Savings Interest Rates, Switch Offers and Guides for Starling Bank

Who they are

Starling Bank was founded as a digital challenger bank by Anne Boden in January 2014. It received its banking licence from the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority in July 2016, then launched its personal current accounts in early 2017. Boden had previously held senior roles at Allied Irish Banks, RBS and ABN AMRO - she built Starling specifically because she felt legacy banking technology needed a proper rebuild, not a refresh.

Starling does not have physical branches, with offices in London, Cardiff, Southampton and Manchester. For cash deposits, it has partnered with the Post Office, giving customers access to branches and designated locations across the UK. That makes it one of the few digital banks where depositing physical cash is genuinely practical and free up to a point. Starling issues a contactless Debit Mastercard , which means you get Mastercard exchange rates when spending abroad - no markup, no weekend surcharges.

Savings accounts

Starling currently offers three savings products, all open from just £1 (the Fixed Saver requires £2,000). Every account carries FSCS protection up to £120,000 - worth noting that this is higher than the standard £85,000 limit most savers are used to, so it is worth checking the current FSCS terms directly with the bank.

The Easy Saver pays 4.00% variable on instant-access balances. That headline rate includes a 1.50% introductory boost for the first 12 months, sitting on top of a 2.50% base rate - so it will step down once the bonus period ends. The Flexible Cash ISA pays 2.50% variable with unlimited access, which suits savers who want the tax wrapper without locking anything away. For those who can put aside a lump sum, the 1-Year Fixed Saver pays 3.70% fixed with no access until maturity, starting from £2,000.

As always with variable rates, these figures can change. The live rates shown on this page are the ones to rely on.

Is it right for you?

Starling tends to suit savers who also want a capable everyday current account in the same place. The Post Office cash deposit facility, fee-free overseas spending at Mastercard rates, and a solid mobile app make it a strong all-rounder - particularly if you travel regularly or occasionally handle physical cash. Starling was the first digital challenger bank to become profitable , which gives it a degree of financial stability that some newer names cannot yet claim.

The savings rates are competitive but not always market-leading, and the Easy Saver bonus rate does mean you need to revisit what you are earning once the 12 months are up. There are no current account switch incentives in the DepositScout data right now, so if a cash switching bonus is your priority, you may want to compare alternatives first.

Check the live rates at the top of this page before applying - what you see there reflects today's figures.