling cannot waive.
Sending £1,000 abroad
| Destination | Starling fees | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Euro account in Spain | 0.4% (£4.00) + £0.30 delivery | £4.30, at Starling’s exchange rate |
| US bank account | 0.4% (£4.00) + £0.30 delivery | £4.30, at Starling’s exchange rate |
| Czech or Hungarian account | 0.4% (£4.00) + £0.90 delivery | £4.90, at Starling’s exchange rate |
| A country reached only by SWIFT | 0.4% (£4.00) + £5.50 | £9.50, at Starling’s exchange rate |
Starling covers 34 countries and 17 currencies. For comparison, Wise charged £3.81 to send £1,000 to euros at the mid-market rate on our check date; compare the amount received before you send.
Getting paid €2,000 by a client
Into the euro account, the payment arrives with no Starling fee and you can keep it in euros. Converting it to pounds on a weekday costs 0.4% (€8); at a weekend or on a bank holiday the extra 0.5% margin adds about €10. Paid into your sterling account instead, it would be converted on arrival at Starling’s inbound rate.
Who Starling is for
- UK residents who travel and want one card with no foreign fees and no monthly allowance to track.
- Anyone paid in euros, or saving for a property or trip in the eurozone, who wants a euro IBAN with FSCS protection.
- People who want a straightforward main bank account: there is no plan to choose and no upsell.
- Less suited: anyone outside the UK (Starling requires UK residence), anyone who needs to hold US dollars or other currencies personally (the USD account is for limited companies only and is not currently taking applications), and people who send money abroad very often and want the mid-market rate.
Who can open a Starling account
You need to be 16 or over and resident in the UK with the right to reside there. The personal account is for personal use; Starling offers separate business accounts. The euro account requires a Starling personal account.
Is Starling Bank safe?
Yes, in the sense that matters most: Starling Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and the PRA, and eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £120,000 per person. That cover applies to money in the euro account too, because it is held by the same bank.
This is the main difference from e-money apps such as Wise or Curve, whose customer money is safeguarded rather than covered by the FSCS.
Our verdict on Starling Bank
| Use case | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spending abroad by card | Excellent | No Starling fee, Mastercard rate, no monthly cap. |
| Cash abroad | Excellent | No Starling fee up to £300 a day. |
| Holding euros | Very good | Euro IBAN with FSCS cover; 0.4% to convert on weekdays. |
| Sending money abroad | Good | 0.4% plus £0.30 to £5.50, at Starling’s own exchange rate. |
| Other currencies | Limited | No personal USD or other currency accounts; incoming foreign payments are converted. |
Starling is one of the best free UK accounts for anyone who spends money abroad: no fees on cards or cash, a euro account with its own IBAN and full FSCS protection. If you also need to receive dollars or send money abroad often at the mid-market rate, pair it with a multi-currency account such as Wise.
Sources
Every fee on this page was checked against these official provider pages on .
- Starling — personal account schedule and fees (effective 31 May 2026)
- Starling — travel and spending abroad
- Starling — euro account
- Starling — send money abroad
- Starling — international payment fees by country
- Starling — USD business account
- Starling — FSCS protection
- Wise — price calculator quote (GBP to EUR, 1,000), for comparison
Pros
- Full UK bank, FSCS-protected deposits up to £120,000
- No Starling fees on overseas spending or ATM withdrawals
- Euro account with its own IBAN, no monthly fee
- Excellent free business accounts
- One simple account with no paid tiers
Cons
- UK-only
- GBP-focused for personal accounts
- Fewer lifestyle perks than some rivals
- No cash-heavy features
Fees & key facts
| Sign-up | Free |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Free personal account |
| Send / receive | Free UK transfers; abroad 0.4% + £0.30–£5.50 delivery |
| Exchange rate | Mastercard rate, no Starling fee on card payments |
| Withdrawals | No Starling fee in the UK or abroad (£300 a day abroad) |
| Card | Yes — debit Mastercard |
| Availability | United Kingdom (residents aged 16+) |
| Currencies | GBP + optional euro account (USD for limited companies only) |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Headquarters | London, UK |
| Regulation | UK PRA/FCA full banking licence (FSCS protected) |
Ready to try Starling Bank?
Open the official site to check current terms in your country and sign up.
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Starling Bank — frequently asked questions
Does Starling charge fees abroad?
No. Starling charges no fee on card payments or cash withdrawals abroad and uses Mastercard’s exchange rate. Cash is limited to £300 a day in the local currency, and ATM owners may charge their own fee.
Is Starling Bank safe?
Starling Bank Limited is a UK bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person.
Can I hold euros with Starling?
Yes. The Starling euro account has its own IBAN and no monthly fee. Converting between pounds and euros costs 0.4%, with an extra 0.5% margin at weekends and on bank holidays.
How much does Starling charge to send money abroad?
A 0.4% conversion fee plus a delivery fee: £0.30 for euros, US dollars and Polish zloty, £0.90 for Czech koruna and Hungarian forint, and £5.50 by SWIFT. Starling uses its own exchange rate.
Can I open a Starling account if I live outside the UK?
No. Personal accounts are for UK residents aged 16 or over with the right to reside in the UK.
Does Starling have a US dollar account?
Only for businesses: the USD account is available to limited companies and is not currently accepting applications. Personal customers can hold pounds and euros.
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