Starling launches virtual cards to help customers with budgeting

Starling customers can have up to five virtual cards at any one time in different colours. To help those with visual impairments, each colour also has a unique shape

Starling Bank has introduced virtual cards for its personal current account customers and updated its Spending Insights.  

The virtual card works like a normal debit card for payments, but it can be linked to individual Saving Spaces in the Starling app, instead of the main account balance. Like physical cards, virtual cards have a unique card number, expiry date and CVV. 

Starling customers can have up to five virtual cards at any one time in different colours. To help those with visual impairments, each colour also has a unique shape.  

Each card can be personalised to try and make budgeting easier. Spaces can be created for any kind of spending, from travel and shopping to subscriptions. When the budget is used up in one space, the card will decline a payment rather than taking money from the customer’s main balance. 

Helen Bierton, chief banking officer at Starling Bank, commented: “Virtual cards allow people to completely compartmentalise their personal finances for better control of their spending, making it easier to stick to budgets. 

“We’re constantly thinking of how we can help our customers manage their money better. We’ve been busy building these new features, as well as our new Budget Planner, to help us continue this mission.” 

This is the second update to Starling’s Spending Insights this year, after 36 new categories were added in June.  

It also achieved its first full year of profitability in July and was the most switched to UK bank in 2021.  

The bank is also opening its fourth UK office, committing to the creation of 1,000 new jobs in Manchester. 

Image: Starling Bank  

Josh Poyser Josh Poyser is an editor at FinTech Intel. He has written about fintech for several years and appeared at FinTech Connect 2023 on the 'Unlocking Success: The Art of Fintech PR' panel.