Mettle vs Starling Bank: what each publishes
As of October 7, 2026
The published rules of Mettle and Starling Bank, side by side: which industries each excludes or accepts, where owners must live, which countries each names, the licence each holds and the fees each publishes. Each answer links to the page that quotes the rule with the date we read it.
This is not a ranking, and the two names are in alphabetical order. Either provider may still decline your company because of its activity, where it is registered, where its owners live or which licence it holds. The free check applies the rules of every provider in our base to your answers.
Policy by industry
| Industry | Mettle | Starling Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | Depends on the activity | No published rule |
| iGaming | No | No |
| Adult | No | No |
| Unlicensed financial services | No | No |
| AI and SaaS | No published rule | No published rule |
| Forex and CFD | No published rule | No published rule |
| Marketplace | No published rule | No published rule |
Mettle
Starling BankLicence
| Licensee | Mettle | Starling Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Licensee | National Westminster Bank Public Limited Company (NatWest), trading as Mettle · bank authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA (FRN 121878) | Starling Bank Ltd · bank authorised by the PRA and FCA (FRN 730166) |
| Regulator | FCA / PRA · | PRA / FCA · |
Where owners must live
Starling Bank
All persons of significant control (PSC) of your Limited Company or LLP are individuals and are residents of the United Kingdom (i.e. no corporate shareholders). … All directors and limited partners with access to the account are residents of the United Kingdom.
Rules about countries
Mettle
No published rule
Starling Bank
No published rule
Fees
Mettle
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mettle | Not stated | None: 'Maintaining the account', 'No fee' | · Source |
| Mettle+ | Not stated | GBP 4 (optional add-on: 'Optional at £4 a month') | · Source |
Starling Bank
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business account | Not stated | None ('no monthly fees') | · Source |
| Euro business account (add-on) | Not stated | GBP 2 a month | · Source |
| Accounting Plus (add-on) | Not stated | GBP 7 a month until April 2027, then GBP 14 a month | · Source |