Penta vs Starling Business
For spending abroad FX markup matters, and Penta does better (0% vs 0.4%). In our editorial rating Starling Business leads (4.5 vs 3.8). Neither wins across the board: weigh the points above against your use case before choosing between Penta and Starling Business.
| Penta | Starling Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | B | A |
| Rating | ★ 3.8 | ★ 4.5 |
| Estimated net annual cost | €0 | €0 |
| Account fee | Free | Free |
| IBAN | dedicato · DE | dedicato · GB |
| Multi-currency | No (single currency) | Yes · 3 currencies |
| Outbound transfers to third-party IBANs | Yes | Yes |
| Utility direct billing | Yes | Yes |
| SEPA direct debit (SDD) | Yes | Yes |
| On-chain crypto withdrawal | No | No |
| SEPA transfer | Free | Free |
| Interest on balance | 0% | 0% |
| ATM withdrawal | not declared | not declared |
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| KYC | Full | Full |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries | UK · 1+ countries |
| Regulator | BaFin | PRA, FCA |
| OAM Italy registration | No | No |
| Segment | B2B | B2B |
| Deposit guarantee | — | FSCS £85,000 (UK) |
| Regions | EU/EEA | UK |
| Licences & safety | Banking-as-a-Service (solarisBank) | Full Banking License |
Frequently asked questions
Penta vs Starling Business: which is better?
For spending abroad FX markup matters, and Penta does better (0% vs 0.4%). In our editorial rating Starling Business leads (4.5 vs 3.8). Neither wins across the board: weigh the points above against your use case before choosing between Penta and Starling Business.
Which is cheaper, Penta or Starling Business?
On the standard spending profile Penta has the lowest net annual cost: €0 versus €0 for Starling Business.
Is Penta custodial or self-custody?
Penta is custodial: funds are held by the platform, while Starling Business is custodial.
Which is better for spending abroad?
For foreign-currency spending Penta wins, with the lowest FX markup: 0%.