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Personal Finance · head to head

Starling Bank vs Venmo

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
Venmo logo

Venmo

Personal Finance

Money transfer and social payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Venmo instant transfer costs 1.75 percent with a minimum fee of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25 USD, while the free standard transfer takes 1 to 3 business days
  • They diverge on capability: Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Venmo covers Money transfers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Starling Bank and Venmo differ
AttributeStarling BankVenmo
Pricing modelFree personal current account; business accounts have free and paid tiersfree
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2009

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 Starling Bank

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

Only in Venmo

  • Money transfers
  • Bill splitting
  • Social feed
  • Transaction history
  • Bank accounts
  • Debit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS 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 Venmo
  • A sole trader or small business wanting a business account with built-in invoicing rather than a separate accounting subscriptionnot Venmo
  • A frequent traveller wanting fee-free card spending abroad on a UK-regulated accountnot Venmo
  • A saver wanting goal-based Spaces sub-accounts without opening a separate savings productnot Venmo

Venmo

  • Splitting bills and reimbursing friends in the United Statesnot Starling Bank
  • Accepting payments through a Venmo business profilenot Starling Bank
  • Buying and holding cryptocurrency inside the payments appnot 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.

Venmo

  • Instant transfer costs 1.75 percent with a minimum fee of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25 USD, while the free standard transfer takes 1 to 3 business days
  • Sending money funded by a credit card carries a 3.00 percent fee
  • Cryptocurrency fees are tiered by trade size, from 2.20 percent on purchases of 1.00 to 74.99 USD down to 1.50 percent above 1,000 USD
  • Business profile payments cost 1.9 percent plus 0.10 USD, and Tap to Pay costs 2.29 percent plus 0.09 USD

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

Venmo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • P2P transfers
    • Bill splitting
    • Mobile app

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 Venmo if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want bill splitting.
Venmo review

Questions people ask

Is Starling Bank or Venmo better?
Neither clearly leads. Starling Bank starts at Free and Venmo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Starling Bank or Venmo?
Starling Bank starts at Free and Venmo at Free.
Does Starling Bank or Venmo run on more platforms?
Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web. Venmo runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Starling Bank for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Venmo is typically brought in for.
What can Starling Bank do that Venmo cannot?
Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces. Venmo covers Money transfers, Bill splitting, Social feed, Transaction history.

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.

Venmo: Is there a monthly fee for the Venmo Debit Card?

No, the Venmo Debit Card has no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement.

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.

Venmo: Is there an annual fee for the Venmo Credit Card?

No, the Venmo Credit Card has no annual fee.

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.

Venmo: Are there fees when buying or selling cryptocurrency on Venmo?

Yes, when buying or selling crypto on Venmo, the company discloses an exchange rate and fees for each transaction. For non-stablecoin currencies, the exchange rate includes a spread that Venmo earns on each purchase and sale.

Source
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