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Tide Review

Tide is a UK business banking platform founded in 2015, offering fee-free and paid business current accounts alongside a suite of credit products including business loans, overdrafts, and credit lines. Designed primarily for sole traders, freelancers, and small businesses, Tide's accounts integrate with invoicing, expense management, and accounting software. Tide is not a bank itself — deposits are safeguarded with partner banks — but it holds FCA e-money institution authorisation and lending authorisation for its credit products.

Written by the Lendus editorial team. Last updated: April 2026.

200+ UK lenders
2-minute application
No credit check to apply
FCA-regulated brokers

Amount

£1k – £500k

Rates

7.9% – 49.9%

per annum on business loans; overdraft rates vary; credit lines charged as factor rate

Speed

Business account: same day. Loan/credit line decisions: typically within 24–48 hours

Trustpilot

4.3/5

20,500 reviews

What is Tide?

Tide (Tide Platform Ltd) is a UK-based business finance provider founded in 2015 and headquartered in London. Tide is a UK business banking platform founded in 2015, offering fee-free and paid business current accounts alongside a suite of credit products including business loans, overdrafts, and credit lines. Designed primarily for sole traders, freelancers, and small businesses, Tide's accounts integrate with invoicing, expense management, and accounting software. Tide is not a bank itself — deposits are safeguarded with partner banks — but it holds FCA e-money institution authorisation and lending authorisation for its credit products. They have lent Not publicly disclosed to date, helping 600,000+ UK businesses.

Founded 2015 London Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an e-money institution (FRN: 900843); lending activities conducted under FCA Consumer Credit authorisation

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Products offered

Business Bank Account Business Loans

Rates and costs

Rate range
7.9% – 49.9% (per annum on business loans; overdraft rates vary; credit lines charged as factor rate)
Representative APR
24.9% APR representative (business loan)
Amount range
£1,000 – £500,000
Approval speed
Business account: same day. Loan/credit line decisions: typically within 24–48 hours

Representative example

Borrow £20,000 over 24 months. Total repayable: £24,950. Cost of credit: £4,950. Your rate depends on your circumstances.

Eligibility requirements

Minimum trading history
12+ months for credit products; account available from day one
Minimum turnover
No minimum for current account; credit products require demonstrated revenue
Credit requirements
Credit checks are performed for Tide's lending products (loans, overdrafts, and credit lines). Applicants need a clean or near-clean credit profile for loan products. The current account itself does not require a credit check and is accessible to most businesses including start-ups. For the business loan product, Tide assesses trading history, account activity, and business and personal credit files.

How to apply

1

Check eligibility through Lendus — answer a few questions about your business and funding needs (2 minutes)

2

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3

Review your matched options — see rates, terms, and eligibility from multiple providers including Tide

4

Choose the best offer and complete the application with your matched lender directly

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Pros and cons

Pros

  • Business current account is free to open with no minimum balance — great for start-ups and sole traders
  • Integrated platform combining banking, invoicing, expense management, and credit in one app
  • Over 600,000 UK business members — one of the UK's most popular business banking platforms
  • Credit products accessible directly from your Tide account without switching providers
  • 24/7 in-app support and real-time transaction notifications

Cons

  • Tide is not a fully licensed bank — customer deposits are safeguarded with partner banks (Clearbank), not FSCS protected in the traditional sense
  • Business loan rates can be high relative to traditional banks — up to 49.9% APR for lower-rated borrowers
  • Credit products require established account activity; newer Tide account holders may struggle to access lending
  • Some business banking features (CHAPS, international payments) require paid plans (£9.99–£49.99/month)
  • Customer service quality is variable — common complaint in reviews is slow resolution of account issues

Is Tide right for you?

Best for

Sole traders, freelancers, and small businesses looking for an easy-to-open business bank account with integrated tools for invoicing and expenses. Also suitable for existing Tide account holders who want to access credit without switching providers, and for tech-forward businesses that prefer app-based banking to branch visits.

Not ideal for

Businesses that require FSCS-protected bank deposits, larger SMEs with complex banking needs (foreign exchange, trade finance, large CHAPS payments), or businesses with significant adverse credit history seeking a loan. Also not ideal as a primary lending product — specialist lenders like iwoca or Funding Circle often offer better loan terms.

Tide alternatives

If Tide isn't the right fit, consider these alternatives:

Starling Bank Revolut Business iwoca

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Frequently asked questions about Tide

Is Tide legit?
Yes, Tide is a legitimate FCA-regulated UK financial services platform. It is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an e-money institution (FRN: 900843) and holds additional FCA authorisation for its credit products. Founded in 2015, Tide has over 600,000 business members in the UK and holds a Trustpilot score of 4.3 from more than 20,000 reviews. While Tide is not a bank, customer deposits are safeguarded with partner banks in accordance with FCA e-money rules.
What are Tide interest rates?
Tide's business loan rates start from 7.9% APR for the most creditworthy borrowers, with a representative APR of 24.9% and rates up to 49.9% APR for higher-risk applicants. Overdraft and credit line products are priced differently — typically using a monthly or daily rate. The exact rate offered depends on your trading history, Tide account activity, and personal and business credit profile.
Can I get Tide with bad credit?
You can open a Tide business current account without a credit check — it is accessible to virtually all UK businesses including those with adverse credit. However, Tide's lending products (business loans, overdrafts, credit lines) do require a credit check and are subject to approval. Businesses with significant adverse credit history, active CCJs, or recent defaults may be declined for credit. In that case, revenue-based lenders like YouLend or Liberis may be more accessible alternatives.
How much can I borrow from Tide?
Tide's business loan product offers between £1,000 and £500,000. The amount available depends on your business revenue, Tide account activity, and credit profile. Tide also offers credit lines and overdraft facilities with lower maximum limits. For the largest loan amounts, you will need a strong trading history and healthy monthly revenue visible in your Tide account.
Is Tide FCA regulated?
Yes. Tide Platform Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an e-money institution (FRN: 900843) and holds separate FCA authorisation for its credit activities. This means Tide must comply with FCA rules on customer funds safeguarding, responsible lending, and fair treatment of customers. Note that as an e-money institution rather than a bank, the FSCS deposit guarantee scheme does not apply — instead, Tide ring-fences customer funds in segregated accounts.
How long does Tide take to approve?
Tide business accounts can be opened and activated the same day, with identity verification completed digitally via the app. For Tide's lending products, decisions typically take 24–48 hours for a complete application. Existing Tide account holders with established account history may receive faster decisions as their data is already available to the credit team.
Can I repay Tide early?
Yes, Tide business loans can be repaid early. Tide does not charge early repayment penalties, meaning you only pay interest for the period the loan is outstanding. Early repayment reduces your total cost of credit. Credit line and overdraft products are revolving by nature, so you can repay and redraw at any time without penalty.
Tide vs Starling — which is better?
Tide and Starling both offer popular digital business bank accounts, but they differ in several important ways. Starling holds a full UK banking licence (regulated by the PRA and FCA), meaning deposits up to £85,000 are FSCS protected — Tide does not have this protection. Starling's free business account includes more features for established SMEs (CHAPS, cheque deposits, overdrafts). Tide has a larger user base and integrates well with accounting software, making it popular with sole traders. For freelancers and very small businesses, both work well; for businesses wanting full bank protection and more comprehensive features, Starling has the edge.

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