Starling Bank international money transfer: Fees, rates & limits in 2025

Starling Bank is a popular digital UK bank which offers account and card services as well as payments you can send at home and abroad, to over 30 countries. If you need to get money from your Starling Bank account to someone based overseas, you'll want to read this guide to Starling Bank international transfers where we explore how much transfers cost, how long they take, and how to make one.

While Starling Bank offers a fairly easy and low cost way to move your money overseas, it still pays to compare your options before you initiate any transfer. This guide also gives you some Starling Bank international money transfer alternatives that you may want to compare - like Wise, OFX, Xe money transfer, and TorFX.

These providers all offer their own approach to international payments, which may suit you better than Starling.

Starling Bank international money transfer comparison

When you make a Starling Bank international money transfer you can choose from a couple of different delivery options which have their own fees and delivery times. The fees vary - but it's helpful to know that the delivery fee you pay isn't the only charge. You may end up paying up to 3 separate charges on one payment:

• Delivery fee – with SWIFT this is 0.3 GBP - 0.9 GBP for transfers with the local payment network, or 5.5 GBP for SWIFT

• Exchange costs – in addition to the SWIFT/network fee, Starling has a fixed 0.4% transfer fee covering the costs of exchange

• Intermediary bank fees – these may apply for SWIFT payments if your recipient charges incoming international payment fees

Because there's more than one fee to consider, you might find your recipient gets less than you expected in the end - although Starling's rates and fees are generally considered to be pretty fair compared to the broader banking market.

That said, alternative providers like Wise or OFX may be able to offer faster delivery times and lower overall costs, so it's still worth comparing a few.

Here's a summary of how Starling fares compared with some alternative providers, on fees, rates and delivery times.

In this case we're modeling a payment of 1,000 GBP to be sent to the US and deposited in USD:

*Fees and rates correct at time of research  – 2nd May 2025

As you can see, in this example, the recipient would get slightly more with Wise compared to Starling, and the money could be deposited quicker too. Other specialist services can also offer great delivery times and fair rates - but you will have to register an account to get a fee quote in most cases.

This guide walks through the things to think about when comparing Starling international payments to alternatives, and puts your options side by side to help you decide what works best.

Starling Bank international bank transfer fees

Starling Bank international bank transfer fees depend on the payment method you select. Here's a summary:

*Fees and rates correct at time of research  – 2nd May 2025

Need a cheaper alternative?

Starling Bank's flat fees are pretty low. But if you're sending a higher value payment, the 0.4% transfer fee can add up quite quickly. That means it's well worth shopping around to make sure you get the best available deal on your particular payment.

There's no single best Starling alternative when it comes to price - compare your options to decide which might work for you before you send your money. Here's a reminder of the options we've looked at so far, to start your research:

Starling Bank exchange rate

Starling Bank says the following about their exchange rate:

"The exchange rate we use is the actual market rate we are charged for buying and selling currencies."

This matters, because it's extremely common for banks to add a fee to the exchange rate which you have to hunt around to find. That's not transparent and it can mean you're paying more than you expect to. Different banks set their own exchange rates, and while markups differ, where they apply then can be in the region of about 3%.

That doesn't sound huge, but it adds up very quickly. Here's how a 3% markup would add up for a few different transfer values:

• Sending 1,000 GBP – the exchange rate markup adds 30 GBP to the total

• Sending 5,000 GBP – the exchange rate markup adds 150 GBP to the total

• Sending 50,000 GBP – the exchange rate markup adds 1,500 GBP to the total

Starling does not add this markup - they pass on the exchange rate they get when buying and selling currencies to the customer.

Starling Bank exchange rate markup

As we've seen, Starling Bank doesn't use an exchange rate markup as such. Instead, there's an underlying cost of 0.4% for each transfer, added on to the delivery fee which depends on the delivery option you pick.

Compared to a 3% transfer that's pretty small - but it still makes sense to compare a few options before you initiate your payment.

Here's a reminder of the costs associated for the providers we looked at earlier, including exchange rate costs for a payment of 1,000 GBP to be sent to the US and deposited in USD:

How long does an international transfer take with Starling Bank?

You can send your payment with Starling Bank either using their local payment network, or via SWIFT.

If you use SWIFT your transfer might take up to 5 days to be deposited, and will be processed through intermediary banks. Using the local payment network can take a little longer.

Need a faster alternative?

Starling Bank's delivery times aren't necessarily the very quickest available. If you're in a hurry it makes sense to check the delivery times for other providers too.

Here's a summary of those we've been exploring in this guide on their international transfer times:

Starling Bank international transfer limits 

The Starling Bank limits for sending international transfers depend on the account type you have. If you have a GBP account, the limits can vary, so you'll need to contact customer services via in-app chat to find out your international payment limit.

If you have a Starling Bank EUR account you can send 250,000 EUR per payment using the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), with a daily limit of 500,000 EUR.

Need to send a larger transfer?

