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With around 900,000 UK members and a 15% share of the UK small business market, Tide has become a default choice for many new sole traders and limited companies.
That popularity creates two common assumptions. The first is that Tide is a bank. It isn't: it's a business financial platform, and its current accounts are provided by a licensed partner bank, ClearBank. The second is that once your business grows, you'll need to pay for one of Tide's upgraded plans. In our experience, most businesses can stay on the Free plan for far longer than they expect, because the paid plans rarely pay for themselves on transfer fees alone.
This review covers what Tide offers UK sole traders and small businesses, how its Free, Smart, Pro and Max plans compare, what it costs in practice, how safe your money is, and which businesses it suits best.
TLDR: Is Tide Worth It?
For most UK sole traders and small limited companies that bank mainly in sterling, yes. Tide's Free plan has no monthly fee, new accounts are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 through ClearBank, and it accepts cash at the Post Office and cheques through the app. It also bundles admin tools that many rivals charge for, including company registration for £14.99 and Making Tax Digital (MTD) tools.
Best for: sole traders and limited companies that make a modest number of payments, want admin tools in the same app, and may need to pay in cash occasionally.
Think twice if: you're an LLP, partnership or community interest company (CIC) (you can't apply). You might also struggle if you make lots of payments on the Free plan, regularly deal in foreign currencies, or want a provider that ranks at the top of independent service surveys.
The plan most need: Free, for longer than you'd think. Smart if you spend abroad on your card or want phone support. Pro once you make more than about 140 UK transfers a month or want Tide Accounting included. Max is only for high-volume businesses that also want unlimited invoices and the best savings rate.
Tide at a Glance
The table below summarises Tide's published terms as of October 2026.
Feature | Tide |
|---|---|
Account provider | Tide Platform Limited (FCA-authorised e-money institution, firm reference 900843), with current accounts provided by ClearBank Ltd, a licensed UK bank |
Monthly fee | Free £0, Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99 |
Eligible business types | Sole traders and limited companies |
UK transfers | 5 free a month on Free, 30 on Smart, unlimited on Pro and Max; 20p each after that |
Invoicing | 3 invoices a month on Free, Smart and Pro; unlimited on Max |
Accounting | Tide Accounting included on Pro and Max; integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and FreeAgent |
Making Tax Digital tools | Included on every plan |
Cash deposits | Post Office (£2.50 up to £500, then a percentage) and PayPoint (3%) |
Cheque deposits | In the app, up to £500 per cheque |
Currencies held | GBP only |
Borrowing | No account overdraft; loans, credit lines and credit cards through Tide's lending marketplace |
FSCS protection | Up to £120,000 on eligible deposits held with ClearBank |
Branches | None |
What is Tide?
Tide is a UK business financial platform founded in 2015. It isn't a bank in its own right. Tide Platform Limited is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an electronic money institution (EMI), under firm reference number 900843, and separately for credit and insurance broking under firm reference 718743.
New Tide business current accounts are provided by ClearBank Ltd, a fully licensed UK bank authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the FCA and the PRA (registration number 754568). Tide runs the app, the customer service and the business tools. ClearBank holds your money.
That's an important distinction. Older comparisons, and some of Tide's own historical marketing, describe Tide as an e-money account without FSCS protection. That's no longer true for new accounts, although some older members may still hold legacy e-money accounts (more on that below).
Tide has grown quickly. It announced in May 2026 that it had crossed 2 million members worldwide, including 900,000 small businesses in the UK, up from 750,000 UK members in July 2025.
At its core, Tide lets you:
Open a UK business current account from your phone, often in under 10 minutes
Register a limited company with Companies House at the same time
Send and receive UK payments, with a free allowance that depends on your plan
Pay in cash at the Post Office and PayPoint, and cheques through the app
Create invoices, track tax and use MTD tools in the same app
Apply for loans, credit lines and business credit cards through its lending marketplace
When we speak to business owners who've chosen Tide, the reason they give most often is convenience at the start: forming a company, opening an account and getting a card in one sitting.
