Softwr

Personal Finance · head to head

Skrill vs Starling Bank

Skrill logo

Skrill

Personal Finance

Fast and secure money transfer

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: Skrill a currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions; 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: Skrill covers Money transfers, 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 Skrill and Starling Bank actually diverge.

Attributes where Skrill and Starling Bank differ
AttributeSkrillStarling Bank
Pricing modeltransactionFree personal current account; business accounts have free and paid tiers
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded2001Unknown

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 Skrill

  • Money transfers
  • Digital wallet
  • Currency conversion
  • Prepaid card
  • Bank accounts
  • Credit cards
  • 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.

Skrill

  • Sending money internationally from a prepaid digital walletnot Starling Bank
  • Funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sitesnot Starling Bank
  • Buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet accountnot Starling Bank

Starling Bank

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

Where each one falls short

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

Skrill

  • A currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
  • An inactivity fee of EUR 5.00 is deducted monthly after six months with no login or transaction
  • Card deposits carry a 2.50 percent fee
  • SWIFT bank withdrawals cost 2.80 percent with a minimum fee of EUR 3.5
  • Skrill to Skrill transfers cost 2.99 percent with a EUR 0.50 minimum on standard accounts, reduced to 1.45 percent only for True Skriller accounts
  • Crypto trading fees are tiered by VIP status, from 1.50 percent standard down to 1.30 percent at Gold and Diamond VIP

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

Skrill

Free
  • Free AccountFree
    • Money transfers
    • Digital wallet
  • Premier Account$undefined/month
    • Higher limits
    • Special rates

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 Skrill if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want digital wallet.
Skrill 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 Skrill or Starling Bank better?
Neither clearly leads. Skrill 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, Skrill or Starling Bank?
Skrill starts at Free and Starling Bank at Free.
Does Skrill or Starling Bank run on more platforms?
Skrill runs on Web, IOS, Android. Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Skrill for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Skrill best used for?
Skrill is most often used for sending money internationally from a prepaid digital wallet, funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sites, buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet account. Of those, sending money internationally from a prepaid digital wallet and funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sites are not what Starling Bank is typically brought in for.
What can Skrill do that Starling Bank cannot?
Skrill covers Money transfers, Digital wallet, Currency conversion, Prepaid card. Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Skrill: Is Skrill free to use?

Skrill operates on a freemium model. The digital wallet is free to open and use for basic features. The site refers to a fees page where transfer, conversion, and service fees are disclosed.

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.

Skrill: What are Skrill's fees for transfers and conversions?

Skrill lists transfer, conversion, and service fees but does not display the specific amounts on the homepage. Detailed fee structures are available on Skrill's dedicated fees page at /en/siteinformation/fees/.

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.

Skrill: What services does Skrill offer?

Skrill provides international money transfers, online payment processing, cryptocurrency buying and selling, loyalty rewards through the Knect points program, and a mobile app. These services are included in the free account.

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.

Skrill: Is Skrill regulated?

Yes. Skrill Limited is authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 for issuing electronic money and payment instruments. It is also registered with the FCA as a cryptoasset firm.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Skrill

More on Starling Bank

Keep looking

Other head to heads