Starling Bank review
Full UK bank (PRA-authorised, FCA & PRA regulated)
The strongest free all-round UK business account for sole traders, freelancers and contractors with good credit
At a glance
- Monthly fee
- £0
- Paid tiers
- Business Toolkit add-on £7/month; EUR account [VERIFY: £2/month]; USD account applications currently closed (April 2026)
- Free transfers
- Free UK transfers, no monthly fee. Post Office cash deposit 0.7%; international 0.4% + [VERIFY: £5.50 SWIFT delivery]
- FSCS protection
- Protected — £120,000Direct FSCS protection up to £120,000 — a statutory guarantee held within the bank.
- Best for
- The strongest free all-round UK business account for sole traders, freelancers and contractors with good credit
Pros
- Full FSCS protection up to £120,000
- No monthly fee and free UK transfers
- Spaces for ring-fencing tax
- Native Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent integration
Cons
- Hard credit check — likely declines poor credit
- All directors and PSCs must be UK residents
- No Sage direct feed
- USD accounts currently closed to new applications
Who can apply
Sole traders, limited companies, LLPs. All PSCs must be UK-resident natural persons.
Integrations
Xero · QuickBooks · FreeAgent