How Does Tide Work?
Free, Smart, Pro and Max Plans
Every Tide account starts on the Free plan, and you can upgrade at any time. Unlike Monzo, where plans are split mainly by features, Tide's plans are split by both payment volume and features.
Free costs £0 a month. It includes 5 free UK transfers a month, then 20p each. Card spending abroad carries a 2.75% fee, and support is through 24/7 in-app chat.
Smart costs £12.49 a month. It raises the free transfer allowance to 30, removes the overseas card fee, and adds phone support, a second business account and a team card.
Pro costs £27.49 a month. It adds unlimited UK transfers (subject to fair use), Tide Accounting and a higher savings rate.
Max costs £69.99 a month. It adds unlimited invoices, a dedicated support team, more expense cards and the highest savings rate.
Tide's help centre lists annual billing at £99.99 (Smart), £219.99 (Pro) and £559.92 (Max), which works out cheaper than paying monthly (checked October 2026). Tide states that it doesn't charge VAT on its paid plans.
Who Can Apply?
Tide's eligibility rules are narrower than many owners expect. You can apply if you're a sole trader or a director of a limited company registered with Companies House. You also need to:
Be at least 18 years old
Have a valid UK mobile phone number
Use the account for business purposes only
Directors who live outside the UK can apply, as long as the company is registered with UK Companies House.
Tide can't currently support:
Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and general partnerships
Community interest companies (CICs) and charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs)
Public limited companies (PLCs) and trusts
Businesses that hold or manage client money in the Tide account
Businesses funded fully or partly by regular donations
Tide also turns away applicants it considers too high-risk, based on the industry, how the business makes money and other risk factors.
In our experience, the owners who are most frustrated with Tide are those who didn't check these rules before applying. If you're an LLP, our Starling vs Lloyds comparison covers two providers that accept them.
How Fast is Account Opening?
Fast, for most applicants. Tide says 53% of applicants open their account in under 10 minutes, 70% in under an hour and 81% within 48 hours. If your business is more complex, Tide may ask for extra information before approving you.
Why Tide is Popular With Sole Traders and SMEs
Registration and Banking in One Place
Tide is an authorised Companies House formation agent. Since Companies House raised its online incorporation fee to £100 on 1 February 2026, Tide's £14.99 company registration has become a meaningful saving. A Tide business account is included, so a new director can incorporate and start banking in the same process.
If you're still choosing how to set up, our guide to the best bank accounts for new businesses compares other providers built around fast approval.
Making Tax Digital Tools on Every Plan
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax now requires many sole traders to keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC. Tide includes HMRC-recognised MTD tools on every plan, including Free.
Our round-up of business bank accounts with MTD software compares how other providers handle it.
Cash and Cheques Without a Branch
Tide is one of the few app-based providers that accepts both cash and cheques. Cash goes in at any Post Office or PayPoint, and cheques up to £500 can be paid in by photographing them in the app. For a small business that's occasionally paid in cash or by cheque, this removes one of the main reasons to keep a high street account.
A Wide Range of Business Tools
Tide's app goes beyond banking. Depending on your plan, you can use invoicing, Tide Accounting, payroll, a business phone number, expense cards, the Tide Card Reader and an Instant Saver account. Tide reported that Instant Saver deposits had grown to more than £2 billion in July 2025.
Key Features of Tide Business Accounts
Four-plan structure
Free, Smart, Pro and Max are split by payment volume and features. Payments between Tide accounts are free on every plan.
UK transfers
5 free a month on Free and 30 on Smart, then 20p each. Pro and Max include unlimited UK transfers, subject to fair use.
Making Tax Digital tools
Included on every plan, including Free.
Invoicing
3 invoices a month on Free, Smart and Pro, and unlimited on Max.
Accounting
Tide Accounting is included on Pro and Max and available as a paid add-on on Free and Smart. Tide also integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage and FreeAgent.
