Two currencies, one card: personal and business euro accounts

After months of coding and weeks of testing, our Starling euro team are ready to reveal what they’ve been working so hard on. Starling business customers can now apply for a business euro account and in addition, both Starling personal and business customers can use their existing debit card to spend from their euro account.

You won’t need to request a new debit card. No matter if you have a teal, navy or purple card, Starling personal and business customers can simply update their app and switch their spend from pounds to euros in-app.

How do I change my card spend from pounds to euros?

To use your debit card with your euro account, you’ll need to activate ’Currency Controls’ in the ’Card and Currency Controls’ screen of your euro account. For example, maybe you’re heading off to spend time with family at your Spanish holiday house or setting out to source new stock from Italian leather workshops. As soon as you arrive, you can go to your Starling app, switch your spending and you’ll be all set.

Once activated, we’ll determine which account should be debited based on the currency that transaction is in. Euro transactions will come from your euro account, including cash withdrawals. Non-euro transactions will continue to come from your GBP account. This means that your €100 hotel card payment will come out of your euro account, whereas your direct debit £9.99 Netflix subscription will come from your GBP account.

How do I apply for a euro account?

If you’re a Starling newbie, you’ll need to apply for a personal or business account first. It only takes a few minutes to apply through the app, verified by a quick selfie video. Your debit card will arrive 5-7 days later.

Once you’re up and running with your Starling personal or business account, you can apply for a euro account by tapping your profile icon and clicking ’Get another Starling account.’ For business customers, the euro account costs £2 per month. For personal customers, the euro account is free. It enables you to hold, send, receive and spend euros. Please note that multi-currency business accounts are subject to eligibility criteria and will only be visible in the app to businesses which are eligible. Unfortunately we are unable to confirm if you will be eligible until you have opened a Business Current Account.

Who’s the euro account for?

Many of us love travelling to Europe. But a Starling euro account is for people who need to send and receive payments in euros on a regular basis. Here are some examples of people who might want to open a Starling euro account:

• You work in the UK, but you’re paid in euros

• You have a UK-based business and need to pay for European stock or European suppliers

• You’re self-employed and receive business from European clients

• You own property in Europe

• You make regular payments in euros for a pension or mortgage in another country

• You’re a European expat living in the UK sending money back to Europe

What’s the exchange rate?

You can transfer money between your GBP account and your euro account in one tap. GBP transfers into the account will be made at the prevailing exchange rate with a 0.4% fee and there are no fees for euro-to-euro transactions.

Unlike international payments which can only be made on weekdays, you can transfer money between your personal or business account and your euro account 24/7. As currency markets don’t operate during the weekend, we’ll calculate a rate that’s made available to customers taking into account potential currency fluctuations. Customers will always see the rate before the conversion is made and you have the option to wait until Monday morning.

Each euro-to-euro transaction is free. If you’re paid €100 into your euro account, you won’t be charged a transaction fee and you can spend that money without any further charges. Or if you transfer £100 from your GBP account to your euro account, it will be converted at the real exchange rate with a charge of 40p to cover our costs. Once it’s in your account you can pay for business trip accommodation or your suppliers with no further charge.

What else does Starling offer?

When you travel anywhere with a Starling GBP account, you can use your card and withdraw cash for free. Remember to pay in the local currency so that Starling, rather than the merchant, provides the conversion - you’ll almost always get a better rate.

We also offer in-app international payments for personal, joint and business accounts, which can be used to pay deposits on holiday rentals or transfer money for a canal trip - whatever floats your boat.

Our euro account brings fairer, better banking to customers across the UK.

Article updated: 17 January 2024.