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ComparisonLast checked 8 November 2026

Revolut Business vs Starling

A UK bank business account with wide currency coverage and tools for taking payments, payroll and expenses. Sole traders use Revolut Pro instead. 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 Revolut Business 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

What a year of card spending earns you

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

£720 a year better off with Incard

£600£0-£120Today6 months12 months
  • Incard Free: £600 cashback, £0 fees
  • Revolut Business's cheapest plan: no cashback, £120 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. Revolut Business's cheapest plan: Basic: £10 a month.

Quick verdict

Revolut Business suits you if

  • You want your balance held by a UK bank, with FSCS cover
  • You get paid in many currencies: it holds 25+
  • You need to accept card payments online or in person
  • You want payroll and expenses apps alongside the account

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.
Revolut BusinessStarlingIncard
Type and protectionBank · FSCS coverBank · FSCS coverE-money · safeguarded, no FSCS
Who can open oneUK limited companiesUK sole traders, UK limited companies and LLPsUK sole traders, UK limited companies, LLPs, Swiss GmbHs and AGs and Swiss sole traders
Cheapest planBasic: £10 a month£0 a monthFree: £0 a month
Plans (monthly)Basic £10, Grow £35, Scale £125, Enterprise customOne account, £0 a monthFree £0, Grow £49, Plus from £199
Card cashbackNone listed for Revolut Business; up to 1% on Revolut Pro for sole tradersNot listedFree: 1% on ads, software and travel, 0.5% on other eligible spend. Higher on Grow and Plus. Uncapped
Card payments in other currenciesNot listedNo Starling fee; Mastercard exchange rate1.8% on Free, 1.5% on Grow and Plus
Domestic transfers10, 100 or 1,000 a month included, then £0.20 eachFaster Payments, standing orders and Direct Debits free; CHAPS £20100 included on Free, 250 on Grow, then £0.30 each
International transfers£5 each on Basic; 5 or 25 a month included on Grow or ScaleExchange rate plus a 0.4% conversion fee3 included on Grow; otherwise from £5 (SHA) or £20 (OUR)
ATM withdrawals2% on all plansNo Starling fee abroad; £300 daily limit2% in the UK, 2.5% abroad
Cash depositsNot listedPost Office: 0.7% or £3, whichever is higherNot listed
Currencies you can hold25+ currenciesGBP, euro and US dollar accountsGBP, EUR and USD, with IBANs
Accepting card paymentsOnline from 1% + £0.20; in person from 0.8% + £0.02Tap to Pay at 1.6% per transactionNot 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.

What each one is, and who can open one

Revolut Business

In the UK, Revolut Business is provided by Revolut Bank UK Ltd (firm reference number 981170), a bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 in total.

Who can open one: Fully incorporated, active UK companies. Sole traders and freelancers are pointed to Revolut Pro. Charities, trusts, foundations and non-profits aren't eligible. Full Revolut Business 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
IncardOur pick for card spend

Incard: 1% cashback on ads, software and travel, on a £0 plan

Our pick for UK and Swiss businesses whose main costs go on cards, as long as you don't need bank deposit protection.

E-money · safeguarded, no FSCS

Work out your cashbackCheck eligibility

a month on the Free plan, with team cards
£0
cashback on ads, software and travel; 0.5% on other eligible spend
1%
IBANs in three currencies
GBP, EUR, USD

More: Revolut Business alternatives, Starling alternatives, all comparisons.

Sources

All checked on 8 November 2026. Where a provider's help centre or legal terms differ from its marketing pages, we follow the help centre and terms.

Show all 17 sources