Tide business account review
Tide is the strongest choice when you are forming a company, because it registers your limited company for £14.99 including the £100 Companies House fee and drops you straight into a working account. As everyday banking, the free plan has tightened: 5 free transfers and 3 free invoices a month, with the Xero connector held back for paid plans. Tide is e-money rather than a classic bank, though accounts powered by ClearBank now carry FSCS protection up to £120,000.
| Monthly fee | Free plan with no monthly fee: 5 free bank transfers and 3 invoices a month, then paid plans at £12.49, £27.49 and £69.99 a month lift the limits. |
| Protection | E-money institution, not a bank. Accounts powered by ClearBank carry FSCS protection up to £120,000; accounts powered by PPS are safeguarded instead. Tide confirms which applies when you open the account. |
| Cash deposits | Post Office deposits cost £2.50 up to £500, then a percentage of the excess (0.99% on the free plan, 0.5% on paid plans). PayPoint costs 3% of the deposit, £10 minimum, £500 daily maximum. |
| Invoicing | 3 free invoices a month on the free plan |
| Accounting | Third-party accounting connections on all plans; the Xero connector needs a paid plan |
| Who can open it | Sole traders, limited companies and partnerships registered in the UK. |
The formation deal is the headline
Companies House put its digital incorporation fee up from £50 to £100 on 1 February 2026. Tide absorbs that fee inside a £14.99 formation package, which makes it the cheapest sensible route to a limited company in the UK right now. The catch: it only supports one director and one shareholder, so co-founded companies must form elsewhere.
For everyone else, the free plan is a reasonable admin hub: invoicing (3 a month free), scheduled payments, categorised spending, and paid plans at £12.49, £27.49 and £69.99 a month when you outgrow the limits.
Watch the metering
Tide's free tier meters things rivals give away. Transfers beyond 5 a month are charged, invoices beyond 3 a month need a plan, and the native Xero connector sits behind a paywall while Starling and Mettle connect free. Cash costs £2.50 up to £500 at the Post Office and a percentage after that (0.99% on the free plan), or a steep 3% at PayPoint.
Protection depends on plumbing. ClearBank-powered Tide accounts are FSCS-protected to £120,000; PPS-powered ones are safeguarded e-money. Tide tells you which you have at onboarding; if the answer matters to you, ask before you park a large balance.
The ledger, balanced
In credit
- Company formation for £14.99 with the £100 Companies House fee included
- Free plan with no monthly fee and decent admin tools
- FSCS protection up to £120,000 on ClearBank-powered accounts
In debit
- Free plan meters transfers (5/month) and invoices (3/month)
- Xero connector needs a paid plan
- PayPoint cash deposits cost 3%
- Formation only supports single-director, single-shareholder companies
Questions people actually ask
Is Tide a real bank?
No. Tide is an e-money institution. Accounts powered by ClearBank carry FSCS protection up to £120,000; accounts powered by PPS safeguard your funds instead. Tide confirms which applies to you.
What does Tide's free plan include in 2026?
No monthly fee, 5 free bank transfers a month, 3 invoices a month, and third-party accounting connections. The native Xero connector and higher limits need a paid plan from £12.49 a month.
How much does it cost to register a company through Tide?
£14.99 all in. That includes the £100 Companies House digital incorporation fee, so Tide is cheaper than registering directly. It only works for companies with one director who is the sole shareholder.
Verified 3 Jul 2026 against tide.co pricing, support and company-registration pages. Confirm details with the provider before applying. We may earn a commission through links on this page.