Instant Saver
A business savings account with variable rates that rise with your plan, from around 2% AER on Free up to 3.25% AER on Max.
Accepting payments
The Tide Card Reader, Tap to Pay on iPhone and payment links let you take card payments. Funds go straight into your Tide account.
Cash and cheque deposits
Cash at the Post Office and PayPoint. Cheques up to £500 in the app.
Switching
Tide is part of the Current Account Switch Service (CASS), so your payments and Direct Debits move across automatically.
Borrowing
Loans, revolving credit and business credit cards through Tide's lending marketplace.
Tide Pricing Structure
Tide's pricing splits into three areas: the monthly plan fee, payment and card charges, and cash and cheque costs.
Plan Fees
This table reflects Tide's published plans as of October 2026.
Feature | Free | Smart | Pro | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly fee | £0 | £12.49 | £27.49 | £69.99 |
Annual billing | N/A | £99.99 | £219.99 | £559.92 |
Free UK transfers a month | 5 | 30 | Unlimited (fair use) | Unlimited (fair use) |
UK transfers above allowance | 20p | 20p | N/A | N/A |
Fee on card spending abroad | 2.75% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Invoices a month | 3 | 3 | 3 | Unlimited |
Tide Accounting | Paid add-on | Paid add-on | Included | Included |
Phone support | No (in-app chat) | Yes | Yes | Yes, dedicated team |
Post Office deposits over £500 | 0.99% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
Making Tax Digital tools | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Payment and Transaction Fees
Service | Cost |
|---|---|
Payments between Tide accounts | Free on all plans |
UK transfers above your allowance | 20p each (Free and Smart) |
ATM withdrawals | £1 each, on every plan |
Card spending in foreign currency | 2.75% on Free, 0% on paid plans |
International transfers | A plan-based fee plus an FX markup of around 0.5% to 1.5% |
Expense cards | £5 a month each on Free; paid plans include one or more |
On international payments, Tide is built around sterling. You can send and receive some international payments, including SWIFT, EUR and USD transfers, but you can't hold balances in other currencies. Tide adds an FX markup to conversions, and the markup falls as your plan rises. Third-party analysis in August 2026 put it at 1.50% on Free and 0.50% on Max, so treat these figures as indicative and check the rate in the app before you send.
Cash and Cheque Deposits
Deposit method | Fee | Limits |
|---|---|---|
Post Office, up to £500 | £2.50 per deposit | Up to £25,000 per deposit and £300,000 a year |
Post Office, over £500 | 0.99% of the deposit (Free) or 0.5% (paid plans) | As above |
PayPoint | 3% of the deposit | £10 to £500 a day |
Cheque (in app) | 70p plus the standard 20p transaction fee | Up to £500 per cheque; clears in about 2 business days |
Cheque deposits in the app are only available on ClearBank accounts, which have the sort code 04-06-05.
What Do You Actually Pay Each Month?
We worked through some common business patterns using Tide's published fees. The results show that the Free plan stays the cheapest option for longer than most owners assume.
Business pattern | Cheapest plan | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
Sole trader making 4 UK transfers, no cash | Free | £0 |
Freelancer making 15 UK transfers | Free | £2 (10 transfers at 20p) |
Small company making 40 UK transfers | Free | £7 (Smart would cost £14.49) |
Busy company making 100 UK transfers | Free | £19 (Pro would cost £27.49) |
Market trader paying in £400 cash weekly, 10 transfers | Free | £11 (4 deposits at £2.50, plus £1 in transfers) |
Café paying in £2,000 cash weekly, 10 transfers | Smart | £53.49 (£40 in deposit fees, plus £12.49; Free would cost £80.20) |
Freelancer spending £300 a month on US software by card | Free | £8.25 in card fees (Smart would cost £12.49) |
Estimates calculated from Tide's published fees, October 2026. Excludes loan interest, international transfer fees and add-ons.
