Trade Republic vs Starling Bank.
Trade Republic (T81/100) and Starling Bank (S77/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Trade Republic leads Starling Bank 7-0.
| S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | T Trade Republic №05 · BaFin 81 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 77 /100 | 81 /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 BaFin |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | £85,000 GB.FSCS | €100,000 EU.DGS.DE |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 17 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 50 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 3.3 ★ 28k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | — | 4.4 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.1 |
| 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 Trade Republic if…
Pick if you want the cheapest brokerage in Europe (€1/trade) and the highest interest on idle cash. Not a primary current account.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Trade Republic won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Trade Republic won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Trade Republic won 2 of 2
Trade Republic vs Starling Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Starling Bank better than Trade Republic?
Under our v3 methodology, Trade Republic leads Starling Bank 7–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Starling Bank 77/100 vs Trade Republic 81/100. Trade Republic is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Starling Bank or Trade Republic cheaper?
Monthly fee — Starling Bank: €0; Trade Republic: €0. Card FX markup — Starling Bank: Interbank; Trade Republic: 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 Trade Republic?
Starling Bank holds a Full bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Trade Republic holds a Full bank licence under BaFin; deposit guarantee per depositor: €100,000. Trade Republic is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Starling Bank and Trade Republic?
Starling Bank operates in 1 country; Trade Republic operates in 17 countries. 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.