Starling Bank personal loans 2023 review

How do Starling loans compare against the competition?

• Loans for good credit
• Loans for fair credit
• Loans for bad credit

How much do you need to borrow? £

3000

How long do you need to borrow for?

5

years

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Name	Product	Total Payable	Monthly Repayment	Representative APR	Link
Zopa Personal Loan					View details	Representative example: Borrow £1,500.00 over 3 years at a rate of 19.9% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 19.9% and total payable £1,959.84 in monthly repayments of £54.44.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Novuna Personal Loan					Check eligibility View details	Representative example: Borrow £10,000.00 over 3 years at a rate of 5.9% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 5.9% and total payable £10,910.52 in monthly repayments of £303.07.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Fluro (formerly Lending Works) Personal Loan					Check eligibility View details	Representative Example: Assumed borrowing of £7,500.00 over 48 months at 16.9% APR representative. Monthly cost of £211.47. Total amount repayable of £10,150.38. Interest rate of 15.7% p.a.(fixed) and total fees of £150.00.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Barclays Bank Existing Current Account Customer Barclayloan					View details	Representative example: Borrow £25,100.00 over 3 years at a rate of 13.1% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 13.1% and total payable £30,173.76 in monthly repayments of £838.16.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Lloyds Bank Existing Customer Personal Loan					View details	Representative example: Borrow £10,000.00 over 3 years at a rate of 5.9% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 5.9% and total payable £10,910.52 in monthly repayments of £303.07.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
My Community Bank Personal Loan					Check eligibility View details	Representative example: Borrow £6,000.00 over 4 years at a rate of 18.85% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 18.85% and total payable £8,335.00 in monthly repayments of £173.64.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How much do you need to borrow? £

3000

How long do you need to borrow for?

2

years

Sort by:

Name	Product	Total Payable	Monthly Repayment	Representative APR	Link
118 118 Money Personal Loan					Check eligibility View details	Representative example: Borrow £2,000.00 over 2 years at a rate of 49.9% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 49.9% and total payable £2,967.36 in monthly repayments of £123.64.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Abound Personal Loan (formerly Fintern) Finder Award					Check eligibility View details	Representative Loan Example: £2,000 loan repayable over 36 months. 36 monthly payments of £77.60. Rate of interest 25.8% p.a. Representative 25.8% APR. Total amount repayable £2,793.60.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How much do you need to borrow? £

3000

How long do you need to borrow for?

2

years

Sort by:

Name	Product	Total Payable	Monthly Repayment	Representative APR	Link
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Can I get a loan with Starling Bank?

Yes, Starling Bank currently offer personal loans that are linked to your overdraft. This means that if you’re approved for a loan, you’ll be able to borrow as much as you have in your current overdraft.

So how does it work?

Your Starling account comes with an overdraft (if you’re eligible to have one) with a personalised limit. But rather than accessing this available credit through the overdraft, you have the option to take out some or all of it as a loan.

That means that the biggest loan you can get will depend on how much of your overdraft you’re using. Say you have a £2,000 overdraft limit and you’re £100 overdrawn, you could borrow up to £1,900 as a loan.

When you make a large purchase on your Starling Bank debit card, you will be sent a prompt asking if you want to turn it into a loan. But you can also just apply for a loan when you decide to – perhaps if you’ve got a hefty expenditure coming up.

Why wouldn’t I just use my overdraft facility?

Mainly because the overdraft has a higher rate of interest. The interest rate you’d pay on a Starling loan is dependent on Starling’s assessment of “your personal financial situation” (read “your income, outgoings and credit record”).

You might also prefer the structure of a personal loan. Unlike an overdraft, you commit to paying back a fixed amount each month, so you know in advance exactly how much the loan will cost overall and when you’ll be debt-free.

Ultimately you’ll need to decide if this original approach to borrowing is right for you. It’s hard to fault the convenience of the service, but some might find it a little too convenient!

