Haydock Finance 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 Haydock Finance on 4.2. Starling Bank runs a business term loan + overdraft at From 7% APR with decisions in 2 to 5 business days; Haydock Finance runs a asset finance (hire purchase and lease) at Quoted at offer. That said, the headline rating is not the whole answer: Haydock Finance beats Starling Bank for hard-asset hp and lease. 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
| Haydock Finance | Starling Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Asset finance (hire purchase and lease) | Business term loan + overdraft |
| Founded | 1980 | 2014 |
| Ticket range | £5k to £500k | £25k to £250k |
| Typical rate | Quoted at offer | From 7% APR |
| Decision time | 24 to 72 hours | 2 to 5 business days |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | No (hard search) |
| Limited companies only | No | Yes |
| FCA regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Companies House | 01526882 | 09092149 |
| Best for | Hard-asset HP and lease; Asset refinance for cash release; Sub-prime to prime asset deals | 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 Haydock Finance wins
- Forty-plus years in asset finance; deep underwriting bench.
- Strong on hard assets: HGV, plant, manufacturing, agriculture.
- Refinance product unlocks equity in owned assets.
- Excellent Trustpilot track record for the asset finance category.
Best for
Hard-asset HP and lease, Asset refinance for cash release, Sub-prime to prime asset deals.
Watch outs
- No published rates; broker-distributed pricing.
- No retail unsecured business loans.
- Direct applicants typically routed to broker channel.
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
Haydock Finance 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 Haydock Finance. That said, the right answer depends on what you trade and what you need. Haydock Finance is the stronger pick for hard-asset hp and lease, 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 Haydock Finance and Starling Bank offer?
Haydock Finance runs a asset finance (hire purchase and lease) with tickets of £5k to £500k at Quoted at offer. Starling Bank runs a business term loan + overdraft with tickets of £25k to £250k at From 7% APR. Decision time on Haydock Finance is 24 to 72 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: Haydock Finance vs Starling Bank, who qualifies?
Haydock Finance is a hard-search lender (footprint visible to other credit checkers) 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. Haydock Finance is FCA regulated; Starling Bank is FCA regulated.
Which is the wrong answer for what?
Haydock Finance is the wrong answer for pure unsecured working capital. 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 Haydock Finance 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.
Related
Get matched in two minutes
Tell us monthly turnover and what you need the money for. We match you against a UK lender panel most likely to approve and price competitively. Soft search at quote stage, no impact on your credit file.
Get quotes →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-05-08. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).