Considering moving from Barclays to Starling for current account

CrickJon

I've been with Barclays for 40 years and thinking it's time for a change. I only really use Barclays for our joint current account and it usually has about £5k floating around in it. I've done research and for a start I'd get some interest on this balance rather than nothing.

I'm just a little nervous. Any positive or negative experiences with Starling anyone?

TimeLord1

Hello, I'm not familiar with them have you done a Starling Bank search on here to see previous threads? But it's easy nowadays to switch banks.

CrickJon

Yes I have. Digested with interest and just thought I'd check for more recent experiences first. Thanks.

GeoffTF

For overall service quality, Starling 81% and Barclays 65%:

https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/personal-banking-service-quality-great-britain-february-2023

eskbanker

GeoffTF said:

For overall service quality, Starling 81% and Barclays 65%:

https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/personal-banking-service-quality-great-britain-february-2023

And the gap has widened a bit a year later!

https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/personal-banking-service-quality-great-britain-february-2024

elsien

I don’t run mine as current account. Just top it up as and when because I mainly use it for spending abroad. No issues though. 

App is fine to use. I have never needed to use their customer service though so I couldn’t comment on how good (or otherwise) that is. 

TimeLord1

CrickJon said:

Yes I have. Digested with interest and just thought I'd check for more recent experiences first. Thanks.

OK, are you looking for one with a branch nearby in your area. Or happy to maintain using online banking. A lot of the Barclays customers in my town are moving to other nearby banks and building societies Nationwide, Yorkshire lloyds seem to be doing most of the transfers, I have seen a lot of upset people closing down accounts that have been with barclays decades. And I don't blame them worst service and treatment of customers that I have ever seen. 

surreysaver

Open Starling, but keep Barclays. Always wise to have more than one account with different organisations 

CrickJon

I’m happy to move to online. I can’t remember the last time I went into a branch of Barclays. I just think the app for Starling has a lot more to offer than Barclays. Maybe it’s time I ditched them for a more modern bank.

Shakin_Steve

CrickJon said:

I’m happy to move to online. I can’t remember the last time I went into a branch of Barclays. I just think the app for Starling has a lot more to offer than Barclays. Maybe it’s time I ditched them for a more modern bank.

If you only have the one bank account, you should heed the advice above from @surreysaver

CrickJon

Shakin_Steve said:

CrickJon said:

I’m happy to move to online. I can’t remember the last time I went into a branch of Barclays. I just think the app for Starling has a lot more to offer than Barclays. Maybe it’s time I ditched them for a more modern bank.

If you only have the one bank account, you should heed the advice above from @surreysaver

The thing is, I want to use a Switch so all direct debits etc go with it. Doesn’t that automatically mean it will close it?

That said, I do have other accounts with Barclays, including a Rainy Day saver which I assume they will want me to close if I’ve moved my current account away from them?

I have other accounts at Chase, NatWest, Santander, HSBC…