Collmex vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Collmex and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
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Collmex
6.1/10
German cloud accounting, invoicing and lightweight ERP software for small businesses, freelancers and associations, with DATEV export and ELSTER VAT filing.
Starling
6.6/10
A UK digital bank business account with built-in invoicing, bookkeeping, and Making Tax Digital tax tools for sole traders and small limited companies.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | C Collmex | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.1/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | €9/mo Buchhaltung light | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | €12/mo Buchhaltung basic | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
Collmex vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | Collmex | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeBuchhaltung free | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | €12/moBuchhaltung basic | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | €12/moBuchhaltung basic | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | €12/moBuchhaltung basic | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | €12/moBuchhaltung basic | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
CWhy choose Collmex
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (4/10 vs 3/10)
Why choose Starling
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
CCollmex
Pros
- Free bookkeeping and invoicing tiers, with paid modules from 8.95 EUR a month, put it among the cheapest German options.
- Covers German requirements: SKR03 and SKR04, ELSTER VAT returns, DATEV export and GoBD-compliant archiving.
- HBCI bank import with automatic booking suggestions, which one reviewer said were accepted about 75% of the time.
- A dedicated association package handles members, dues and SEPA direct debit.
- Hosted in a German ISO 27001-certified data center, with monthly cancellation.
Cons
- The interface is plain and dated, according to reviewers, and the many booking templates take time to learn.
- German-only, and not suited to international or multi-currency businesses.
- Support is reportedly email-only.
- Most plans have fixed user counts that cannot be expanded.
- Not a full ERP: it is weak for complex warehouse or production needs and is not recommended beyond about 30 employees.
Starling
Pros
- The business account has no monthly fee, and UK transfers, invoicing, and up to five expense cards are free.
- The free Essentials tier includes MTD for Income Tax submissions, which helps sole traders and landlords facing the April 2026 rules.
- VAT returns can be filed to HMRC from inside the banking app for £7 a month until April 2027.
- Bank feeds connect to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.
- UK-based support is available 24/7 in the app, and Finder ranked it highly for customer satisfaction in 2026.
Cons
- It is not a full accounting system: there is no general ledger, payroll, or multi-entity support.
- Accountants only get view-only access.
- Only GBP and EUR accounts are available, and new USD account applications are paused.
- Eligibility is strict: directors and people with significant control must be UK residents.
- Overdrafts and loans are not available to new business customers, and there are no branches.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 6.1/10 for Collmex. The largest gap is in Ease of Use: 6/10 for Collmex and 8/10 for Starling.
Yes, both Collmex and Starling have a free plan.
