Which is safer: Monzo, Starling, or Revolut?

Monzo and Starling are both full UK banks with FSCS protection up to £85,000. Revolut is NOT FSCS protected — it's an e-money institution, so your money is 'safeguarded' but not guaranteed. For safety, Monzo or Starling are better choices.

Which is best for foreign travel?

All three are good abroad, but Revolut has the best exchange rates (interbank with no markup weekdays). Starling offers unlimited free foreign ATM withdrawals. Monzo has some limits. For travel, Revolut edges ahead if you spend heavily abroad.

Can I use these as my main bank?

Monzo and Starling are fully featured banks suitable as main accounts. Revolut works as a main account but lacks FSCS protection, so many people use it alongside a 'proper' bank rather than exclusively.

Which has the best budgeting features?

Monzo has the best budgeting tools — detailed spending categories, monthly budgets, trends analysis, and excellent pots/salary sorting. Starling and Revolut have decent tools but Monzo is the clear leader for helping you track spending.

Monzo vs Starling vs Revolut — Which Digital Bank Is Best? | PocketWise

Three apps. All claim to do banking better. Here’s an honest breakdown of how they actually compare.

Quick Verdict

Best For	Winner
Budgeting	Monzo
Interest on balance	Starling
Foreign exchange	Revolut
Cash deposits	Starling
Safety/protection	Monzo or Starling (tie)
Customer service	Starling
Feature breadth	Revolut
Business banking	Starling
Overall main bank	Starling (slight edge)

The Fundamentals

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
UK banking licence	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No (e-money)
FSCS protection	✅ £85,000	✅ £85,000	❌ No
Monthly fee	Free	Free	Free (paid tiers exist)
Debit card	Mastercard	Mastercard	Visa
Joint accounts	✅	✅	✅
Business accounts	✅ (paid)	✅ (free)	✅

Critical difference: Only Monzo and Starling have full bank protection. Revolut doesn’t — this matters for large balances.

Interest Rates

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Interest on balance	❌ (free tier)	✅ Yes	❌
Paid tier interest	✅ (Plus/Premium)	N/A	❌
Easy-access savings	Via pots	Via Spaces	Via Vaults

Winner: Starling — earns interest automatically on the free account.

Budgeting and Money Management

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Automatic categories	✅ Excellent	✅ Basic	✅ Good
Monthly budgets	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Limited
Spending insights	✅ Detailed	✅ Basic	✅ Good
Trends over time	✅ Yes	❌ Limited	✅ Yes
Savings pots/spaces	✅ Pots	✅ Spaces	✅ Vaults
Round-ups	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Salary sorter	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Bills pot	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No

Winner: Monzo — by a clear margin for anyone wanting to track and control spending.

Foreign Spending

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Exchange rate	Mastercard rate	Mastercard rate	Interbank (best)
Fee on spending	None	None	None
Weekend markup	No	No	0.5-1%
Foreign ATM free	£200/month	Unlimited	£200/month (free tier)

Winner: Revolut for best rates, Starling for unlimited ATM.

Example: £1,000 Spent Abroad

Platform	Rate Applied	You Pay
Revolut (weekday)	Interbank	~£1,000
Monzo	Mastercard (+0.5%)	~£1,005
Starling	Mastercard (+0.5%)	~£1,005
High street bank	+3-5%	~£1,030-50

All three are excellent; Revolut is marginally best.

Cash Handling

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Cash deposits	✅ (PayPoint)	✅ (Post Office)	❌ No
Deposit fee	£1 per deposit	Free	N/A
Deposit limit	£300/day	£1,000/day	N/A
UK ATM free	£250/month	Unlimited	£200/month

Winner: Starling — free deposits at Post Office, unlimited ATM withdrawals.

Customer Service

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
In-app chat	✅ 24/7	✅ 24/7	✅ (can be slow)
Phone support	❌ Limited	✅ Available	❌ (Premium only)
Response time	Fast	Fast	Variable
Awards	Good	Best (Which?)	Weakest

Winner: Starling — consistently wins customer service awards.

App Quality

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Design	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆
Ease of use	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Features	Many	Core focused	Most
Speed	Fast	Fast	Fast
Reliability	Good	Excellent	Good

Winner: Tie between Monzo and Starling — both excellent.

Extra Features

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Bill splitting	✅	❌	✅
‘Get Paid Early’	✅	❌	❌
Crypto buying	❌	❌	✅
Stock trading	❌	❌	✅
Multi-currency	❌	❌	✅
Virtual cards	✅	✅	✅
Gambling block	✅	✅	✅
BNPL (Flex)	✅	❌	❌

Winner: Revolut — most features (but not all are needed).

Paid Tiers Comparison

Monzo

Tier	Cost	Key Benefits
Free	£0	Core banking
Plus	£5/month	Interest, custom categories
Premium	£15/month	Insurance, lounge access

Starling

Tier	Cost	Key Benefits
Free	£0	Everything (no paid tier)

Revolut

Tier	Cost	Key Benefits
Standard	£0	Basic limits
Plus	£3.99/month	More features
Premium	£7.99/month	Insurance, unlimited FX
Metal	£14.99/month	Cashback, concierge

Winner: Starling — no paid tier needed for anything.

Business Accounts

Feature	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Available	✅	✅	✅
Monthly fee	£5+	Free (sole trader)	Varies
Free features	Limited	Full	Limited
Integrations	Basic	Excellent	Good

Winner: Starling — free business banking is rare.

Safety Summary

Factor	Monzo	Starling	Revolut
Licence type	Full UK bank	Full UK bank	E-money
FSCS protection	✅ £85,000	✅ £85,000	❌ None
If company fails	You’re protected	You’re protected	You’re a creditor
For large savings	Safe	Safe	Not recommended

Winner: Monzo/Starling tie — both properly protected.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Monzo If:

You Want	Why Monzo
Best budgeting tools	Unmatched spending analysis
Salary sorting	Automatic on payday
Bill splitting	Built in
Colourful card	It’s iconic
Get paid early	If employer supports

Choose Starling If:

You Want	Why Starling
Interest on balance	Automatic, no paid tier
Free cash deposits	Post Office, free
Unlimited ATM	No UK limits
Best customer service	Award-winning
Free business account	Actually free
No-frills reliability	Just works

Choose Revolut If:

You Want	Why Revolut
Best FX rates	Interbank exchange
Multi-currency living	Hold 30+ currencies
International transfers	Cheap and fast
Extra features	Stocks, crypto
Not as main bank	Secondary spending account

The Optimal Setup

Many people use multiple accounts:

Account	Use For
Starling or Monzo	Main bank (FSCS protected)
Revolut	Travel spending, FX
Starling	Cash deposits if needed

Quick Reference Table

Category	Best Choice
Overall main bank	Starling
Budgeting focus	Monzo
Travel/FX	Revolut
Cash users	Starling
Safety-first	Starling or Monzo
Feature maximiser	Revolut
Business (free)	Starling
Customer service	Starling