Softwr

Personal Finance · head to head

Betterment vs Starling Bank

Betterment logo

Betterment

Personal Finance

Your path to financial independence

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Starling Bank logo

Starling Bank

Personal Finance

UK-licensed digital bank with FSCS-protected deposits, built and majority-owned without a US parent

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Starling Bank has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Betterment digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance; Starling Bank as a UK-only bank, customers wanting broad multi-currency holding, international transfers or in-app investing will need a separate product, since Starling's feature set stays deliberately focused on core banking.
  • They diverge on capability: Betterment covers Automated investing, Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Betterment and Starling Bank actually diverge.

Attributes where Betterment and Starling Bank differ
AttributeBettermentStarling Bank
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree personal current account; business accounts have free and paid tiers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Betterment

  • Automated investing
  • Retirement planning
  • Financial advisory
  • Goal tracking
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Web support
  • IOS support

Only in Starling Bank

  • FSCS-protected deposits
  • Business banking suite
  • Fee-free foreign card spending
  • Savings Spaces
  • Joint accounts
  • Starling mortgages

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Betterment

  • Automated portfolio managementnot Starling Bank
  • High-yield cash savingsnot Starling Bank
  • Self-directed investingnot Starling Bank

Starling Bank

  • A UK resident wanting a free, fully licensed current account with FSCS deposit protectionnot Betterment
  • A sole trader or small business wanting a business account with built-in invoicing rather than a separate accounting subscriptionnot Betterment
  • A frequent traveller wanting fee-free card spending abroad on a UK-regulated accountnot Betterment
  • A saver wanting goal-based Spaces sub-accounts without opening a separate savings productnot Betterment

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Betterment

  • Digital automated investing charges $5 per month fee for accounts under $24,000 balance
  • Premium advisory service requires minimum balance of $100,000 in eligible investments
  • Foreign transaction fees apply to checking account (though reimbursed after the fact)
  • High-balance fee discounts only available above $1,000,000 account balance

Starling Bank

  • As a UK-only bank, customers wanting broad multi-currency holding, international transfers or in-app investing will need a separate product, since Starling's feature set stays deliberately focused on core banking.
  • Business account paid tiers add a monthly fee for features that some competitors bundle for free, so cost comparison against other business banking options should account for the tier actually needed, not the free entry point.
  • Like other app-first banks, Starling has very limited physical presence, which is a real limitation for customers needing to deposit cash or prefer in-person service.
  • Mortgage lending is limited to buy-to-let through a subsidiary rather than a full residential mortgage range, so it is not a one-stop option for a typical homebuyer.
  • Interest rates on savings Spaces and any lending products are set individually and can change, so the specific rate should be checked at the time of opening rather than assumed from marketing.

Pricing, plan by plan

Betterment

On request
  • Automated Investing$null/month
    • AUM-based or flat monthly advisory fees
  • Premium Service$0.4/percent of AUM
    • Requires $100,000 minimum balance
  • Self-Directed InvestingFree
    • No wrap fee
  • High-Yield Cash$4/APY promotional
    • $10 minimum deposit
    • New customer boost through 1/15/2027

Starling Bank

Free
  • Personal current accountFree
    • Free current account with FSCS-protected deposits
    • Fee-free foreign currency card spending
    • No monthly account fee
  • Business Toolkit$7/month
    • Integrated invoicing and expense categorisation
    • Multiple sub-accounts (Spaces) for tax and VAT setting-aside
    • Accounting software integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Betterment if

  • You need automated investing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want retirement planning.
Betterment review

Choose Starling Bank if

  • You need fscs-protected deposits.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want business banking suite.
Starling Bank review

Questions people ask

Is Betterment or Starling Bank better?
Neither clearly leads. Betterment starts at On request and Starling Bank at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Betterment or Starling Bank?
Starling Bank has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Betterment and Free for Starling Bank.
Does Betterment or Starling Bank run on more platforms?
Betterment runs on Web, iOS, Android. Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Starling Bank for free?
Yes. Starling Bank has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Betterment starts at On request.
What is Betterment best used for?
Betterment is most often used for automated portfolio management, high-yield cash savings, self-directed investing. Of those, automated portfolio management and high-yield cash savings are not what Starling Bank is typically brought in for.
What can Betterment do that Starling Bank cannot?
Betterment covers Automated investing, Retirement planning, Financial advisory, Goal tracking. Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Betterment: What is the minimum to start investing with Betterment?

Betterment requires only $10 to open an account and begin either automated or self-directed investing.

Source
Starling Bank: Is Starling Bank a real bank?

Yes, Starling Bank Limited holds a full UK banking licence and is regulated by the FCA and PRA, the same framework as traditional UK banks.

Betterment: How much does Betterment's Premium Service cost?

Premium Service charges an additional 0.40% fee on your invested balances and requires a minimum account balance of $100,000.

Source
Starling Bank: Are deposits protected if Starling fails?

Eligible deposits are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to 85,000 pounds per eligible person, the same statutory protection as other UK banks.

Betterment: What APY does Betterment's High-Yield Cash offer?

High-Yield Cash offers 3.25% base APY plus a new customer boost of 0.75% APY (up to $1M) through January 15, 2027, totaling 4.00% promotional APY.

Source
Starling Bank: Is Starling good for a small business?

It has a well regarded business banking product with integrated invoicing and accounting software links, commonly used by UK sole traders and small companies.

Betterment: Does Betterment charge a wrap fee on self-directed accounts?

No, Betterment waives its wrap fee for self-directed investing accounts, allowing customers to invest without advisory fees.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Betterment

More on Starling Bank

Keep looking

Other head to heads