ANNA vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of ANNA and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
ANNA
6.2/10
ANNA is a UK business current account app for sole traders and small limited companies, combining payments, invoicing, receipt capture and tax filing.
Starling
6.6/10
A UK digital bank business account with built-in invoicing, bookkeeping, and Making Tax Digital tax tools for sole traders and small limited companies.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.2/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £13/mo Grow | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
ANNA vs Starling cost by team size
ANNA and Starling cost the same at every team size we checked.
| Team size | ANNA | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | FreeFree | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | FreeFree | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | FreeFree | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | FreeFree | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose ANNA
- Higher Customization score (4/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Scalability score (4/10 vs 3/10)
Why choose Starling
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 7/10)
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 6/10)
Pros & Cons
ANNA
Pros
- Combines a business account with invoicing, receipt capture and tax filing in one app
- Free plan, plus free MTD ITSA filing on every plan
- Integrates with Xero, Sage, Stripe and e-commerce platforms such as Shopify and Amazon
- Strong customer feedback, with Trustpilot around 4.5 from over 5,000 reviews and Statrys rating support 9/10
- Unlimited free expense cards on the Free and Big Business plans
Cons
- Only for UK-registered businesses
- Main account is e-money and not FSCS-protected
- Reviewers report sudden account freezes or closures with little explanation
- Only USD, EUR and CHF currency accounts
- No cheque deposits or phone support
- The Free plan charges 0.95% on incoming payments over £1,000 a month
Starling
Pros
- The business account has no monthly fee, and UK transfers, invoicing, and up to five expense cards are free.
- The free Essentials tier includes MTD for Income Tax submissions, which helps sole traders and landlords facing the April 2026 rules.
- VAT returns can be filed to HMRC from inside the banking app for £7 a month until April 2027.
- Bank feeds connect to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.
- UK-based support is available 24/7 in the app, and Finder ranked it highly for customer satisfaction in 2026.
Cons
- It is not a full accounting system: there is no general ledger, payroll, or multi-entity support.
- Accountants only get view-only access.
- Only GBP and EUR accounts are available, and new USD account applications are paused.
- Eligibility is strict: directors and people with significant control must be UK residents.
- Overdrafts and loans are not available to new business customers, and there are no branches.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 6.2/10 for ANNA. The largest gap is in Cost: 7/10 for ANNA and 9/10 for Starling.
Both are free for 10 users.
Yes, both ANNA and Starling have a free plan.
