invoicely vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of invoicely and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
invoicely
5.3/10
Web-based invoicing tool for freelancers and small businesses to send estimates and invoices, take online payments, and track time, expenses and mileage.
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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 5.3/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Analytics | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $10/mo Basic | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $20/mo Professional | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Accountant Access | Not listed | |
| Bank Reconciliation | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Tax Compliance | Not listed | |
invoicely vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | invoicely | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | $20/moProfessional | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | $20/moProfessional | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | $30/moEnterprise | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | FreeFree | 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?
Why choose invoicely
- Higher Customization score (7/10 vs 3/10)
Why choose Starling
- Higher Compliance score (7/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Integration score (6/10 vs 3/10)
Pros & Cons
invoicely
Pros
- The free plan is usable for very light billing (5 invoices a month, 3 clients) and needs no credit card.
- Flat plan pricing, not per user, with up to 25 team members on the $29.99 Enterprise plan.
- Supports four payment gateways: PayPal, Stripe, Mollie and Authorize.net.
- Can manage several businesses from one login, each with its own clients and team.
- Logged time, mileage and expenses convert directly into invoices.
Cons
- No double-entry ledger, bank reconciliation or payroll, so it cannot replace accounting software.
- Few integrations beyond payment gateways, according to SMB Guide and Techjockey reviewers.
- Support is by email and help center only, with hours set to Central European time.
- Some users report confusing settings and trouble with duplicate invoice numbers.
- The free plan accepts PayPal payments only.
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 5.3/10 for invoicely. The largest gap is in Customization: 7/10 for invoicely and 3/10 for Starling.
Yes, both invoicely and Starling have a free plan.
