Tide

Tide.co is a UK business financial platform offering free business accounts, company registration, invoicing, accounting tools, expense cards, and access to business loans, all managed through one app built for sole traders, freelancers, and limited companies.

Tide is a UK-based business financial platform trusted by over 2 million sole traders, freelancers, and limited companies. It combines a free business current account with a full toolkit for running a company, covering payments, invoicing, accounting, expense management, payroll, and access to credit, all managed through a single app.

Opening an account takes minutes, and there are no monthly fees on the free plan. From there, you can create and send invoices, connect to accounting software like Xero, issue expense cards to team members, and track spending with budgets and virtual cards. Tide’s own accounting tools are HMRC-recognized and Make Tax Digital-ready, so you can automate bookkeeping and file returns without paying for separate software.

Tide also acts as a launchpad for new companies. Founders can register a limited company through the platform for a fraction of the standard Companies House route and receive their certificate of incorporation within one business day, with a business account set up alongside it.

For growing business, Tide provides access to finance from over 80 lenders, with loans ranging from £1,000 to £20 million and eligibility checks that don’t affect credit scores. Savings accounts, card readers, tap to pay, payment links, and business insurance round out the offering. Deposits in the Tide Business Current Account are FSCS-protected through ClearBank, and 24/7 in-app support comes as standard.

Key features

• Free business current account — Tide offers a business account with no monthly recurring fees, set up in minutes. Eligible deposits are FSCS-protected through ClearBank, giving you banking security without the cost of traditional providers.
• Company registration — You can register a limited company directly through Tide for a small one-off fee, far below the standard Companies House cost, and receive your certificate of incorporation within one business day.
• Invoicing tools — You can create, send, and track professional invoices from within the app. Payment details are included automatically, and incoming payments can be matched to invoices so nothing slips through the cracks.