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Personal Finance · head to head

Starling Bank vs Wealthfront

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
Wealthfront logo

Wealthfront

Personal Finance

Automated investing for your money

From
On request
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.; Wealthfront the Automated Investing Account carries a 0.25% annual advisory fee on top of the underlying fund expenses
  • They diverge on capability: Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Wealthfront covers Automated portfolio management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Starling Bank and Wealthfront differ
AttributeStarling BankWealthfront
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree personal current account; business accounts have free and paid tierstransaction
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

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 Wealthfront

  • Automated portfolio management
  • Tax-loss harvesting
  • Financial planning
  • Index fund investing
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • 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 Wealthfront
  • A sole trader or small business wanting a business account with built-in invoicing rather than a separate accounting subscriptionnot Wealthfront
  • A frequent traveller wanting fee-free card spending abroad on a UK-regulated accountnot Wealthfront
  • A saver wanting goal-based Spaces sub-accounts without opening a separate savings productnot Wealthfront

Wealthfront

  • Automated index fund investing with periodic rebalancingnot Starling Bank
  • Tax loss harvesting in a taxable brokerage accountnot Starling Bank
  • Buying fractional shares of individual stocks with no commissionnot 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.

Wealthfront

  • The Automated Investing Account carries a 0.25% annual advisory fee on top of the underlying fund expenses
  • Tax-Loss Harvesting and automated rebalancing apply to the Automated Investing Account, not the self-directed Stock Investing Account
  • It is a US brokerage product and is not offered to investors outside the United States

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

Wealthfront

On request
  • BasicFree
    • Automated investing
    • Tax-loss harvesting
    • Rebalancing
  • Premium Plus$50/month
    • All Basic features
    • Financial planning
    • Human advisor access

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 Wealthfront if

  • You need automated portfolio management.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want tax-loss harvesting.
Wealthfront review

Questions people ask

Is Starling Bank or Wealthfront better?
Neither clearly leads. Starling Bank starts at Free and Wealthfront at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Starling Bank or Wealthfront?
Starling Bank has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Starling Bank and On request for Wealthfront.
Does Starling Bank or Wealthfront run on more platforms?
Starling Bank runs on iOS, Android, Web. Wealthfront runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Starling Bank for free?
Yes. Starling Bank has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wealthfront starts at On request.
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 Wealthfront is typically brought in for.
What can Starling Bank do that Wealthfront cannot?
Starling Bank covers FSCS-protected deposits, Business banking suite, Fee-free foreign card spending, Savings Spaces. Wealthfront covers Automated portfolio management, Tax-loss harvesting, Financial planning, Index fund investing.

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.

Wealthfront: What fees does Wealthfront charge?

Wealthfront offers zero account fees on cash accounts and zero commissions on stock trades. The site indicates 'no minimum' requirement to get started with certain products.

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.

Wealthfront: Is the 3.30% APY rate guaranteed or promotional?

The 3.30% base APY is provided by program banks and subject to change. An APY Boost up to 4.20% is available for balances up to $150,000 through two easy methods.

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.

Wealthfront: What account types and features are included?

Wealthfront supports taxable accounts, retirement accounts (Traditional/Roth IRA, SEP), 529 education accounts, and joint accounts. Features include free 24/7 instant withdrawals and up to $8M FDIC insurance.

Source
Wealthfront: What support resources are available?

Customers can access a help center at support.wealthfront.com, methodology whitepapers, and investor relations information. The platform emphasizes 24/7 access to account management.

Source
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