Varo Money vs Starling Bank.
Varo Money (V82/100) 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. Varo Money leads Starling Bank 4-0.
| S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | V Varo Money №04 · OCC 82 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 77 /100 | 82 /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 OCC |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | £85,000 GB.FSCS | $250,000 US.FDIC |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.2 ★ 8k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | — | 4.6 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.5 |
| 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 Varo Money if…
First US neobank to receive an OCC national bank charter (July 2020). Direct FDIC member — your money sits at Varo Bank, N.A., not a sponsor. Headline 5.00% APY savings rate on the first $5K with direct deposit — among the highest in the US neobank market.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Varo Money won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Varo Money won 2 of 2
Varo Money 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 Varo Money?
Under our v3 methodology, Varo Money leads Starling Bank 4–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Starling Bank 77/100 vs Varo Money 82/100. Varo Money 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 Varo Money cheaper?
Monthly fee — Starling Bank: €0; Varo Money: €0. Card FX markup — Starling Bank: Interbank; Varo Money: 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 Varo Money?
Starling Bank holds a Full bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Varo Money holds a Full bank licence under OCC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Varo Money is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Starling Bank and Varo Money?
Starling Bank operates in 1 country; Varo Money 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.