Business banking · Head to head
Tide vs Mettle (by NatWest)
A comparison of two different ideas of "free": Tide starts free and grows into paid tiers; Mettle is simply, permanently free.
Tide
8.5/10vs
Mettle (by NatWest)
8.0/10| Tide | Mettle (by NatWest) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £0 entry; tiers to ~£69.99 | £0, full stop |
| Transfer fees | After 5 free, 20p each (unlimited on Pro) | Free |
| Backing | E-money institution — ClearBank accounts | NatWest Group |
| Deposit protection | FSCS via ClearBank | FSCS via NatWest |
| Accounting tie-in | Xero connector free; Tide Accounting on Pro+ | FreeAgent free/discounted — the headline |
| Extras | Formation, invoicing, expense cards, savings | Invoicing basics, receipt capture |
Where Tide wins — and where Mettle (by NatWest) wins
Tide
- Far broader platform: formation, expense cards, savings, tiers to grow into
- Built-in accounting on higher plans
- More polished business tooling throughout
Mettle (by NatWest)
- Genuinely, unconditionally free — no meters, no upgrade pressure
- Big-bank backing and NatWest FSCS arrangement
- FreeAgent bundle makes an MTD-ready stack for about £0
Our verdict
Sole traders watching every pound should take Mettle — with the FreeAgent tie-in it is the cheapest compliant setup in the UK. Businesses wanting one platform to grow inside, with invoicing, cards and formation built in, will get more from Tide and should budget for a paid tier.
How we compare: assessments draw on vendor documentation, published pricing, product testing where noted, and our published methodology. Prices are indicative entry-level figures — confirm current plans with vendors. We may earn commission from links on this page; it never affects our verdicts.