Assessment
Tide is used by sole traders, freelancers, and small limited companies in the UK, and it also serves small businesses in India, Germany, and France. It suits owners who want to open a business account online in minutes, send invoices, and keep the books without a separate accounting tool. It sits at the low end of the market on price, with a free plan and paid plans up to about $94 a month, and its closest competitors are ANNA Money, Countingup, Starling, and Revolut Business.
Tide launched in the UK in 2017 and says it has more than 2 million members, including about 900,000 in the UK, a 15% share of small businesses, and more than 1.1 million in India. It is an FCA-regulated e-money institution, and its UK accounts are provided with ClearBank, so deposits carry FSCS protection up to about $160,000. TPG Rise Funds led a round of more than $120M in September 2025 at a $1.5B valuation.
It fits a small UK business that wants low fees and admin tools in the account. It is a weaker fit for a company with heavy international payments, since the free plan charges 2.75% on card spending in other currencies, or for one that needs a full bank relationship.
Rating by criterion
We score each of the eight criteria out of 100.
Sector criteria
UK accounts with FSCS-protected balances through ClearBank, and plans that range from 5 free UK transfers a month to unlimited.
A card comes with the account, and Max adds 0.5% cashback, but team spending controls are thinner than on dedicated spend platforms.
Invoicing is built in, Pro adds Tide Accounting, and Max adds an admin service, so a sole trader can skip a separate bookkeeping tool.
A Xero connection covers most small firms' accounting needs, though the integration list is shorter than at larger providers.
Vendor criteria
Tide added credit through Funding Options in 2023 and payroll through Onfolk in 2024, and it expanded into Germany and France.
Accounts open online in minutes, and reviewers often praise phone support, though fraud cases draw sharp complaints.
All four plans are published: Free, Smart at about $17, Pro at about $37, and Max at about $94 a month.
Plans are monthly with no long contract, but the free plan's 2.75% FX fee and transfer limits push growing firms to paid tiers.
Against its peers
These are the other companies in business banking and treasury, with their ratings.
User comments
Brief quotes drawn from public reviews posted by users of Tide. Each one links to the review where it appeared. We omit sites where vendors pay to be featured or pay for a review, plus any review the site flags as incentivized.
Fact file
| Legal entity | Tide Platform Ltd, company 09595646; FCA e-money institution 900843 |
|---|---|
| Members | More than 2 million, about 900,000 in the UK |
| Valuation | $1.5B (September 2025) |
| Plans | Free; Smart about $17, Pro about $37, Max about $94 a month |
| FX fee on card spending | 2.75% on Free, 0% on paid plans |
| Deposit protection | FSCS up to about $160,000 through ClearBank |
Source pages
- Tide pricing: https://www.tide.co/pricing/ (As of October 28, 2026)
- Tide about: https://www.tide.co/about/ (As of October 28, 2026)
- Tide, TPG investment: https://www.tide.co/blog/tide-update/tide-secures-strategic-investment-from-leading-global-investor-tpg/ (As of October 28, 2026)
- Tide reviews on Trustpilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tide.co (As of October 28, 2026)
Competitive landscape
UK business accounts a sole trader or small company would compare with Tide.
Tide: 80
- Tide80
- Revolut84
- ANNA Money80
- Countingup74
- Starling BankNot reviewed
Comparisons
Key leadership
Oliver Prill has been chief executive since 2018. George Schmidt is chief executive for the UK and Europe.
How this review was created
This profile gives our own assessment of Tide to companies selecting a Business banking & treasury provider. The Fintech Index receives nothing for featuring a firm, for sponsorship, or for advertising, and Tide gave us no payment for the profile.
The rating equals the average of eight criteria, with every criterion running from 0 to 100. Four address buyer needs in this sector, and four address the company together with its commercial terms.
Ratings are our editorial judgment, made from public information: pricing and legal pages, product documentation, compliance disclosures, public reviews and filings. Fact-checking took place on October 28, 2026. Figures reported in pounds were converted to US dollars at the Federal Reserve H.10 rate of $1.3375 per pound on October 23, 2026.
Business owner / Trustpilot / October 2026
Business owner / Trustpilot / October 2026