Amaiz vs Tide 2026: Complete Comparison for UK Small Businesses

Amaiz and Tide are two of the most recognised names in UK digital business banking, but they cater to quite different needs. Tide has built a massive customer base of over 800,000 UK businesses by offering a reliable, feature-rich free account. Amaiz has carved out a niche with built-in ACCA accounting and genuinely useful multi-currency capabilities.

If you are a sole trader or freelancer trying to decide between these two, the right choice depends on whether you need international banking features or prefer a well-established domestic platform with access to business finance. In this comparison, we break down everything that matters: pricing, everyday banking, international transfers, invoicing, accounting tools, customer support, and regulatory protection.

By the end, you will know exactly which account fits your situation.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Amaiz	Tide
Type	Electronic Money Institution (EMI)	EMI (via ClearBank)
FSCS Protection	No	Yes (up to £85,000)
Free Plan	Yes (limited)	Yes (generous)
Cheapest Paid Plan	£49/month + VAT	£12.49/month
Premium Plan	£99/month + VAT	£69.99/month
Currency Accounts	GBP + EUR	GBP only
International Transfers	70+ currencies	SEPA only (EUR)
Built-in Accounting	ACCA accounting included	No (integrations only)
Cash Deposits	Not available	PayPoint network (1% fee)
Business Loans	Not available	Up to £500,000 via Iwoca
Savings Accounts	Not available	Yes (4.38% AER)
Trustpilot Rating	4.4/5 (~175 reviews)	4.4/5 (31,500+ reviews)
UK Customers	Smaller, niche	800,000+
Best For	International sole traders	Domestic UK sole traders

Pricing Compared in Detail

Amaiz Pricing

Amaiz offers three tiers, and it is worth noting that their paid plans are quoted excluding VAT, which adds 20 percent to the headline price.

Free Plan — The free tier gives you a basic GBP business account with standard UK transfers. It is functional but limited compared to what you get on the paid tiers. You will not get access to the full ACCA accounting service or the multi-currency features that make Amaiz distinctive.

Professional Plan (£49/month + VAT = £58.80/month) — This is where Amaiz starts to differentiate itself. You get GBP and EUR accounts, access to international transfers in 70+ currencies, and the ACCA-qualified accounting service. For a sole trader who regularly deals with international clients, this tier bundles services you would otherwise pay for separately.

Premium Plan (£99/month + VAT = £118.80/month) — The top tier includes everything in the Professional plan plus priority support, enhanced CaaS (Compliance as a Service) features, and higher transaction limits. This plan is aimed at more established businesses with complex needs.

Tide Pricing

Tide keeps things simpler and more affordable for domestic users.

Free Plan — Tide’s free plan is one of the most generous on the market. You get unlimited incoming transfers, a business debit Mastercard, built-in invoicing, and integrations with major accounting software. The main cost to watch is the £0.20 charge per outgoing bank transfer, which can add up if you make a lot of payments.

Smart Plan (£12.49/month) — Removes the per-transfer fee, adds unlimited free transfers, and includes features like advanced invoicing with automatic payment matching and customisable invoice templates.

Pro Plan (£24.99/month) — Adds multi-user access, enhanced analytics, scheduled payments, and dedicated customer support with faster response times.

Max Plan (£69.99/month) — The top tier includes everything in Pro plus cashback on card spending, priority phone support, and the highest level of service.

Pricing Verdict

If you operate purely within the UK, Tide is significantly cheaper. Even the most expensive Tide plan (£69.99/month) costs less than Amaiz’s mid-tier Professional plan (£58.80/month including VAT). However, if you need multi-currency accounts and international transfers, Amaiz bundles these into the subscription cost, which could save money compared to paying for a separate FX service alongside Tide.

Everyday Banking Features

Account Setup and Onboarding

Both Amaiz and Tide offer app-based onboarding with identity verification. Tide is known for fast account opening, often within minutes. The company claims most sole traders can open an account in under five minutes, which aligns with user reports. Amaiz’s onboarding is also digital but can take slightly longer depending on the verification checks required.

