Ember
Ember (Ember By Starling Limited) is a UK fintech providing an all-in-one cloud accounting, tax, and payroll platform for UK sole traders, contractors, and small limited companies, distributed via web, iOS, Android, and embedded bank channels including HSBC UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Ember does
Ember (legally Ember By Starling Limited) is a UK fintech that provides an all-in-one cloud accounting, tax, and payroll platform for sole traders, contractors, and small limited companies operating in the UK. The platform is delivered through a web application and native iOS and Android apps, and combines bank-feed aggregation (powered by TrueLayer), automated bookkeeping, AI-suggested transaction categorisation, invoicing, VAT filing under HMRC's Making Tax Digital regime (Flat Rate and Standard schemes, accruals basis), payroll (via a Staffology integration that handles PAYE, RTI, P60s, and pension auto-enrolment), self-assessment and corporation tax estimation and filing, P11D submissions, and annual Confirmation Statements with Companies House. A human accountant support layer — an in-app Intercom chat, an AI support bot, bookable Google Meet video consultations, and a top-tier Full Service plan with a dedicated accountant, business health-checks, VAT registration help, and a registered office address service via Hoxton Mix — sits on top of the software stack. The platform is built on Google Cloud infrastructure, with Okta authentication, Cloudflare security, Stripe billing, Twilio communications, Airbyte pipelines, HubSpot CRM, and Functional Software tooling, and Ember is SOC2 certified and FCA-registered under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (register no. 919397).
Ember operates a self-serve, freemium-style subscription model with a 14-day free trial, monthly subscription fees across plans for sole traders and limited companies, and a Full Service plan that requires a 12-month commitment (payable upfront at a discount or in 12 monthly instalments). An affiliate referral programme pays £150 per converted paying customer and offers referrers and referees combined cash-credit and 20%-discount incentives. Distribution is primarily through direct digital signup on ember.co and the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, supplemented by an embedded-finance channel in which Ember's tools are integrated directly inside partner banking platforms, beginning with HSBC UK from May 2024. The company raised a £5M funding round in May 2024 led by Valar Ventures, Viola Fintech, and Shapers to scale the embedded model, and was acquired by Starling Bank in August 2025, with Ember subsequently rebranded as 'Ember By Starling Limited' and now operating within the Starling group. Services are explicitly restricted to the UK tax jurisdiction.
Ember firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ember
- Legal name
- Ember By Starling Limited
- Website
- https://ember.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ember (Ember By Starling Limited) is a UK fintech providing an all-in-one cloud accounting, tax, and payroll platform for UK sole traders, contractors, and small limited companies, distributed via web, iOS, Android, and embedded bank channels including HSBC UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ember industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Small Business Accounting Software
- NAICS
- Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Payroll Services (541214)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Embedded Tax, Accounting & Invoicing Finance (FSAGALAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Account Verification & Ownership (AVS/AOV, micro-deposits, auth) (FSAGACAB), Risk, Compliance & Controls for Embedded Finance (KYB/KYC/AML, Fraud, Disputes) (FSAGALAK)
Keywords
Where Ember is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ember business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription fees: Monthly subscription fees across paid plans (Full Service plan requires a 12-month commitment, with option to pay upfront at a discounted rate or spread over 12 monthly payments). Billing via Stripe; free 14-day trial converts to paid subscription. Plans available for Sole Traders and Limited Companies.
- Paid accountant video consultations: On-demand video calls with in-house qualified accountants priced at £25 + VAT for 15 minutes (Sole Trader) or £40 + VAT for 30 minutes (Sole Trader). Free for customers on Unlimited/Full Service plans.
- Affiliate referral commissions paid to partners: Ember pays affiliates £150 per converted paying customer referred via tracked links; commission is calculated on post-discount value of the monthly subscription fee. This is a cost of revenue rather than an inbound stream.
