Starling Bank vs Vivid Money.
Starling Bank (S77/100) and Vivid Money (V62/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Vivid Money leads Starling Bank 6-3.
| S Starling Bank №12 · FCA 77 /100 | V Vivid Money №47 · Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services 62 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 77 /100 | 62 /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 | — | €200 /mo |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank FCA | E-money inst. |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | £85,000 GB.FSCS | Safeguarded EU.DGS.DE |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 5 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 300 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.2 ★ 8k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | — | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · 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 Vivid Money if…
Pick if cashback on cards matters more than regulatory depth or rich product breadth.
- Best for fees Vivid Money won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Starling Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Vivid Money won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Vivid Money won 2 of 2
Starling Bank vs Vivid Money — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Starling Bank better than Vivid Money?
Under our v3 methodology, Vivid Money leads Starling Bank 6–3 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Starling Bank 77/100 vs Vivid Money 62/100. Vivid 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 Vivid Money cheaper?
Monthly fee — Starling Bank: €0; Vivid Money: €0. Card FX markup — Starling Bank: Interbank; Vivid Money: Interbank. Vivid Money 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, Starling Bank or Vivid Money?
Starling Bank holds a Full bank licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: £85,000. Vivid Money holds a E-money inst. licence under Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Starling Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Starling Bank and Vivid Money?
Starling Bank operates in 1 country; Vivid Money operates in 5 countries. 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.