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Personal Finance · head to head

Spendee vs Starling Bank

Spendee logo

Spendee

Personal Finance

Budget and money management made easy

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: Spendee the free Basic plan allows one cash wallet and one budget; 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: Spendee covers Expense tracking, 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 Spendee and Starling Bank actually diverge.

Attributes where Spendee and Starling Bank differ
AttributeSpendeeStarling 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 Spendee

  • Expense tracking
  • Budget management
  • Shared wallets
  • Financial analytics
  • Bank accounts
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android 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.

Spendee

  • Tracking personal spending across cash and bank accountsnot Starling Bank
  • Sharing a budget or wallet with a partner or householdnot Starling Bank

Starling Bank

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

Where each one falls short

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

Spendee

  • The free Basic plan allows one cash wallet and one budget
  • Shared wallets are excluded from the free plan
  • Premium at $5.99 a month is triple the $1.99 Plus plan, and the pricing page does not quantify what separates them beyond shared wallets
  • Bank sync depends on a supported bank list rather than being universal

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

Spendee

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Expense tracking
    • Budget creation
    • 3 wallets
  • Premium$6.99/month
    • Unlimited wallets
    • Advanced analytics
    • Investment tracking

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 Spendee if

  • You need expense tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want budget management.
Spendee 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 Spendee or Starling Bank better?
Neither clearly leads. Spendee 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, Spendee or Starling Bank?
Spendee starts at Free and Starling Bank at Free.
Does Spendee or Starling Bank run on more platforms?
Spendee runs on Web, IOS, Android. Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Spendee for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Spendee best used for?
Spendee is most often used for tracking personal spending across cash and bank accounts, sharing a budget or wallet with a partner or household. Of those, tracking personal spending across cash and bank accounts and sharing a budget or wallet with a partner or household are not what Starling Bank is typically brought in for.
What can Spendee do that Starling Bank cannot?
Spendee covers Expense tracking, Budget management, Shared wallets, Financial analytics. Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Spendee: Does Spendee offer free and paid plans?

Yes. Spendee offers both Spendee Premium and Spendee Plus paid tiers. The site does not display pricing amounts on the homepage but directs users to a dedicated pricing page for costs.

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.

Spendee: How much does Spendee cost?

Pricing details are not available on the homepage. Spendee maintains a dedicated pricing page where Premium and Plus subscription costs are listed.

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.

Spendee: Is there a free tier for Spendee?

The site mentions paid tiers but does not specify whether a free tier exists. Full details are available on the pricing page.

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.

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