Relay vs Tide: Features, Coverage and Pricing Compared (2026)

Key Features Compared

Relay vs Tide at a Glance, November 2026

Feature	Relay	Tide
Ratings
Fintech Index score	80 / 100	80 / 100
Overview
What it is	US business banking and money platform that helps small businesses organize checking, savings, cards, bill pay, and cash-flow workflows	UK business account and admin platform for sole traders and small companies, with free and paid plans, cards, and invoicing
Who uses it	US small businesses and their bookkeepers; more than 110,000 businesses	Sole traders, freelancers, and small limited companies; more than 2 million members, including ~900,000 in the UK
Main products	Multiple checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, bill pay, invoices, and advisor access	Business account, card, invoicing, Tide Accounting, an admin service on Max, credit through Funding Options, and payroll through Onfolk
Where it operates	US small businesses	United Kingdom, India, Germany, and France
Products and features
Company cards	Debit and credit cards with expense tools	Card with the account; 0.5% cashback on Max
Invoicing and bookkeeping	Bill pay and invoices	Invoicing on all plans; Tide Accounting on Pro
Pricing
How pricing works	Plan fees on public pricing pages, marketed with no hidden fees	Free plan; Smart ~$17, Pro ~$37, and Max ~$94 a month
Published prices	Plan fees posted	Free, then from ~$17 a month
Technology and compliance
Licenses and account protection	Banking by Thread Bank, Member FDIC	FCA-regulated e-money institution; UK accounts provided with ClearBank, with FSCS cover up to ~$160,000
Apps and API	App built for account buckets and bill pay	App with online account opening in minutes
Integrations and partners	Bookkeeping tools and accountant collaboration	Xero connection; a shorter integration list than larger providers
Onboarding and support	Apply in minutes; standard small-business terms	Phone support that reviewers often praise; monthly plans with no long contract
Company
Founded	2018	2017
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	London, England
Ownership	Private company (Relay Financial Technologies, Inc.)	Private
Funding	~$32.2M Series B in May 2024 led by Bain Capital Ventures with Better Tomorrow Ventures, Garage Capital, and others	~$300M from TPG Rise, Apax Digital, Augmentum, Creandum, LocalGlobe, and others
Key leader	Yoseph West	Oliver Prill
Scale	More than $1B in customer deposits	~15% of UK small businesses; more than 1.1 million members in India

Fintech Index Scores Compared

We rate every company on eight criteria from 0 to 100, four tied to what buyers in its sector need and four shared by every company, and the rating is their average. Relay scores 80 and Tide scores 80.

Criterion Scores Out of 100

Key Differences Between Relay and Tide

Where Each Works

Relay serves US small businesses. Tide serves the UK, India, Germany, and France.

Protection

Relay's banking is provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. Tide's UK accounts are provided with ClearBank, with FSCS cover.

Tools

Relay focuses on cash buckets, bill pay, and bookkeeper collaboration. Tide adds invoicing, accounting, credit, and payroll.

Pros and Cons

Who Each Is Best For

Alternatives to Relay and Tide

These companies, all reviewed and rated on The Fintech Index, cover some of the same ground as Relay and Tide.

Other Card Issuing and Processing Companies

Frequently Asked Questions