- Add-on services and one-off fees: Additional paid services include Confirmation Statement filing (£83+VAT or £34 admin fee recharged on Unlimited plan), pension auto-enrolment support, PAYE registration, and other ancillary offerings priced on a per-use basis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Ember monthly subscription (price shown at signup, not publicly listed) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Full Service plan (12-month commitment) |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free trial |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Paid accountant video consultations (Sole Trader) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Refer-a-friend promotion |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ember product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ember operates a cloud-native accounting, tax and payroll platform for UK sole traders, contractors and limited companies, delivered via web and iOS/Android apps. It aggregates bank feeds, automates bookkeeping, files VAT, payroll and self-assessment returns with HMRC under Making Tax Digital, and bundles in-house qualified accountant support (AI bot plus human advisors). The same capabilities are distributed in embedded form inside partner bank platforms, beginning with HSBC UK.
Product overview
Ember (Ember By Starling Limited) is a single unified cloud accounting, tax and payroll platform for UK contractors, sole traders and small/limited businesses, delivered through web and native mobile (iOS/Android) apps. The core Ember Accounting Platform bundles several modules: bank feed aggregation (powered by the TrueLayer integration), automated bookkeeping and transaction categorisation, invoicing, VAT filing under Making Tax Digital (Flat Rate and Standard schemes, accruals basis), Payroll (powered by the Staffology integration for PAYE/RTI submissions, P60s and pension auto-enrolment), tax estimation and self-assessment filing with HMRC, P11D submissions for benefits in kind, and annual confirmation statement filing with Companies House. These software modules sit alongside a human accountant support layer — an in-app Intercom chat, an AI support bot, bookable Google Meet video consultations with in-house accountants, and a top-tier Full Service plan that adds a dedicated accountant, business health-checks and a registered office address service (via Hoxton Mix). The same accounting, tax and payroll capabilities are also distributed in embedded form through partner banks such as HSBC UK, and Ember is now part of the Starling Bank group following the August 2025 acquisition.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ember Accounting Platform Ember's flagship cloud accounting, tax and payroll application for UK contractors, sole traders and small limited companies. Aggregates bank feeds via TrueLayer, produces accounting reports, sends invoices, runs payroll (via Staffology), estimates tax, files returns with HMRC and provides expert accountant support.
- Ember Accountant Video Consultation Bookable Google Meet video call service with Ember's in-house qualified accountants, sold in 15-minute (£25 + VAT) and 30-minute (£40 + VAT) slots for sole traders and limited companies; included free on Unlimited and Full Service plans.
- Ember Embedded Accounting for HSBC UK Distribution of Ember's accounting, tax and invoicing tools directly inside HSBC UK's banking platform for HSBC's SME customers, delivered through the strategic partnership with HSBC UK.
Quantifiable outcome
- £5 million in funding raised in May 2024 to scale embedded finance model and HSBC partnership.
Companies that use Ember
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ember technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Ember partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Starling BankflagshipStarling Bank agreed to acquire Ember in August 2025 and later rebranded the company as 'Ember By Starling Limited'. The relationship has since evolved into a deeper strategic and corporate parent arrangement.
- HSBC UKflagshipHSBC UK and Ember partnered in May 2024 to embed Ember's digital tax and accounting tools directly within HSBC UK's banking platform for SME customers. The integrated service offers invoicing, tax timelines, and cash flow tracking inside HSBC UK, supporting SMEs' transition to the UK Making Tax Digital regime by 2026, with plans to expand the embedded model to additional UK banks.
- StaffologycoreStaffology is a third-party provider Ember uses to deliver a seamless payroll experience. Raw payroll data entered in Ember's UI is fed via a direct API to Staffology's software, which performs the relevant calculations and submits to HMRC. Ember's Payroll customers are subject to Staffology's terms and privacy policy.
- TrueLayercoreTrueLayer provides Ember's bank account aggregation feeds. Customers connecting a bank account through TrueLayer are subject to TrueLayer's separate terms; Ember reserves the right to switch providers but will give reasonable advance notice.
- Google Cloud EMEA LimitedcoreGoogle Cloud provides cloud and infrastructure hosting that enables Ember to operate its services and store customer data, including international transfers under appropriate contractual safeguards.
- Stripe Payments Europe LimitedcoreStripe collects subscription payments from Ember customers and maintains their payment details for recurring billing.
- Okta, Inc.coreOkta provides authentication services that underpin Ember's secure user login and account access.
