Starling Bank vs Discover Bank.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Discover Bank (D60/100), 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 Discover Bank 3-1.
| D Discover Bank №51 · OCC 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 | 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 | 4.8 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.7 | — |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Discover Bank if…
OCC-chartered direct bank, integrated with the Discover Card network. Famous for zero foreign-transaction fees + 1% cashback debit. Fully FDIC-insured. The card-network-integrated alternative to Ally for travellers + cashback-driven readers.
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 Discover Bank won 1 of 2
Starling Bank vs Discover Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Discover Bank better than Starling Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Starling Bank leads Discover Bank 3–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Discover Bank 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 Discover Bank or Starling Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Discover Bank: €0; Starling Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Discover Bank: 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, Discover Bank or Starling Bank?
Discover Bank 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 Discover Bank and Starling Bank?
Discover Bank 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.