ComparisonLast checked 8 November 2026

Mettle vs Starling

A free business account from NatWest for sole traders and small limited companies, with invoicing and FreeAgent accounting included. A UK bank business account with no monthly fee, free UK payments, euro and US dollar accounts and 24/7 support. We also show Incard, our pick for businesses whose main costs go on cards.

By the editorial team. How we make money.

Where Incard beats both

You spend thousands a month on cards, especially on advertising, software or travel
You want card cashback, which Mettle or Starling don't list
You want cards for your team, which Mettle or Starling don't list
You're comfortable with safeguarding instead of FSCS cover

cashback a year on Incard's £0 Free plan from £5,000 a month of eligible ads, software and travel spend. Simple arithmetic, not a forecast.

£600

Apply for Incard on incard.co

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What a year of card spending earns you

Incard Free against Mettle's cheapest plan, at your monthly spend on ads, software and travel.

Monthly card spend on ads, software and travel£5,000

£600 a year better off with Incard

Incard Free: £600 cashback, £0 fees
Mettle's cheapest plan: no cashback, £0 fees

Simple arithmetic, not a forecast: 1% on eligible ads, software and travel spend at merchants on Incard's eligible brand list, and each plan's published monthly fee. Other fees, such as FX and ATM charges, aren't included. Mettle's cheapest plan: No fee for maintaining the account.

Mettle suits you if

You want a free account from NatWest with FSCS cover
You want invoicing and FreeAgent accounting included
You're a sole trader, or a company with one or two owners

Starling suits you if

You want a £0 bank account with FSCS cover
You make lots of UK payments, which are free
You spend abroad on the card and want no Starling fee on top
You pay in cash at the Post Office

At a glance

**Table notes:** correct as of 8 November 2026, from each provider's own pages listed under Sources. “Not listed” means the provider's pages we checked don't say.
	Mettle	Starling	Incard
Type and protection	Bank · FSCS cover	Bank · FSCS cover	E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS
Who can open one	UK sole traders and UK limited companies	UK sole traders, UK limited companies and LLPs	UK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders
Cheapest plan	No fee for maintaining the account	£0 a month	Free: £0 a month
Plans (monthly)	No account fee; Mettle+ £4 a month	One account, £0 a month	Free £0, Grow £49, Plus from £199
Card cashback	Not listed	Not listed	Free: 1% on ads, software and travel, 0.5% on other eligible spend. Higher on Grow and Plus. Uncapped
Card payments in other currencies	Not listed	No Starling fee; Mastercard exchange rate	1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus
Domestic transfers	Not listed	Faster Payments, standing orders and Direct Debits free; CHAPS £20	100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each
International transfers	Inbound over £10: £4 plus 1.5% if converted to GBP	Exchange rate plus a 0.4% conversion fee	3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR)
ATM withdrawals	£1 per withdrawal	No Starling fee abroad; £300 daily limit	2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad
Cash deposits	£2.75 per Post Office deposit	Post Office: 0.7% or £3, whichever is higher	Not listed
Currencies you can hold	Not listed	GBP, euro and US dollar accounts	GBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs
Accepting card payments	Not listed	Tap to Pay at 1.6% per transaction	Not listed

Where they differ

Based on what each provider lists on its own pages. If a feature isn't listed, check with the provider before you rule it out.

Only Mettle lists invoicing.
Only Starling lists card payments from customers.
Only Incard lists card cashback, cards for your team, accounts for Swiss GmbHs and AGs and accounts for Swiss sole traders.

What each one is, and who can open one

Mettle

The Mettle bank account is provided by National Westminster Bank plc (FRN 121878), trading as Mettle. Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS. Some older Mettle e-money accounts, provided by PrePay Technologies (FRN 900010), are safeguarded instead and not FSCS-protected.

Who can open one: Sole traders and limited companies with up to two owners, of whom only one can access the account. One account per person. Full Mettle profile.

Starling

Starling Bank Limited, authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (registration number 730166). Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS.

Who can open one: UK limited companies and LLPs registered at Companies House whose persons of significant control are UK-resident individuals (no corporate shareholders), and UK sole traders who aren't in a partnership. The applicant must be 18 or over. General partnerships and charities that aren't limited companies aren't supported. Full Starling profile.

Incard

Incard Ltd is authorised by the FCA as an electronic money institution (firm reference number 1027309). It is not a bank. Safeguarded: Incard keeps customer funds separate from its own money, in accounts with authorised credit institutions, and doesn't lend or invest them. Funds are not protected by the FSCS.

Who can open one: UK limited companies and LLPs, UK sole traders and freelancers registered with their local authority, and Swiss GmbH, AG and sole-trader businesses. EEA onboarding is paused until an expected restart in 2027. Public sector bodies, cooperatives, charities, foundations and trusts aren't accepted, and a long list of industries is restricted. Full Incard profile.

Our e-money vs bank account guide explains what safeguarding and FSCS cover mean if a provider fails.

When Incard isn't the answer

Incard isn't the right account if

Your business is registered outside the UK and Switzerland. EEA onboarding is paused until an expected restart in 2027
You're a charity, cooperative, foundation, trust or public body, or work in one of Incard's restricted industries