Tide review
Sole traders and new companies wanting banking plus admin tools — invoices, bookkeeping, even company formation — in one app.
Overview
Tide is not a bank — it is an e-money institution and business financial platform serving over 1.5 million UK businesses, with current accounts provided through ClearBank (eligible deposits protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 through that arrangement). Its pitch is aggregation: banking, invoicing, expense cards, savings (up to ~4% AER variable), free MTD bookkeeping tools and company formation, all in one fast-onboarding app. The model is unashamedly tiered: the free plan is genuinely £0 but meters transfers (5 free, then 20p), invoices (3/mo), FX card spend (2.75%) and deposits, so active businesses drift toward Smart (~£12.49), Pro (~£25–27) or Max (~£70) plans. Price your volume first and Tide is a strong platform; assume "free" and the meter will find you.
Strengths and weaknesses
What we like
- The fastest account opening in UK business banking — minutes, no credit check for basic accounts
- Built-in business toolkit: invoicing, expense cards, savings pots, free MTD tools
- Company formation service inside the app — a genuine differentiator
- ClearBank arrangement brings FSCS protection on eligible deposits
- Modern tiers that scale: unlimited transfers and built-in accounting on Pro
What to watch
- Free plan meters hard: 5 transfers (then 20p), 3 invoices, 2.75% FX card fee
- Not a licensed bank — no overdrafts; protection flows via ClearBank, not Tide itself
- Cash handling is pricey (PayPoint ~3%; Post Office £2.50 per £500)
- GBP-focused — no true multi-currency accounts
Key features at a glance
| Account type | E-money institution; accounts via ClearBank |
| Deposit protection | FSCS up to £120,000 via ClearBank (check your account type) |
| Monthly fee | £0 (Free) to ~£69.99 (Max) |
| UK transfers | 5 free, then 20p; unlimited from Pro |
| Standout tools | Invoicing, expense cards, company formation, MTD tools |
| Savings | Interest pots up to ~4% AER variable by tier |
Pricing
Free £0; Smart ~£12.49/mo; Pro ~£24.99–27.49/mo; Max ~£69.99/mo, plus per-transaction fees on lower tiers (20p transfers, ATM £1, cash deposit fees). Indicative — check the current tier table.
Who Tide is for — and who should skip it
Best for
New sole traders and companies wanting one app for banking plus admin, light domestic transaction volumes, and anyone incorporating (the formation service is a real hook).
Probably not for
High-transfer-volume businesses on the free plan, cash-heavy traders, borrowers, and multi-currency operators.
Our verdict — 8.5/10
Tide is the best productised small-business account: superb tooling and onboarding, honest tiered pricing — just do the two-minute maths on your monthly transfers before choosing the free plan.
Tide, head to head
Tide vs Starling Bank Business
Starling wins on banking economics; Tide wins on bundled business tooling.
Tide vs Mettle (by NatWest)
Mettle is free; Tide is free-to-start. Buy the one that matches your actual ambition.
Tide vs ANNA Money
ANNA automates your tax panic; Tide protects your balance. Bigger balances should pick Tide.
How we review: scores reflect our editorial assessment using vendor documentation, published pricing, independent research and hands-on evaluation where noted — read our full methodology. Pricing is indicative — always confirm current plans with the vendor. We may earn commission from links on this page; it never affects our scores.