On transfers alone, Pro only becomes cheaper than Free once you make more than about 142 UK transfers a month. Smart only pays for itself on overseas card spending once you spend more than about £454 a month abroad. Cash is the exception: if you regularly pay in more than £500 at a time, the lower 0.5% rate on paid plans can save more than the plan costs.
In our experience, the real reasons to upgrade are phone support, Tide Accounting and the higher savings rate. Decide whether you'd use those before paying for a plan.
How Does Tide Compare on Cash Handling?
Tide is more flexible on cash than most app-based providers, but its percentage fees add up on larger deposits.
Provider | Cost of a £1,000 cash deposit | Limit |
|---|---|---|
Tide (Free) | £9.90 (0.99%) | £25,000 per deposit, £300,000 a year |
Tide (paid plans) | £5 (0.5%) | £25,000 per deposit, £300,000 a year |
Monzo | £1 | £3,000 a month (sole traders), £10,000 a month (limited companies) |
Starling | £7 (0.7%, £3 minimum) | £100,000 a year |
Monzo is cheaper per deposit, but its monthly caps rule it out for many cash-taking businesses. Tide's limits are far higher, which makes it a realistic option for a shop or café that banks a few thousand pounds a week. For deposits of £500 or less, Tide's flat £2.50 fee is reasonable.
Above that, it's worth comparing the percentage fee with a high street bank. Our guide to business bank accounts for cash handling covers providers built around this need.
Can You Borrow With Tide?
Yes, but not through an overdraft. Tide doesn't offer an arranged overdraft on its business account. Instead, it offers credit in three main ways:
Lending marketplace: Tide acquired the business finance broker Funding Options in 2023. Through it, Tide says businesses can borrow from £1,000 to £20 million from around 85 lenders (source: Tide, July 2025). Products include term loans, revolving credit, asset finance and invoice finance.
Credit Line: some eligible members receive a pre-approved revolving credit facility in the app. You draw down what you need and repay it, and a monthly subscription fee keeps the line active.
Business credit cards: Tide advertises business credit cards with limits of up to £250,000.
Tide acts as a credit broker for most of these products, not the lender. Rates vary widely by lender and by your business's profile, and revolving credit products often carry drawdown fees on top of interest. Check the full cost before you accept any offer.
If you're comparing finance options more widely, our guides on whether sole traders are eligible for loans and alternative lenders for SMEs when banks say no explain the wider market.
Is Tide Safe to Use?
For a small business owner weighing a fintech against a high street bank, this is usually the first question.
FCA Authorisation
Tide Platform Limited:
FCA firm reference number: 900843 (e-money and payment services)
FCA firm reference number: 718743 (credit and insurance broking)
Not a bank, and doesn't hold a UK banking licence
ClearBank Ltd, which provides Tide's current accounts:
Registration number: 754568
Authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and the PRA
Holds a full UK banking licence
FSCS Protection
If you open a Tide account today, it's a ClearBank account with the sort code 04-06-05. Eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000.
If Tide failed, your money would still be held by ClearBank.
Two points are easy to miss:
The £120,000 limit is per bank, not per app. It covers everything you hold with ClearBank, including through other fintechs that use ClearBank behind the scenes.
Some older accounts aren't FSCS-protected. Members with the sort code 23-69-72 hold legacy e-money accounts with PrePay Technologies Limited. That money is safeguarded, meaning it's kept separate from the company's own funds, but it isn't covered by the FSCS. Check your sort code in the app.
Feature | Tide | Fully licensed banks |
|---|---|---|
FCA regulated | Yes (Tide); FCA and PRA (ClearBank) | FCA and PRA |
Full UK banking licence | No (ClearBank holds it) | Yes |
FSCS protection | Yes, up to £120,000 via ClearBank | Yes, up to £120,000 |
Account overdraft | No | Varies by provider |
Account Reviews and Restrictions
Being honest about safety also means covering what happens when Tide reviews an account. Like all regulated providers, Tide must carry out anti-money laundering (AML) checks, and it can restrict an account while it does so. Tide's own Trustpilot replies point members to its routine reviews process. In practice, these checks protect the system, but a restricted account can stop a small business paying staff or suppliers. If your business depends on a single account, it's worth keeping a second account elsewhere as a backup.
