LS Compta vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of LS Compta and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
LS Compta
5.2/10
LS Compta is an online accounting firm from the Legalstart group. It gives French small businesses a dedicated accountant and Pennylane software for bookkeeping, VAT and annual accounts.
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 | 5.2/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €79/mo Essentiel | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Basique | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
LS Compta vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | LS Compta | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeBasique | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | FreeBasique | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | FreeBasique | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | FreeBasique | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | FreeBasique | 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 LS Compta
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (4/10 vs 3/10)
Why choose Starling
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Integration score (6/10 vs 3/10)
Pros & Cons
LS Compta
Pros
- A dedicated accountant based in France handles the bookkeeping and tax filings, so owners do not need accounting knowledge.
- Pennylane is included in the subscription and provides bank sync, invoicing and dashboards.
- Monthly plans have no commitment, and company formation is free with a subscription (legal fees are extra).
- Strong Google rating of about 4.7 out of 5 from more than 450 reviews, with praise for how responsive accountants are.
Cons
- Prices are entry-level figures that depend on a quote, and published amounts differ between the official site and the Legalstart pages.
- Some reviews mention long processing times, missed deadlines and errors in annual accounts.
- Reviewers report that cancelling is difficult and that free trials convert to paid plans automatically.
- It is designed for simple accounting and is a poor fit for complex or growing companies.
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 5.2/10 for LS Compta. The largest gap is in Cost: 5/10 for LS Compta and 9/10 for Starling.
Yes, both LS Compta and Starling have a free plan.
