Starling Bank vs Cora.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Cora (C51/100), 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 Cora 4-1.
| C Cora №71 · BACEN 51 /100 | S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 51 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. BACEN | Full bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded BR.FGC | £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 Cora if…
Brazilian SMB neobank with the strongest working-capital credit-line product among BACEN payment institutions. Cora Crédito underwrites loans on bank-statement signal — same model as Mercado Crédito but without the marketplace-flow dependency. Free Conta PJ keeps customer-acquisition friction low; credit-line draws generate the revenue. Backed by ~$230M from Tiger Global, Greenoaks Capital, others. ~300K BR business accounts.
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 1 of 4
- Best for protection Starling Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Cora won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Cora — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Cora better than Starling Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Starling Bank leads Cora 4–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Cora 51/100 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 Cora or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Cora: €0; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Cora: 1.50%; Starling Bank: Interbank. Starling Bank wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Cora or Starling Bank?
Cora holds a Payment inst. licence under BACEN; 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 Cora and Starling Bank?
Cora 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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