Starling Bank vs Rakuten Bank.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Rakuten Bank (R70/100), 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 Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 70 /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 | Full bank JFSA | Full bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | £85,000 GB.FSCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 | — |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Rakuten Bank if…
Largest Japanese internet-only bank by customer count (~14M+) and the only TSE Prime-listed pure-play net bank (TYO: 5838, IPO 21 April 2023 — the largest Japanese IPO in five years at the time). Originally chartered as eBank in 2001; acquired by Rakuten Group (TYO: 4755) in 2009. Structural moat is the Rakuten Points + Rakuten Card + Rakuten Securities + Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Ichiba ecosystem — points cross-pollinate across the entire surface area. Full FSA Banking Act licence; statutory DICJ member at the JPY 10,000,000 ceiling.
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 Starling Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Rakuten Bank won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Rakuten Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Rakuten Bank better than Starling Bank?
Rakuten Bank and Starling Bank are tied 2–2 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Rakuten Bank 70/100 vs Starling Bank 77/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Rakuten Bank or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Rakuten Bank: €0; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Rakuten Bank: 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, Rakuten Bank or Starling Bank?
Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Starling Bank holds a Full bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Starling Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Rakuten Bank and Starling Bank?
Rakuten Bank 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.