- Cloudflare, Inc.coreCloudflare provides security, performance, and encryption services to help protect Ember's services and customer data.
- Intercom R&D Unlimited CompanycoreIntercom powers Ember's in-app chat, support messaging, complaint handling, and ticketing workflows.
- Hoxton MixminorHoxton Mix provides Ember's registered office address service, which is included on the Full Service plan.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ember competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Xero: Xero is a leading global cloud accounting platform widely used by UK SMBs, sole traders and accountants. It competes head-on with Ember on automated bookkeeping, bank feeds, VAT filing and MTD compliance, and is the closest direct competitor in the UK SMB cloud-accounting segment.
- QuickBooks (Intuit): QuickBooks is Intuit's SMB-focused cloud accounting suite offering bookkeeping, invoicing, VAT filing and payroll in the UK. It overlaps directly with Ember on self-serve accounting for sole traders and limited companies and benefits from Intuit's global scale and brand.
- FreeAgent: FreeAgent is a UK-focused cloud accounting platform purpose-built for freelancers, contractors and small businesses. It is a direct competitor to Ember in the UK sole trader and contractor segment and is now part of the NatWest group, giving it a similar embedded-banking distribution angle.
- Coconut: Coconut is a UK fintech offering accounting, tax and banking tools aimed at sole traders, freelancers and limited companies. It competes directly with Ember in the UK self-employed segment on bookkeeping, tax estimation and limited-company filings.
- KashFlow: KashFlow is a UK cloud accounting and payroll platform for small businesses, owned by IRIS Software. It competes directly with Ember on UK SMB bookkeeping, VAT filing under MTD and payroll services.
- Capium: Capium is a UK cloud accounting, payroll and tax platform targeted at small businesses, contractors and accountants. It directly overlaps with Ember's full-service offering for UK sole traders and limited companies.
Broad incumbents
- Sage: Sage is a long-established UK accounting and payroll software provider serving SMBs and accountants. Its cloud products (Sage Accounting, Sage Payroll) overlap with Ember's full-stack offering, and Sage's incumbency in the UK market makes it a key competitor even though its portfolio is much broader.
Emerging players
- Tide: Tide is a UK digital business banking platform that has expanded into accounting, invoicing and tax tools for members. It overlaps with Ember on UK SMB accounting and is a natural comparator for the embedded-finance + accounting model Ember is pursuing with HSBC and Starling.
- ANNA Money: ANNA Money is a UK fintech combining business current accounts with built-in accounting, invoicing and tax tools. It overlaps with Ember on UK SMB accounting and is a relevant comparator for the bundled banking-plus-accounting proposition.
Regional players
- Clear Books: Clear Books is a UK-only cloud accounting platform built for small businesses and accountants. It overlaps with Ember on UK SMB accounting and MTD-compliant VAT submissions, and serves as a regional alternative within the same domestic market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ember social profiles
Digital presenceEmber financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ember leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ember funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ember M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ember
What does Ember do?
Ember operates a cloud-native accounting, tax and payroll platform for UK sole traders, contractors and limited companies, delivered via web and iOS/Android apps. It aggregates bank feeds, automates bookkeeping, files VAT, payroll and self-assessment returns with HMRC under Making Tax Digital, and bundles in-house qualified accountant support (AI bot plus human advisors). The same capabilities are distributed in embedded form inside partner bank platforms, beginning with HSBC UK.
Is Ember a public or private company?
Ember is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Ember founded?
Ember was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ember based?
Ember is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ember make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription fees are the primary driver. The others are paid accountant video consultations, affiliate referral commissions paid to partners and add-on services and one-off fees.
Who are Ember's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Xero, QuickBooks (Intuit), FreeAgent, Coconut, KashFlow and Capium. Sage is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Tide and ANNA Money. Clear Books is listed as a regional player.
Does Ember have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ember.
What industry is Ember in?
Ember's product category is Small Business Accounting Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGALAJ, Embedded Tax, Accounting & Invoicing Finance, with a secondary code of FSAGACAB, Account Verification & Ownership (AVS/AOV, micro-deposits, auth). Its NAICS code is 54121 and its SIC code is 6199.