Starling Bank vs Memo Bank.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Memo Bank (M56/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Starling Bank leads Memo Bank 5-2.
| M Memo Bank №59 · ACPR 56 /100 | S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 56 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €449 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. ACPR | Full bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded EU.DGS.FR | £85,000 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 | 4.6 ★ 0k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.4 | — |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Memo Bank if…
The French mid-market SME bank that fills the structural gap between Qonto (freelancer-and-SME-led, ACPR credit institution) and chartered legacy banks (BNP Paribas Business, Société Générale Business). Full ACPR credit-institution licence with DGS protection. Mid-market SME tier (€1M-100M revenue) is the target audience; API-first treasury + Pennylane integration is the SMB-tech moat.
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 Starling Bank won 2 of 4
- Best for protection Starling Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Memo Bank won 2 of 2
Starling Bank vs Memo Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Memo Bank better than Starling Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Starling Bank leads Memo Bank 5–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Memo Bank 56/100 vs Starling Bank 77/100. Starling Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Memo Bank or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Memo Bank: €449; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Memo Bank: 0.50%; Starling Bank: Interbank. Starling Bank wins more fee rows (2 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Memo Bank or Starling Bank?
Memo Bank holds a E-money inst. licence under ACPR; 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 Memo Bank and Starling Bank?
Memo 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.