Fitbit Pay Launches in U.K. for Starling Bank Customers

Fitbit Pay officially launched in the U.K. on Tuesday, but with only one bank currently supporting the mobile payment platform, access to it remains severely restricted for users of the company's latest wearables.

The Fitbit Pay payment system was introduced as an exclusive feature of the Fitbit Ionic, the activity tracker firm's first attempt at a smartwatch, released on October 1. The digital wallet works in a similar way to Apple Pay on the Apple Watch, but up until now it wasn't available outside of the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

fitbit ionic3 25301bb975db0d25575cfae67ce53c075
Fitbit Pay users in the United Kingdom need to hold an account with Starling Bank, a newcomer and relative minnow on the financial banking scene, which will undoubtedly leave the majority of Ionic owners unable to take advantage of the payment system, at least for now.

Fitbit has confirmed the company is in talks with other U.K. banking services for future support, but with rivals like Apple Pay, which lists over 25 supporting banks on its official website, as well as Android Pay (over 20 banks) and Samsung Pay all jostling for contention, Fitbit will have a job gaining a foothold in the emerging mobile payment industry.

You can check out our in-depth review of the Fitbit Ionic here. Fitbit Pay is expected to land in other European countries sometime next year.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Foldable Thumb

First Foldable iPhone Design Details Revealed

Monday February 2, 2026 7:19 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature relocated volume buttons, an all-black camera plateau, a smaller Dynamic Island, and more, according to design leaks from a known Weibo leaker. The user known as "Instant Digital" today claimed to share several key details about the design of the foldable iPhone: The volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the...

Top Rated Comments

James_C Avatar
108 months ago
Starling Bank - Lol, to be honest not sure that counts as 'UK' launch, as they are tiny. First time I have ever heard of them.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sheza Avatar
108 months ago
As far as I can see that is not a launched feature now, or if it is I can’t find it!
The marketplace does exist but so far the only partner that you can actually sue is the flux receipts thing (which only works at a specific store in Shoreditch and EAT stores)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vmistery Avatar
108 months ago
Just opened an account with them as a backup, App seems ok if still not as feature full as a larger Bank. Registered with Apple Pay quickly and simply and features like setting a pin or freezing a card are available within the app which is nice. Not applicable to me as it’s not my main bank account however it also has some monitoring capabilities giving you a breakdown of where you spend your money.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mike... Avatar
108 months ago
I've lived in the UK my whole life. I've never even heard of Starling Bank, nevermind Fitbit Pay. Is this really going to tempt people away from their contactless debit and credit cards? I doubt it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mariotr87 Avatar
108 months ago
Starling Bank - Lol, to be honest not sure that counts as 'UK' launch, as they are tiny. First time I have ever heard of them.
Well, they do have a pretty strong presence in this new whole "FinTech" thing; a new breed of (usually) app-only banks that aim to build the infrastructure using modern technologies (such as AWS and micro services) as opposed to in-house, proprietary equipment.

I've given a couple of these a try (Starling Bank and Monzo) and I'm quite pleased so far. Starling Bank is also the first bank in the UK with in-app Apple Pay card provisioning. You can go from downloading the app to spending using Apple Pay in literally minutes, it was quite surprising!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
108 months ago
I keep wondering when Fitbit will become the next blackberry
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)