Tide Business Savings Review: Rates, Plans and Who It Suits
Tide Business Savings: up to 3.74% AER variable on instant access — but only for Max plan subscribers; free plan users earn 2.27% AER capped at £75,000. Existing Tide Business Account holders only.
- Up to 3.74% AER (Max plan). Free plan: 2.27% AER to £75k.
- FSCS-protected up to £120,000 via ClearBank. No withdrawal fees.
- Instant access inside the Tide app. Existing Tide customers only.
Tide pays up to 3.74% AER on an instant-access savings account inside the Tide app — but the headline only applies to Max plan subscribers. Free plan users earn 2.27% AER, capped at £75,000. That gap is the most important thing to understand before opening.
If you already use Tide on a Pro or Max plan, the savings account opens without friction. The catch: higher-rate plans carry monthly fees that reduce the net return below what you’d get from Allica or OakNorth. That’s the trade-off.
We reviewed Tide’s savings product at tide.co in May 2026. We compare it against our best business savings accounts and the Allica Bank savings review.
Tide Business Savings at a Glance
Our Verdict
For existing Tide Pro or Max users: solid. Competitive rate, instant access, one-click setup. If you run payroll from Tide and want to park surplus cash between pay cycles, this does that with no additional paperwork.
The case against: free-plan users get 2.27% AER capped at £75,000. That’s below Allica (4.08%), Capital on Tap (3.82%), and OakNorth (3.85%). The Max plan upgrade (£49.99/month) costs £600/year in fees. At £100,000 in savings, Allica still returns more with no plan fee. That’s the maths.
For businesses not on Tide, there is no rate argument for opening Tide just for savings. Use Allica Bank (open eligibility, 4.08% AER) instead.
Best For
Existing Tide Pro or Max plan users with surplus cash to park. Businesses that manage payroll, supplier payments, and cash reserves inside the Tide app without wanting a second banking relationship.
Not Ideal For
Free-plan Tide users: 2.27% AER is below market — open Allica instead. Businesses also holding Capital on Tap savings: both use ClearBank and your FSCS protection is £120,000 total across both. Non-Tide customers: no rate justification for opening Tide purely for savings.
Key Facts
Rate (Free) 2.27% AER to £75k Rate (Max) 3.74% AER variable Access Instant — no notice, no penalty FSCS protection £120,000 via ClearBank Who can open Existing Tide Business Account holders Min deposit £1 Interest paid Monthly
Tide Instant Saver Account
What Is Tide Business Savings and How Does It Work?
How the Account Works
Tide is not a bank. It holds customer savings with ClearBank plc, an FCA-authorised bank. Your FSCS protection is via ClearBank’s banking licence. The practical limit is £120,000 — but shared with all other ClearBank-backed providers you use.
The savings account sits inside the Tide app. Existing customers open it from the dashboard with no separate application and no ID re-verification. Instant. No CASS switch. That’s the setup.
The rate is set by your Tide current account plan. Switch from Free to Plus and the savings rate increases from 2.27% to 3.09%. Switch back and it drops. The rate tracks your plan, not your balance. That’s the mechanism.
How Deposits and Withdrawals Work
Deposits transfer from your Tide current account. Minimum is £1. Free plan rate applies on balances up to £75,000.
If you need funds for a supplier payment or to cover payroll, withdrawals are instant — transfer to your Tide current account with one tap. No notice period. No fee. No limit on frequency.
There is no liquidity risk with this product. If you need the cash on a Friday afternoon before a supplier deadline, you have it.
How Interest Is Earned
Interest accrues daily and is credited monthly. AER accounts for this compounding. The rate is variable — it changes when Tide reprices or when you change plan.
Tide Business Savings Products
Available Savings Options
Tide offers one savings product: an instant-access variable-rate savings account. No fixed-term deposits. No notice accounts. The rate structure varies by plan tier, not by product type.
Tide Instant Saver: instant access, variable rate, determined by your Tide current account plan. Free plan: 2.27% AER on balances up to £75,000. Max plan: 3.74% AER with no stated balance cap.
If you need fixed-term rates — a guaranteed return for 12 months — Tide doesn’t offer that. Aldermore (4.16% AER, 1-year fixed) covers that use case. That’s the product gap.
Key Differences Between the Available Accounts
There is only one Tide savings product. The rate difference is within the same product: Free plan 2.27% vs Max plan 3.74%. That 1.47 percentage point gap on £100,000 is £1,470/year. That’s the difference.
The Free plan cap (£75,000) means free-plan users holding more than that earn nothing on the excess without checking what rate applies above the cap. Confirm at tide.co before depositing a large balance on the free plan.
