Starling Bank vs Relay.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Relay (R71/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. A close tie.
| R Relay №31 · FDIC 71 /100 | S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 71 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FDIC | Full bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | $250,000 US.FDIC | £120,000 GB.FSCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.6 | — |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Relay if…
The Profit-First-aligned multi-checking neobank — 20 real checking accounts (not virtual envelopes) and 50 debit cards under one login, with granular multi-user roles. Where Mercury / Bluevine / Novo all give you one operating account plus virtual sub-pockets, Relay gives you 20 separately-FDIC-mapped checking accounts that auto-transfer between each other on percentage- or amount-based rules. That is the structural fit for Mike Michalowicz's Profit First method (Income / Profit / Owner's Pay / Tax / OpEx envelopes), and Relay has been the official Profit First banking platform since 2023. Sponsor bank is Thread Bank (TN-chartered) with a $3M sweep — Thread's May 2024 FDIC consent order was terminated December 2025 with no customer-funds incident at Relay.
Pick Starling Bank if…
Pick if you bank in the UK and want a clearing bank for personal + business with no retail crypto, no brokerage.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Relay won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Relay — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Relay better than Starling Bank?
Relay and Starling Bank are tied 2–2 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Relay 71/100 vs Starling Bank 77/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Relay or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Relay: €0; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Relay: Interbank; Starling Bank: Interbank. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Relay or Starling Bank?
Relay holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Starling Bank holds a Full bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £120,000. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Relay and Starling Bank?
Relay operates in 1 country; Starling Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.