Starling Business vs Wise Business: UK Comparison 2026

As more and more of us manage our personal finances online and through apps, it’s no surprise that business owners, freelancers and entrepreneurs are increasingly moving towards digital solutions for their business finances too.

Two of the most popular of these solutions here in the UK are Starling Bank and Wise Business.

Starling is a UK licensed bank which offers business accounts for eligible customers in GBP, EUR and USD. Wise Business is a financial technology coany with accounts that hold 40+ currencies, which come with local account details (only with Wise Business Advanced) to get paid in up to 8+ currencies.

But which is best for your business? Read this Wise vs Starling business account comparison to learn more.

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Wise vs Starling business account - comparison overview

UK registered business owners and sole traders can open a GBP Starling Bank business account, and some eligible business owners can also add in other accounts covering EUR and USD. Starling business accounts offer linked payment cards, with no ongoing fees for the GBP account, and no charge to make cash withdrawals.

The Wise business account is available for business owners, freelancers and sole traders in the UK, and a broad selection of other countries around the world, too. Accounts can hold and exchange 8+ currencies, with the mid-market rate and low fees. You can open an account easily for £50 (Advanced plan) or for free (Essential plan). The Advanced plan will enable you to unlock every Wise Business feature. Alternatively, you can sign up for the Essential plan for free, to start sending international transfers right away.

Here's an overview of Wise Business vs Starling Business key features.

*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.

Starling bank business account

Starling Bank is a neobank with a full UK banking licence, which allows business customers, including sole proprietors, to conveniently manage their GBP finances online and through the Starling app with minimal fees. We’ll cover the costs you need to know about in more detail next, as we move through this Starling Bank business account review.

Once you have a Starling GBP business account, eligible account holders can also open a Starling Euro account and a Starling USD account. Monthly fees apply to these foreign currency accounts, which give enhanced options to send, receive and hold euros and dollars.

If you need to send money in a different foreign currency, Starling offers international business payments to over 34 countries², with fees that typically include a 0.4% currency exchange fee and a transfer fee of approximately 5.5 GBP per payment².

For an extra charge, customers can upgrade their account to add the Starling business toolkit⁵ and bulk payment features. The business toolkit includes time-saving tools for managing bills, invoices, tax, VAT, and more.

Starling bank business account fees

Let’s take a closer look at the key services fees for Starling Business accounts:¹

There are also fees for deposit cash and cheques, and additional fees may apply when using invoicing features.

Wise Business account

Wise Business offers a multi-currency account with powerful international features, to UK business owners, sole traders and freelancers. It's also a great tool for your day-to-day operations within the UK.

Wise can be useful if you’re paying contractors, suppliers or staff overseas, or if you need to get paid by customers and clients in foreign currencies. You can hold 40+ currencies, get paid from 8+ currencies like a local, and get debit cards for spending in 150+ countries - making this a great all rounder for international businesses.

Here are some of the Wise Business account features you’ll want to know about:

• Opening an account: £50 (Advanced plan) or for free (Essential plan), with no ongoing charges
• Hold and exchange 40+ currencies with the mid-market rate and low fees from 0.33%
• Send money to 140+ countries and get local account details (only with Wise Business Advanced) to get paid fee free from 8+ currencies
• Wise debit and expense cards for you and your team, for spending and withdrawals in 150+ countries - with 0.5% cashback on spending.
• Accounting integrations and batch payment/mass payout solutions, with no monthly fee
• Add and manage user permissions so your team can also access the account as needed
• Access to the powerful Wise API for time-saving automation and connecting business tools
• Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (capital at risk, growth not guaranteed)

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Wise Business account fees

Want to know more? Here are the key features, services and fees for the Wise Business multi-currency account.

International payments with Wise Business

Wise Business is designed to simplify international finance. Businesses can receive payments from customers globally, pay suppliers abroad and manage foreign currencies without opening multiple local bank accounts.

As mentioned above, Wise Business uses the mid-market exchange rate, with low, transparent conversion fees. This can significantly reduce costs for businesses that regularly make cross-border payments. Even better, transfers are typically fast, with many payments arriving within hours or the same day, depending on currency and destination. There are also discounts for large transfers - the higher the amount you send, the more you save.

Speed disclaimer: The speed of transaction claim depends on funds availability, approval by Wise's proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners' banking system, and may not be available for all transactions.

Open Wise Business account

You can open a Wise Business account using just your laptop or mobile device. The easiest way is usually to get started in the Wise app, which means you can conveniently take photos of the required verification documents and upload them there and then. Here’s how to open a Wise Business account in a few simple stape:

1. Download the Wise app
2. Click Open an account
3. Confirm you want to open a business account
4. Enter your personal and contact information
5. Add details of your business
6. Complete a verification step by uploading ID and address documents, and business paperwork, which varies based on business type

The paperwork you need to provide to open a Wise Business account can vary depending on your personal situation and the business entity type you run. However, the Wise team is on hand to guide you through if you have any questions throughout the entire application.

Scale globally with Wise Business, the smarter way

UK business owners have plenty of choice when it comes to opening a digital business account. Starling Bank can be a good choice if you transact mainly in GBP, and need to pay in cash or cheques. However, Starling’s multi-currency account options are limited and come with monthly fees.

If you’re looking for a more flexible way to manage your money across currencies, check out Wise Business. Open your Wise account online or from your phone, to send, receive, convert and spend money worldwide - making it easier than ever to connect with customers around the world.

Register with Wise Business 🚀

Investments can fluctuate, and your capital is at risk. Interest is offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise Payments Ltd. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with registration number 839689. When facilitating access to Wise investment products, Wise Payments Ltd acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Wise Assets UK Ltd. Please be aware that we do not offer investment advice, and you may be liable for taxes on any earnings. If you're uncertain, we urge you to seek professional advice. To find out more about the Funds, visit our website.

*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.

Sources:

Sources last checked: 26-Feb-2026