If you need to send a high value payment, Starling may be able to help - but as their limits are variable, you may find you need an alternative. Here are some options to consider:

Large amount transfers with Starling Bank

The Starling Bank limits for sending international transfers depend on your account type - for the standard GBP account, the limits can vary. If you need to send a large payment, contact Starling customer services via in-app chat to find out your international payment limit.

If you have a Starling Bank EUR account you can send 250,000 EUR per payment using the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), with a daily limit of 500,000 EUR.

How to send a high amount transfer with Starling Bank

All Starling Bank international transfers - including high value payments - are arranged online and in app.

Here's how to make a large amount international transfer with Starling:

1. Log into Starling online or in app, and go to Payments

2. Tap Add a payee if it's a new payee

3. Follow the on-screen steps to add the payee

4. Once added, tap the payee's name and then tap Pay

5. Add the amount and reference, then tap Review payment

6. Check the fees and the exchange rate and tap Make payment to get started

Pros and cons of sending money abroad with Starling Bank

Starling Bank has low, transparent fees - but they're not necessarily the cheapest or fastest option to send money abroad.

Delivery times are quite slow at 5 days in some cases, and the costs can rack up because of the percentage transfer fee which is added.

Compare Starling against alternatives like Wise and OFX before you send your payment, so you know you're getting a good deal.

How to make an international money transfer online with Starling Bank

Starling Bank offers an intuitive self service system for arranging payments, which means you can get everything organised from home with no need to leave the house.

Here's how to make an international payment from the Starling app or online:

1. Log into Starling online or in app, and go to Payments

2. Tap Add a payee if it's a new payee

3. Follow the on-screen steps to add the payee

4. Once added, tap the payee's name and then tap Pay

5. Add the amount and reference, then tap Review payment

6. Check the fees and the exchange rate and tap Make payment to get started

What information do you need to make an international transfer with Starling Bank?

You're guided through the process of setting up your international transfer with Starling Bank using online prompts.

The exact information needed may vary based on the destination country, but usually includes:

• Recipient's name

• Recipient's bank account number

• Recipient's full bank name, address, and SWIFT/BIC Code

• International Bank Account Number (IBAN), if required

Countries to send money with Starling Bank

With Starling Bank you can send money to 34 countries in 17 currencies, including major world currencies like EUR and USD.

How to receive an international transfer with Starling Bank

To receive a payment to your Starling Bank account you'll simply need to share your account information with the person sending you money. They can then initiate the payment from their own bank, or using their preferred international transfer provider, and you'll receive the funds deposited to your account once they've cleared.

The exact information you need to give the sender will depend on where they're sending money from, and the requirements of the provider they're using.

However, generally you'll need the following information;

Starling Bank SWIFT code

A SWIFT/BIC code is like a postcode to help get your money to the right bank in the UK. You give this to the sender to allow the sender's bank or money transfer service to direct your payment to the right place for deposit to your account.

You'll be able to check your own SWIFT code, as well as your IBAN if you need it, in the Starling app under Account Information. Usually, you'll need the following for payments to your GBP account - but do double check your details before your payment is sent:

Bear in mind that your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code are different for your GBP and EUR accounts if you have both with Starling.

Starling Bank address for incoming transfers

Starling Bank is a digital bank and does not actually have a branch network. However, some banks and providers need a bank address to allow an incoming transfer to be processed. In this case, Starling advises that customers give the following address to the person sending you money:

Starling Bank international incoming payment fees

There are usually no specific Starling Bank international incoming payment fees, however if your sender makes a transfer to your account in a foreign currency, Starling will convert it and this may incur a fee. Here's a summary:

*Fees and rates correct at time of research  – 2nd May 2025

Starling Bank incoming international transfer limits 

Starling Bank doesn't state any specific limits for receiving international transfers into your account. However, if you expect to receive a high value payment, you may decide to check directly based on your account details, to ensure your payment can be received easily.

Starling Bank customer service for international transfers

Starling Bank doesn't have branches, so you can't pop into a local store to get help - instead all customer service for international transfers is digital and by phone.

Here are your options:

Conclusion: Does Starling Bank do international transfers?

Starling Bank offers international transfers which you can arrange either through their local payment network or through SWIFT. Local network payments are cheap but may be a little slower than using SWIFT, which has a higher fee.

Aside from the fee associated with the payment method you select, there's also a 0.4% transfer fee which applies to all Starling Bank payments. This can mean the costs rise quite a bit on higher value payments.

Overall, Starling Bank does present good value for international transfers, but as we saw in our comparison, their costs and delivery times aren't necessarily the very best available on some payment routes.

Use this guide to compare your options with Starling, looking also at specialist services like Wise and OFX to see which might be the best value of cost, convenience and speed for your specific payment.

Starling international bank transfer FAQs

How much does Starling charge for international payments?

Starling Bank international bank transfer fees depend on the payment method you select. You can send a payment via the Starling local payment network for a 0.3 GBP - 0.9 GBP fixed fee + 0.4% transfer fee.

Or you can choose to send a payment via SWIFT, for a 5.5 GBP SWIFT fee  + 0.4% transfer fee. Compare your payment options with other providers, like Wise and OFX to see which works out fastest and cheapest in your specific case.