Got Capital vs Starling Bank: Which UK Business Loan Provider in 2026?
Starling Bank edges this matchup in our 2026 UK review, scoring 4.3 of 5 against Got Capital on 4.2. Starling Bank runs a business term loan + overdraft at From 7% APR with decisions in 2 to 5 business days; Got Capital runs a revenue-based business funding advance at Factor fee, quoted at offer. That said, the headline rating is not the whole answer: Got Capital beats Starling Bank for sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "when X wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.
Director, BestBusinessLoans
Oliver leads BestBusinessLoans's editorial reviews and methodology. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees lender research, rate verification and review independence.
Last reviewed: 8 May 2026
Side-by-side
| Got Capital | Starling Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Revenue-based business funding advance | Business term loan + overdraft |
| Founded | 2014 | 2014 |
| Ticket range | £2k to £300k | £25k to £250k |
| Typical rate | Factor fee, quoted at offer | From 7% APR |
| Decision time | Same day to 48 hours | 2 to 5 business days |
| Soft search at quote | Yes | No (hard search) |
| Limited companies only | No | Yes |
| FCA regulated | No | Yes |
| Companies House | 09073214 | 09092149 |
| Best for | Sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash; £5k+ monthly revenue businesses; Recently-trading SMEs (3 months+) | Existing Starling business customers; Ltd companies wanting bank pricing; Borrowers wanting bank + loan in one app |
| Overall rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-08 | 2026-05-08 |
When Got Capital wins
- Accepts every UK business structure including sole traders.
- No personal guarantee in the standard advance structure.
- Three-month minimum trading bar, useful for newer businesses.
- Strong Trustpilot record vs category peers.
Best for
Sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash, £5k+ monthly revenue businesses, Recently-trading SMEs (3 months+).
Watch outs
- Factor-fee quoting hides effective APR.
- Decisions tied to revenue history, not balance-sheet strength.
- £100k+ advances require 12 months trading.
When Starling Bank wins
- Real bank pricing rather than fintech mark-up; rates from 7% APR for strong applicants.
- Application lives inside the existing Starling business app.
- PRA and FCA authorised; FSCS-protected deposits alongside.
- Loan + overdraft + account in one place reduces admin.
Best for
Existing Starling business customers, Ltd companies wanting bank pricing, Borrowers wanting bank + loan in one app.
Watch outs
- Only available to existing Starling business banking customers.
- Hard credit search at full application.
- Slower than fintech lenders; 2 to 5 days versus same-day.
FAQ
Got Capital or Starling Bank: which is the better UK business loan in 2026?
Starling Bank scores higher overall in our 2026 review at 4.3 of 5 versus 4.2 for Got Capital. That said, the right answer depends on what you trade and what you need. Got Capital is the stronger pick for sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash, while Starling Bank is the stronger pick for existing starling business customers. If your business sits inside one of those use cases, ignore the headline rating and pick for fit.
What rates and ticket bands do Got Capital and Starling Bank offer?
Got Capital runs a revenue-based business funding advance with tickets of £2k to £300k at Factor fee, quoted at offer. Starling Bank runs a business term loan + overdraft with tickets of £25k to £250k at From 7% APR. Decision time on Got Capital is same day to 48 hours; on Starling Bank it is 2 to 5 business days. Headline rates rarely match the offered rate, so verify on the lender site before committing, and assume bespoke pricing above £100k where the data allows it.
Eligibility: Got Capital vs Starling Bank, who qualifies?
Got Capital is soft-search at quote stage (no credit-file footprint) and accepts sole traders and partnerships as well as Ltd companies. Starling Bank is hard-search at quote and lends only to UK limited companies. Got Capital is not directly FCA regulated; Starling Bank is FCA regulated.
Which is the wrong answer for what?
Got Capital is the wrong answer for borrowers wanting fixed-term predictable apr. Starling Bank is the wrong answer for borrowers banking elsewhere. If either of those describes your business, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative, or get a quote from our UK lender panel and we will surface the right shortlist.
Can BestBusinessLoans help me choose between Got Capital and Starling Bank?
Yes. Our reviews are editorial; we run a UK lender panel via our /get-quotes/ form that includes both. Tell us monthly turnover, sector and what you need the money for. We match you against the lenders most likely to approve and beat your current cost, then route the application without affecting your credit file at quote stage.
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Get quotes →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-05-08. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).