Key features at a glance

• Available to Starling Bank account holders. To be eligible, you’ll need to get the current account and app.
• Borrow £500 to £5,000. You can borrow as much as you have left in your available overdraft.
• Repay over 12 to 60 months. Choose a repayment term to suit you.
• Personalised rates. Starling tailors rates and limits to the individual – you’re not guaranteed to be offered the advertised APR. There are more competitive rates out there, so you might have to decide how much you value the convenience a Starling loan offers.
• No hidden fees. There’s no arrangement or exit fee – you’ll only be charged interest on your loan.
• Fixed monthly repayments. You’ll pay the same amount each month (unless you opt to overpay, which you can) – helping you to budget. This also means that the overall cost of the loan will be clear from the start.
• Penalty-free early repayment. You can pay back your loan at any time without being charged, and you could save interest by doing so, because Starling only charges interest on a daily basis for what you actually use.
• Did we mention it’s convenient? You can apply in just a few minutes using your app – head for the “spaces” section. Once approved, you’ll see the money land in your account straightaway. Once you have your loan, you can see at a glance how many payments you’ve got left, when they’ll be going out and how much they’ll be for.

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Is Starling Bank any good?

If you’re already firmly entrenched in the Starling ecosystem and enjoy visibility of your spending in real time via the app, you won’t be surprised to hear that Starling also offers super-convenient options for borrowing.

For those who are new to Starling, it describes itself as a “tech business with a banking licence”. Customers are given a current account, a Mastercard debit card and a mobile app to track it. The app is a lot smarter than most banking apps and gives you all sorts of insights into your spending. Check out our full review of the app to find out more.

Does Starling do a credit check?

When you apply for a current account with Starling Bank, it’ll perform a “soft” credit check to inform its decision and determine if it can offer you an overdraft and/or loan. This check will be visible to you, but not to other financial institutions.

Then, if you decide to take out a loan or activate the overdraft, Starling will run a “hard” credit check, which will leave a footprint on your credit file, and has a small, but usually short-lived, negative impact on your credit score.

Am I eligible for a Starling Bank personal loan?

You should only apply for a Starling Bank personal loan if you’re certain you can meet the repayment terms. You must also:

• Have a Starling Bank current account with an overdraft facility
• Be aged 18 or over
• Have a good credit history

How can I apply?

If you’re a Starling Bank customer, you’ll get a notification on the app that you are eligible for a personal loan. To apply, you go through a simple process in the app. You’ll be asked questions about your general finances and also why you need the loan. This should take around five minutes and, once approved, the money will be available straight away.

Some people may find it a little too easy to borrow money from Starling. When you make a bigger than normal purchase with your debit card, you will be sent a prompt asking if you would like to turn it into a loan. This might mean you take on a loan when you otherwise wouldn’t. It all depends on how good you are at managing your finances when it comes to deciding if this is the right approach for you.

Starling Bank customer reviews

Customers in Finder’s 2021 customer satisfaction survey were mostly positive about Starling Bank, and it received a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. 79% of Starling Bank customers also said they would recommend the brand to a friend.

Frequently asked questions

• How are the overdrafts and personal loans connected?

  If you’re approved for a loan with Starling Bank, you’ll be able to borrow as much as you have left in your available overdraft. So if you’ve got £2,000 left to spend out of a £4,000 overdraft, for example, you’ll be able to turn anything up to £2,000 into a loan. Your available overdraft will be reduced by whatever you borrow, then it will get bumped back up again when you have paid off your loan in full. Again, you need to be sure that you are not tempted into repeat borrowing when you otherwise would not apply for a loan.

• What if I apply then change my mind?

  There is a “cooling off” period of 14 days. If you choose to cancel your loan within this time then all scheduled repayments will be cancelled. You will have 30 days from the date of cancellation to repay your loan and any interest accrued on it.

• What if I'm struggling to repay my loan?

  It is important to contact a Starling Bank advisor as soon as you are aware that you will struggle with the repayments. They may be able to work with you to find a solution that you can afford.