Terms and Conditions to Check
Eligibility excludes some business structures
LLPs, partnerships, CICs, CIOs, PLCs and trusts can't apply, nor can businesses that hold client money. Check the full criteria before you start an application.
The free transfer allowance is small
The Free plan includes 5 UK transfers a month. After that, each one costs 20p, including incoming payments that fall into your allowance count.
Cash fees are percentage-based above £500
Post Office deposits over £500 cost 0.99% of the whole deposit on Free. A single £2,000 deposit costs £19.80.
Tide isn't a bank
Your FSCS protection depends on holding a ClearBank account, and the £120,000 limit is shared across everything you hold with ClearBank.
GBP only
You can't hold euros or dollars, and international transfers carry an FX markup on every plan.
No overdraft
Borrowing goes through the lending marketplace or a Credit Line, both of which are separate from the account and may cost more than a traditional overdraft.
What is Tide Good At?
A useful free account
The Free plan includes MTD tools, invoicing, cash and cheque deposits and switching, with no monthly fee.
Getting a new company up and running
Company registration for £14.99, plus a business account in the same process, is hard to beat for new limited companies.
Cash and cheque handling for an app-based provider
High Post Office limits and in-app cheque deposits cover needs that many digital rivals don't.
Breadth of business tools
Accounting, payroll, card readers, savings and credit are all available in one app.
Fast account opening
Most applicants have an account within an hour.
Who is Tide Best Suited To?
Tide is particularly suitable for:
New limited companies
If you haven't incorporated yet, registering through Tide for £14.99 and banking with it from day one saves time and money.
Sole traders and freelancers with modest payment volumes
If you make fewer than about 140 UK transfers a month, the Free plan is likely to be your cheapest option.
Businesses that take some cash or cheques
Market traders, tradespeople and small retailers that pay in cash or cheques regularly, but not in large single deposits.
Owners who want admin tools in one place
Businesses that would otherwise pay separately for invoicing, MTD software or bookkeeping.
Businesses switching from a high street bank
CASS means your payments and Direct Debits move across automatically. Our guide to switching business bank accounts without disrupting payments explains how.
Who Would Be Better Served by Alternatives?
You're an LLP or partnership
You can't open a Tide account. Our Starling vs Lloyds comparison covers providers that accept them.
You want the best-rated service
In the independent service quality survey published in August 2026, Tide ranked joint fifth among business current account providers, with 69% of customers saying they'd recommend it. Monzo (85%), Starling (83%) and Mettle (82%) ranked higher. Our Monzo review and Starling review cover the top two.
You trade internationally
Tide only holds pounds and adds an FX markup to every conversion. Our Tide vs Revolut comparison covers a multi-currency alternative.
You want a licensed bank in its own right
Starling and Monzo hold their own banking licences. See our Tide vs Starling comparison.
You need a traditional overdraft or branch access
Our Tide vs HSBC comparison looks at the high street trade-off.
Common Misconceptions About Tide
"Tide is a digital bank."
It isn't. Tide is an FCA-authorised e-money institution and business platform. Its current accounts are provided by ClearBank, which holds the banking licence and provides the FSCS cover.
"Tide accounts aren't FSCS-protected."
This was true of Tide's original e-money accounts. New accounts are held with ClearBank and protected up to £120,000. Only legacy accounts with the sort code 23-69-72 rely on safeguarding instead.
"You'll need a paid plan once your business grows."
Not on transfer fees alone. A business making 100 UK transfers a month pays £19 on Free, less than Smart or Pro. You pay for the paid plans' other features, not the transfers.
"Digital business accounts can't take cheques."
Tide accepts cheques up to £500 through the app, for 70p plus the standard 20p transaction fee.
"Tide doesn't offer any credit."
It doesn't offer an overdraft, but it does offer loans, credit lines and credit cards through its lending marketplace.