Which Businesses Each Option May Suit
Tide Pro and Max users: the savings account adds value to the plan you already pay for. Your cash flow between VAT quarters and supplier cycles earns at a competitive rate without extra friction.
Free-plan Tide users: consider Allica Bank instead — 4.08% AER, no plan fee, open eligibility. Switching savings does not require switching current accounts.
Non-Tide businesses: no rate or access advantage over open-eligibility providers. Use Allica (instant access) or Aldermore (fixed) instead.
Rates and Returns
Current Interest Rates
Rates verified at tide.co, April 2026: Free plan 2.27% AER (to £75k), Plus 3.09%, Pro 3.29%, Max 3.74%. All variable — confirm your plan rate before opening.
At 3.74% AER on £100,000, a Max plan user earns approximately £3,740 over 12 months. Minus the Max plan fee (£49.99/mo = £600/yr): net return is approximately £3,140. Allica Bank (4.08%, no fee) returns approximately £4,080.
Fixed vs Variable Rate Structure
The Tide savings rate is entirely variable. No fixed-term option. The rate can change when Tide reprices or when you change plan.
Switching plans changes your rate. Downgrading from Max to Free drops your rate from 3.74% to 2.27%. Check the timing of plan-change rate adjustments at tide.co.
How and When Interest Is Paid
Interest accrues daily and is credited monthly. Confirm the payment schedule at tide.co.
What Can Change the Rate
Variable rates change when the Bank of England base rate moves, when Tide reprices, or when you change plan. You will be notified before a rate reduction not triggered by a plan change.
If a client pays late and you deposit funds at quarter-end, the rate on deposit is whatever your current plan pays — no promotional period, no teaser. The rate is the rate.
Fees and Charges
Account Fees
No savings-specific account fee. Your Tide plan fee is charged on the current account, not the savings account directly. We confirmed this from tide.co, April 2026.
However, your plan tier determines your savings rate. The Max plan (£49.99/month) adds £600/year to your costs. At £100,000 in savings, the net return after fees is approximately £3,140 — below Allica’s £4,080 with no fee. That’s the fee reality.
Deposit and Withdrawal Fees
No deposit fees. No withdrawal fees. Transfers within the Tide platform are at no extra cost from Tide. We found no hidden transaction charges in the product terms.
Transfer and Transaction Fees
No transfer fees within the Tide platform. No minimum or maximum transactions per month.
Other Charges to Watch
No early withdrawal penalty. No inactivity fee. We found no hidden charges in the product terms. The fee reality is plan fees, not savings-specific charges.
Eligibility and Deposit Requirements
Who Can Open an Account
You must hold a Tide Business Account to open Tide savings. Any plan qualifies, including the free tier. Non-Tide customers won’t qualify — you need to open a Tide current account first.
UK-registered limited companies, sole traders, and partnerships are accepted provided they hold a Tide Business Account. We confirmed eligibility at tide.co, April 2026.
Minimum and Maximum Deposit Limits
Minimum deposit: £1. Free plan: rate applies on balances up to £75,000. Paid plans: no stated balance cap. Confirm at tide.co before depositing above the free-plan cap.
If your business holds more than £120,000 in savings, note that Tide and Capital on Tap both use ClearBank. Your combined FSCS protection across both is £120,000 total. Move excess to a provider with a separate FSCS pool (Allica, Aldermore, OakNorth) to maintain full coverage.
Ineligible Business Types
Non-Tide customers are not eligible directly. Non-UK businesses are excluded. Businesses subject to sanctions are excluded. Verify your situation at tide.co if any of these conditions apply.
Account Access and User Experience
Online Banking and App Experience
Account management is through the Tide app (iOS and Android). The savings account sits within the same dashboard as your current account. One login. No separate portal or credentials.
When your VAT quarter closes and you need to park cash from incoming payments, you transfer from your Tide current account to savings inside the same app — no external transfer, no inter-bank wait.
Managing Savings and Withdrawals
To withdraw: open the app, select savings, initiate a transfer to your Tide current account. Instant. No notice required. No paperwork.
When a supplier invoice arrives at month-end and your cash flow is short, you move funds from savings to current account in seconds — no inter-bank delay, no chasing payments.
How to Open an Account
If you’re an existing Tide customer: log in to the app and open savings from the dashboard. No separate ID verification. Instant.
If you’re not a Tide customer: apply for a Tide Business Account at tide.co first. Once open, savings is available immediately.
Security, Regulation and FSCS Protection
Regulation and Authorisation
Tide is authorised and regulated by the FCA as an e-money institution. It is not a bank. Confirm current FCA authorisation at register.fca.org.uk.
