Starling vs Statrys: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Starling and Statrys to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
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.
Statrys
5.9/10
Statrys gives SMEs incorporated in Hong Kong and Singapore a multi-currency business payment account with cards, FX, invoicing, accounting services, and company secretary services.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.6/10 | 5.9/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £7/mo Accounting Plus | HK$892/mo Accounting |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials | Free Business Account |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Expense Management | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Starling vs Statrys cost by team size
| Team size | Starling | Statrys |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeBusiness Account |
| 5 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeBusiness Account |
| 10 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeBusiness Account |
| 25 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeBusiness Account |
| 50 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeBusiness Account |
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 Starling
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 7/10)
Why choose Statrys
- Higher Scalability score (5/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Support score (8/10 vs 7/10)
Pros & Cons
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.
Statrys
Pros
- Holds 11 currencies, including HKD and CNY, under one account number, which helps companies trading with Hong Kong and China.
- No monthly account fee as long as the business makes at least five outgoing payments a month.
- Low FX markups, starting at 0.1% on major currency pairs.
- One provider covers payments, cards, invoicing, accounting and company secretary services for Hong Kong companies.
- Support is handled by people rather than bots, in several languages, and Trustpilot reviewers frequently praise fast onboarding.
Cons
- Not a bank, so deposits are not insured, and eligibility mostly excludes companies incorporated outside Asia.
- No native batch payments, and forward FX hedging requires going through sales.
- Fewer currencies than Wise Business or Airwallex.
- Card and ATM transactions outside HKD cost 1.99%, and physical cards delivered outside Hong Kong and Mainland China cost HKD 300.
- No built-in general ledger or financial reporting; accounting is sold as a separate service.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 5.9/10 for Statrys. The largest gap is in Cost: 9/10 for Starling and 7/10 for Statrys.
Yes, both Starling and Statrys have a free plan.