What Real Customers Say About Tide
Tide has a Trustpilot TrustScore of 4.4 out of 5 from around 39,000 reviews, as of October 2026. Around 75% of reviews are five-star, and 16% are one-star. The independent service quality survey is a useful second measure: Tide scored 69% for overall service in August 2026, and 74% for online and mobile banking in February 2026.
From the reviews we read, positive comments tend to mention helpful and patient support staff, quick onboarding and an app that's easy to use. Negative reviews tend to focus on slow replies through chat, difficulty reaching someone by phone, and accounts being restricted during security checks without a clear timeframe. That pattern is common across UK app-based business accounts, not unique to Tide.
FAQs About Tide
Is Tide free?
Yes, on the Free plan. It has no monthly fee and includes 5 free UK transfers a month, with 20p charged for each transfer after that. Smart costs £12.49 a month, Pro £27.49 and Max £69.99.
Is Tide a bank?
No. Tide is an FCA-authorised e-money institution. Its business current accounts are provided by ClearBank, a fully licensed UK bank.
Is my money safe with Tide?
Yes, if you hold a ClearBank account (sort code 04-06-05). Eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000. Legacy e-money accounts (sort code 23-69-72) are safeguarded instead.
Can sole traders open a Tide account?
Yes. Sole traders and directors of limited companies registered with Companies House can apply, provided they're at least 18 and have a UK mobile number.
Can an LLP or partnership use Tide?
No. Tide doesn't currently support LLPs, partnerships, CICs, CIOs, PLCs or trusts.
Can I deposit cash into a Tide account?
Yes, at any Post Office or PayPoint. Post Office deposits cost £2.50 up to £500, then 0.99% (Free) or 0.5% (paid plans). PayPoint deposits cost 3%.
Can I pay in cheques with Tide?
Yes. You can pay in cheques of up to £500 through the app, for 70p plus the standard 20p transaction fee. Cheques normally clear in 2 business days.
Does Tide offer overdrafts?
No. Tide doesn't offer an overdraft on its business account. You can apply for loans, a Credit Line or a business credit card through its lending marketplace instead.
Which Tide plan should I choose?
Free suits most businesses that make fewer than about 140 UK transfers a month. Smart suits those who spend abroad on their card or want phone support. Pro suits high-volume businesses or those who want Tide Accounting included. Max suits businesses that need unlimited invoices and a dedicated support team.
Can I switch my business account to Tide?
Yes. Tide is part of the Current Account Switch Service, so your incoming payments and Direct Debits move across automatically.
Alternatives to Tide
If you want a free account from a fully licensed bank, our Tide vs Starling comparison puts the two side by side.
If you'd like the provider ranked first for service, our Tide vs Monzo comparison shows how they compare.
If you trade internationally, our Tide vs Revolut comparison looks at a multi-currency option.
If you want a high street bank with branch access, our Tide vs HSBC comparison covers that trade-off.
If a monthly fee is a deal-breaker, our free business bank accounts page compares accounts with no monthly charge.
If your application has been turned down, our guide on what to do when a business bank account application is rejected explains your next steps.
Verdict: Is Tide a Good Option?
Tide has earned its place as one of the UK's most widely used business accounts. Its Free plan, as the name suggests, costs nothing to hold; new accounts are FSCS-protected through ClearBank, and it handles cash and cheques better than most app-based rivals.
For new limited companies, the £14.99 company registration and same-day account opening make it an attractive product.
The limits are clear, though. Tide isn't a bank in its own right. LLPs and partnerships can't apply. The Free plan's 5 transfers run out quickly, cash deposits over £500 carry percentage fees, and the account only holds pounds. In independent surveys, Tide's customers rate it well, but below Monzo, Starling and Mettle by NatWest.
In our experience, the companies that get the most from Tide start on the Free plan and only upgrade when phone support, Tide Accounting or regular large cash deposits would save them real money. If that sounds like your business, Tide is a strong choice.
