Starling Bank vs Wio.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Wio (W74/100), 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.
| S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | W Wio №24 · CBUAE 74 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 77 /100 | 74 /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 FCA | Full bank CBUAE |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | £120,000 GB.FSCS | Safeguarded AE.DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | — | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.0 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
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.
Pick Wio if…
UAE-native digital full-bank, CBUAE-licensed since 2022. Backed by ADQ + Alpha Dhabi + Mubadala + e&. Instant onboarding via Emirates ID and a multi-currency core (AED + USD + EUR + GBP) make it the strongest local-licensed competitor to Liv. and Mashreq Neo. The UAE has no statutory deposit-guarantee scheme, so deposits rest on the bank's CBUAE licence.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Starling Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Wio won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Wio won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Wio — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Starling Bank better than Wio?
Starling Bank and Wio are tied 2–2 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Starling Bank 77/100 vs Wio 74/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Starling Bank or Wio cheaper?
Monthly fee — Starling Bank: €0; Wio: €0. Card FX markup — Starling Bank: Interbank; Wio: Interbank. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Starling Bank or Wio?
Starling Bank holds a Full bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £120,000. Wio holds a Full bank licence under CBUAE; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Starling Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Starling Bank and Wio?
Starling Bank operates in 1 country; Wio 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.