Figo vs Starling Bank
Both Figo and Starling Bank clear the checkouts our readers ask about most. Here is where the two part ways on fees and verification.
Figo issues on Visa (US BIN) and Starling Bank on Mastercard; both ask for ID + proof; only Figo takes crypto top-ups.
Starling Bank is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee, 0% foreign transaction fees. Figo is the better fit for power users who need crypto funding.
What sets them apart
| Field | Figo | Starling Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa (US BIN) | Mastercard |
| Card type | Crypto Card | Digital Bank / Neobank |
| KYC | ID + proof | ID + proof |
| Card issuance fee | $2 (limited-time free) | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free |
| Top-up fee | — | — |
| FX fee | 2% + $0.6 intl | 0% (no foreign transaction fee) |
| Crypto funding | Yes (USDC/USDT/PYUSD) | No |
| AI tool support | — | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Medium | Low-Medium |
| Our rating | 8.2 | 9.1 |
| User reviews | 851 | 437 |
| Best for | Ad spend · Streaming | 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
- Budget-led users will lean to Starling Bank: the running cost is the lower of the two.
- Multi-task users get more from Starling Bank — it clears more of the checkouts we run through our test suite.
- Only Figo takes crypto top-ups in our data — worth knowing before you decide.
- Starling Bank edged Figo on our composite rating across fees, risk and merchant tests.
- If risk rating weights your choice, Starling Bank is the calmer of the two.
The two, compared
Run the numbers against your own usage. Starling Bank runs free to create plus no top-up fee per top-up; Figo runs about $2 plus no top-up fee. For one or two subscriptions the first column wins; for crypto funding, the second does.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Figo 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.
Starling Bank works out cheaper: no virtual card issuance fee, free account maintenance, 0% foreign transaction fee. Figo adds about $2 per virtual card, a 2% FX fee.
Figo 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 Snapchat Ads, Taboola, Outbrain. 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
Figo 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 🇦🇺 Australia · 🇬🇧 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: