Starling vs TallyPrime: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Starling and TallyPrime 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.
TallyPrime
6.4/10
TallyPrime is Windows-based accounting, inventory, GST compliance and payroll software from Tally Solutions, built mainly for small and mid-sized businesses in India.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.6/10 | 6.4/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | £7/mo Accounting Plus | ₹750/mo Silver (rental) |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials | ₹2,250/mo Gold (rental) |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Expense Management | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Multi-entity Consolidation | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
Starling vs TallyPrime cost by team size
| Team size | Starling | TallyPrime |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | ₹750/moSilver (rental) |
| 5 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | ₹2,250/moGold (rental) |
| 10 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | ₹2,250/moGold (rental) |
| 25 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | ₹2,250/moGold (rental) |
| 50 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | ₹2,250/moGold (rental) |
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
- Has a free plan (TallyPrime does not)
- Higher Integration score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose TallyPrime
- Higher Analytics score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (5/10 vs 3/10)
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.
TallyPrime
Pros
- The GST tooling is deep: e-invoices, e-way bills, GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filing, and GSTR-2B reconciliation are built in.
- Every plan includes the full feature set, so a single-user Silver license costs only 750 INR a month or 22,500 INR for a lifetime license.
- The Edit Log release keeps a fixed audit trail that meets the MCA audit trail rule.
- More than 400 built-in reports can be traced back to the underlying vouchers.
- Connected banking with major Indian banks covers payments and statement reconciliation.
Cons
- It is desktop-first, and remote access needs the paid Cloud Access add-on.
- Reviewers repeatedly cite few third-party integrations.
- Customization usually requires a certified Tally partner.
- Some users report slow performance, data corruption and license activation problems.
- Reviewers describe the interface as dated and the advanced modules as slow to learn.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 6.4/10 for TallyPrime. The largest gap is in Analytics: 4/10 for Starling and 6/10 for TallyPrime.
Starling has a free plan; TallyPrime does not list one.
