I’ve written about this in the Starling Community. When I signed up with them in August there was absolutely no mention of them being in beta.
Signup process was super easy and, tbh, very good. It’s only when I started using the app it seemed to be incomplete compared to my current First Direct and RBS apps.
Query why this is so and you’ll be told that it is in beta. I had to hunt around on their website to find any mention of this and had to dig fairly deep to find three of four references to the fact.
I think Starling is pulling a bit of a fast one, here. It’s purporting to be a credible challenger to legacy banks but not being clear with new customers that it is in beta.
Then, right when I’m on the verge of CASS migrating to them I find serious flaws in their payee/payments UI/UX.
I’ve no doubt that some people have signed up to Starling unaware that it is in beta.
That said, apart from that ring doughnut graph thing getting in the way of the transactions (and you can’t turn it off), the app set up was super easy and shows potential. The merchant data is normally horrifically wrong with no easy option to report updates or corrections via the app, but their integration with ApplePay is super slick.
I’ve been using Starling for some time and closed my account today. Here’s a quick summary of why I did that:
Transactions are messy. Merchant information just isn’t there and there’s no self service method of filling it in. The current method of sorting this is to leave screenshots and information in a forum post.
The Pulse graph is useless. It doesn’t show enough useful information for something that consumes the main screen of an app.
Limits aren’t as clear as Monzo. The top-up limits are also smaller.
You don’t know how good Monzo.me is until you can’t use it
Very limited budgeting. No targets. (I’ve got a gripe with targets on Monzo too because I get paid four-weekly so the current implementation of targets doesn’t work for me)
Significant lack of emoji.
I find that it feels like Monzo is really going somewhere, I don’t get that feeling from Starling. I’m now just going to wait it out for my CA to come in and hope it’s not long until they port all the features over.
I did sign up to starling knowing it was I beta back in June and have migrated my salary and all my dds and using as my only bank account. I note about the pulse and agree with the merchant data being inaccurate at times. But in whole the payments in and out and sending I have had no major issues. Agree the payments screen could be better but their working in that. I like their forums and layout. But like to keep an eye out here as when they finally roll the accounts I may give it ago as have the prepaid at the mo. Either way I wish then both well and hope they both do good in their own way and succeed and put some good competition for legacy banks.
They say they’ve made changes to merchant info this week so hopefully they’ll improve.
I’ve been using Starling as my main account for a month or three now and apart from GPS processing issues all the fintechs suffered with its been fine.
I agree with everyone else that the pulse is pretty rubbish as it is just looking at the day.
Now I’ve got the Monzo current account as well I’ve been splitting spending and moved bulb over to see how things go.
I like the colour scheme (mint!), but it looks so pointless. I signed up for Starling Thursday evening, figured I might as well try the features since I probably won’t be able to try CA out the identity thing is taking ages. I’m not impressed
This was one of the aspects with which I was really impressed when I applied for Starling back in August.
I’ve given them lots of constructive feedback on how they do payments. It’s currently shocking compared to the legacy banks I use. They’ve come back and said there’ll be some big updates on iOS this week so I’m looking forward to those.
It is very much a beta product.
The direction of Starling (and Monzo) is exciting, but it seems HSBC has some ideas, too.
Probably takes longer for non-Brits. Monzo didn’t take that long, though. And given how high the bar has been set with Monzo I think I’ll be really nitpicky about everything. I tried Revolut earlier this year and wasn’t impressed at all. Both the app and customer service was slower and when you’re used to perky, friendly service a curt response throws you off! I ended up transferring my money out and have uninstalled it since.
For me Starling was quick but with Monzo I uploaded ID and Video between 7 and 8pm and waited until 2 or 3am before it had been processed. So everyone’s experience is different.
After being on the ‘we’re checking details, should be less than 24hrs’ screen for weeks I had to contact them to find out what was wrong. I was then asked for various documents, I replied saying how come monzo can fully verify me for a current account in seconds with just drivers licence? Got some crappy response not addressing the question so just thought “forget it”… so I am still in the verification stage months later
There’s a dedicated thread for that discussion but what I will say is it all comes down to execution and my gut says HSBC will bow to legacy bank standard form and produce something that only works for a narrow subsection.
as by @rarther’s own admission, Staring are waiting for identity documents so waiting another week will do nothing.
In my own experience I’ve have nothing but praises for Starling, everything seems to be going well. I just don’t like they only release features when they are completed with all their testing done behind closed doors where Monzo seem to be more open about whats happening.
Yeah I did mine the other night, I got a queue jump but thought it would be done by now but nope… after speaking to chat people the night before they said that they can do checks 24/7… clearly not lol
the identity thing is taking ages. I’m not impressed
