Provider profile · 2026 edition
Starling Banking Services review 2026: scores, fees and alternatives.
The banking services arm of Starling Bank.
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The banking services arm of Starling Bank.
Starling Banking Services scores 2.8 out of 5 (55 out of 100) in the Buckingham Intelligence Safeguarding Banks Index 2026 and ranks 10 of 14. It is strongest for UK payment firms wanting their own sort code, and its best criterion is products at 4 out of 5. Not published or not stated on the pages read: who it serves, pricing, onboarding, technology, protection and scale and published pricing.
Scores from the Safeguarding Banks Index 2026.
No award in the Safeguarding Banks Index 2026.
| Segment | Score out of 100 | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| For E-money institutions | 58 | 10 of 14 |
| For payment institutions | 58 | 10 of 14 |
| For firms applying for a licence | 50 | 10 of 14 |
The score out of 5 is the overall score out of 100 divided by 20. Leader goes to the top three overall, Best for to the first in each segment, and Top rated for to a score of 5 out of 5 on a criterion. Awards cannot be bought.
Where it scores best, and where to check closely, as shown in each ranking.
UK payment firms wanting their own sort code.
What Starling Banking Services publishes on its own pages, read on 21 October 2026.
The banking services arm of Starling Bank. It publishes safeguarding, operational, segregated and CASS accounts for regulated payment service providers on their own addressable sort code, with Faster Payments, Bacs and inbound CHAPS and API access. Safeguarding accounts are only for clients using its payment services. It does not publish prices, minimums or an onboarding process.
| Fact | What the provider publishes |
|---|---|
| Legal status | "Starling Bank Limited (trading as Starling) is registered in England and Wales" (No. 09092149). "We are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority" (No. 730166). |
| Who it serves | "a range of client money accounts suitable for e-money and payment institutions, as well as investment firms." Accounts page: "Only available to Payment Service Providers domiciled and regulated in the UK, or EEA and authorised to offer financial services within the UK." "All clients are regulated within the UK." "Our Safeguarding and Segregated Accounts are available only to clients using our Payment Services." "Eligibility criteria applies"; the former eligibility criteria page now redirects to the Banking Services home page. Minimums not published. |
| Products | Segregated, operational, safeguarding and CASS accounts and virtual accounts on an "own addressable UK sort code" with Faster Payments and Bacs, plus inbound CHAPS; GBP. |
| Pricing | Unlimited virtual accounts "at no extra cost". No fee schedule or interest rate published. |
| Onboarding | "We offer a quick and straightforward onboarding process, which includes handling the FPS settlement for you." No document list, timeline or route before authorisation published. |
| Technology | "All opened and managed by one simple API"; real-time payments; "Simplify reconciliation with dedicated accounts for inflows and outflows". Real-time balances not stated. |
| Protection and scale | FSCS protection page and leaflet linked. No client numbers published. |
| Date read | 21 October 2026 |
A fact that is not published is scored as not offered or, for a fee, as if it were high. It is never estimated.
Facts read on 21 October 2026 from: starlingbank.com/banking-services/…, starlingbank.com/banking-services/….
Each score with the evidence behind it.
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Safeguarding Banks Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
The other providers in the same ranking, ordered by score.
| Provider | Score out of 5 | Rank | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClearBank | 4.2 | 1 of 14 | EMIs and PIs needing direct UK and EU scheme access |
| European Merchant Bank | 3.8 | 2 of 14 | EU EMIs wanting a published safeguarding tariff |
| Mano Bank | 3.8 | 3 of 14 | EU EMIs and PIs wanting fixed published safeguarding fees |
| Memo Bank | 3.6 | 4 of 14 | EU firms wanting interest on safeguarded euros |
| Magnetiq Bank | 3.5 | 5 of 14 | EEA EMIs and PIs still in the licensing queue |
| Banking Circle | 3.5 | 6 of 14 | Multi-currency safeguarding across the UK and EEA |
| Bank of London | 3.5 | 7 of 14 | Firms opening accounts during authorisation |
| Griffin | 3.2 | 8 of 14 | Dedicated per-customer safeguarding accounts |
| LHV Bank | 3.0 | 9 of 14 | GBP and EUR safeguarding with agency banking |
| Solaris | 2.2 | 11 of 14 | A second safeguarding account for licensed EMIs and PIs |
| CaixaBank | 2.1 | 12 of 14 | Payment firms licensed or passported into Spain |
| BNY | 1.9 | 13 of 14 | Large EMIs investing safeguarded cash in money market funds |
| Sutor Bank | 1.9 | 14 of 14 | Digital e-money and payment firms using banking as a service |
Side by side on every criterion, fact and award.
Head-to-head comparisons cover pairs within the top five of each ranking. Starling Banking Services is compared with its alternatives in the table above.
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