Starling Bank teen account review

Zero fees on spending abroad

Lose your card abroad and it might cost £60

Digital-only Starling Bank’s teen account is designed with young people in mind. Managed via mobile phone, the account can be applied for in a matter of minutes and offers a range of nifty features and spending tools to help your teenager keep track of their spending.

Free bank account for 16-17 year olds

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• Free Mastercard debit card
• Apply in minutes
• 24/7 customer support

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What is the Starling Bank teen account?

The Starling teen account is an app-based bank account for 16- and 17-year-olds. It comes with a Mastercard debit card, but it also allows account holders to use Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay if they forget to bring their bank card out and about with them.

The account pays 0.05% AER interest on balances up to £85,000.

How does it work?

The Starling Bank teen account offers the following key features:

• A single app for spending, saving and earning money
• Instant payment notifications
• Spending insights so you can see what you’re spending and where you might want to cut back
• Savings Spaces to help you put money aside for clothes, trips, tech or whatever else takes your fancy
• Make instant payments to friends and settle IOUs by sending payment links from your mobile
• 24/7 customer support
• Pay cash in or withdraw money at any Post Office branch

Who is the Starling teen account for?

The teen account is for those aged between 16 and 17 years old. If you have a child younger than 16 years old, Starling Bank also offers a debit card called Starling Kite, which is connected to a parent or guardian’s current account.

How to sign up

Signing up for the Starling teen account can be completed in around 5 minutes – just follow the steps below:

• Download the Starling bank app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
• Enter your phone number and the verification code you’ll be sent
• Create an account by entering your name, date of birth, email address and current home address
• Verify who you are by recording a short selfie video and taking a photo of your passport ID

Is the Starling teen account safe?

Starling Bank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA. This means that your money is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the event the bank goes bust. Deposits of up to £85,000 per person, per banking institution are covered.

Pros and cons of the Starling teen account

Our verdict

The Starling Bank teen account has a lot going for it and could be a great option if you want to encourage your teenager to get better at managing their own money. Managed by an app, it’s easy to use and allows teens to easily keep track of what they’re spending. What’s more, thanks to its Savings Spaces feature, your teen can also learn more about saving up for what they want.

Although there is no option to go into a bank branch to carry out transactions, account holders can still withdraw cash and make payments at any Post Office branch.

Frequently asked questions

• What are Starling Goals?

  Starling Goals are a way to save money for whatever is important to you, whether that's a holiday, a new laptop or even a new wardrobe. It's designed to help you ring-fence your money for different goals and save up for them at your own pace. You can round up transactions that count towards a specific goal.

• What should I do if my debit card is lost or stolen?

  If you still have access to the app, you can lock your card so that it can't be used by anyone else. If you find your card again, simply unlock the card and use it as usual. If not, you can cancel your old card and order a new one in the app.

• What happens if I lose my phone?

  If you lose your phone, contact the customer service team on 0207 930 4450 and Starling will disable the app from your device – you'll still be able to use your app on an iPad or tablet.

• Will I be charged for using my debit card abroad?

  No. Starling will not charge you a fee for spending or withdrawing cash on your card overseas. However, bear in mind that some ATM providers will charge a fee, so always check first.