Overview
Tide, at a glance.
Tide is an e-money institution headquartered in the United Kingdom, regulated by FCA. Business accounts cost from £0 a month. Opening an account takes 3–5 days. Non-residents are accepted: owners and directors do not need to live in the country where the company is registered.
Tide is not a bank. Accounts provided by ClearBank have eligible deposits protected by the FSCS up to £120,000; e-money accounts provided by PrePay Technologies are safeguarded instead.
Why businesses pick Tide
- A free plan with no opening fee
- Accepts non-residents: directors of a UK limited company can live overseas
- Approval can take minutes when automatic checks pass
- Open to sole traders and freelancers
- Invoicing, accounting and team cards in the app
- Trustpilot score of 4.4 from more than 39,000 reviews
Watch out for
- Only for businesses registered in the UK
- You need a UK mobile number and a phone registered to a UK app store
- Bank transfers cost £0.20 each beyond a small allowance
- Card spending abroad costs 2.75% on the free plan
- Crypto, money services, CBD, charities and shell companies are not accepted
Business fit
Will Tide accept your business?
Four quick answers. Where your company is registered and what it does rule a provider in or out faster than anything else.
Based on Tide's published rules
Likely fit
Tide lists both United Kingdom companies and Startups and SMEs as accepted.
Tide does not publish a minimum company age or turnover, so those two answers are not checked here.
This is one provider. Your profile checks all of them.
- Every provider that fits your business
- The reason behind each match
- Company age and turnover checked too
Who it works with
Accepted and not accepted.
What Tide publishes about the businesses it takes on.
Who Tide serves
- Startups and SMEs
- Freelancers
- E-commerce
- Professional services
Not supported
Industries and countries Tide does not accept, from its own published lists.
Industries
- Shell companies
- Virtual/crypto currencies
- CBD and hemp or unlicensed drugs
- Extraction of precious metals or precious stones from a mine and pawnbrokers
- Money service business
- Regulated or unregulated financial investment, loan, foreign exchange or banking business where third-party payments are or are likely to be received into or sent out from Tide accounts
- Charities and businesses funded fully or in part by donations, including crowdfunding
- Gambling or betting
- Community Interest Company (CIC)
- Used automotive vehicles and heavy equipment
- Weapons, explosives or armaments
- Horticulture involving cannabis growing
- Military/defence and nuclear-related goods
- Dual-use goods
- Unregistered waste management
- Unlicensed scrap-metal dealer
- Bidding Fee Auctions (penny auctions)
- Unregistered animal breeder
- Adult content involving child sexual abuse material or grooming, sexual violence, rape, non-consensual acts, bestiality, violence or torture, trafficking or exploitation; escort services; sale or advertisement of sexual services; card clubs
Countries
- Not published
Coverage
Where can you use Tide?
Coverage is a starting point. It does not confirm that every business in these markets is eligible.
Supported currencies
GBP, EUR and USD
Payment reach
Not published
Who can apply
Company incorporation countries1 countries · show list
- United Kingdom
Owner nationality
Not publishedOwner residency
Not publishedCompany types
Limited companies, Sole traders and freelancers
Pricing
What does Tide cost?
Look beyond the monthly fee. Your total cost depends on how many transfers you make, where they go and how much you convert.
Account cost
Opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
£0–27.49
depends on plan
Free
Lowest cost£0 per month
£0 setup · £0 in year one
Smart
£12.49 per month
£0 setup · £149.88 in year one
Pro
£27.49 per month
£0 setup · £329.88 in year one
Transaction fees
| Cost | Listed amount | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming | ||
| Faster Payments (GBP) | £0.2 | Fixed fee · After the free transfers in your plan |
| Outgoing | ||
| Faster Payments (GBP) | £0.2 | Fixed fee · After the free transfers in your plan |
Other fees
Cards
| Cost | Free | Smart | Pro | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card FX | 2.75% | Free | Free | Percentage of the amount |
Onboarding
From application to live account.
Opening an account typically takes three to five business days.
- 1
Apply
Start the application online or through the sales team.
- 2
Company and people
Give the company's registration details, directors and owners.
- 3
Checks
Upload the documents requested and complete identity verification.
- 4
Account live
Once approved, the account is opened and you receive its details.
Documents you need
Not published
FAQ
Your questions, answered.
Is Tide a bank?
No. Tide Platform Limited is authorised by the FCA to issue e-money, reference 900843. Accounts are provided through partners; those held with ClearBank are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000.
How much does Tide cost?
The Free plan has no monthly fee, Smart costs £12.49 and Pro £27.49. Bank transfers cost £0.20 each beyond the plan's allowance, and card spending abroad costs 2.75% on the Free plan.
Can non-UK residents open a Tide account?
Directors of a UK limited company can live in the UK or overseas. Sole traders need a UK home address. Every applicant needs a UK mobile number and a phone registered to a UK app store.
Which businesses does Tide not accept?
Its list includes shell companies, crypto, CBD and hemp, money service businesses, precious-metal mining and pawnbrokers, and charities.
Alternatives
How Tide compares.
If Tide is not the right fit, these providers work with similar businesses. Compare their listed licences and services below.
| Provider | Licensed in | Known for |
|---|---|---|
 TideThis pageE-money institution |  | Free planNon-residents accepted |
 Monzo BusinessBank |  | Free planDeposit protection |
| Starling BankBank | | Free accountDeposit protection |
 Revolut BusinessBank |  | Cards and spend controlsStartups and SMEs |
 Wise BusinessE-money institution |  | Low FX costsStandard businesses |
Not sure which one fits? Your profile ranks them for your business, with the reason behind each.