Starling vs Vivid Business: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Starling and Vivid Business 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.
Vivid Business
6.1/10
Vivid Business is a business account from Berlin-based Vivid Money for European freelancers and SMEs. It bundles cards, multi-currency accounts, invoicing, card acceptance and interest on idle cash.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.6/10 | 6.1/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £7/mo Accounting Plus | €7/mo Basic |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials | Free Free Start |
| Features | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Accountant Access | Not listed | |
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
Starling vs Vivid Business cost by team size
| Team size | Starling | Vivid Business |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeFree Start |
| 5 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeFree Start |
| 10 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeFree Start |
| 25 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeFree Start |
| 50 users | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials | FreeFree Start |
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 Support score (7/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose Vivid Business
- Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- 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.
Vivid Business
Pros
- A free plan with unlimited team members and free virtual and physical cards keeps entry costs low.
- Promotional interest of 4% on EUR and 5% on USD and GBP, plus ongoing interest that rises on higher tiers.
- Invoicing, accounting integrations including DATEV, and a travel tool are included on every plan.
- Unlimited sub-accounts with their own IBANs make cash budgeting simple.
- Enterprise tiers add approval flows with up to three steps, custom roles and budgets.
Cons
- It is not an accounting system: there is no ledger or financial statements, so bookkeeping software is still needed.
- Trustpilot reviewers in 2026 report business funds frozen for weeks with poor explanations.
- Approval flows, custom roles and budgets require Enterprise at 79 euros per month or more.
- A Luxembourg IBAN can be refused for some direct debits, and Vivid is an e-money institution rather than a bank.
- Outgoing international transfers are not available on the free plan, and SWIFT transfers cost up to 30 euros.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 6.1/10 for Vivid Business. The largest gap is in Scalability: 3/10 for Starling and 6/10 for Vivid Business.
Yes, both Starling and Vivid Business have a free plan.
