Starling or First Direct

[Deleted User]

If you had one of each account from these providers, and could only keep one, which would it be and why?

penners324

Starling. Vastly superior app, free foreign exchange, notifications, displaying pending payments (both DDs and debit card payments).

TwiceNightly

Out of those two I would say Starling.

First Direct have excellent customer service, but you do have to ring them for just about everything, which can be a real pain

ColdIron

First Direct. The 1st Account is pretty useless but does give you access to the 7% Regular Saver. Plenty of alternatives to Starling

Band7

Why would you only be able to keep one?

Either one has its distinct advantages.

stuartp2000

I joined FD in January and good for customer services they say but the chat on the app is poor it’s asks you 20 questions then tells you to phone in.

The app is dreadful, looks like it was written by a 5 year old. 

I moved for the 7% saver and if it was not for that improbably would leave already.

That said I looked at Starling as well and whilst meant to be a good app it does have very poor interest rates even on savings pots / accounts

eskbanker

Deleted_User said:

If you had one of each account from these providers, and could only keep one, which would it be and why?

If I had both and could only keep one (for some odd reason), I'd make a decision myself, based on my own experiences of the two products, rather than canvassing the opinions of anonymous strangers!

Band7

stuartp2000 said:

I joined FD in January and good for customer services they say but the chat on the app is poor it’s asks you 20 questions then tells you to phone in.

The app is dreadful, looks like it was written by a 5 year old. 

I moved for the 7% saver and if it was not for that improbably would leave already.

That said I looked at Starling as well and whilst meant to be a good app it does have very poor interest rates even on savings pots / accounts

There is, of course, no reason why you would have to use the FD current account for anything other than feeding their Regular Saver, and for getting your Regular Saver money out of FD upon maturity

Neil49

Band7 said:

stuartp2000 said:

I joined FD in January and good for customer services they say but the chat on the app is poor it’s asks you 20 questions then tells you to phone in.

The app is dreadful, looks like it was written by a 5 year old. 

I moved for the 7% saver and if it was not for that improbably would leave already.

That said I looked at Starling as well and whilst meant to be a good app it does have very poor interest rates even on savings pots / accounts

There is, of course, no reason why you would have to use the FD current account for anything other than feeding their Regular Saver, and for getting your Regular Saver money out of FD upon maturity

Spot on. 

TheElectricCow

Band7 said:

stuartp2000 said:

I joined FD in January and good for customer services they say but the chat on the app is poor it’s asks you 20 questions then tells you to phone in.

The app is dreadful, looks like it was written by a 5 year old. 

I moved for the 7% saver and if it was not for that improbably would leave already.

That said I looked at Starling as well and whilst meant to be a good app it does have very poor interest rates even on savings pots / accounts

There is, of course, no reason why you would have to use the FD current account for anything other than feeding their Regular Saver, and for getting your Regular Saver money out of FD upon maturity

That’s very true, but personally I found even that to be a rather poor experience in the FD app. Not sure if it has since changed, but I recall them only allowing money into a regular saver to be paid by setting up a standing order rather than a simple button to transfer between accounts like the majority of other banks, and it wouldn’t even save the account details for the next time so they’d have to be manually input.

Of course this isn’t an issue if you do things “properly” and leave the SO in place between months and amend it each time you want a different amount, but I find that’s besides the point when the bank falls short on the basics. 

Functionally, FD is probably the worst bank I’ve ever been with, certainly couldn’t see myself using them for everyday banking. Their rates are very attractive though (plus they’ve been known to have some competitive switching offers), so as suggested the only reason I’d consider keeping an account with them would be to access the regular saver.

Band7

TheElectricCow said:

Functionally, FD is probably the worst bank I’ve ever been with, certainly couldn’t see myself using them for everyday banking. Their rates are very attractive though (plus they’ve been known to have some competitive switching offers), so as suggested the only reason I’d consider keeping an account with them would be to access the regular saver.

I wouldn't disagree but some others would. FD are like marmite. I wouldn't dream of using them as my current account but I love their Regular Saver. I am now on my 12th.