Starling Bank explained: the account, Spaces, fees abroad and the euro account

Starling Bank is a UK bank with an app-based current account that has no monthly fee and no Starling fees for card payments or cash withdrawals abroad. It is open to UK residents aged 18 or over, and it adds Spaces for budgeting, a separate Easy Saver and an optional personal euro account.

Who can open a Starling account

According to Starling, you need to:

• live in the UK and be aged 18 or over;
• prove who you are with a passport or other photo ID;
• apply online in the app or on a computer.

Starling says a decision usually takes less than 24 hours, after which your card is sent by post. Once you have a personal account, you can add a joint account, savings accounts and debit cards for your children from the app.

A joint account is for two people who both live in the UK, are 18 or over and already have a Starling personal account. There is also a student account for UK residents aged 18 or over who are enrolled in a full-time degree at a UK university with at least a year left to study.

What it costs: the main fees

Starling has one personal current account rather than paid plans. These figures come from its fee information document for the sterling personal current account (dated 14 October 2025):

An arranged overdraft is offered at 15%, 25% or 35% EAR (variable), depending on Starling's assessment, which includes credit reference agency data. Starling's representative rate is 15% EAR.

Using Starling abroad

On its travel page, Starling says it charges no transaction fees for spending or withdrawing cash abroad and adds no extra fees or commission to the exchange rate. It uses the Mastercard exchange rate, which you can check in the app.

Points worth knowing before you travel:

1. Daily cash limit: Starling lists a cash withdrawal limit of £300 a day, in the equivalent local currency.
2. Third-party charges: some card machines and cash machines may still charge their own fee. Starling does not control these.
3. Pay in local currency: if a machine offers to charge you in pounds, Starling recommends choosing the local currency, as this usually gives a better rate.

Some UK neo banks give you a fee-free cash allowance and then charge a percentage. Starling's fee document lists cash withdrawals abroad at £0, so the practical cap is the daily limit. To compare, see how Monzo's allowances work in Monzo explained.

Sending money to Europe

For transfers from your sterling account to euros, Starling charges a 0.4% conversion fee, plus 30p for a local network payment or £5.50 for faster priority delivery over SWIFT. International payments are processed from 02:00 on Monday to 22:00 on Friday, not at weekends or on bank holidays.

The personal euro account

If you often hold or spend euros, Starling offers a personal euro account alongside your sterling account. Its terms (January 2026) say:

• You must be 16 or over, be a UK resident with the right to live in the UK, and have a Starling personal current account in pounds.
• Starling charges no fees for having the account, receiving euros, sending euros or making card payments and cash withdrawals from it.
• Moving money in from your sterling account costs 0.4%, plus the exchange rate.
• You spend from it by linking your existing Starling debit card to the euro account in the app.
• SEPA transfers sent before 2:15pm on a working day usually arrive within one working day, and you can set up SEPA Direct Debits.

Starling's joint account page says a joint euro account comes with its own IBAN.

Spaces, Round Ups and Bills Manager

Spaces let you split your money into budgets and goals, such as petrol or a holiday, inside the app.

• Round Ups round each card purchase up to the nearest pound and move the spare change into a Space you choose. You can multiply it by 2, 5 or 10.
• You can spend straight from a Space with a virtual card.
• Bills Manager keeps money for bills in a separate Space and pays them automatically.

The Easy Saver

Interest is paid through a separate Easy Saver account, where you can also create up to 100 savings Spaces. When we checked, Starling advertised 4.00% AER (3.92% gross) variable on balances up to £25,000, which includes a fixed 1.50% AER bonus for the first six months on new accounts; after that the standard rate of 2.50% AER (2.46% gross) applies to the whole balance. You can pay in and withdraw at any time, with no notice period. Rates change, so check the current rate before opening one.

Is your money protected?

Starling Bank Limited (company number 09092149) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, under registration number 730166. Eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person. The limit applies per person per bank, so your current account and Easy Saver count towards the same £120,000. Read more in is my money safe in a neo bank? For what the FCA's fine of almost £29 million in 2024 was about and how Starling helps you avoid scams, read is Starling Bank safe?

Who Starling suits

Starling is a good fit to consider if you live in the UK and want one free account for everyday use and travel, without tracking a monthly cash allowance. It is not an option if you live outside the UK, and if you regularly receive foreign currency into your sterling account, the 2% conversion margin is worth comparing with a multi-currency account.

See Starling's full profile, compare it with Monzo and other UK options in UK neo banks compared, or use the comparison table for the UK.

Already banking in the UK elsewhere? Switching your UK current account to Monzo or Starling explains how the free Current Account Switch Service moves your balance and payments in seven working days, and what it does not move.

Travelling soon? Our guide on how to avoid foreign card fees when travelling in Europe explains dynamic currency conversion, ATM operator fees and weekend exchange rates.

Sources

• Starling Bank: Current account
• Starling Bank: Fee Information Document, Personal Current Account (GBP)
• Starling Bank: Travel
• Starling Bank: Send euros to Europe
• Starling Bank: Personal euro current account terms (January 2026)
• Starling Bank: Joint current account
• Starling Bank: Student bank account
• Starling Bank: Round Ups
• Starling Bank: Easy Saver
• Starling Bank: Corporate information

Prices and features checked on 29 October 2026.

This guide is general information, not financial advice. Fees, features and availability change, so check the provider's own website before you apply. Read how we compare providers and our affiliate disclosure.