Shine vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Shine and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Shine
6.1/10
French online business account for freelancers and small companies, with Mastercard cards, built-in invoicing, receipt capture and accounting exports.
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 | 6.1/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 6/10 | 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 | Contact for pricing | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Shine vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | Shine | 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 Shine
- 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
Shine
Pros
- A real free plan that includes unlimited quotes and invoices with automatic reminders
- Cash deposits through tobacconists, which few online business accounts offer
- Strong Trustpilot ratings of about 4.6 to 4.7 out of 5 across thousands of reviews, and an in-house support team based in France
- Paid plans have a 30-day trial and no commitment
Cons
- As a payment institution it offers no overdraft, loans or interest-bearing account
- Higher fees than some rivals on non-euro card payments and international transfers
- No phone support on the Free plan, and reviewers report accounts blocked without warning
- Garnishment processing fees of 10 percent, capped at 100 EUR, criticised as poorly signposted
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 6.1/10 for Shine. The largest gap is in Cost: 7/10 for Shine and 9/10 for Starling.
Yes, both Shine and Starling have a free plan.
