1inch Debit Card vs Starling Bank
Both 1inch Debit Card and Starling Bank clear the checkouts our readers ask about most. Here is where the two part ways on fees and verification.
1inch Debit Card issues on Visa + Mastercard and Starling Bank on Mastercard; both ask for ID + proof; only 1inch Debit Card takes crypto top-ups.
1inch Debit Card is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee. Starling Bank is the better fit for power users who need bank-transfer funding and ad spend.
The two, compared
| Field | 1inch Debit Card | Starling Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa + Mastercard | Mastercard |
| Card type | Crypto Card | Digital Bank / Neobank |
| KYC | ID + proof | ID + proof |
| Card issuance fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free |
| Top-up fee | — | — |
| FX fee | — | 0% (no foreign transaction fee) |
| Crypto funding | Yes (multi-chain) | No |
| AI tool support | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Low-Medium | Low-Medium |
| Our rating | 8.2 | 9.1 |
| User reviews | 585 | 437 |
| Best for | All-rounder · AI subscriptions | All-rounder · Ad spend |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
Where they split
- If you wear several hats, Starling Bank is the more flexible of the pair.
- Only 1inch Debit Card takes crypto top-ups in our data — worth knowing before you decide.
- In our scoring, Starling Bank finished ahead of 1inch Debit Card — not by a mile, but enough to tilt a tiebreak.
The head to head
Both cards clear the same checkouts in our tests, so the call comes down to cost. 1inch Debit Card is cheaper on issuance (free) and top-ups (no top-up fee), while Starling Bank is worth the premium only for bank-transfer funding and ad-platform billing.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. 1inch Debit Card scores 8.2/10 against Starling Bank's 9.1/10 in our tests, but the two split on fees, KYC and crypto funding. Read the table above, then match it to the checkouts you actually run.
1inch Debit Card is the cheaper card to run. Both 1inch Debit Card and Starling Bank issue virtual cards for free.
1inch Debit Card asks for ID + proof at signup; Starling Bank asks for ID + proof. If a light sign-up is the priority, the one with the lower KYC label is the faster route.
Both show up in 2 of the same test scenarios, including RunwayML, Amazon Prime Video. They overlap on a good share of checkouts, so the choice between them matters most on those pages. Where one is accepted and the other is not usually comes down to the billing country and 3-D Secure handling.
Where both show up
1inch Debit Card and Starling Bank both landed in our top picks for 2 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
🤖 AI Tools & Developer Tools 1
📺 Streaming & Entertainment 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇪🇺 Europe (EEA) · 🇬🇧 UK — the country guides group every range we track from there.
What our charge log shows
Every count here is a real charge attempt we placed on that range, renewals included, with the gateway response recorded. Weeks tracked is how long the range has been in the programme: