The current account built
for you
Interest on your day-to-day money, tools to manage your money, and 24/7 support. All on an easy-to-use app that just works.
Here’s what makes this account different:
Earn on the everyday
Who says current accounts shouldn’t earn interest? Get 3.25% AER (3.19% Gross) variable interest on balances up to £5,000.
Saving for a long-term goal? Lock away savings and earn even more interest with our Fixed Saver
*AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate and illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and compounded once each year. Gross is the contractual rate of interest payable before the deduction of income tax at the rate specified by law. Interest is paid monthly. See illustrative example.
Feel more organised
Saving Spaces are like virtual change jars within your account. Organise your money into satisfying pots, then add a target, name and picture.
Holidays, clothes, or just petrol. Make a Space for anything you can think of.
See where it all goes
Track your spending across 56 different categories. Spot trends with customisable graphs and see what you’re spending money on – and where.
Knowledge is power, and it’s easier to feel in control when you have the full picture.
More features from your award-winning current account
Instant alerts
We’ll send you a phone notification every time you spend, get paid, or pay a bill. It’s great for keeping track of the ins and outs.
Bills Manager
Put bills on autopilot, and pay them from a separate Space in your app. You’ll get a clear view of what’s left for daily spending.
Virtual cards
Have a debit card for every budget. Each virtual card is linked to a Space, and can only spend the money in that Space.
Settle Up
Get paid quickly by sending payment links to friends with Settle Up, with no need to swap bank details – even if they don’t use Starling.Everything you need
- 24/7 support, 365 days a year, from our UK-based teams. No ifs, no bots.
- Deposit cheques of up to £1,000 by simply taking a photo of it in the app.
- Withdraw £300 a day from ATMs. Deposit £1,000 each year for free, with a 0.7% fee thereafter.
- No fees from us overseas. We won’t charge for using your card abroad.
- Mobile wallet. Add your debit card to spend with your phone.
- Lock your card with a tap if you misplace it, so it can’t be used.
- Online banking if you prefer to manage your money on a computer.
- Contactless payments. Choose your own limit, up to £100.
- Statements are downloadable in the app, with custom ranges.
Everything you want
- Round Ups adds spare change from every transaction to a Space.
- Recycled debit cards made from at least 90% recycled plastic.
- Split incoming payments across your different accounts and Spaces.
- Connected cards. Allow someone you trust to spend on your behalf.
- Additional accounts, such as euro or an additional GBP, are easy to open.
- Gambling block can be turned on, to prevent any betting transactions.
- Nearby Payments allows you to pay other Starling users via Bluetooth.
- International payments. Easily send money in the app to 35 countries.
It’s so easy to
switch your account to us
The Current Account Switch Service does it all for you. Money, payees and Direct Debits are moved in seven working days.
Plus, money sent to your old account is instantly forwarded to your new account.
Find out moreHow do we stack up
against other banks?
| Feature |  Starling Bank - Current Account |  NatWest - Select Account |  Lloyds Bank - Classic Account |  HSBC - Bank Account |  Santander - Everyday Current Account |  Monzo - Current Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
App Transaction History | real time | pending transactions | pending transactions | pending transactions | pending transactions | real time |
Mobile App Card Security | lock, unlock, cancel | lock, unlock, cancel | cancel | lock, unlock, cancel | lock, unlock | lock, unlock, cancel |
AER interest on £1,000 | 3.25% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Arranged Overdraft Representative APR | 15.00% | 39.49% | 39.90% | 38.90% | 39.94% | 39.00% |
ATM World £100 Cost | £0 | £2.75 | £4.49 | £4.75 | £2.95 | £0 |
Faster Payments App Limit | £1,000,000 | £20,000 | £25,000 | £25,000 | £25,000 | £10,000 |
App Cheque Imaging |  | | | | | |
Compare all banks and features
Data supplied by Defaqto and correct as of 15 April 2024.
Apply for a Starling bank account today and enjoy app-based banking at its best.
Start your applicationFrequently asked questions
What is a current account?
It’s a bank account designed for holding and withdrawing money. Most people have their salaries paid into a current account, and they’re used for things like Direct Debits, paying bills, and your day-to-day shopping.
Is a debit card a current account?
When you open a personal current account, you’ll usually be sent a debit card, too – so you can make transactions from your account. Learn more about debit cards, account numbers and sort codes.
When you open a Starling personal current account, we’ll aim to have your debit card with you after 5-7 working days. You can add the digital version of your debit card to your mobile wallet as soon as your account is approved, and can use it to spend straight away – even before your physical card arrives!
How much interest will I earn with a personal current account?
You’ll earn 3.25% AER* / 3.19% Gross* (variable) interest on balances up to £5,000. You will earn interest on the money in your main balance together with any money in Spaces, including Connected card and Kite Spaces.
The current account interest rate does not apply to Fixed Savers, which is a savings product with its own rate.
Interest is calculated daily and paid on the first day of each month. The interest rate we offer is subject to change.
*AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate and illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and compounded once each year. Gross is the contractual rate of interest payable before the deduction of income tax at the rate specified by law. See illustrative example.
Do I need any documents to apply?
To open an account, you’ll need to provide at least one of the following ID documents:
- A valid passport
- EU/EEA ID card
- UK residence permit
- UK photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
We may also ask you to provide a document that proves your address. We’ll perform a soft credit check, which won’t affect your credit score.
Independent service quality survey results
Personal current accounts,
Great Britain
Published February 2024.
As part of a regulatory requirement, an independent survey was conducted to ask approximately 1000 customers of each of the 16 largest personal current account providers if they would recommend their provider to friends and family. The results represent the view of customers who took part in the survey.
The requirement to publish the Financial Conduct Authority Service Quality Information for personal current accounts can be found here.
Authorised push payment (APP) fraud rankings in 2022
Authorised push payment (APP) fraud happens when someone is tricked into transferring money to a fraudster’s bank account.
These charts use data given to the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) by major banking groups in the UK in 2022.
You can read the full report by visiting the PSR website.
Share of APP fraud refunded
This data shows the proportion of total APP fraud losses that were reimbursed, out of 14 firms. Higher figure is better.
APP fraud sent per £million transactions
This data shows the amount of APP fraud sent per million pounds of transactions, out of 14 firms. Lower figure is better.
APP fraud received per £million transactions: smaller UK banks and payment firms
This data shows the amount of APP fraud received per million pounds of transactions, ranked out of 20 firms. Lower figure is better.
APP fraud received per £million transactions: major UK banks and building societies
This data shows the amount of APP fraud received per million pounds of transactions, ranked out of 20 firms. Lower figure is better.
Apply for a Starling bank account today and enjoy app-based banking at its best.
Start your application