N26 Business vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of N26 Business and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
N26 Business
5.2/10
A mobile-first euro business bank account from Berlin-based N26 for freelancers and sole traders in supported EU countries, with debit cards, cashback and budgeting Spaces.
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 |
| Scalability | 2/10 | 3/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €5/mo Business Smart | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Business Standard | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Accountant Access | Not listed | |
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Expense Management | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
N26 Business vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | N26 Business | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeBusiness Standard | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | FreeBusiness Standard | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | FreeBusiness Standard | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | FreeBusiness Standard | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | FreeBusiness Standard | 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 N26 Business
Our data shows no clear advantage over Starling.
Why choose Starling
- Higher Integration score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for small business (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Includes Invoicing, which N26 Business lacks
Pros & Cons
N26 Business
Pros
- The Standard plan has no monthly fee and includes a virtual card plus 0.1% cashback.
- Card payments in foreign currencies carry no surcharge on any plan.
- Spaces sub-accounts and budgeting rules help freelancers set aside money for tax.
- Metal pays 0.5% cashback and includes purchase and phone insurance.
Cons
- There is no invoicing, no native DATEV link, and no HBCI or EBICS support.
- The account holds euros only and has no foreign-currency transfers in the app.
- Companies such as GmbH or UG cannot open an account, and the company name cannot appear on the account or card.
- Basic-plan customers get no phone support, and Trustpilot users report account freezes and rejected applications.
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 N26 Business. The largest gap is in Integration: 3/10 for N26 Business and 6/10 for Starling.
Yes, both N26 Business and Starling have a free plan.
Starling is the better fit for small business: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 4/10 for N26 Business.
Starling has Invoicing, which N26 Business lacks.
