Starling vs Natwest Business Account: Comparison for the UK

Torn between Starling vs NatWest business account options? Both offer some handy perks for business owners, and relatively low costs. Starling Bank has the bonus of some foreign currency account options, but no branch network - while NatWest may win for you if you’re looking to transact in a physical location.

Use this guide to understand and compare the Starling Bank business account and the NatWest business banking options. Plus, we’ll also introduce Wise Business as an alternative, non-bank provider which may work well for you if you need a flexible multi-currency account for your company.

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Starling vs NatWest business account - comparison overview

To get a flavour and kickstart our NatWest vs Starling Bank business account review, let's take some of the key features of each service, side by side. It’s good to know that NatWest has a standard business bank account, plus the NatWest Startup business account and various other business products and services, while Starling has GBP, USD and EUR accounts, and optional extras covering different customer needs.

We’ll walk through the key points about the different accounts and services available from each in more detail later - and you can find plenty more information on both over on their desktop sites, too.

Starling bank business account

Starling Bank is a fully digital UK bank which has a GBP Business account with no monthly fee. If you need to send, receive or hold foreign currencies, you may also be interested in opening a Starling Bank euro account or a Starling Bank USD account for business. Both of these accounts come with monthly fees to pay.

One nice feature from Starling is that you can choose to add in extra services to your account package if you need them - such as bulk payments, or to access invoicing and tax services, for example. That means you can tailor your package to your own requirements, and only pay for the services you actually use.

Starling also has options to send international payments to 35 countries online, with variable Starling Bank international fees based on the details of the transfer. If you’re sending to a country that’s served by Starling’s local network, the fees can be as low as 0.3 GBP, but there’s a higher fixed fee of 5.5 GBP if you need to send a transfer via the SWIFT network. Currency exchange has a 0.4% fee.

You can get an insight into what customers say about Starling by looking for a Starling bank business account review on Trustpilot. At the time of writing, Starling scored an impressive 4.3 out of 5 from 37,000+ live reviews listed on Trustpilot^³ - suggesting it’s a well liked service with a loyal customer base.

Starling bank business account fees

Starling bank business account - pros and cons

Let’s look at some pros and cons for the Starling Business account.

NatWest business banking

NatWest business banking includes several different account options to suit businesses at different stages. Eligibility criteria apply, with some accounts aimed at newer and smaller businesses, for example.

For the 2 key account services we’ve featured here - the standard NatWest business account^⁷ and the NatWest Startup account^⁸, there are no monthly NatWest business account charges to pay. You’ll simply need to pay for the transactions you make with your account, and for extras like getting a NatWest business credit card if you need one.

NatWest business banking

The key NatWest business bank account is aimed at businesses which are over 1 year old, or which have an annual turnover of at least 1 million GBP. You’ll be able to get a dedicated relationship manager to help you manage your finances, and access networking and support events. Plus, there’s options for loans, credit and financing depending on the specific needs of your company.

NatWest business account charges

NatWest business banking - pros and cons

Here are a few of the pros and cons for the NatWest business banking account that are worth considering before you apply.

NatWest startup business account

The NatWest startup account is for businesses with a turnover of under 1 million GBP, and those which have been trading for under 1 year. Many transaction fees are waived for the first 2 years of holding this account, to give your business a chance to grow and become established. You’ll also be able to get 24/7 support, multi-director access, in-app payment notifications and in person banking via branches and post offices.

NatWest startup business account fees

NatWest startup business account - pros and cons

Considering opening a NatWest startup business account? Here are some pros and cons.

Wise Business Account: alternative to Starling and NatWest

If you want to send and receive international business payments, choosing a specialist account from a provider like Wise Business can help you save.

Wise is a non-bank alternative with business accounts for UK customers to hold 40+ currencies, send payments to 140+ countries and get local bank details in 8+ currencies. That makes it simple to get paid by customers and clients, and easier and cheaper to pay contractors and suppliers based overseas, too.

Wise accounts use the mid-market exchange rate for currency conversion, and also come with smart ways to save time and money such as bulk payments, accounting integrations, expense cards and more.

Over 195,000 customers have rated Wise on Trustpilot, with an aggregate score of 4.2 out of 5¹⁰.

Learn more about Wise Business
multi-currency account 🌎

Wise Business account fees

Open Wise Business account

Open your Wise Business account online or in the Wise app, for a one time fee of 45 GBP. There are no ongoing charges and there’s no minimum balance to worry about, so you can get on with managing and growing your business.

Use Wise to hold and exchange 40+ currencies, and get paid in 8+ currencies. Plus for day to day use you’ll be able to get a business debit card for yourself and linked expense cards for team members. Use your card for spending and withdrawals at home and abroad, with the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.43% whenever you need to spend in a foreign currency.

Which business account is best for you will depend on your personal preferences and how you’ll transact most frequently.

Choosing an established bank with a high street presence, like NatWest, can be a good bet if you prefer to manage your money face to face - but you’ll pay a fee for some services, particularly when you’re transacting in a branch. Starling is a fully digital bank which offers easy ways to manage your business finances from your phone, with account extras you can pay for to access more tools and features.

Compare both NatWest and Starling to see if either suits your specific needs. And if you want to hold and exchange a broad selection of foreign currencies for your business, check out Wise Business too. You’ll be able to open a digital business account with no ongoing charges that lets you hold, send, spend, exchange and receive an impressive range of currencies, making it easier for your business to grow.

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Sources uses in the article:

Sources last checked October 24, 2023

*Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QuickPay QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.