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Personal Finance · head to head

Robinhood vs Starling Bank

Robinhood logo

Robinhood

Personal Finance

Investing for everyone

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Robinhood robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial; 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: Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, 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 Robinhood and Starling Bank actually diverge.

Attributes where Robinhood and Starling Bank differ
AttributeRobinhoodStarling Bank
Pricing modelfreemiumFree personal current account; business accounts have free and paid tiers
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Robinhood

  • Commission-free trading
  • Options trading
  • Crypto trading
  • Fractional shares
  • Bank accounts
  • Crypto wallets
  • 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.

Robinhood

  • Commission free trading of US stocks and ETFs from a phonenot Starling Bank
  • Options and futures trading for retail investorsnot Starling Bank
  • Holding an IRA with a contribution matchnot Starling Bank

Starling Bank

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

Where each one falls short

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

Robinhood

  • Robinhood Gold costs 5 USD a month after a 30 day free trial
  • The 3.35 percent APY on brokerage cash is available only to Gold subscribers
  • The 3 percent IRA contribution match requires keeping the Gold subscription for one year and leaving the assets in the IRA for five years, and is capped at 225 USD against 2026 contribution maximums
  • Reduced contract fees of 0.50 USD per futures contract and 0.35 USD per index option apply only to Gold subscribers
  • Management fees are waived only above 100K USD in expert managed portfolios

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

Robinhood

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Commission-free trading
    • Real-time data
    • Mobile app
  • Gold$4.99/month
    • All Free features
    • Extended hours trading
    • Premium research

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 Robinhood if

  • You need commission-free trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want options trading.
Robinhood 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 Robinhood or Starling Bank better?
Neither clearly leads. Robinhood starts at Free and Starling Bank at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Robinhood or Starling Bank?
Robinhood starts at Free and Starling Bank at Free.
Does Robinhood or Starling Bank run on more platforms?
Robinhood runs on Web, IOS, Android. Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Robinhood for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Robinhood best used for?
Robinhood is most often used for commission free trading of us stocks and etfs from a phone, options and futures trading for retail investors, holding an ira with a contribution match. Of those, commission free trading of us stocks and etfs from a phone and options and futures trading for retail investors are not what Starling Bank is typically brought in for.
What can Robinhood do that Starling Bank cannot?
Robinhood covers Commission-free trading, Options trading, Crypto trading, Fractional shares. Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Robinhood: What is the minimum amount needed to open a Robinhood account?

You can get started with as little as $1.

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.

Robinhood: What does Robinhood Gold cost and what does it include?

Robinhood Gold is $5 per month and includes zero management fees on portfolios exceeding $100,000 through Robinhood Strategies.

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.

Robinhood: Are there trading commissions on Robinhood?

Robinhood offers 24/5 commission-free stock and ETF trading. Other fees may apply to your brokerage account as detailed in the RHF Fee Schedule.

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.

Robinhood: What cash back rate does Robinhood's credit card offer?

The Robinhood Agentic Credit Card offers 3% cash back on purchases.

Source
Robinhood: How much FDIC insurance coverage do Robinhood Cash Card accounts have?

Cash Card accounts are covered up to $250,000 through FDIC insurance via Sutton Bank.

Source
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