Starling business account review
Starling is the best free business account for most UK limited companies, and its separate sole trader account is the best starting point for most self-employed people. It is a licensed bank, it charges no monthly fee, deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000, and the app has led the field for years. The gaps are narrow but real: cash handling is capped and costs 0.7%, and the business account no longer accepts sole traders directly.
| Monthly fee | No monthly fee on the business account or the sole trader account. No charge for UK transfers. |
| Protection | Licensed UK bank. Eligible deposits protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS. |
| Cash deposits | Deposit cash at any Post Office for 0.7% of the amount, minimum £3. Sole trader accounts are capped at £5,000 per day and £20,000 per calendar year, so heavy cash businesses will hit the ceiling. |
| Invoicing | Free invoicing tools built in |
| Accounting | Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent connections plus its own MTD-ready Starling Accounting |
| Who can open it | Business account: limited companies and LLPs registered at Companies House. Sole traders use the separate Starling sole trader account. General partnerships and unregistered charities are not supported. |
What you get for nothing
The account itself: a full UK current account with a sort code and account number, no monthly fee and no charge for UK transfers. Invoicing tools are included free, which now undercuts Tide (3 free invoices a month) and Monzo (invoicing needs the £9 Pro plan).
Spaces let you ringfence tax money in named pots, and the account connects to Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent. Starling also has its own MTD-ready accounting layer, which matters now that Making Tax Digital applies to sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000.
Where Starling loses
Cash. Deposits go through the Post Office at 0.7% with a £3 minimum, and the sole trader account caps cash at £5,000 a day and £20,000 a calendar year. A market trader banking £2,000 in notes each week would hit the annual cap by autumn. Heavy cash businesses should look at Zempler (0.55%, no annual cap published) or a high-street bank with a counter.
Structure. General partnerships and unregistered charities cannot open the account at all, and sole traders must use the separate sole trader product rather than the business account. If you incorporate later, you open a new account rather than flicking a switch.
The ledger, balanced
In credit
- No monthly fee, no UK transfer charges
- Licensed bank: FSCS protection up to £120,000
- Free built-in invoicing, unlike Tide and Monzo free tiers
- Consistently top-rated app and support
In debit
- Cash deposits cost 0.7% (min £3), capped at £20,000 a year for sole traders
- No general partnerships or unregistered charities
- Sole traders need the separate sole trader account
Questions people actually ask
Is Starling's business account really free?
Yes. There is no monthly fee and UK transfers are free. You pay for cash deposits (0.7%, minimum £3) and some optional extras, and that is broadly it.
Can a sole trader open a Starling business account?
Not the main business account, which is for limited companies and LLPs. Starling has a separate free sole trader account with the same app and FSCS protection.
Is my money safe with Starling?
Starling is a licensed UK bank, so eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 by the FSCS, the limit that has applied since December 2025.
Verified 3 Jul 2026 against starlingbank.com business and sole trader pages. Confirm details with the provider before applying. We may earn a commission through links on this page.