FSCS Protection
Deposits are FSCS-protected up to £120,000 via ClearBank plc. ClearBank holds your funds under its banking licence. If ClearBank fails, FSCS covers up to £120,000 of eligible deposits.
The protection structure is the same as Capital on Tap savings: both use ClearBank. If you hold £70,000 with Tide savings and £60,000 with Capital on Tap savings, your ClearBank FSCS covers £120,000 combined — not per provider.
That’s two providers, one protection pool. For full coverage on larger sums, use at least one provider with its own separate banking licence — Allica, Aldermore, or OakNorth. That’s the distinction.
Safeguarding and Security Features
Tide is subject to FCA e-money safeguarding rules. Customer funds are passed to ClearBank which holds them under PRA capital requirements. Two-factor authentication required for login. New payees require verification before first transfer.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
What Customers Like
We reviewed Tide’s Trustpilot profile in May 2026 (4.3/5 across all products). We found savings-specific reviews are positive on ease of use: fast setup, instant transfers, no paperwork for existing customers.
Common Complaints
The recurring issue: free-plan users expected the “up to 3.74%” headline and received 2.27% AER instead. We found complaints about the plan-rate link not being clearly communicated at signup. Check your plan rate at tide.co before depositing.
These are rate transparency issues, not product failures. Instant-access mechanics and FSCS protection work as described.
Customer Support and Service
Support Channels and Availability
Support via in-app chat and the help centre at tide.co. Business hours, weekdays. We found no dedicated savings phone line and no 24/7 support.
Help Centre and Self-Service Resources
The Tide help centre covers savings rates by plan, FSCS protection, and transfer mechanics. Documentation available at tide.co/help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rate does Tide Instant Saver pay on the free plan?
2.27% AER (variable) on balances up to £75,000. Above £75,000, confirm the applicable rate at tide.co. Paid plans offer progressively higher rates.
Does changing my Tide plan change my savings rate?
Yes. Your savings rate is tied to your current account plan. Upgrade from Free to Plus and the rate increases from 2.27% to 3.09%. Downgrade and it drops back. Check exact timing at tide.co.
Do Tide and Capital on Tap savings share FSCS protection?
Yes. Both use ClearBank as their underlying bank. Your FSCS protection of £120,000 is shared across all ClearBank deposits. Use a provider with a separate banking licence for a second £120,000.
Can I open Tide savings without a Tide current account?
No. You must hold a Tide Business Account to open savings. Open a Tide account at tide.co first, then savings is available immediately.
Is 3.74% AER the rate all Tide users get?
No. 3.74% AER applies only to Max plan subscribers (£49.99/month). Free plan users receive 2.27% AER on balances up to £75,000. Check your plan rate at tide.co before opening.
Tide Business Savings vs Alternatives
Tide savings sits in the instant-access tier for existing Tide users. Here is how it compares:
Provider Rate Access FSCS Tide (Max) 3.74% AER Instant ClearBank £120k Tide (Free) 2.27% AER Instant ClearBank £120k Allica Bank Up to 4.08% AER Instant Allica Bank £120k Capital on Tap Up to 3.82% AER Instant ClearBank £120k OakNorth 3.85% AER Next-day OakNorth Bank £120k Aldermore 1-year fixed 4.16% AER Fixed 12 months Aldermore Bank £120k
Allica Bank pays more (4.08% AER) with no plan fee and no eligibility prerequisite. For fixed-term returns, Aldermore 1-year fixed (4.16% AER) is the strongest unconditional rate available.
Final Verdict: Is Tide Business Savings Worth It?
For existing Tide Pro or Max plan users: yes. The rate is competitive, the integration is seamless, and there’s no additional paperwork. The plan fee is already sunk into your current account costs.
For free-plan Tide users: no. 2.27% AER is below market. Open an Allica Bank savings account instead — you do not need to switch your current account to do so.
For non-Tide businesses: no compelling reason. The rate does not justify opening a new Tide account purely for savings. Use Allica (instant access, 4.08% AER) or Aldermore (fixed, 4.16% AER) instead.
Data sources: We reviewed Tide’s savings product at tide.co in April–May 2026. We verified FSCS protection against the FSCS register and FCA authorisation against the FCA register. We sourced rate and plan data from tide_savings.json, verified April 2026.
Verification date: Rates, plan tiers, eligibility, and product terms verified at tide.co, April–May 2026. Variable rates and plan fees may have changed since verification. Confirm all terms at tide.co before opening.
Affiliate disclosure: Tide is an affiliate partner of BusinessExpert. We may receive a referral fee if you open an account via links on this page. Our editorial assessment is independent of commercial arrangements. Read our full editorial policy.