Head to head
Starling vs Tide
Both advertise a free business account. Starling means it. Tide gives you five free transfers a month and then charges — which for most businesses is the difference between free and £108 a year.
The short answer
Starling
Genuinely free with unlimited transfers, an overdraft, cheque imaging and free accounting integrations. The catch is that it pays no interest at all on your balance.
Tide
2.00% on the free plan against Starling’s nothing, plus the strongest invoicing here. But only five free transfers a month, and protection depends on which entity holds your account.
Side by side
| Starling | Tide | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.2 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| CMA overall service quality | 3rd, 81% | 5th, 70% |
| Monthly fee | £0 | £0 · Smart £12.49 · Pro £27.49 · Max £69.99 |
| Free transfers | Unlimited | 5 a month, then around 20p each |
| Savings on the free plan | None | 2.00% AER |
| Best savings rate | None | 3.25% on Max — but a net loss at £25,000 |
| Cash deposits | Post Office, 0.7% min £3 | Post Office, 0.5% min £2.50 |
| Cheques | Imaging up to a limit | Not supported |
| Overdraft | On application | Not offered |
| Accounting integrations | Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, free | Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, free |
| Deposit protection | FSCS to £120,000 | Depends which entity holds your account |
Verify all figures against each provider's own pricing page before relying on them.
The decision in one paragraph
Starling for most businesses. It is genuinely free, it lends, it takes cheques, and it is a licensed bank so your money is unambiguously protected. Tide wins on two specific things: it pays 2.00% on its free plan where Starling pays nothing, and it has the best invoicing on any free account in the market.
“Free” means different things here
Starling charges no monthly fee and includes unlimited electronic payments. You pay for cash handling and international transfers, and nothing else.
Tide charges no monthly fee either — but includes only five free transfers a month, then charges around 20p each. A business making fifty payments a month pays roughly £108 a year on an account advertised as free. That is the same as Monzo Pro, for an account with fewer features.
Where Tide genuinely wins
Interest. Tide pays 2.00% AER on its free plan. Starling pays nothing on business balances at all — its Easy Saver and Fixed Saver are personal products requiring a Starling personal current account. On a £25,000 reserve that is £500 a year against zero.
Invoicing. Tide creates, sends, matches and chases invoices from inside the account. Because it is the account, payment matching happens without a feed or a bridge. For a sole trader invoicing a few clients that plausibly replaces a software subscription.
Sage. Tide is the only free plan connecting to Sage directly.
Where Starling wins
Cheques. Tide takes none, at any value. Starling images them up to a limit. If you are ever paid by cheque, that ends the comparison.
Lending. Starling offers business overdrafts on application. Tide does not lend.
Protection. Starling is a licensed bank, so eligible balances carry FSCS cover to £120,000 without qualification. Tide is not a bank — newer accounts run through ClearBank and are FSCS-eligible, legacy ones are safeguarded only, and your sort code tells you which you hold. That is a question you should not have to ask.
Service. Starling placed third in the CMA-mandated survey at 81%; Tide fifth at 70%.
The Tide plan trap
Tide’s paid tiers advertise higher savings rates — 2.50% on Smart, 3.00% on Pro, 3.25% on Max. At £25,000 the free plan beats every one of them once the fee is counted, and Max produces a net loss. Upgrade for the transfer allowance if you need it, never for the rate. The full working is on our business savings page.
So which?
- Paid by cheque: Starling. Tide cannot take them.
- Might need an overdraft: Starling.
- Want certainty about protection: Starling.
- Hold a meaningful reserve: Tide, and it is worth £500 a year at £25,000.
- Invoice a handful of clients and use Sage: Tide.
- More than ten payments a month: Starling, comfortably.
Both free tiers cost nothing to hold, so the honest answer for a business with a reserve is often both — Starling for banking, Tide or a savings account elsewhere for the money.
Common questions
Is Tide really free?
There is no monthly fee, but the free plan includes only five free transfers a month and then charges around 20p each. A business making fifty payments a month pays roughly £108 a year. Starling includes unlimited transfers on its free account.
Does Starling pay interest on business accounts?
No, nothing at all. Its Easy Saver and Fixed Saver are personal products requiring a Starling personal current account. Tide pays 2.00% AER on its free plan.
Can I pay cheques into Tide?
No. Tide accepts no cheques at any value. Starling supports cheque imaging up to a limit, and Monzo accepts them in-app up to £500.
Is Tide FSCS protected?
It depends which entity holds your account. Newer accounts are provided by ClearBank, a licensed bank, and are FSCS-eligible to £120,000. Legacy accounts issued through an e-money institution are safeguarded only. Your sort code identifies which you hold.
Which is better for a sole trader?
Starling if you need cheques, an overdraft or make more than ten payments a month. Tide if you hold a reserve and invoice a small number of clients — its 2.00% and built-in invoicing are genuinely better than Starling there.