Starling Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Marcus by Goldman Sachs (M58/100), 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 Marcus by Goldman Sachs 3-1.
| M Marcus by Goldman Sachs №56 · OCC 58 /100 | S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 58 /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 | Payment inst. OCC | Full bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded US.FDIC | £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 | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 | — |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Marcus by Goldman Sachs if…
Online-savings + CD-only product from Goldman Sachs Bank USA. No checking, no debit, no investing — purely a yield destination. Goldman institutional pedigree and headline APY among top-quartile US chartered banks. The savings-only counterpart to Ally for depositors with checking elsewhere.
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 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Marcus by Goldman Sachs won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Marcus by Goldman Sachs — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Marcus by Goldman Sachs better than Starling Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Starling Bank leads Marcus by Goldman Sachs 3–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Marcus by Goldman Sachs 58/100 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 Marcus by Goldman Sachs or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Marcus by Goldman Sachs: €0; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Marcus by Goldman Sachs: 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, Marcus by Goldman Sachs or Starling Bank?
Marcus by Goldman Sachs holds a Payment inst. licence under OCC; 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 Marcus by Goldman Sachs and Starling Bank?
Marcus by Goldman Sachs 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?
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