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Personal Finance · head to head

Starling Bank vs Tiller Money

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
Tiller Money logo

Tiller Money

Personal Finance

Spreadsheet-based personal finance

From
$79/year
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: 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.; Tiller Money no native mobile app means mobile access limited to Google Sheets or Excel apps
  • They diverge on capability: Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Tiller Money covers Auto-populates financial data.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Starling Bank and Tiller Money actually diverge.

Attributes where Starling Bank and Tiller Money differ
AttributeStarling BankTiller Money
Starting priceFree$79/year
Pricing modelFree personal current account; business accounts have free and paid tiersUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel
FoundedUnknown2015

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 Starling Bank

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

Only in Tiller Money

  • Auto-populates financial data
  • Customizable spreadsheets
  • Budget tracking
  • Financial templates
  • Bank accounts
  • Google Sheets
  • Excel
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Starling Bank

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

Tiller Money

  • Budget Managementnot Starling Bank
  • Expense Trackingnot Starling Bank
  • Investment Trackingnot Starling Bank

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Tiller Money

  • No native mobile app means mobile access limited to Google Sheets or Excel apps
  • Spreadsheet-based interface can be intimidating for non-technical users unfamiliar with formulas
  • Requires manual customization and setup of templates and formulas for advanced features
  • No built-in investment performance tracking or analysis at the depth some competitors offer
  • Customer support is email and community-based, not real-time chat or phone support

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tiller Money

$79/year
  • Annual Subscription$79/year
    • Unlimited transaction import
    • Up to 5 connected spreadsheets
    • AutoCat categorization

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Tiller Money if

  • You need auto-populates financial data.
  • You work on Web, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel.
  • You also want customizable spreadsheets.
Tiller Money review

Questions people ask

Is Starling Bank or Tiller Money better?
Neither clearly leads. Starling Bank starts at Free and Tiller Money at $79/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Starling Bank or Tiller Money?
Starling Bank has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Starling Bank and $79/year for Tiller Money.
Does Starling Bank or Tiller Money run on more platforms?
Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web. Tiller Money runs on Web, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel.
Can I use Starling Bank for free?
Yes. Starling Bank has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tiller Money starts at $79/year.
What is Starling Bank best used for?
Starling Bank is most often used for a uk resident wanting a free, fully licensed current account with fscs deposit protection, a sole trader or small business wanting a business account with built-in invoicing rather than a separate accounting subscription, a frequent traveller wanting fee-free card spending abroad on a uk-regulated account, a saver wanting goal-based spaces sub-accounts without opening a separate savings product. Of those, a uk resident wanting a free, fully licensed current account with fscs deposit protection and a sole trader or small business wanting a business account with built-in invoicing rather than a separate accounting subscription are not what Tiller Money is typically brought in for.
What can Starling Bank do that Tiller Money cannot?
Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces. Tiller Money covers Auto-populates financial data, Customizable spreadsheets, Budget tracking, Financial templates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Tiller Money: How much does Tiller Money cost?

Tiller Money costs $79 per year with no free tier. A 30-day free trial is available. The annual subscription includes 5 connected spreadsheets and unlimited categories.

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.

Tiller Money: Does Tiller work with Google Sheets and Excel?

Yes. Tiller automatically feeds daily bank transactions and account balances to Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel spreadsheets you own. Your data remains yours permanently.

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.

Tiller Money: How many banks and financial institutions does Tiller connect to?

Tiller connects to 21,000+ US banks, credit card accounts, brokerages, and loan servicers via Yodlee and MX data providers. New banks are added weekly.

Source
Tiller Money: What is AutoCat in Tiller?

AutoCat is Tiller's 100% customizable automatic categorization feature that learns your spending patterns. You can set rules like 'file all grocery store transactions above $10 as groceries and below $10 as snacks.'

Source
Tiller Money: Does Tiller have a mobile app?

Tiller does not have a dedicated mobile app. Instead, it uses Google Sheets and Excel apps on mobile devices to access your spreadsheets. Mobile access is primarily for viewing, not transaction entry.

Source
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