Starling Bank vs Now Money.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Now Money (N60/100), 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 Now Money 3-1.
| N Now Money №52 · CBUAE 60 /100 | S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 60 /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 | E-money inst. CBUAE | Full bank FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded AE.DPS | £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 | 4.0 ★ iOS 4.0 · And 3.9 | — |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Now Money if…
Migrant-worker-focused EMI in the UAE. Built-in remittance to South Asia at competitive FX. CBUAE-supervised EMI; not a bank — funds are safeguarded, not deposit-insured. Fills the underbanked segment that Liv/Wio/Mashreq Neo don't directly serve.
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 Now Money won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Now Money — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Now Money better than Starling Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Starling Bank leads Now Money 3–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Now Money 60/100 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 Now Money or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Now Money: €0; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Now Money: 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, Now Money or Starling Bank?
Now Money holds a E-money inst. licence under CBUAE; 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 Now Money and Starling Bank?
Now Money 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.