Debit Cards

Both providers issue business debit cards. Tide offers a Mastercard that works at any Mastercard-accepting merchant and ATM. Amaiz also provides a business card linked to your GBP account. Neither stands out dramatically in this area — both are functional business cards with real-time transaction notifications in the app.

Cash Deposits

This is a clear win for Tide. Tide allows cash deposits through the PayPoint network, with locations at convenience stores and newsagents across the UK. The fee is 1 percent of the deposit amount, which is standard among digital banks. For sole traders who occasionally receive cash payments — tradespeople, market traders, or anyone running a side business — this is a meaningful advantage.

Amaiz does not currently offer cash deposit facilities. If handling cash is part of your business, this alone could be a deciding factor.

Savings and Interest

Tide offers business savings accounts with rates up to 4.38 percent AER, allowing you to put idle business cash to work. You can set up multiple savings pots for different purposes, such as a tax reserve, equipment fund, or emergency buffer.

Amaiz does not offer savings accounts or interest on balances. Any money sitting in your Amaiz account earns nothing.

Business Loans and Credit

Tide has partnered with Iwoca to offer business loans of up to £500,000 directly through the app. The application process is streamlined, and because Tide can share your transaction history with Iwoca (with your permission), decisions can be made quickly. This is a significant advantage for sole traders who need access to working capital for growth, equipment purchases, or managing cash flow gaps.

Amaiz does not offer business lending products. If you need credit facilities, you would need to apply separately with a third-party lender.

International Banking and Multi-Currency

This is where the comparison gets interesting, because the two platforms take fundamentally different approaches.

Amaiz International Features

Amaiz was built with international businesses in mind. With the Professional plan and above, you get:

• GBP and EUR accounts with local account details, meaning you can receive payments in both currencies without conversion fees
• International transfers in 70+ currencies, allowing you to pay suppliers, contractors, or partners worldwide
• Competitive exchange rates that are typically better than high-street banks, though the exact margins vary by currency pair
• CaaS (Compliance as a Service) features that help businesses manage regulatory requirements when operating across borders

For a sole trader who works with European clients, receives EUR payments, or pays overseas contractors, Amaiz’s multi-currency setup is genuinely useful. Having a dedicated EUR account means you avoid the constant back-and-forth of currency conversion.

Tide International Features

Tide’s international capabilities are much more limited. The platform is fundamentally designed for domestic UK banking:

• SEPA transfers are available for sending euros to European bank accounts, but this is the extent of the international offering
• No multi-currency accounts — everything runs through your GBP account
• No SWIFT transfers — you cannot send or receive payments to or from countries outside the SEPA zone directly through Tide
• Third-party workarounds — for international transfers beyond Europe, Tide users typically use services like Wise or Payoneer alongside their Tide account

International Verdict

If international banking is important to your business, Amaiz wins decisively. Tide is not designed for international use, and trying to bolt on international capabilities through third-party services adds complexity and cost. However, if all your clients and suppliers are UK-based, Tide’s domestic focus is not a weakness — it just means they have invested their development resources elsewhere.

Invoicing Tools

Amaiz Invoicing

Amaiz includes invoicing tools that let you create and send professional invoices from the app. The invoicing integrates with the built-in accounting service, meaning your invoices automatically feed into your bookkeeping without manual data entry. You can customise invoices with your business branding, set payment terms, and track which invoices are outstanding.

The tight integration between invoicing and accounting is one of Amaiz’s key selling points. When a client pays an invoice, the system automatically reconciles the payment, saving you time and reducing the risk of bookkeeping errors.

Tide Invoicing

Tide’s invoicing tools are well-developed and available even on the free plan. You can:

• Create branded invoices with your logo and business details
• Set payment terms and due dates
• Send invoices directly from the app via email
• Track invoice status (sent, viewed, paid)
• Send automatic reminders for overdue invoices
• Match incoming payments to invoices automatically (on paid plans)

Tide’s invoicing is practical and covers what most sole traders need. The automatic payment matching on paid plans is particularly useful — when a client pays, Tide can identify which invoice the payment relates to and mark it as paid.

Invoicing Verdict

Both platforms offer solid invoicing tools. Amaiz’s advantage is the direct integration with ACCA accounting, which creates a seamless flow from invoice to bookkeeping entry. Tide’s advantage is that capable invoicing is available for free, and the tools are well-polished after years of development and user feedback from 800,000+ customers.

Accounting and Tax Tools

Amaiz Accounting

This is arguably Amaiz’s most distinctive feature. The platform includes access to ACCA-qualified accountants as part of the paid plans. This is not just software that categorises expenses — it is a genuine accounting service built into your banking app.

The ACCA accounting service can help with:

• Bookkeeping — automatic categorisation of transactions with professional oversight
• Tax calculations — estimates of your income tax and National Insurance contributions
• Self Assessment preparation — assistance with preparing and filing your annual tax return
• VAT returns — if you are VAT registered, help with preparing and submitting returns
• Financial advice — access to qualified accountants who can answer questions about your business finances

For a sole trader who currently pays an external accountant or struggles with self-assessment, having this built into the banking app is a genuine time-saver and could represent good value even at the higher subscription cost.

Tide Accounting

Tide takes a different approach. Rather than building accounting into the platform, Tide integrates with the major accounting software providers:

• Xero — full integration with automatic bank feed
• QuickBooks — transaction syncing and reconciliation
• FreeAgent — direct connection for bookkeeping
• Sage — bank feed integration

Tide also offers its own expense management tools, including receipt scanning and basic categorisation. However, for anything beyond basic bookkeeping, you will need a separate accounting software subscription and possibly an external accountant.

The cost of separate accounting adds up. Xero starts at £15/month, QuickBooks at £12/month, and FreeAgent at £14/month. Adding an accountant for self-assessment typically costs £200 to £500 per year for a sole trader. When you factor these costs in, the gap between Amaiz’s all-in pricing and Tide’s apparently cheaper subscriptions narrows considerably.

Accounting Verdict

Amaiz wins on accounting if you value having everything in one place with professional oversight. Tide wins if you already have an accounting setup you are happy with and just need clean bank feeds. For sole traders who are currently doing their own bookkeeping and finding it stressful, Amaiz’s built-in ACCA service could be transformative.

Regulatory Protection and Safety

This is an important area where the two platforms differ significantly.

Amaiz

Amaiz operates as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) regulated by the FCA. Your funds are held in safeguarded accounts, which means they are kept separate from Amaiz’s own funds. However, Amaiz is not covered by the FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme). If Amaiz were to fail, your money should be protected through safeguarding, but the process of recovering it could be slower and less straightforward than FSCS protection.

Tide

Tide is also an EMI, but it partners with ClearBank, which is a fully authorised bank. This means that funds held in Tide accounts are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000. This is a significant reassurance — if anything went wrong, you would be covered by the same protection scheme that covers high-street bank deposits.

Regulatory Verdict

Tide’s FSCS protection is a clear advantage. While EMI safeguarding provides a degree of protection, FSCS coverage is the gold standard for UK deposit protection. If you keep significant balances in your business account, this matters. For sole traders who maintain minimal balances and transfer money out regularly, the practical difference may be smaller, but FSCS protection is always preferable.

Customer Support and Reputation

Amaiz

Amaiz offers in-app support and email support. Response times are generally reasonable, with paid plan customers receiving priority support. The Premium plan includes dedicated account management.

With approximately 175 Trustpilot reviews and a 4.4 out of 5 rating, Amaiz’s customer feedback is positive but the sample size is small. The reviews tend to highlight the accounting integration and personal service as strengths.

Tide

Tide offers in-app chat, email, and phone support (on paid plans). The sheer scale of Tide’s customer base means support can sometimes be slower during peak periods, but the company has invested significantly in support infrastructure.

Tide’s Trustpilot profile is extensive, with over 31,500 reviews and the same 4.4 out of 5 rating. The large review volume gives more statistical confidence in the rating. Common praise focuses on the free plan’s value and ease of use, while the most frequent complaints relate to support response times and occasional account verification issues.

Support Verdict

Both score equally on Trustpilot ratings, but the context is different. Amaiz’s smaller customer base may allow for more personal service. Tide’s massive scale means more resources but also more demand on those resources. Neither is clearly superior, though paid plan customers on both platforms generally report better support experiences.

Pros and Cons

Amaiz Pros

• Built-in ACCA accounting is a genuinely unique feature among business bank accounts
• Multi-currency accounts (GBP + EUR) with local account details for each
• International transfers in 70+ currencies at competitive rates
• CaaS features for businesses with compliance requirements
• Specialist focus on sole traders and small businesses means features are tailored to your needs
• Invoicing integrated directly with accounting for seamless bookkeeping

Amaiz Cons

• No FSCS protection on deposits
• Paid plans are expensive, especially once VAT is added (£58.80/month for Professional)
• No cash deposit facilities
• No business loans or credit products
• No savings accounts or interest on balances
• Small customer base means less community support and fewer user resources
• Free plan is very limited compared to competitors

Tide Pros

• Generous free plan with unlimited incoming transfers and invoicing
• FSCS protection up to £85,000 via ClearBank
• Business loans up to £500,000 through Iwoca partnership
• Cash deposits at PayPoint locations across the UK
• Savings accounts with competitive interest rates (up to 4.38% AER)
• Massive customer base of 800,000+ provides social proof and ecosystem stability
• Wide range of accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage)
• Affordable paid plans starting at £12.49/month

Tide Cons

• No multi-currency accounts or international SWIFT transfers
• International capability limited to SEPA zone
• £0.20 per outgoing transfer on the free plan adds up quickly
• No built-in accounting — you need separate software and possibly an accountant
• Customer support can be slow due to high demand
• No dedicated accounting professionals within the platform

Who Should Choose Amaiz

Amaiz is the better choice if:

• You work with international clients — the multi-currency accounts and 70+ currency transfers are genuinely useful and could save significant money compared to using a separate FX service
• You want accounting handled for you — the built-in ACCA accounting service removes the need for separate accountants and bookkeeping software, which simplifies your admin and could save money overall
• You invoice in EUR — having a dedicated EUR account with local IBAN means European clients can pay you without international transfer fees on their end
• You value an all-in-one platform — if you want banking, invoicing, and accounting in a single app with professional oversight, Amaiz delivers this better than any competitor
• You are comfortable without FSCS protection — this is a trade-off you need to be comfortable with

Who Should Choose Tide

Tide is the better choice if:

• You operate primarily in the UK — Tide’s domestic banking features are excellent and competitively priced
• You want maximum deposit protection — FSCS coverage up to £85,000 provides peace of mind
• You need access to business credit — loans up to £500,000 through Iwoca, accessible directly in the app
• You handle cash — PayPoint deposits give you a way to bank cash that Amaiz simply does not offer
• Budget is a priority — Tide’s free plan is genuinely usable, and even the paid plans are affordable
• You want to earn interest on idle cash — savings accounts at 4.38% AER put your money to work
• You already have an accounting setup — if you are happy with Xero, QuickBooks, or FreeAgent, Tide integrates seamlessly

The Verdict

For most UK sole traders operating primarily in the domestic market, Tide is the stronger choice. The combination of a generous free plan, FSCS protection, business loans, cash deposits, and savings accounts makes it a more complete banking solution. The per-transfer fee on the free plan is a minor inconvenience that the Smart plan eliminates at just £12.49 per month.

Amaiz earns its place for sole traders with significant international activity. If you regularly receive EUR payments, pay overseas contractors, or need professional accounting built into your banking, Amaiz’s Professional plan bundles these services in a way that could actually save money compared to piecing together Tide plus a multi-currency service plus an accountant.

The practical test is simple: look at your last three months of banking activity. If more than 20 percent of your transactions involve international currencies or overseas transfers, Amaiz is worth the premium. If the vast majority of your business is pound-to-pound within the UK, Tide gives you more features for less money, with the added safety net of FSCS protection.

Neither is a bad choice. Both maintain a 4.4 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and serve their target markets well. The question is not which is objectively better, but which matches the way you actually run your business.