What Sibstar does

Sibstar is a UK-based fintech that operates a prepaid Mastercard debit card paired with a companion iOS and Android application, purpose-built for individuals with cognitive or financial vulnerabilities. The product is designed for five primary user segments: people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, individuals recovering from gambling addiction, those whose mental health conditions affect spending, and anyone seeking protection from scams or overspending. The company was founded in 2020 by Jayne Sibley, drawing on her personal experience caring for her parents who had dementia, and is headquartered in Southampton, UK. Sibstar operates under FCA authorisation via its e-money partner AF Payments Limited (FRN: 900440), with the Mastercard licence enabling card issuance.

The technical product centres on a dual-access model where the cardholder holds the physical debit card while designated "supporters" (typically family members or caregivers) control settings via the mobile app. Core features include configurable daily, monthly, and cashpoint withdrawal limits; the ability to remotely toggle contactless, online, and phone spending on or off; real-time transaction notifications to supporters; instant card freeze/unfreeze; auto top-up to prevent declined transactions; and digital power of attorney verification — a capability the company states traditional banks do not offer. Gambling transactions are automatically blocked through an integration with Gamban's blocklist technology. The platform is distributed exclusively through self-serve channels — iOS App Store, Google Play, and the company website — with referral support from the Alzheimer's Society and other partner organisations.

Sibstar monetises through a £4.99 monthly subscription, a one-time £4.99 setup fee, and a 99p fee per ATM withdrawal, with free unlimited account loading via standing order. The company operates a "profit with purpose" model, committing 7.5% of net profits to the Alzheimer's Society. Go-to-market is product-led, supported by content marketing via the Knowledge Centre, earned media coverage in BBC Radio 4, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Daily Mail, and The Times, and channel partnerships with home care networks and government fraud-prevention campaigns (Stop! Think Fraud, National Crime Agency, West Midlands Police). The company has raised £125,000 from Dragons' Den (Sara Davies and Deborah Meaden, each taking 5% equity in March 2024) and reports serving "thousands of customers across the UK."

Name

Sibstar

Legal name

Sibstar

Website

https://sibstar.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sibstar is a UK fintech that provides a prepaid Mastercard debit card and mobile app enabling people with dementia, learning disabilities, gambling addiction, mental health conditions, or scam vulnerability to manage everyday spending safely while designated supporters monitor activity remotely.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prepaid Debit Card Services

NAICS

Credit Card Issuing (522210)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Government Benefit & EBT / Social Program Cards (FSAMANAF)

Keywords

• Prepaid debit card
• Dementia banking
• Supported spending app
• Scam protection fintech
• Vulnerable consumer finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Monthly Subscription: Recurring monthly subscription of £4.99 per month for full access to card and app functionality including all security and management features
2. Set-up Fee: One-time set-up fee of £4.99 charged at account activation
3. Cashpoint Withdrawal Fees: 99p fee per cashpoint withdrawal due to processing costs charged by ATM networks

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sibstar provides a prepaid Mastercard debit card paired with a companion mobile app (iOS and Android) designed to help financially vulnerable individuals — particularly people living with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, those in recovery from addiction, and scam targets — safely manage everyday spending while maintaining financial independence. The product uses a dual-access model where the cardholder uses the physical card and a designated 'supporter' manages controls (spending limits, channel toggles, real-time alerts, instant card freeze, auto top-up) via the app, with digital power of attorney verification and gambling transaction blocking.

Product overview

Sibstar is a single unified product consisting of a Mastercard-powered prepaid debit card and companion mobile app. The cardholder carries the physical debit card while their designated supporter manages controls via the app. Core features include configurable daily/monthly spending limits, cashpoint withdrawal controls, the ability to switch on/off contactless/online/phone spending, real-time transaction notifications, instant card freeze/unfreeze, and auto top-up functionality. The product is specifically designed for families affected by dementia, people with learning disabilities, those in recovery from addiction, individuals with mental health conditions, and anyone concerned about scams or overspending. Sibstar adapts to changing needs at any stage of cognitive decline.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sibstar Debit Card and App A prepaid Mastercard debit card paired with iOS and Android apps that lets a designated 'supporter' (family member or carer) remotely configure spending limits, switch off contactless/online/phone/cashpoint channels, receive real-time transaction notifications, instantly freeze the card, set auto top-ups, and block gambling transactions — designed for people living with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, those in recovery from gambling or other addictions, and anyone vulnerable to scams. The card is issued by AF Payments Limited (FCA-authorised e-money institution, FRN 900440) under Mastercard licence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76% of people with dementia experience difficulties managing money; over a third of carers experience problems managing finances of those they support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alzheimer's SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2021Official partnership with Alzheimer's Society for product development and distribution. Alzheimer's Society provides innovation hub access, co-marketing opportunities, and referral of families to Sibstar. Sibstar commits 7.5% of net profits to the charity.
• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationMastercard licence enables Sibstar debit card functionality. Card is issued by AF Payments Limited pursuant to Mastercard International licence.
• GambancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for gambling harm prevention. Sibstar blocks gambling payments using Gamban's blocklist technology, supporting people in recovery from gambling addiction.
• Stop! Think Fraud CampaigncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment fraud prevention campaign in association with National Crime Agency and West Midlands Police. Sibstar participates as a recommended solution for scam protection.
• National Crime Agency (NCA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership through Stop! Think Fraud campaign to provide scam protection tools for vulnerable populations
• West Midlands PoliceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration through Stop! Think Fraud campaign for fraud prevention awareness
• Bluebird Care UKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHome care franchise network that can refer Sibstar to families they support as part of care services
• AF Payments LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationE-money institution authorised by FCA (FRN: 900440) that issues Sibstar's electronic money and payment instruments pursuant to Mastercard licence

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Gamban: Gambling-blocking software provider integrated into Sibstar's card. Ecosystem partner addressing the gambling-recovery use case, with overlapping end users but a software rather than card-issuing model.

Direct peers

• GoHenry: UK/US prepaid debit card with parental controls and spending limits for kids and teens. Closely comparable product model: cardholder + parent/supporter app, real-time notifications, and configurable spend controls, just applied to a younger demographic.
• NatWest Rooster Card: UK prepaid card and app from NatWest giving parents visibility and control over under-18 spending. Comparable supported-spending model for vulnerable/young users within a regulated UK bank framework.
• Greenlight: US family fintech offering prepaid debit cards with parental controls, spending limits, and real-time notifications. Highly analogous supported-spending architecture, though targeting parents of children rather than dementia caregivers.
• Current: US consumer fintech with prepaid accounts, spending controls, and family/teen banking features. Comparable consumer prepaid model with parental-style oversight and configurable limits.
• Step: US teen-focused banking app built on prepaid card rails with parental visibility and spending controls. Same dual-access (cardholder + parent/supporter) product pattern.
• Tesco Clubcard Pay+: UK prepaid account Sibstar explicitly positions against in its marketing. Comparable prepaid stored-value card with app-based controls and a UK consumer base.

Broad incumbents

• Monzo: UK challenger bank offering prepaid/current accounts with spending notifications, card freeze, and pots/limits. Broader consumer fintech with overlapping spending-control features that could be extended to vulnerable users.
• Starling Bank: UK challenger bank with full current accounts including spending categories, instant card freeze, and notifications. Incumbent in adjacent space with resources to add vulnerable-customer features.
• Revolut: Global consumer fintech with prepaid and current accounts, spending controls, and disposable virtual cards. Broad incumbent offering comparable underlying card technology at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SibstarUK
• Instagraminstagram.com/sibstaruk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sibstar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sibstar