Combo Cards vs Starling Bank
Two virtual cards people weigh up side by side. We put Combo Cards and Starling Bank on the same rows so the difference is easy to see.
Combo Cards issues on Visa + Mastercard and Starling Bank on Mastercard; both ask for ID + proof; only Combo Cards takes crypto top-ups.
Combo Cards 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 AI subscriptions.
Two cards, one decision
| Field | Combo Cards | 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 | No |
| AI tool support | — | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Medium | Low-Medium |
| Our rating | 7.5 | 9.1 |
| User reviews | 638 | 437 |
| Best for | Ad spend · App Store / Play | 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
- Multi-task users get more from Starling Bank — it clears more of the checkouts we run through our test suite.
- Only Combo Cards takes crypto top-ups in our data — worth knowing before you decide.
- Starling Bank edged Combo Cards on our composite rating across fees, risk and merchant tests.
- If risk rating weights your choice, Starling Bank is the calmer of the two.
Side by side
Both cards clear the same checkouts in our tests, so the call comes down to cost. Combo Cards is cheaper on issuance (free) and top-ups (no top-up fee), while Starling Bank is worth the premium only for AI subscriptions.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Combo Cards scores 7.5/10 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.
Combo Cards is the cheaper card to run. Both Combo Cards and Starling Bank issue virtual cards for free.
Combo Cards 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 3 of the same test scenarios, including Pinterest Ads, Snapchat Ads, Taboola. 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
Combo Cards and Starling Bank both landed in our top picks for 3 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
📈 Ad Platforms 3
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇨🇦 Canada · 🇬🇧 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: