Tide vs Wise for UK businesses (2026)
The quick answer: Tide is built for running a UK business day to day (setup, invoicing, expenses); Wise is built for moving money between currencies cheaply. Many businesses use Tide as their main account and Wise for international payments.
They’re not really competitors
It’s tempting to line these up head to head, but they’re strongest at different jobs. Choosing well means being honest about which problem you actually have.
Tide — running a UK business
Fast UK onboarding, free company formation with an account, built-in invoicing, expense cards and integrations with accounting software. If most of your money moves in pounds, Tide covers the daily essentials.
Wise — moving money across borders
Wise gives you multi-currency balances and conversion close to the mid-market rate, which is typically far cheaper than a bank’s FX. If you pay overseas suppliers or get paid in other currencies, that saving adds up quickly. Note Wise is a money service, not a full UK bank account.
Side by side
| Tide | Wise Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Best at | Everyday UK banking + admin | Cheap multi-currency payments |
| Free formation | Yes | Yes |
| Invoicing | Built in | Available |
| FX | Basic | Mid-market, low fee |
The honest recommendation
If you’re UK-domestic, Tide alone is usually enough. If you’re international, Wise for currency plus a UK account for the day-to-day is a strong, common combination. We may earn a fee from either — pick on fit, not on that.
Some links on this page are referral links: if you sign up with a partner we may earn a fee at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend or the order we list it, and where the best option is free we say so. Provider details (fees, features, eligibility) change — always confirm current terms on the provider’s own site. This article is information, not financial advice.