Allica Bank Customer Reviews & Alternatives

Is Revolut good for investing?

Revolut is a good choice for investors that want to buy and sell major shares and cryptocurrencies. No funds, or smaller cap stocks, but a good entry-level account for most investors.

One of the most commonly asked questions about new banks and fintech is if they are a safe place to keep your money. The answer is generally, yes, if they are regulated by the FCA as funds are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000. But, Revolut, is regulated as an e-money institution and not as a bank so you do not get the FSCS protection.

Revolut says that if they were to go bust, client funds would be paid out of a “safeguarding” account which is a type of ringfenced account where client funds are held.  When funds are in this type of account, Revolut cannot (in theory, at least) lend them out or use them to run the business. This is how banks traditionally made money, they pay you a smaller amount of interest than they receive on the money they lend out and make a profit from the difference (among other things).

For small money transfers, Revolut is safe enough, but as with all currency conversions if you are sending over £10,000 abroad you should be using a currency broker. You’ll get much better rates, more control over when you buy and sell, help with all the AML (anti-money laundering) issues that may come up, and the ability to lock in the currency exchange rate for up to a year in advance (if you think it will move against you).

• Sending a small amount of money abroad? Compare the best money transfer apps

Is Starling Bank good?

For most users, yes. Starling Bank offers fee-free banking, competitive savings rates, and an excellent app. Is Starling going bust? No — despite regulatory fines, it remains stable, FSCS-protected, and growing. It’s one of the strongest digital options for personal and business accounts, as long as you are comfortable with app-based banking and don’t need branches.

Pricing & Interest Rates

Starling Bank has built its reputation on transparent pricing and competitive interest rates. Its Easy Saver account currently pays interest on 12-month terms. It has removed interest on standard current accounts from February 2025, reducing returns for customers holding large balances.

There are no monthly account fees, and Starling does not charge extra for spending abroad, using Mastercard’s exchange rate for foreign card payments and ATM withdrawals. These features make it attractive for both domestic and overseas use.

Products & Features

Starling Bank offers a full range of current and savings accounts, plus business and euro accounts. It has budgeting tools like Spaces for ring-fencing money, Bills Manager for setting aside funds, instant transaction notifications, and strong card controls.

Business customers can connect accounting software through the Starling Marketplace and access free UK payments and integrated spending insights.

There is no Starling Bank credit card yet, but its core products are broad and well integrated, giving users strong day-to-day banking functionality.

App & Website

The Starling Bank app is one of the strongest in UK banking. It has a clean design, reliable performance, and highly rated features like cheque imaging, instant alerts, spending categories, savings goals, and card freezing.

The app and online banking platform are regularly updated, and customer reviews praise their stability and ease of use. Starling Bank login is secure and fast, and you can open or close accounts entirely through the app without needing branches.

But website bank account access is limited.

Safety & Reliability

Starling is a licensed UK bank with full FSCS protection and robust security tools like biometric login, fraud monitoring and instant card controls. It has faced scrutiny, with the FCA fining it £29 million in 2024 for “shockingly lax” anti-money laundering controls, which has raised questions about Starling Bank financial struggles and governance, though it remains solvent and operational.

The bank has since pledged to improve compliance systems. While these failings dented its reputation, Starling Bank is safe overall, and is Starling a UK bank? Yes, it is fully regulated and headquartered in London.

Customer Experience

Customer reviews are generally positive, praising fast account opening, helpful in-app chat support, and the absence of fees. Users say it is intuitive to use day-to-day and Starling Bank abroad works well, with no extra charges for foreign spending or ATM withdrawals.

Cash deposits are possible at Post Office branches using a Starling Bank sort code and account number, which answers common questions like how to pay cash into Starling Bank or how to put cash into Starling Bank.

There are occasional complaints about delays resolving complex fraud or disputes, but these are relatively rare.