Anyone tried Starling Bank?

Anthorn

Mr_Goodkat wrote: »

Does anyone know if you can fund your Starling account with a credit card rahter than a debit card and if so is it treated as a purchase or a cash advance by the issuing credit card company?


The app seems to let me select a credit card and have got as far as the final stage of submitting the payment but wondered if anyone had tried this out before I did?


Have a 0% purchase card with a big limit so if I can draw cash on that card at 0% via Starling then it would be very worthwhile.


Thanks

According to the app or at least the app on my phone for my account, debit card top-ups are limited to £250 per day. I don't see any option to use a credit card for top-ups.

Starling bank allows deposits by cash or cheque or by transfer using the sort code and account number. There are as I understand it two ways to use a credit card to deposit funds, that is via cash advance or money transfer to your bank account and from there via transfer to your Starling Bank account. The other way would be use your credit card via Bank Giro at a bank but in that case the debit would be a cash advance. As far as I know Starling Bank does not provide pre-printed payment slips so it is unlikely that a post office could be used.

C_Mababejive

I was particularly impressed with the snazzy debit card holder that they send you. A great bit of design.

Anthorn

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I was particularly impressed with the snazzy debit card holder that they send you. A great bit of design.

In my own personal experience the packaging of the card is almost identical to the packaging of a Revolut card and very similar to the packaging of an Arro card. Therefore the packaging probably comes from the maker of the card and not specifically from Starling Bank. But personally I think that a little extra care in packaging inspires confidence.

For the uninitiated the Starling Bank debit card comes in a card box with a slide-out drawer. At least mine did.

ryan.r

Mr_Goodkat wrote: »

Does anyone know if you can fund your Starling account with a credit card rahter than a debit card and if so is it treated as a purchase or a cash advance by the issuing credit card company?


The app seems to let me select a credit card and have got as far as the final stage of submitting the payment but wondered if anyone had tried this out before I did?


Have a 0% purchase card with a big limit so if I can draw cash on that card at 0% via Starling then it would be very worthwhile.


Thanks

I have done the equivalent but using Revolut, which leaves you with the cash to send wherever you want.

Get a Curve card (MasterCard debit) - Google Imagine Curve (can't post URL)

Then add your credit card to the Curve app, and make sure it is selected as the current payment method.

Then add your Curve card as a top up source for Revolut and deposit funds.

As the transaction goes through Curve, it appears as a normal debit/purchase on your statement. You can even use the Curve card to withdraw cash from an ATM, and it will show as a normal purchase through Curve.

Mr_Goodkat

Westie983 wrote: »

I dont know, but would assume it would count as a cash withdrawal as it does when you use a credit card on gambling websites as you are not paying for a service or product.

Apart from you trying a test payment to see what it shows up as, then you will know.

Do you have a current balance on this credit card? or is it paid off? if its paid off then, there is no issue with you trying to send money to Starling and if it does show as a cash advance then you can pay the money straight back to the card to limit the amount of interest being applied.

Westie983

Yes I expect it probably will count as a cash advance, was just interested to see if anyone had tried it previosuly and knew the answer or if anyone had experience of different card providers treating it differently e.g. Lloyds treating it as a cash advance but Barclaycard treating it as a purchase for example.


I will probably try a test payment of £50 at some point either from my Clarity or MBNA Everyday Amex so that worse case I get charged a little interest but no card fees.


I would like to use my Lloyds Platinum Mastercard as have a 24 month 0% purchase offer paying off just £100 a month so will probably try Clarity or MBNA first and if not flagged as a cash advance try the Lloyds card.

Mr_Goodkat

Zanderman wrote: »

Yes, you could probably fund it that way.
But...
Why on earth wouldn't it be a cash advance?
You'd clearly be withdrawing cash, albeit into a bank account rather than as notes.
But cash nevertheless, not a product.

Expect you are correct but as above may give it a try to find out for sure

Mr_Goodkat

Anthorn wrote: »

According to the app or at least the app on my phone for my account, debit card top-ups are limited to £250 per day. I don't see any option to use a credit card for top-ups.

Starling bank allows deposits by cash or cheque or by transfer using the sort code and account number. There are as I understand it two ways to use a credit card to deposit funds, that is via cash advance or money transfer to your bank account and from there via transfer to your Starling Bank account. The other way would be use your credit card via Bank Giro at a bank but in that case the debit would be a cash advance. As far as I know Starling Bank does not provide pre-printed payment slips so it is unlikely that a post office could be used.

Aplogies if I was not clear - I mean selcting the top up by debit card option but then use a credit card rather than a debit card for the top up - the app does not seem to stop you doing this allbeit I have not gone through with it yet just got to the final confirmation screen.



I have a 0% Purchase and balance transfer offer on my Lloyds Credit card for 24 months so just tryign to establish if I can use this to top up Starling and therefore have cash at 0% without fees.


I could do a money transfer from my MBNA everyday Amex then balance transfer to Lloyds but would likely have a few days interest to pay.

Mr_Goodkat

ryan.r wrote: »

I have done the equivalent but using Revolut, which leaves you with the cash to send wherever you want.

Get a Curve card (MasterCard debit) - Google Imagine Curve (can't post URL)

Then add your credit card to the Curve app, and make sure it is selected as the current payment method.

Then add your Curve card as a top up source for Revolut and deposit funds.

As the transaction goes through Curve, it appears as a normal debit/purchase on your statement. You can even use the Curve card to withdraw cash from an ATM, and it will show as a normal purchase through Curve.

Thanks but trying to get fee free cash at 0% with fewer steps i.e. credit card straight to Starling but the above is an option if my prefered one does not work so thanks again

ryan.r

Mr_Goodkat wrote: »

Thanks but trying to get fee free cash at 0% with fewer steps i.e. credit card straight to Starling but the above is an option if my prefered one does not work so thanks again

Yes looking at Starling I don't think it's possible as you have to do a bank transfer to top up your Starling account, which is different from Revolut where you can add a card as a top up method.

Anthorn

ryan.r wrote: »

Yes looking at Starling I don't think it's possible as you have to do a bank transfer to top up your Starling account, which is different from Revolut where you can add a card as a top up method.

I think that what Mr. Goodkat is referring to is that a credit card could be used in place of a debit card in the top-up section of the app even though that section specifically says "Debit Card".

If what is meant is that there is a screen following the debit card screen which allows top-up with a credit card then I don't have it and I have just looked at it again.