Payhawk vs Starling (2026): Pricing, Features & Verdict
Payhawk is our pick, scoring 7.1/10 against 6.6/10 for Starling on our Finance Software criteria. Its biggest advantage: higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 3/10). For 10 users, Starling is free, against £149/mo for Payhawk; only Starling has a free plan.
Last updated: November 2026
Payhawk
7.1/10
Payhawk is a modular spend management platform combining Visa corporate cards, expense claims, accounts payable, procurement and travel booking for mid-sized and multi-entity companies.
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 | 7.1/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 9/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £149/mo Growth programme (UK/EEA) | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | £149/mo Growth programme (UK/EEA) | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Invoicing | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Multi-entity Consolidation | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
Payhawk vs Starling cost by team size
Starling costs less up to 10 users.
| Team size | Payhawk | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | £149/moGrowth programme (UK/EEA) | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | £149/moGrowth programme (UK/EEA) | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | £149/moGrowth programme (UK/EEA) | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | $299/moTravel | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | $299/moTravel | 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.
Who Payhawk and Starling suit
Payhawk fits enterprise better; Starling fits small business better.
| Audience | Payhawk | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | 7/10It offers SAP, Oracle and Workday connectors, SSO, and PO matching, but very large enterprises may still need deeper procurement suites. | 2/10There is no multi-entity support, payroll, or advanced finance controls. |
| Small Business | 4/10There is a discounted Growth programme for UK and EEA firms under 10 staff, but it is capped and reviewers say the cost is high for small companies. | 8/10The free account with invoicing, bookkeeping, and VAT/MTD tools is aimed at UK small firms. |
| Startups | 5/10The Growth plan and unlimited employee seats help, but annual contracts and the price floor are less startup-friendly than freemium rivals. | 6/10There are no monthly fees, but it lacks overdrafts, loans, and broad multi-currency support. |
| Finance Teams | 9/10It is built for controllers and CFO teams that need card controls, AP approvals and ERP sync in one place. | Not rated |
| Freelancers | Not rated | 8/10Starling offers a sole trader account, and the free Essentials tier covers MTD for Income Tax. |
| Mid-Market | 9/10Module pricing from several hundred dollars a month, plus multi-entity add-ons, targets companies that have outgrown simple expense apps. | Not rated |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Payhawk
- Higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Customization score (7/10 vs 3/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (7/10 vs 2/10)
Why choose Starling
- Has a free plan (Payhawk does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs £149/mo
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for small business (8/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
Payhawk
Pros
- Unlimited employee seats, card transactions and document processing in every module, so costs do not scale per employee.
- Very broad native integration list, covering NetSuite, Sage Intacct, SAP, Dynamics, Xero, QuickBooks, DATEV and 30+ HR systems, plus a partner API and MCP connector.
- Strong for multi-entity European groups, with regulated card issuing entities in the EEA, UK and US and balances in six currencies.
- AP module includes 2- and 3-way PO matching, segregation-of-duties controls, and e-invoicing support for Peppol, KSeF, SDI and Finvoice.
- Reviewers often say employees find receipt capture and expense submission in the mobile app quick and easy.
Cons
- Trustpilot (2.8/5) and some G2 reviews describe mid-contract price increases, automatic renewals and difficult cancellations.
- Several reviewers report slow or AI-first support, with replies taking days or weeks.
- Annual pricing, unit fees for admin seats and cards, and add-on prices are not published, so you have to get a quote.
- Initial setup of workflows, custom fields and integrations is described as complex, and some reviewers note sync errors with Xero and with foreign currency refunds.
- It is not a general ledger or payroll system, so it needs a separate ERP or accounting package.
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
Payhawk scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 7.1/10 against 6.6/10 for Starling. The largest gap is in Cost: 4/10 for Payhawk and 9/10 for Starling.
Starling costs less for 10 users: free on its Business Account + Accounting Essentials plan, against about £149/mo on its Growth programme (UK/EEA) plan for Payhawk, billed monthly.
Starling has a free plan; Payhawk does not list one.
Payhawk is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 7/10 for them, against 2/10 for Starling.
